Chapter 12: The New Duke and the Hidden Mistress (Part 10)

“There are many ways to help someone sleep, Abigail. I could comfort you better than any of those songbirds.”

“When did I ever ask you to comfort me? I don’t need comfort; I need rest. Why do I even have to explain this to you?”

“Why do you keep pushing me away? Things used to be good between us.”

James’s voice trembled with desperation as he pleaded. The “good old days” he referred to were from their youth. Abigail, Austin, and James had been close since childhood. She hadn’t realized that James’s feelings, which she had once dismissed as trivial, would linger for so long and become so destructive.

“…Not at all. That’s just your delusion, Sir James.”

“Delusion? How can it be a delusion? Are you saying the stolen kiss was a delusion too?”

James growled, grabbing a fistful of Abigail’s hair. His words carried a desperate sincerity, but to Abigail, they were tiresome.

Yes, there had been a time when Abigail found her brother’s naïve friend somewhat endearing. Back then, she was accustomed to being adored by everyone and didn’t hesitate to show kindness in return.

So, even when she noticed James misinterpreting her kindness, she ignored it. She enjoyed the special attention he gave her. After all, being loved unconditionally was a pleasant feeling.

As long as the other person didn’t cross the line, Abigail saw no reason to cut them off. And James had always respected that boundary, so she had kept him around for a long time.

But if she had known that her leniency would turn into poison, she would have severed ties with him much earlier. Then, his obsession wouldn’t have spread like a toxin, slowly eating away at her life.

The “romantic moment” James referred to had been nothing more than an accident to Abigail. On a pleasant day, while leaning against a tree trunk with her eyes closed, enjoying the breeze, James had stolen a kiss.

The moment she felt something soft press against her lips, she knew it was James. His scent—like metal and gunpowder—was unmistakable. It was a smell unique to the military supplies his family dealt with.

James had likely been unaware of his own scent, but to Abigail, it was so distinct that she couldn’t possibly mistake it. She had sensed his presence long before he approached but had chosen to ignore it. After all, it wasn’t unusual for James to secretly watch her.

When his lips pressed tentatively against hers, she found it amusing and decided to let him. She thought it might be nice to leave him with a warm memory of youthful love.

“You were awake back then.”

“So what?”

“…What?”

“Are you trying to say that my pretending not to notice was some kind of encouragement? Whether I was awake or asleep, you kissed me first, so the blame lies solely with you.”

“I thought… I thought you accepted my feelings that day.”

James’s voice cracked with anguish. To be fair, that kiss had been Abigail’s first as well. But it had been so unremarkable that it left her feeling disappointed. Afterward, James had foolishly proposed to her, and Abigail had, of course, rejected him. He was someone who didn’t know his place.

“It was just a kiss. We didn’t even share anything more intimate, so isn’t it ridiculous for you to cling to that one memory, James?”

“So just let me stay by your side, like back then.”

“How pitiful. Just how far are you willing to go, James?”

Abigail caressed James’s trembling cheek. Even that small touch made James let out a faint groan. If the women James had dumped in Yelhen knew that this casanova was reacting so innocently, they would surely be outraged.

‘If you want, you can keep a lover. I won’t care.’

Abigail recalled Kiern’s final words of advice. His tone had been as casual as if he were commenting on the weather. She had been disgusted the moment she heard it, but now it provoked her.

‘Why not?’

Watching James grovel in front of her changed her mind. If Kiern could toy with Elizabeth, why couldn’t she do the same?

James seemed like a decent enough lover. 

Not as a husband, but as a lover, yes. 

Once her thoughts shifted in that direction, James began to look more appealing. His well-built figure and those red eyes, which were fixed solely on her, were quite charming.

Being the object of someone’s affection was gratifying. Especially when that affection was so blind and intense, it made her feel like her existence was more vivid. Abigail lightly brushed her fingers against his throat. She had been contemplating what to do with him, as his constant interference and disruptions had been annoying.

