His Duchess is a Ghost (Novel) - Chapter 36

When Alena opened her eyes, shock and surprise instantly gripped her. How was she still in the duke's arms?!

Her body nearly went catatonic when she also realized that her position had changed. Now she was facing him, her head on his shoulder, and her hand possessively wrapped around his stomach. In short, she was sleeping in this man’s arms so... intimately!

Alena gritted her teeth, and when she realized it was already late in the morning, judging from the sun rays peeking through the curtains, her expression turned even more disbelieving. Did she really just spend the entire night sleeping in this man's arms? Wait... More importantly, was she even sleeping with a living man right now?

Alena lifted her gaze, and to her astonishment, she found him not only alive but also fully awake!

"Good morning, Duchess," he greeted, his voice threading through the air like the perfect music a woman would love to hear every morning. And though that same old blank expression was gracing his handsome face as usual, a new light seemed to dance in his eyes, casting him in an almost ethereal glow. It must be the morning sun that was lending him this dreamlike allure, right? But was it even possible for a man who was teetering on death's threshold just a night ago to radiate with such an inexplicably breathtaking beauty?

The sheer thought of such a possibility was so ridiculous to Alena that she concluded that the man she’s looking at right now should be dead. Because, well, he certainly looked like someone who, in his final departure, had shed all mortal flaws, only leaving behind an ethereal beauty too surreal for the living world. Right! He must be dead, and that’s why he seemed to be glowing like this!

"I wouldn't fault you for being spellbound by my handsomeness, but the doctor will arrive very soon. So, you should consider getting off my arms now, duchess,” he said, causing Alena’s blood to boil in an instant. So, this scoundrel is still alive!

“Why are you not dead yet?” Alena hissed at him. Her gaze now sharp as blade.

“Truly, nothing compares to your greetings, Alena,” he replied, his golden eyes catching a sparkle from the bright morning sun.

"Well, good for you because..."

The duke sharply inhaled as Alena's fist connected with his abdomen. The unexpected force of the impact drawing a gasp from his lips.

"...my greetings are far from over," Alena added as she drew back her arm, aiming to deliver another blow.

But before her fist could find its mark again, she felt her wrists being swiftly captured in an iron grip.

In an instant, her hands were lifted and securely pinned above her head.

She looked up, her gaze meeting his. The duke was now hovering over her, so imposing. His grip on her like a vise.

Alena was caught off guard. How? How was he still moving with such speed, such strength? She was expecting him to be in his most vulnerable… weakest state given his situation. So what was this?

"What in the world are you made of? You're essentially a massive chunk of rock masquerading as a human, aren't you?" Alena told him, glaring harder at him.

Of course, she braced herself for a witty or sarcastic retort, typical of their exchanges, and planned her next move. Noticing how his legs were positioned—spread in a way that entrapped her between them—she saw her opportunity. It was an ideal moment for a swift kick, a thought that brought a mischievous glint to her eyes. The thought of delivering a well-aimed strike to his precious ducal balls was almost too good to pass up.

But to her surprise, the duke remained silent. He simply stared down at her, his expression unreadable, a calmness in his eyes that was almost disconcerting. She searched his face, his eyes, for any sign of his next move, but it was like trying to read a blank page.

Seizing the moment, Alena decided to throw his earlier words back at him. "I can't blame you if you couldn't help getting spellbound by my beauty, but..." she paused for effect, "...the doctor will be here soon. So, you should consider getting off me now, duke, or else… you'll risk having the almighty Duke of Claveria seen gawking at a ghost like a dumbstruck fool. Your people might just faint at the sight of you like this," she finished, a smirk playing on her lips.

"A dumbstruck fool, huh," he murmured, his voice unnecessarily so deep, resonating through the quiet room. "Is that truly the impression I give right now, Duchess?"

"That's precisely what you look like, Duke," she managed, trying hard to not succumb to the deadly pull of those golden orbs. "Does this revelation surprise you? Is it so unbelievable that you find it difficult to accept?"

"No," he responded promptly. "I find it... intriguing, actually."

“What?”

"Yes. You see, it's the first time anyone has ever described me as a 'dumbstruck fool.' That's quite the novel experience for me."

“…”

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CHAPTER 37>>