ONE NIGHT STAND WITH HOT DUKE-Chapter 52: Legitimate duke

The room seemed to grow colder.

Sera stiffened, but Valerie lifted her hand slightly a silent signal to remain still.

Valerie smiled.

Not a false smile. Nor a challenging one.

But the composed smile of a woman who had been demeaned too often to be startled by it.

"Lady Kosler," Valerie said politely, "if you came here solely to insult me, I suggest you reconsider."

Ivanka raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting such composure. "You have no right to speak to me that way."

Valerie rose slowly from her chair.

"That is true," she said softly. "I have no claim to many things."

She met Ivanka’s gaze directly.

"But there is one matter that needs to be clarified."

Ivanka folded her arms, a thin smile curving her lips. "Oh?"

"You are the Duke’s fiancée," Valerie continued. "Not the mistress of this residence."

Ivanka let out a small laugh."And who do you think you are?"

Valerie did not smile this time. Her voice remained gentle, but unmistakably clear.

"At present," she said, "I am the one who lives here. I am the one who receives guests. I am the woman acknowledged as belonging to Duke Morvex." 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

She paused, allowing her words to settle.

"So in function," she continued calmly, "I am the mistress of this castle."

Ivanka’s smile tightened, just slightly.

"You are not afraid to stand against me?" she asked quietly, almost in a whisper.

Valerie shook her head faintly. "I have no right to oppose you," she answered honestly. "And I have no desire to."

Ivanka laughed softly this time without warmth.

"In that case," she said, stepping closer, "enjoy your days while you can."

She tilted her head slightly. "Because soon... you will find out what will happen to you."

Her gaze hardened. "And perhaps... to your family as well."

The threat was not spoken loudly. That was precisely what made it dangerous.

Valerie felt her chest tighten.

But she did not retreat.

"I will remember your visit today, Lady Kosler," she said quietly. "Just as you will remember me."

Ivanka smiled in satisfaction, then turned and left without waiting for a response.

The door closed.

Silence settled over the room.

Sera stepped closer, her face pale. "My lady..."

Valerie drew a long breath and sat back down.

Only then did her fingers tremble slightly.

She knew one thing with absolute certainty now.

To enter the capital was to step into Ivanka Kosler’s territory. And from this day forward, their conflict was no longer a matter of rumor but of confrontation, threats, and a game of power that knew no mercy.

And Valerie...could no longer pretend she was merely a woman standing at the Duke’s side.

She had become a target.

Valerie remained seated in the sitting room while Sera and Lira stood not far from her. The air felt heavy, as though the remnants of Ivanka Kosler’s presence had not fully departed with the closing of the door.

Sera broke the silence first.

"My lady... you should tell the Duke that Lady Kosler came here," she said carefully. "If you don’t, what just happened—"

"No," Valerie interrupted softly.

She shook her head, staring ahead without focus."I don’t want to."

Sera fell silent for a moment. "But, my lady—"

"I don’t want to look like a troublemaker," Valerie continued, her voice calm but firm. "I won’t run to the Duke every time his fiancée says something to me."

Lira, who had been quiet until then, finally spoke, her tone gentler."But her words were clearly a threat, my lady."

Valerie turned to Lira and offered a faint smile."I know."

That answer only deepened their concern.

Sera and Lira exchanged glances, unsure what else to say. They had known Valerie long enough to understand once she had made a decision, it was difficult to change her mind.

Not long after, a middle-aged man entered the room with measured steps. His attire was neat, his demeanor formal, his expression serious.

"Head steward Sean," he introduced himself with a brief bow. "Forgive the intrusion, Lady Valerie."

Valerie nodded. "What is it, Master Sean?"

Sean hesitated before speaking."In my opinion, today’s incident should be made known to the Duke. If not," he continued carefully, "Lady Kosler may feel free to act as she pleases within this castle."

Valerie looked at him, then smiled faintly not mockingly, but with understanding.

"You are not wrong, Master Sean," she said. "But precisely for that reason, I will not tell the Duke."

Sean frowned."My lady?"

"Lady Kosler is the Duke’s fiancée," Valerie said quietly, as though weighing each word. "And soon enough, she will be his lawful wife."

She rose, straightening her shoulders."In the order of power, her position is far above mine."

Sera bit her lip. "But my lady, you are living here now—"

"And that changes nothing," Valerie cut in gently. "I know exactly where I stand."

Valerie looked at them one by one.

"Precisely because she is the Duke’s fiancée," she continued calmly, "she is free to do as she wishes. And whatever she does... will always be considered acceptable."

Sean fell silent. He understood the implication in the capital, status was the strongest shield of all.

"I will not provoke a conflict," Valerie said at last. "If I complain, I will only look like a woman afraid of losing the Duke’s favor."

The room grew quiet once more.

Sera and Lira could only lower their heads, swallowing their own worry. Sean bowed again, his expression heavier than when he had entered.

"Very well, my lady," he said. "If that is your decision."

When they all left the room, Valerie stood alone by the window.

Outside, the capital’s sky looked bright beautiful, and merciless all at once.

Valerie knew one thing with clarity:

As long as Ivanka Kosler still held the title of the Duke’s fiancée, as long as there was no binding decision, then whatever happened to her, would always be seen as her own fault.

Night descended slowly over the capital, bringing with it a different kind of cold damp, heavier, more oppressive. The lanterns in the courtyard of Morvex Castle were lit one by one as the sound of hooves echoed at the front gate.

Demian had returned.

Valerie, who had been seated in a small sitting room, rose at once and moved toward the window. From behind the curtain, she saw Duke Morvex dismount his horse. His coat was still on, his expression hard, his stride swift no pause, no greetings.

Most striking of all, he was not looking for Valerie.

Demian went straight into the castle, followed by several men in military uniform. Faces Valerie recognized his trusted generals.

A sense of unease settled in her chest.

She turned to Sera, who stood near the door."What is the Duke doing?" she asked quietly.

Sera followed her gaze and let out a small breath."It seems something has happened, my lady."

"What do you mean?"

"As soon as he arrived, the Duke went directly to his study," Sera replied. "And now he’s in a meeting with his generals."