Chapter 104

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Leyla and the canary stared at each other for quite some time. She watched the bird in rapt attention, mesmerized by the way it flapped its wings behind its small body, chirping in perfect mimicry the tune that the Duke had been whistling moments prior.

Leyla tilted her head at it, and in response, the bird mirrored her actions in equal curiosity. It resumed its adorable chirping, flapping its wings once more, before landing perfectly on the Duke’s shoulder.

Eyes still on the small canary, Leyla couldn’t help but ask the burning question in her mind, her hurry all thrown in the wind at the small distraction.

“Is this your bird?” she asked him softly, fingers twitching, wanting to caress its feathers. She was still unable to comprehend if what she was seeing was reality, or was it just another one of her dreams?

“Oh, my God,” she murmured softly, watching how gentle the Duke was treating it with gentle caresses of his long, slender fingers…

And the canary felt perfectly content nuzzling into the calloused hands that handled her a lot differently.

“Unbelievable.” she muttered, finally gaining Matthias’ attention back.

“What’s unbelievable?” He inquired, fingers still touching the canary.

“I, I,” Leyla flushed, just realizing she said it out loud. She gulped down her embarrassment though, her thrill at the sight of him with the canary absolutely fascinating her!

“Mr. Evers used to say that you raise small and pretty birds.” She began, licking her lips nervously, “I guess I never really believed it was true, until now.” She said the last part softly, eyes still trailed in acute fondness of observing the canary.

Matthias hummed softly, pondering about what she just said.

‘I can’t believe that my attendant, who I assumed all this time to be quiet and faithful, would spill such nonsense.’ He thought in slight distaste, a frown marring his features.

A movement was caught in the corner of his eyes, and when he turned to look properly, he found himself pleased.

Leyla’s hand was slowly reaching out to take hold of his canary. How wonderful.

Unfortunately, upon realizing a foreign hand was reaching out to touch it, the canary started chirping before it flapped its wings once more, gliding away from the two people.

Leyla’s breath hitched, and she felt her cheeks flushed in embarrassment.

“Oh no!” She softly exclaimed in dismah, “Did I frighten it?” She turned to Matthias worriedly, the fear and disappointment reflecting in her glistening emerald orbs.

Matthias only chuckled in amusement at her despondent expression.

Wanting to quickly make amends with the small bird, Leyla quickly trotted towards where the canary currently was, whilst Matthias stood back and watched their impromptu game of chase.

Whenever Leyla would near it, it would flutter away out of reach, and Leyla would attempt once more. Again, and again, and again, this kept repeating.

Matthias loved to think his little canary was teasing his mistress in his place. This truly was a momentous spectacle.

Eventually, the chase had come to an end when the canary fluttered into its golden cage. Leyla, who’d been chasing after it all this time, huffed out tiredly, walking slowly before finally stopping a few paces away from the bird.

It was clear she wasn’t a welcome stranger by now.

Leyla looked to Matthias, curiosity clear on her face as she looked back and forth to him and the canary.

“It’s certainly not the kind of bird that would allow just about anyone to be near it.” She lightly remarked, and waited for Matthias to fall in step beside her. “How did you manage to tame the small thing?” She wondered in genuine curiosity, and Matthias gave her a serene smile.

“I merely cut off her wings from time to time.” He answered her plainly, and Leyla felt as though an ice cold bucket had been poured over her head.

‘Of course he did,’ Leyla thought dryly in mild disappointment.

She watched him as he locked the door of the beautiful and elaborate cage. All the while, she kept her mouth shut, and the sneer, threatening to take over her lips, was well hidden.

She watched as the bird perched beautifully in the cage, grooming its trimmed wings. Looking closely, she could spot the freshly trimmed feathers. It chirps once, and then twice, before settling into it’s plush nest, curling contentedly in on itself as it got ready to slumber.

The Duke’s eyes looking down at the canary were soft and sweet as if he were treating a lover.

She knew it well, for he’d look at her with those very same eyes.

On the moments she’d catch him looking at her like that, she’d feel utterly confuddled by the strange feeling stirring within her chest. It was almost like a deep wound, festering deep inside her, unable to heal completely.

Which brought her thoughts back to the Duke’s answer to her question.

So even with a bird, he’d do the same cruel things. He’d cut it off from its freedom, then present it with lavish gifts, until finally…

He’d get what he wanted, and his victim would be none the wiser.

The longer she’d stay on this line of thought, the harder it would be for her to keep up the pretense of being in love with him. She needed to distract herself from these morbid thoughts, and without further adieu, Leyla approached the window nearest to them.

