Chapter 7
1328 Words
ANDI
"SHE'S here, Your Grace," said Venida after she opened the door.
The Grand Duke slowly put down the paper that he was reading then lifted his head. My heart immediately flutters the moment our eyes met. I slightly bit my lower when my eyes landed on his rosy lips. I remember the words that Olivia used to describe how delectable his lips are. It was too late before I realized that I already imagined myself beneath the Grand Duke while his kissable lips are showering me with hot and wild kisses.
"Signorina, did you hear what I said?" said the Grand Duke.
I was startled upon hearing his baritone voice. It brought me back from my reverie.
"You are saying something, Your Grace?" I asked.
"Are you sure you're alright? You're flushed," he noticed.
"I-I am fine, Your Grace. I'm just not used to Pietro Monte's weather," I reasoned out.
He nodded a little while, staring at me as if he was weighing if I'm telling the truth or not. I breathed a sigh of relief when he seems to buy my reason for being out of my mind.
"I know that you had a long journey all the way here. You can take the rest of the day and start tomorrow."
It was a relief since my body is still aching from the injuries got from our previous battle. It's the lie that I was telling myself, but I know for a fact that I'm more than happy to spend the rest of the day locked inside the room reading Olivia's journal.
"You don't seem fine to me," he added when he notices that I didn't answer him right away.
I wanted to hit myself for being absentminded. I don't know why, but my mind keeps on going back to the journal. I shut my eyes to clear my mind and focus on the person that I was talking to. But I gasped and held my breath when I opened my eyes and found the Grand Duke standing in front of me, only inches away from my face.
"I'm dying to know what's inside that little head of yours that makes you forget about my presence," he whispered on my face.
I forced myself not to close my eyes the moment I felt his hot minty breath brushes against my skin. I clenched my fist to stop myself from grabbing his nape and claimed his mouth.
I was startled when he suddenly lifted his hand and placed it on top of my forehead.
"You feel normal, but your face looks like you're burning. Do you feel alright, really?"
I quickly brushed off his hand away from my face and took a step back to put a distance between us.
"I-I'm really fine, Your Grace. I-I think I need to rest. If you may, I would like to retire to my room now," I stuttered. I didn't even wait for his response. I almost run towards the door to get away from him.
I'm starting to hate myself as time goes by. This is not me. I don't lose focus on my job. I never let distractions get in the way of my work. But this man is different. He can make my heart raced like a bull without even doing anything. His mere presence causes turmoil in my being.
I need to snap out of this craziness and started doing everything that I came here for. That man is way beyond my league. I'm sure that I would never peak even the slightest of his interest. He even made it clear not too long ago.
I walked briskly towards my room. I felt a sudden urge to be away from everything. I want to lock myself in the room and forget everything about the man that made my body burn for his touch.
I throw myself in the be the moment I got inside my room. I buried my face on the pillow and screamed as loud as I could, hoping that it can somehow ease the frustration that's building inside me because of these unknown emotions.
I lifted my head when I heard my phone ring. Somehow, I suddenly felt relieved when I saw his name on my phone.
"How's my princess?" he greeted me enthusiastically. Brandon has always been like that.
"I told you, stop calling me princess!" I complained.
"Why not? You are my princess. I already told you that I would only stop calling you princess when you get married. Until then, you are my princess," Brandon insisted.
"I'm way far from being a princess. I don't even know how to wear a dress. Aside from the fact that no one would dare to date me," I told him.
"What's wrong? Is everything okay? What happened?" he asked continuously.
"What?" I frowned when he bombarded me with too many questions. "Nothing happened," I insisted. "What are you talking about?"
"Not being a princess doesn't bother, more so, a man who doesn't want to date you. What happened? Did you meet someone? Please don't tell me you are attracted to the Grand Duke," he said.
"Of course not!" I firmly denied it. "This isn't about him," I added. Even though everything is about him, I can't tell Brandon about it. He has this urge of being overprotected when it comes to me for no apparent reason. It puzzles me sometimes. But sometimes, I kinda like it when he's around. He's like a brother that I never had, just like Hunter.
I never had a family aside from my mother, who died when I was nine, and a step-father who never missed a day to torture me. I escaped from him when I was ten. That is when Tito Marcel, Hunter's father, found me in a busy aisle of Manila.
I can still remember the look on his face the moment he saw me. It was as if he was blaming himself for what happened to me. I didn't have the courage to asked him about it. I was just thankful that he dressed me up, fed me, and took me in.
Hunter was older than by a couple of years when I saw him. Their family gave me everything I needed. They showered me with love that I never knew existed until I met them. My memory of my mother was vague. I can barely recall her face and what happened before she died.
"I'm begging you, Andrea. Don't ever fall for his charm. He's bad news. He's a total player. Aside from the fact that all of his wives died after being married to him," he said.
I knew that. I've read it from his file. Something is sinister about him and this castle. It was as if there are secrets hidden beneath the walls.
"Do you think I didn't know that? I also know that he's already set a grand ball so he can find another duchess," I said before rolling my eyes when I thought about it. I can't believe that he didn't even wait for a year after his wife's death before he announced that he's looking for an eligible duchess of House of Costa De Lucca.
"Why do you sound so jealous?"
"I do not!" I exclaimed. "Stop assuming things, Brandon. And since when did I mixed pleasure with work? You know, of all people, that I hate mixing personal business with my clients."
"I trust you. But I still don't feel good about it. Maybe I should go there," he said.
"For what? You don't have to, okay? Everything is under control," I convinced him.
"I just want to make sure. I'll book the earliest flight. I'm going there whether you like it or not," he insisted.
"Brandon—"
He didn't even let me finish. He quickly cut off the line.
"Argh!" I growl in annoyance.
Why do things don't go according to my plan?
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- Writer
