The Lycan King and His Dark Temptation by Luna Nova

Chapter 553

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DINNER WITH THE DUKE KATHERINE Night had already fallen.

I was drenched in water, covered in the dust from the road, and utterly exhaustedmore mentally than physically.

I stepped into a small sitting room, adorned with lavish furniture anda tea service table.

The décor was exquisite: paintings, heavy drapes, finely crafted hardwood furnitureeven the ceiling had intricate detailing.

Everything was beautiful, but if you looked closely, certain details stood outthe cobwebs half-hidden in the corners, the dust poorly wiped away.

When I opened the bedroom door, the stale, damp smell hit my nose, despite the clean sheets.

Whoever was in charge of cleaning this room did everything but clean properly.

At least they had left the fireplace burning in the cold room.

When I opened the enormous wooden wardrobe, I almost expected bats to come flying out like from a cave.

That thing hadnt taken a single breath of air in all this time.

Well, what a pathetic excuse for a Duchess you were, dear sister, I murmured with a sigh.

with the least musty smell, though to me who had spent ten years

this hallway, I should

ah, there they are.

and the staircase to the first floor." The layout

so I arrived at the massive dining hall, large enough to

imposing, and that never-ending table, set just for the two

me to a chair

asked, instantly regretting it when he gave me a

is where you always dine,

problem? he asked, and I

the very least, I had assumed Id be seated beside the Duke, but I was placed more than five

is fine, I replied, gathering the voluminous skirt of my turquoise dress and sitting with

etiquette I had learned and refined, built upon the little I

the tablewarethe

slowly raised my head, watching for the Dukes arrival, the food, or

worse than lice in a greasy scalp, and my ass had already gone numb from

was the same as

think you betrayed me for this life of

scoffed while sinking into the so-called rose bath, which was more cold

house, I should have had a maid or more trailing after me, attending to my

necessary, but