She stared out into the vast garden, observing the way the dark was slowly receding as the break of dawn started appearing beyond the treelines.

‘Such big place, all owned by you,’ Leyla thought, once more a familiar pang stinging in her chest, ‘With such things being handed to you on a silver platter, was it that easy for you to think of everything else in this world below you?’

Though the gardens in Arvis were by name and money, the Herhardts, these gardens were the fruit of her Uncle’s honest labor. And yet…

Everything seems to have changed now. It was all known, yet unfamiliar at the same time.

And it could all be attributed to the man who ruined her and Kyle’s marriage was not the Duke.

Even Leyla had known long before that their marriage was wrong from the beginning. It didn’t matter if the Duke never meddled in on their engagement, it changed nothing about that fact.

Nevertheless, Leyla could not find it in herself to absolve him of his perceived faults.

From the very beginning, he had been dismissive of every boundary she’d set, as though she was a random object so easily obtained! Not once did she see him even feel guilty about the things he’d done and put her through. Nor did he make an effort to even make her understand his obsession with her.

He just came, and decided he wanted her, and took, and took, and took some more. In the end, he made her feel like everything else but him was insignificant. That his wants and needs were more important than anyone else’s.

And she was left scrambling at the edge of sanity, grappling for help she could never ask of anyone.

Leyla took a deep, shaky breath, trying to hold back her tears.

Such was the plight of orphans like her, she supposed.

But despite what was perceived as an unfortunate, or a bad life, she loved the life she’d led so far, never mind how the rest of the world saw it. It was in this life she knew what it is to strive for a life well-lived.

And she worked hard and honestly to get the peaceful and honorable life she longed dreamed for her and her uncle, no matter how difficult the situation was, or how high a hurdle she needed to overcome.

She didn’t need much, she just wanted to be that adult who could support day to day lives with their own grit and merit. And someday soon, if fate permits it, to meet that person she would fall in love with, and create a happy, healthy family.

She just wanted a mundane life, a little better than she had now. Where her worries would just be what curtains to change the drapes with as seasons passed, or how much food she should prepare!

And then, as years go by, she’d place a carefully marked meter on the doorpost, charting the growth her children had gone through over the years. And when she’s old and gray, she’d trace those marks with her fingers, and her eyes will crinkle in happiness at the memories it left her with.

But those were her heartfelt dreams in a long past, back when Leyla was still the same naive girl growing up by the gardens. And now, she was growing once more, and no matter how much she hated how she had to, it couldn’t stop, not even for a second.

Some days she would stumble, but then she’d just get right back up and laugh at her mistakes when she’d look back. Because she knew, someday, everything would make sense, and all would be right again.

And that’s what gave her hope in the end. That “someday” would come. How was she to know that her someday would disappear, by a single man’s fleeting desire?

“Leyla.”

Suddenly, Matthias approached from behind her, and whispered her name.

Leyla stared at him through her reflection, giving him a tight lipped smile. Matthias met her eyes as well.

The only thing left for her was to embody being the Duke’s mistress now, and that’s the woman she must continue to play. It was this shell of her old self that could freely smile for the man who ruined her dreams, the man who she hated most.

Claudine was right in the end after all.

What was the point of desperately fighting back against the Duke? For a meager sense of her dignity?

It was only then she was roughly reminded that her state of body, and her actions did not dictate what her dignity truly was. Only she could decide her worth, and no one else.

And so she must play the part of the perfect mistress. In the end, the only way to free herself was to be the perfect woman, the one who could steal another’s man.

She couldn’t hold in the bitter laughter that managed to escape from her lips with a shaky breath. At that moment, she watched the Duke dip his head towards the nape of her neck in the reflection, and flinched for a second when she felt the ghost of his lips.

It was so instinctive, she barely felt it before his strong arms wound around her slender waist, pulling her back flush to his chest. He nosed along the back of her head, their hips pulled close together, she could feel his lust for her.

This was a normal thing to just about any lover, and yet Leyla could only feel a sense of despair over this intimate moment between them. Her eyes fluttered closed, her neck tilting to give him more of an access to her sensitive neck as he planted small, wet kisses up behind her ears.

What was the point of gaining revenge over him? It wouldn’t change anything. What’s done, has been done. All she really wanted was to get away from here, and from him. To live far away from his reach and any semblance of his influence.

Even tonight, she just wanted to be as far as possible from him.

“Leyla.”

Matthias whispered her name, warm breath hitting the back of her ear as he nibbled on it, Leyla couldn’t help the erotic moan from slipping out her lips. His hands began wandering all over her torso, and down her growing moistness.

