ONE NIGHT STAND WITH HOT DUKE-Chapter 74: Fiancé or mistress
He scrubbed his face roughly, He knew he had misunderstood. And He knew he had hurt Valerie in a way that was unforgivable.
But what weighed on his chest the most was a bitter realization that had only just dawned on him, Valerie had forgiven him... without truly coming back.
And that was far more frightening than anger.
Inside the study, filled with the scent of old wood and fresh ink, the atmosphere felt far heavier than usual.
The afternoon light streamed through the tall windows, casting long shadows across the marble floor. Kaiser stood near Demian’s desk, his arms crossed over his chest. His expression was calm, yet unmistakably edged with concern.
"Did something happen between you and Valerie?" he finally asked, his voice low and careful like someone who knew he was stepping onto dangerous ground.
Demian did not answer at once. He stood with his back to Kaiser, staring out the window, as though the garden beyond deserved his attention more than the question.
"That’s none of your business," he said curtly.
His tone was cold. Closed off.
Kaiser let out a quiet breath."I hope... everything is alright," he said. He did not press, did not judge.
Demian remained silent.
The quiet returned, thicker this time. Kaiser watched his friend’s back, he had known Demian long enough to recognize that this kind of silence was never a good sign.
"Your relationship with Ivanka Kosler," Kaiser continued at last, changing the subject despite the obvious risk. "It seems to be going well, too."
Demian stiffened. His shoulders went rigid, his jaw tightening.
"You’re still going to marry her?" Kaiser asked more softly now, almost hesitant.
Demian turned.
Their gazes met.
For a brief moment only a moment Kaiser saw something in Demian’s eyes. Not anger alone, but an unresolved conflict, emotions layered and colliding with one another.
Then Demian looked away, moving back toward his desk.
"Don’t talk about that," he said flatly.
Kaiser frowned."Demian—"
"I said don’t."
But Kaiser didn’t stop."You know I’m not asking as the Crown Prince," he said seriously. "I’m asking as your friend."
That was his final mistake.
Demian snapped his gaze up, the anger he had been restraining now unmistakable.
"If you keep trying to discuss that," he said slowly, each word pressed with a dangerous calm, "I will make sure you leave this place."
The threat did not need to be shouted. Its composure made it all the more real.
Kaiser fell silent.
For the first time since entering the room, he stepped back half a pace not out of fear, but because he realized he had touched the core of a problem even Demian himself refused to face.
"I understand," Kaiser said at last. "I’m sorry."
He turned and walked toward the door, then paused.
"It’s just that," he added without looking back, "sometimes the most dangerous thing isn’t someone else’s questions... but the lies we keep from ourselves."
The door closed softly behind him.
Demian stood alone.
His hands gripped the edge of the desk so tightly that the books atop it shifted slightly. His breathing was heavy. His chest felt constricted.
Outside, everything appeared orderly. Power, engagement, duty everything moved as it was meant to.
But inside him, something had cracked. And for the first time, Demian did not know whether he was angry because someone dared to ask... or because he himself had no answer.
Kaiser had just passed through the inner gates of the castle when his steps slowed. His gaze was drawn to a lone figure standing in the open corridor that led to the rose garden.
Valerie.
She stood by herself, as if she were not truly waiting for anyone. The soft-colored gown she wore stirred gently in the afternoon breeze, her hair fell loosely, half pinned back in a careless way. In her hand, she held a freshly cut rose its thorns still sharp, as though no one had yet decided which parts were safe to touch.
"Lady Valerie," Kaiser greeted at last, his voice calm yet warm.
Valerie turned, slightly startled. Her eyes widened for a brief moment before settling. She inclined her head politely.
"Your Highness," she said. "I didn’t expect to see you again today."
Kaiser smiled faintly a smile free of rigid formality, lacking the usual distance.
"Neither did I," he admitted honestly. "But it seems we’ve been crossing paths quite often lately."
Valerie returned a small smile careful, restrained. Yet Kaiser noticed what lay beneath it: a weariness left unspoken.
"How was your return after Countess Avaina’s salon?" Kaiser continued."I hope you weren’t too tired. Or—" he paused, then added lightly, "—too much wine."
For a moment, Valerie fell silent.
Then her lips curved slowly, naturally.
"No," she said softly. "I returned safely. Thank you for... accompanying me that night."
Her voice was gentle. Unaffected. Not defensive.
And that smile, for the first time in a long while felt alive.
Kaiser noticed. He looked at her a moment longer than propriety allowed, not with the confidence of a prince, but with the sincerity of a man.
"I’m glad to hear that," he said. "You were alone that night. It wouldn’t have been fair for you to face all those stares by yourself."
Valerie lowered her gaze slightly, her fingers tightening around the rose’s stem.
"Sometimes... being alone is easier," she murmured. "But that night, your presence helped."
She lifted her face again and smiled once more.
The smile was soft. Warm. Unguarded.
From behind the tall windows of his study, Demian saw everything.
He had not meant to watch. He had simply been standing there, his thoughts still tangled from his conversation with Kaiser. But the moment his eyes caught the scene outside, his body went rigid.
Valerie.And Kaiser.
They stood facing one another. Too close.
Demian could not hear their words but he saw enough.
The way Valerie stood without tension, her shoulders were no longer stiff, and her face so often shielded by caution these days was now open.
Then he saw the smile.
Demian’s chest felt as though it were being crushed.
When was the last time Valerie had smiled like that... at him?
