Lahat ng Kabanata ng A LADY FOR A DUKE : Kabanata 121 - Kabanata 130

Susan swallowed, feeling her cheeks warm. “Caroline… this is Leo,” she said softly. She tried to sound casual, but her voice came out a bit unsteady.Leo stepped inside, nodding to Caroline with a polite smile. “Nice to meet you, Caroline.”Caroline’s eyes gleamed with curiosity as she took in the way Leo’s presence seemed to change the air in the room. She turned back to Susan, arching a brow. “I think I finally understand who the mystery man is,” she said under her breath, only loud enough for Susan to hear. “He’s… really tall.”Susan shot her a look, but Caroline just grinned, enjoying the moment far too much.After a beat, Susan found her voice again. “Leo, how did you… even know it was my birthday?” She was genuinely baffled, trying to piece together how he’d found out.He gave a small, knowing smile. “I don’t know if you’re aware, Suzy,” he said in a low, teasing voice, “but there’s something called the internet these days.”Susan narrowed her eyes at him, a mixture of surprise

Leo’s lips curved in a small, enigmatic smile of his own. He knew what she was doing, and he didn't push. “I didn’t realize you had so many friends,” he replied, his tone soft but teasing, his gaze fixed on her in a way that made her feel exposed.She crossed her arms, shifting under his gaze. “I don't have a lot of friends. Some of them are my coworkers and some are people I met at the gym. Although I don't know why you sound so surprised. I do have a life, you know. Outside of… all this.” She forced a small laugh, though her voice came out quieter than she’d intended.His expression softened slightly, a warmth flickering in his eyes that she hadn’t seen before. “Good,” he murmured. “I’m glad to know that.”They fell into a silence, the air between them thickening with each passing second. Leo’s gaze lowered to her lips, and she felt her pulse racing, her breath hitching as the space between them seemed to shrink. She could feel the tension humming between them, raw and unspoken, fil

She didn’t. It was impossible to lie in the face of the desire that had brought them both to this bed. “I’m not sure it’s ever that simple,” she said ruefully. “There are always…other considerations.”“We’re both adults,” he argued with arrogant confidence. “We don’t have to answer to anyone except ourselves for what we do.” He grinned again. “And don’t tell me this wasn’t good. It was great! No reason to beat yourself up about it.”He was right, Susan thought. It was great, but she still felt like she'd done something wrong. Like she'd betrayed her brother… And herself somehow. But she didn't want to think about it right now. She didn't want to ruin the moment. Maybe she could let herself be selfish today. She refused to think about anything else… She could do that tomorrow. All she knew was that right now, she was satisfied, sated and too tired to think. She was still in Leo's arms and he was holding her so close and so tenderly that all she wanted to do was remain there. It was we

Susan took her time getting dressed that evening, convincing herself that she wasn't putting in extra effort for Leo. Yet, deep down, she knew that he was exactly the reason she was doing it. If he thought he could just walk away from her after their night together without so much as a phone call, then she would make sure he didn’t get the satisfaction of seeing her flustered. She was determined to keep her emotions locked away, hidden beneath her polished exterior. She'd told herself repeatedly that she didn't care, but the truth was that she did. She chose a sleek black crop top and a mini jean skirt, paired with black, short-heeled sandals that clicked with confidence when she walked. Her hair cascaded in loose, shiny blonde curls over her shoulders, giving her an effortlessly bold look. For makeup, she kept it simple—powder, a touch of gloss, and smoky eyes that made her look fierce. Her reflection showed her someone who didn’t care, or at least someone who could pretend she didn

“So soon?” he asked, voice smooth as velvet, though there was a hint of challenge in it. His gaze held hers, searching, testing.She met his stare head-on. “Yes,” she replied, keeping her tone light yet firm. “Since it's clear that you have nothing else to say,” He raised an eyebrow, the smirk deepening, and for a moment it seemed as though he might try to stop her, to coax her into staying, to weave more of that spell he cast so effortlessly. But instead, he merely gave a slow, approving nod, his eyes gleaming as he took a step back.“Alright,” he said, as if conceding, though she could feel the weight of his gaze lingering on her.Susan made to move past him, but she didn't get to take more than two steps. She should have known that Leo, being the man he was, wouldn't have let her go just like that. In an instant he had reached out to haul her into his body, his hands tight around her upper arms. Susan opened her mouth in shock, and had the split-second realization that Leo was goi