ONE NIGHT STAND WITH HOT DUKE-Chapter 229: End the problem with the duke

Ethan cleared his throat softly, his usually calm face now slightly flushed. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, clearly unsure of how to respond.

"It’s not like that..." he muttered, though even he sounded unconvinced.

On the other hand, Lena narrowed her eyes at Valerie, but not with her usual irritation. There was something different something lighter, even if she tried to hide it.

"You..." Lena huffed softly, though the corner of her lips lifted. "Since when did you start meddling in other people’s business?"

Valerie let out a small laugh, then stepped fully into the room. She crossed her arms, looking at the two of them with an expression that clearly wouldn’t stop until she was satisfied.

"Since I saw something interesting," she replied lightly. "And this... is very interesting."

Ethan lowered his head slightly, trying to suppress the smile forming on his lips. He glanced at Lena for a moment before looking away again, clearly still not used to this situation.

Lena wasn’t much different.

She turned her face aside, as if not wanting to be seen, but a quiet laugh still slipped from her lips.

"She’s not going to stop once she’s like this," she muttered, half resigned.

Valerie’s smile widened.

"Good," she said. "It’s been a while since I’ve seen you two like this."

The words sounded simple.

But they were enough to make the atmosphere soften again.

Ethan looked at Valerie, this time with a calmer expression. He understood what she meant. Over the past few days, a smile like this had almost never appeared on her face.

And now he saw it again.

Lena noticed it too.

She turned, watching Valerie a little longer than before, then said quietly, "If you can tease people like this... then maybe you’re not as broken as you think."

Valerie raised an eyebrow slightly, then laughed under her breath.

"Don’t get it wrong," she replied casually. "I’m just taking advantage of the moment."

But her smile didn’t fade.

And this time it didn’t feel forced.

Amid all the problems that weren’t yet resolved, with someone still waiting outside without moving that small laughter finally returned.

And for a moment, it was enough.

The soft laughter slowly faded, but the warmth it left behind still lingered in the room. For a moment, the three of them simply stood there, as if trying to hold on to that rare lightness in the middle of such an uncertain situation.

But reality never truly leaves.

It only waits for its moment to return.

And this time, it was Ethan who broke it.

He let out a quiet breath, then looked at Valerie more seriously. His expression was no longer awkward like before, but had returned to its usual calm yet thoughtful.

"Valerie," he called softly.

Valerie, still holding onto a trace of her smile, turned toward him, though she could already sense where this conversation was heading.

"What?" she replied lightly, as if trying to keep the mood from shifting.

But Ethan didn’t follow her tone.

"I’m serious."

Just two words.

But enough to make Valerie fall silent.

Lena, standing beside them, didn’t interrupt this time. She simply watched, letting the conversation unfold as it should.

Ethan took a small step closer not too close, but enough to show he wasn’t going to avoid this.

"What you just saw..." he said slowly, "...that wasn’t easy for me."

Valerie frowned slightly, not fully understanding yet.

Ethan gave a faint smile not out of amusement, but because he knew what he meant.

"I’m not used to saying things like that," he continued. "I’m not used to putting myself in a position where things are uncertain."

He paused for a moment, then looked at her more deeply.

"But I still said it."

Silence returned. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

But this time it was waiting for an answer.

Valerie looked at him, her smile slowly fading, replaced by something more serious.

"What do you mean?" she asked quietly.

Ethan didn’t answer right away. He took a breath, then exhaled slowly, as if making sure his next words wouldn’t come out wrong.

"If I can do that... then you should be able to as well."

This time, his words hit their mark.

Valerie went still.

Her hands, once relaxed, tensed slightly.

Ethan didn’t give her space to avoid it.

"Your problem with Demian won’t be solved by closing the door," he continued calmly. "You can wait one day, two days... even a week. But he won’t leave."

Valerie lowered her gaze.

She knew it was true.

She had seen it herself.

"And as long as you don’t say what you really want to say," Ethan added, "this will keep dragging on like this."

His words weren’t loud.

But they carried weight.

Because there was nothing she could deny.

Valerie bit her lip softly, her thoughts beginning to spiral again. Everything she had been avoiding slowly resurfaced—not because she wanted it to, but because she no longer had room to suppress it.

"I..." she tried to speak, but her voice caught.

Ethan didn’t push her.

But he didn’t step back either.

"You don’t have to go back to him," he said more gently. "I never said that. But you have to be brave enough to tell him that directly... not hide behind your own fear."

Lena finally moved, stepping to Valerie’s side. This time, she didn’t argue like before. She simply looked at Valerie, as if waiting to see one thing whether Valerie would remain silent, or finally choose to speak.

The room fell quiet again.

But not because there was nothing left to say.

Rather because everything that needed to be said

was already hanging in the air.

Valerie slowly lifted her head.

Her eyes were no longer as empty as before.

But they weren’t fully certain yet either.

Outside, the wind blew again, carrying the faint crackle of the fire still burning.

And someone was still waiting. Without moving. Without leaving.

As if giving time for a decision that could no longer be delayed.

The silence that followed felt deeper than before.

It was no longer just the pressure from outside from someone waiting without leaving but something slowly rising from within Valerie herself. Something she had avoided thinking about for far too long.

She still stood where she was, her hands once empty now slowly gripping the edge of her clothes, as if trying to hold onto something unseen.

In front of her, Ethan no longer spoke lightly. His expression was serious, but not harsh more like someone who knew that what he was about to say might hurt, yet still needed to be said.

"Valerie," he said quietly, "this isn’t just about you anymore."