The estate had never felt this suffocating.
Duke leaned against the balcony railing, staring at the endless stretch of gardens below. The sounds of the party still echoed inside, laughter and music blending into something almost mocking.
Kay was dancing with him now.
X.
Duke didn't need to look to know how close they were, how her hand rested on X's shoulder, how she was deliberately putting on a show.
She wanted him to react.
But he wouldn't.
Not yet.
His grip tightened on the whiskey glass in his hand.
For years, Kay had been a storm he could never quite contain. She knew exactly where to hit him where it hurt. And X's return? That was a direct shot to the chest.
Not because he thought she loved X. No, Kay didn't love anyone—not in the way most people did.
But she did enjoy breaking things.
And tonight, she was seeing just how much more of him she could destroy.
"I wouldn't drink too much if I were you," a voice cut through his thoughts.
Duke turned slightly, spotting Nora standing a few feet away, watching him.
He smirked, lifting his glass in mock salute. "Worried about me?"
She hesitated, then shook her head. "I just don't understand you."
Duke chuckled, but there was no humor in it. "Then don't try."
Nora crossed her arms, frustration flickering in her eyes. "You let her do this. Every time. And then you act like it doesn't matter."
Duke looked back at the ballroom, at Kay and X still dancing, still performing.
Kay was laughing now, tilting her head back in that way that made people think she was happy.
And X?
X was eating it up.
Duke exhaled sharply. "Letting her do it and being able to stop her are two different things, Nora."
"You're the Duke of this estate," she shot back. "You could end this if you wanted to."
His jaw clenched.
If only she knew.
A name like his wasn't just a name. It was a title. A legacy. A chain.
The day he married Kay, it wasn't just about love. It was about power, about what they both stood to gain.
Kay's family and his?
They were forces in their world.
Untouchable. Indestructible.
And their marriage?
An empire.
Kay knew it. He knew it.
Divorce wasn't an option—not unless he wanted to tear the world apart in the process.
So, they stayed.
And over time, staying turned into surviving.
Back inside, the dance ended.
X whispered something into Kay's ear. She laughed—loud enough for the whole room to hear.
Duke set his glass down with a sharp clink.
Enough.
He pushed away from the balcony and walked back inside, his steps steady, controlled. The moment Kay saw him coming, her lips curled in amusement.
"Finished sulking?" she murmured as he reached her.
Duke didn't answer.
He turned to X instead.
"Leave."
X raised an eyebrow, clearly entertained. "Come on, Duke. We're all friends here."
"I wasn't asking."
A flicker of something crossed X's face.
Kay watched the exchange like it was the most thrilling part of her night. "Oh, darling. Are we finally drawing lines?"
Duke ignored her. His eyes stayed on X.
"You're done here. Go."
X smirked. "And if I don't?"
Duke took a step closer, lowering his voice so only X could hear.
"Then I'll remind you why you left in the first place."
For the first time, X's confidence wavered. Just a little.
Kay, of course, noticed.
"Oh, this is fun," she whispered.
Duke turned to her, his expression unreadable. "You wanted a reaction? There. You got it."
Kay tilted her head, considering him. "It's a start."
X exhaled, stepping back. "I'll be going now."
Kay let him go without protest, watching him leave with something close to boredom.
When it was just the two of them, she met Duke's gaze, eyes shining.
"Are we fighting now?" she mused. "Because I have to say, I missed it."
Duke stared at her for a long moment.
Then, without another word, he turned and walked away.
Kay didn't follow.
But her laughter trailed after him.
And Duke knew—this wasn't over.