How long had they stayed like this? So out in the open in the main mansion? So free for any passing servant, unfortunate to wake up this early, and witness their illicit affair?

But how could she not feel her mind fog up in the pleasure? She’d fought against him so long, that his gentle touches ever since she pretended to give in to him turned to ecstasy? So gentle, and warm, and all-encompassing her in pleasurable sensations?

‘Stop it!’ She yelled in her mind, fighting hard against that womanly urge in her to submit just once to the pleasure, ‘Don’t let temporary pleasure cloud your judgment! Stay strong!’

With that thought, she finally snapped out of her lust-filled haze, and finally opened her eyes to look at Matthias with renewed determination. The first sight that greeted her, was Matthias’ warm smile hovering above her…

And that was when she realized it. She was now nestled comfortably in the middle of the bed, her thin covers now gone, and she laid bare in front of the Duke! Her cheeks flushed red as she shivered in the gentle gust of the nightly chill.

Matthias chuckled at her expression.

“Why are you laughing?” She whispered in embarrassment, crossing her arms over her chest, but Matthias left her unanswered, instead, he dipped his head once more, giving a firm bite to one of her flushed cheeks.

Leyla squeaked in surprise, trying to push his face away, but he only swiftly immobilized her with one hand, bringing them up over her head and proceeded to bite at the other cheek.

Leyla squirmed away from his current ministrations, confused and a bit irritated.

But her defiance only served to entice him more. He really wanted so badly to dominate her, he wanted to give her more pain…

But there was also the underlying urge to romance her, and treat her gently. Ah, what was he to do with her?

“Ack! Stop, eek! Stop it!” Leyla hissed at him, managing to free one of her wrists and pushed him back by the shoulders. Matthias could have easily ignored her pleas, but eventually he relented and finally pulled back.

Still, it was amusing to see her look of confusion. It gave him a sense of familiarity that she wasn’t that much changed.

In fact, she looked more exquisite like this. All drenched in a thin sheen of sweat, her breasts panting up and down as her flush traveled down to her perky chest. It was fun, teasing her like this every now and then, he couldn’t help but laugh at her.

Leyla’s thoughts turned pensive, watching him dryly as she half-anticipated him to resume biting her shortly. And yet even though she knew he could overpower her so easily, he remained still as she kept him at bay.

“What are you doing?” She asked him, and Matthias only sighed as he laid on his back right beside her, a pleased smile on his face. He then turned towards her, and gathered her in his arms and pulled her flush against him once more.

Having constant contact with her, skin on skin, was very relaxing for him.

Leyla was sprawled across his chest, and she angled her head in a way she could see him. The look of confusion remained on her face.

Matthias lay on his back on the bed, hugging her. Leyla, sitting on top of the man, looked down at him as if she didn’t understand.

“Is that really what you want to ask?” He asked her, a teasing glint in his eyes, and Leyla frowned.

“Y-you were the one who pushed me into the bed.” She weakly pointed out, and his grin grew wider at her embarrassment. Looking at him like this, all boyish and normal, did not seem as intimidating as before.

“Are you even strong enough right now?” She asked him after a few moments, and he only shrugged. Leyla tried to move away from him, but his arms tightened around her, and she huffed out irritably.

“You’re not going to allow me to move, are you?” She asked him dryly, and he only grinned in reply.

“Maybe.” He said, and let out another laugh. Leyla pouted.

“Perhaps you should stop laughing at me and I wouldn’t be so opposed to being so near you.” Immediately she shoved his arm rather roughly and tried to keep it there.

Matthias’ laughter died down, but the smile remained on his face as Leyla turned to look back at him. She sat up and tilted her head, observing him.

“Aren’t you frightened, my Duke?” Leyla whispered sultrily towards him, and Matthias watched her with rapt attention as she gingerly held out a hand, and began to caress his face in a lovingly manner. “Aren’t you scared of what I could do to you?”

Matthias let himself follow her movements freely. He felt her slender fingers grip his chin, and gently forced him to keep eye contact with her. As if she even had to do that.

She’s always had his undying attention after all.

Matthias closed his eyes to lean into her touch, before he opened them up once more and gave her a languid smile.

“Do whatever you want.” He answered back in a husky voice, sending a thrill of excitement through Leyla’s body.

Immediately, she gently brought her other hand to brace herself over his shoulder, before she swung over him, effectively straddling him by the waist.

At this position, he could feel her heat directly over his stiffening desire.

Her hands wandered over to cup his face, and Matthias kept eye contact with her. In Leyla’s eyes was a fiery passion so free, as though she was laying everything bare for him to see.

