The Duke's Unwanted Second Wife

Eilika pressed her hands firmly against his chest, leaning back slightly to break the kiss. ”The doors are left wide open, Damian. Anyone could walk in on us,” she warned softly.

”Let them see,” Damian murmured, entirely unfazed. ”What is it that makes you so shy?”

He slid his hand up to the back of her head, tilting it slightly to deepen his angle. ”I am not stopping.”

His eyes lowered to her lips once more, and a second later, he captured them again. This time, Eilika did not resist. Instead, a small smile brushed the corner of her lips, and she returned the gesture with equal fervor. A moment later, her feet were moving backward in a slow retreat as he guided her steadily toward the grand bed.

They both fell back onto the soft mattress together. Eilika sharply nipped his bottom lip, causing him to let out a low hiss and withdraw just an inch.

”What was that for?” he murmured.

Amused, he buried his head in the crook of her neck, returning the favor with a playful nip of his own. Eilika yelped, quickly covering her mouth with one hand while using the other to push him away.

Damian, however, easily caught her wandering hand and pinned it against the mattress. He quickly secured her other hand beside it, trapping her beneath him as he continued his sweet torture.

”Someone will come... ah...” She let out a low moan as his lips brushed against her earlobe. ”Stop, Damian. Please.”

His teeth, which had just grazed her earlobe, immediately stilled. He relaxed his grip on her wrists and pulled back, looking down at her with a hungry, darkened gaze.

Before she could even find her voice to tell him to shut the chamber doors, the sound of Sylvian’s voice echoing from the corridor startled them both.

Damian straightened up instantly, pulling away and smoothly tugging Eilika up to a sitting position. She hurriedly smoothed down the folds of her dress just as Sylvian’s voice carried clearly through the open doorway.

”Damian, have you seen August?” Sylvian called out, though he remained politely out of sight in the drawing room.

Damian exchanged a swift, knowing glance with Eilika before stepping out of the bedchamber. ”No. Why? I assumed he was still resting in his quarters,” Damian answered, joining him.

Sylvian didn’t notice anything unusual at first, until his gaze lingered on Damian’s face a moment longer and caught the distinct smudge of red lip color on his mouth.

”Damian, what is that on your—” Sylvian pointed, cutting himself off as realization dawned. A teasing smirk spread across his face. ”Ah. Forgive me for disturbing you. You really should close the door when you are busy doing...”

”Hey, your mind is running in the wrong direction,” Damian countered quickly, roughly wiping the lip color away with the back of his hand.

”No way! The evidence was right there. Clear as day,” Sylvian replied with a tease, turning on his heel to leave. ”I will return later.”

”You have already ruined the moment anyway,” Damian muttered under his breath. ”As for August, he has not been around. I did not see him at the administrative center either,” he added, shifting the topic back to business.

”I wonder if he is brewing something malicious,” Sylvian murmured, his expression darkening slightly.

”I do not believe he will do anything evil. I used to think the exact same way about him, but trust me, August is simply bitter about his circumstances. He never received the privileges that both you and the Crown Prince were granted,” Damian explained calmly.

”You know the kind of man he is. He tried to ruin you,” Sylvian stated, shaking his head. ”Father was entirely prepared to give him everything, but he chose to walk down the wrong path instead. And recently, he has been accusing my mother. Can you even imagine that? Never mind.”

”I understand your frustration, Sylvian,” Damian stated, meeting his gaze. ”However, try to put yourself in August’s shoes. He resents the Queen because she never showed him the affection she showered upon her own two sons. I am not taking sides here; I am simply speaking as a father. I got fortunate that my own son has Eilika as his stepmother. August was not so lucky. He desperately wants to prove himself this time.”

Sylvian contemplated his words for a moment, a frown creasing his brow.

”My mother tried her best to—” He was cut short before he could finish the defense.

”Perhaps that is what you believe,” Damian interrupted gently but firmly. ”But August targeted the Crown Prince because of the Queen. Her actions planted the seeds of that hatred within him. I know I should not speak this way about my own aunt, but I cannot lie to you, Sylvian. Do not view him in a negative light all the time. You are Sylvian. You have always been righteous in everything you do.”

The rigid tension in Sylvian’s expression softened as the weight of Damian’s words struck a something in him.

”I shall try to understand him then. If August has truly suffered in that manner, I will not be harsh on him,” Sylvian said.

”We can’t bring back his childhood though. So, giving him respect and care are the only options,” he affirmed.

”Pardon me, Your Graces, for interrupting,” Joanna informed them, appearing with a polite bow. ”But lunch has been ready and the Dowager Duchess wants everyone in the dining room.”

”Go on ahead. I will come with Eilika,” Damian answered.

Sylvian hummed in response and walked away, leaving Damian lost in his thoughts. Just then, Eilika stepped out of the bedchamber and came to stand right beside him.

”I know where Prince August is,” she whispered.

”Where?” Damian tilted his head down as she tiptoed to reach his ear, whispering the secret August had shared with her.

His eyes widened in sharp surprise, but he kept his composure and did not utter a single word aloud, well aware of the servants present around.