Page 98 of Married to a Frozen Duke
"You always have a choice."
"Not in this. The marriage is legal and binding. This is my life now."
"Then Heaven help you," Edward said quietly. "Because living with that statue is going to freeze you solid eventually."
"He's not..." she started to defend Alexander, then stopped. Why was she defending him? He'd just banished her brothers and suggested cutting off contact with her family.
"He's not what?" Charles prompted. "Not cold? Not controlling? Not exactly what we expected when we heard you'd been forced to marry the Duke of Montclaire?"
"He's complicated."
"He's a beast," Edward said bluntly. "A well-dressed, well-mannered beast, but still a beast."
"Edward..."
"What? Should we pretend otherwise? Should we act like it's perfectly normal for a husband to ban his wife's family because they broke some dusty relics?"
"They weren't dusty relics to him. They were his heritage, his history."
"And you're defending him." Charles shook his head. "He's already got you trained, hasn’t he?"
"That's not fair."
"Isn't it? Yesterday you would have been furious at anyone who tried to separate you from your family. Today you're making excuses for him."
"I'm trying to see both sides."
"While he only sees his," Edward pointed out. "When does he try to understand your perspective, Phee? When does he make allowances for your background or your family?"
She didn't have an answer for that because they were right. Alexander demanded all the understanding while offering none in return.
"Write to us," Charles said, closing his trunk with finality. "Whatever he says, write to us. We'll always be your brothers, even if he doesn't approve."
"He said correspondence should be limited."
"And you're going to obey that?"
"I don't know. I don't know anything anymore."
Edward pulled her into a hug, and Charles joined them, the three of them standing together like they had as children when the world felt too big and frightening.
"Be careful, Phee," Charles whispered. "Don't let him turn you into something you're not."
"I'm trying."
"Try harder. The sister we know wouldn't let anyone make her feel small or common or unworthy."
"The sister you knew wasn't a duchess with responsibilities and expectations and a husband who can barely stand to look at her."
"Then maybe," Edward said quietly, "you need to stop trying to be the duchess he wants and start being the woman you are."
They left shortly after, their departure marked by awkward formality and Alexander's conspicuous absence. He didn't even come down to see them off, a rudeness that Ophelia knew would fuel family resentment for years to come.
She stood at the window watching their carriage disappear, feeling more alone than she had since arriving at Montclaire House. Behind her, she heard footsteps and knew without turning that it was Alexander.
"They're gone," he said unnecessarily.
"Yes."