Maybe if she gave him what he wanted, he would quiet down for a while. Perhaps he would even devote himself to her, willing to sacrifice his life for her. It felt like raising a dog. Of course, an uncontrollable hunting dog would eventually have to be put down, but for now, she decided to keep him.

Abigail pretended to grab his neck but instead ruffled his dark blue hair as if to confirm something.

“Are you truly saying you want to become my toy? Like a street slave?”

“Do as you wish. None of the other women matter to me anyway.”

“You’ve really gone too far.”

Abigail burst into laughter. Perhaps her rejection during their adolescence been that traumatic for him. Not only had he ruined his own life, but now he was willingly putting the leash around his neck and offering it to her. Abigail decided she would gladly take hold of the leash he had extended. Straightening her posture, she withdrew her hand.

“Fine. Let’s see if you’re better than the bard.”

“Really?”

“But. You must come whenever I call, and you must always be in front of me when I look for you. If I don’t summon you, you are not to appear before me. Can you do that?”

“Yes. Anything.”

“Then prove it. Show me how much you can comfort me.”

Abigail lifted her dress as if mocking James. When her white ankle was revealed, James’s gaze changed. The meaning behind her actions was clear.

Without hesitation, he knelt and crawled like a dog under her skirt. He pressed his lips against her undergarments. Holding her soft thighs apart with both hands, he bit into the delicate, sweet fruit hidden beneath her underwear, making Abigail shudder.

Soon, the wet, sticky sounds mingled with Abigail’s dry, cracked moans, echoing in the garden.

***

This was absurd. Everyone had surely gone mad.

Elizabeth’s face burned as she listened to the conversation between Abigail and James. It wasn’t just because Kiern was covering her mouth, depriving her of oxygen, but because of what she had just witnessed.

“How amusing.”

Kiern chuckled softly before leading Elizabeth out of the maze garden. As they moved away from the garden, the faint moans that followed were undoubtedly Abigail’s.

Elizabeth was bewildered. Abigail, who was always so composed and elegant. The cold woman who had even tolerated her fiancé’s mistress was now succumbing to James’s advances.

Of course, it seemed less like seduction and more like pleading. Whatever whim had made her take James in, the fact that Kiern had witnessed it put Abigail and James in a precarious position.

Elizabeth glanced at Kiern’s expression. For a man who had just seen his fiancée’s betrayal, he looked unusually calm. This was in stark contrast to the last time, when he had flown into a rage after seeing her merely holding Theo’s hand.

As they exited the maze garden and walked down the corridor, Elizabeth unconsciously spoke up.

“Are you okay?”

She stopped herself before saying more, clamping her mouth shut. After all, it wasn’t her place to ask, given her position as his mistress. Kiern stopped walking and turned to face her.

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“…”

“Abigail needs some breathing room, doesn’t she? If anything, I feel relieved. Does that make me sound crazy?”

Kiern smiled faintly. He truly seemed unbothered, which left Elizabeth feeling conflicted. He was like a puzzle, one where it was impossible to tell where things had gone wrong. He was utterly broken, yet there was no way to fix him.

Elizabeth spoke softly.

“If it were me, I wouldn’t be okay. This kind of relationship is truly insane.”

“Are you really the one to say that?”

Kiern smirked, tousling her hair. Elizabeth pressed her lips together tightly. After all, she was the one who had started this madness.

The young Duke who refused to let her go, and his secret mistress, Elizabeth Lua. They had once been close friends, but now their relationship was one of master and servant, nothing more, nothing less. They were closer than anyone, yet farther apart than anyone could imagine.

“Crazy people tend to gather around other crazy people.”

He lightly kissed her hair. Wherever his gaze lingered, her skin seemed to burn. When Elizabeth avoided his eyes, he grabbed her chin and murmured softly.

“You’re the one who drove me mad.”

With those words, his hot lips brushed against her chin and then her lips, lingering stickily before pulling away. The kiss was like a brand, searing her skin.

“So don’t even think about running away. Unless you want to see me go completely insane.”

Kiern’s low warning sounded as though he feared she might try to escape. He didn’t seem to realize that Elizabeth had already given up on running away.