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306. DINNER WITH THE DUKE
KATHERINENight had already fallen. I was drenched in water, covered in the dust from the road, and utterly exhausted—more mentally than physically.I stepped into a small sitting room, adorned with lavish furniture and a tea service table.The décor was exquisite: paintings, heavy drapes, finely crafted hardwood furniture—even the ceiling had intricate detailing.Everything was beautiful, but if you looked closely, certain details stood out—the cobwebs half-hidden in the corners, the dust poorly wiped away.When I opened the bedroom door, the stale, damp smell hit my nose, despite the clean sheets.Whoever was in charge of cleaning this room did everything but clean properly.At least they had left the fireplace burning in the cold room.When I opened the enormous wooden wardrobe, I almost expected bats to come flying out like from a cave.That thing hadn’t taken a single breath of air in all this time.“Well, what a pathetic excuse for a Duchess you were, dear sister,” I murmured wi
307. PIG VS DUKE
KATHERINEI clutched my nose, on the verge of tears from the pain, and looked up to see the “wall” I had crashed into.A man, well over six feet tall, with powerful muscles beneath his white shirt, which had a few buttons undone, revealing his sexy chest.The black tunic with silver embroidery draped over him made him look even more imposing.I looked like a tiny thing at barely five foot three, standing in front of him.His blue eyes locked onto me, so intense that I started feeling nervous, fearing he might suspect something.The scent of his cologne—masculine, with hints of bergamot—stung my nose, dominating my senses.“What are you doing?” he asked in a deep, cold voice, that rough, authoritative undertone unmistakable.I took a step back; we were too close. I needed to be cautious.This man… this man screamed danger from every angle.“Waiting for Your Lordship to dine,” I replied curtly, turning on my heel and returning to my seat.The truth was, I wanted to challenge him, but th
308. MADWOMAN GRADUATED FROM AN INSANE ASYLUM
KATHERINEI stared in disbelief at the woman I had thrown out the night before—who, surprisingly, was now walking out of the inner room as if nothing had happened.“I gave you a very clear order yesterday. What are you doing here?” I asked in a low voice, careful not to make a scene in front of the girl.“The Duke is the one who hired me, and unless he dismisses me, I’m not going anywhere,” she answered with all the audacity in the world.The girl started telling me to stop harassing her nanny, saying she was good, that I should just go back to the countryside—but I didn’t hear a word of it.All I could see was that woman, her eyes filled with confidence and contempt.“Did you tell the Duke that I asked you to leave, or did you spin some lie?”“I told him that the lady dismissed me from her service, and he said I should stay to look after the child…”I didn’t even let her finish. I stormed out of the room like a whirlwind.He could do whatever he wanted with his damned castle. He coul
309. MY WIFE, THE INTELLIGENT ONE
KATHERINE“Duchess, did you need something?” The insufferable butler was the one who opened the door.“I wish to see the Duke,” I replied, my tone bordering on rudeness. His superior attitude irritated me to no end.“You know you must schedule an appointment to see His Lordship. I can arrange one for next week…”“It’s an emergency, and I need to see him now,” I emphasized the now.I could hear the sounds of the Duke inside the room. I didn’t know if he was doing it on purpose, but I could hear papers shuffling on the desk and him reading some document.“The Duke is busy with his morning session. He cannot be distur… Hey, nngh!” he groaned in pain when I drove the heel of my boot deep into his foot.Taking advantage of his momentary distraction, I shoved past him and entered that arrogant bastard’s office.“I apologize for the interruption, Your Lordship, but I must speak with you about an urgent matter,” I said, barely restraining my temper.«I am Rossella, I am Rossella, I am my sist
310. WHO ARE YOU?
KATHERINE“Yes, Your Lordship,” the butler said as he exited, closing the door behind him.Left alone with him, my heart, for some reason, started to race slightly.Even more so when I saw him stand and walk toward the window, where a selection of liquor sat on a small table.“Would you like something to drink?”“No, no, Duke. I came to talk to you about our daughter,” I went straight to the point.“Our daughter?” He turned with his glass in hand, raising a sarcastic eyebrow. “There’s no one else here, Rossella. You don’t have to pretend.”I clenched my fists, sighing. It was true—he had only ever raised a child forced upon him.“Fine, my daughter,” I corrected coldly. “And precisely because she is only mine, I believe I have the right to choose who takes care of her and who doesn’t. I don’t like her nanny. I threw her out of the castle.”“Mrs. Elena has cared for her since she was a baby. Lavinia is very fond of her. You can’t just dismiss an honest woman for no reason…”“Honest? Do
311. I PREFER THE NEW ROSSELLA
ELLIOTLavinia’s nanny screamed as she was dragged by her hair, gripped tightly in Rossella’s unyielding fist, all the way to the staircase landing."Go find a woman for your son in another house, you wretched hag!" Rossella shouted over Mrs. Elena’s piercing cries as the woman clutched at her own hair, her face twisted in pain.In the midst of the struggle, the nanny’s panicked eyes met mine."Your Lordship, I beg you! The Duchess is accusing me unfairly! I’ve only cared for her little one as if she were my own! She… AAAAHHHH!"A shrill scream echoed as Rossella mercilessly shoved her, sending her tumbling down the stairs—just like I had done the day she arrived with the accountant’s corpse.I didn’t even flinch as her body rolled down, muffled groans escaping her lips, her hands flailing desperately in the air, trying to grab onto something, anything, until she landed with a dull thud in the foyer.My eyes remained fixed on the cold, ruthless woman who descended the stairs at a calm
312. A MALE HEIR
KATHERINEMy heart pounded, adrenaline coursing through my veins.The Duke had taken us under his protection, even if it was just an act.How good it felt to have the power to make decisions, to no longer be just someone else's puppet, a lifeless doll.The absolute power this man represented as he stood before me… I stared at him intensely, reaffirming my goals in my mind despite the barriers.He ordered the nanny and that Theodore, who was obviously paving the way to abuse my daughter's innocence and then rise from a groom to a noblewoman's husband, to be taken away.Such macabre ideas did not occur to a 14-year-old boy, that was his mother's doing.At last, the Duke turned and looked at me again, just for a few moments.His blue eyes gleamed with beautiful golden flecks, perhaps reflecting the sunlight.He walked past me without another word."Thank you, Your Lordship," I whispered softly, not expecting a response.I took a deep breath, smoothing down my skirt.Today, I had complete
313. DANGEROUS FANTASIES
KATHERINEA maid came once again to inform me about dinner."Bring the food to my room. I won’t be dining in the hall tonight"—nor ever again.I watched her leave with a nod."Nana…""Think it through carefully, there’s no rush. An heir isn’t born in a few hours. Go, take a good bath, relax, and sleep on it. I’ll take care of Lavinia."I sighed and stood up, leaning toward her. I kissed her wrinkled forehead. This woman had been the only mother I had ever known."Silly girl, still as clingy as when you were a little rascal. Go rest, you have tough battles ahead," she patted my hands.I headed to my room. Honestly, my mind was so burdened with worries that it felt like it was about to catch fire.No one ever said living someone else’s life would be easy. As soon as I closed my bedroom door, a knock sounded against the wood behind me.I opened it to find the servant who attended the dining hall."Excuse me, Duchess, dinner is ready.""Then bring it in," I said, opening the door wider, e
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