“Do it as much as you like,” He finished in a breathy whisper, loving the way things were progressing.

Leyla looked at his beautiful face, forgetting neither earlier’s hesitation nor the cold anger rising from the depths of her heart. In her thoughts, she unconsciously let go of his face, and began to gently pat his cheeks in small taps.

“Do you like what you see?” Matthias whispered to her with a knowing smirk. There was no hint of shame at all coming from him.

“Yes.” she whispered back.

Leyla decided to be as calm as he was. Though perhaps, he wasn’t expecting such a response from her, because his brows furrowed moments later.

She needed to rectify this.

“I like it a lot more than your personality.” She added offhandedly. Now that was the truth. She would admit he did have a handsome face, and a glorious body to go with. But that was the only good thing about him.

Matthias eyed her carefully for a while, before he began to laugh out loud. The echoes of his laughter reverberated around the room, even as Leyla felt his torso shaking beneath her palms as he chuckled into the silence.

“Are you okay, Leyla?” He finally asked, a hand reaching out to cup her cheeks in response. Upon his touch, she felt a rush of heat pool deep within her. “I feel as though you’re making me go crazy.” He told her softly, and Leyla shook her head, and caressed his hand with hers.

“No.” She murmured, “I won’t let you go crazy.” She falsely promised as she gave him an endearing smile.

Leyla’s eyes passed over their surroundings. Her eyes trailed over the high ceilings and splendid walls, towards the antique furniture and artwork, before stopping once more on his face.

She was once again how powerful of a man he was. His status as her master, and yet…

He was willingly submitting to her right here. Allowing himself to be lower than her.

Perhaps it was brought on by the fact that she was no longer afraid of him. However at this moment, the Duke was just like any other man. Helpless in front of a woman’s wiles.

She couldn’t help the triumphant smirk slipping through the corner of her lips.

“You’re the one who should be worried about what I’m going to do with you today, my Duke.” She whispered above him with a smirk, while Matthias gently rutted his hips upwards, invoking an erotic gasp to escape from her.

Calloused palms gripped the thighs straddling him.

“Are you confident that you’ll be able to have great pleasure today?” He challenged, “So great in fact, that I have to worry about it?”

“We’ll see,” She hummed, gently rocking her hips up and down the length of his hardness. “We’ll have to decide on the verdict once I’m through with you.”

There was only a bright smile on her face, mirroring the excitement deep within her heart at this very moment. Her eyes remained fixed on Matthias, she didn’t want to miss a single moment of this time. She wanted it ingrained in her mind that she’ll remember this moment clearly for the years to come.

‘Soon, I will give you a lot of hurt and pain.’’ She grinned confidently above him.

As if brought on by her thoughts, Leyla’s hands traveled towards his neck, leaving a gentle pressure on her sides, as she licked her lips, releasing a relaxed sigh. She dipped her head down, and dove right into his mouth.

Their tongues fought for dominance, but Leyla was eager to ride in this current high, and make him submit to her for a change.

She felt his breath turn ragged, and soon, soon he will be turned into putty once she’s through with him.

There was an underlying fear in the back of her mind, but it was oh so satisfying seeing this powerful man brought down in front of her, a lowly peasant in their eyes, simply because of his greedy obsession with her.

And then she pulled away, Matthias rising up to chase after her lips, but she applied more pressure into his neck, looking at him firmly like she would with one of her rowdy students.

“Wait.” She voiced to him, pulling back. She watched as his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed down his excitement. His calloused hands, which had been fisted on the sheets beside them, soon came up to grip on her waist.

“Ah-uh-ah!” She tutted, clicking her tongue in dissatisfaction, “You promised to let me do what I wanted.” She reminded him, rocking her moist folds over his hardened length a couple of times.

Matthias bit back a groan, his hips jutting up in response, when Leyla raised her hips just a little bit out of reach.

She then took both his arms, and pressed it down the sides of his head. She allowed her breast to dangle enticingly above him despite the growing embarrassment at her immoral actions, but she pushed it down, eager to see this through.

Bit by bit, his eyes trailed over her naked body, feeling himself strain beneath her as the hungry beast within him coiled with every mark he’d left her with earlier.

And then he turned limp beneath her, a wordless admittance of defeat.

It took every ounce of will in him to not just ignore her and take her for himself once more, but he was a man of his word. Plus, he couldn’t ever deny her anything when it came to her genuine enjoyment.

Satisfied with his cooperation, Leyla brought her hips back down and slowly released his hands as she sat right above his groin with a triumphant smile.

Right now, she looked every bit like a queen sitting on her rightful throne, demanding him to give her his life.

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