Chapter 36 Be mine

After much silence, Hazel asked," What do you want from me?" He took steps towards her and she took steps back, until she reached the wall and he trapped her in between. When he stood right in front of her, he said," Be mine." Her eyes widened at the words and she stared at him unblinking.

"What?" she whispered. "You heard me. Be my woman," he repeated. "Why?" she asked. After much thought, he said,"I don't know. There's something intriguing and I may say fascinating about you that I'm yet to find out." He picked her right hand and brought it to his lips then kissed her fingers, without breaking eye contact with her," Just be mine. Only mine."

As much as Hazel wanted to say that she would love to, she didn't because she knew what he meant by that. What he needed right now was a mistress, someone to kill his boredom with until he gets a suitable wife, or not even that long.

"I can't," she replied and he frowned. "Why?" he asked before saying," I know that the feelings are mutual. You're attracted to me as much as I am attracted to you." Well, hers was beyond just attraction, she thought. Hers was real.

"I'm afraid that after you finish to unravel the mystery, you will get bored of me. I am not that type your- " "I already told you to address me with my name damn it!" he said gritting her teeth. "I think it will be better if we only share the servant- master relationship. It will be best for the both of us, especially me," she said. "Is it because you like someone else?" he asked although he didn't want to get a yes for an answer. She shook her head," No. I just don't want to be used. I don't want to be toyed with where you will throw me away afterwards."

"I'm not toying with you. Be my woman," he insisted and she shook her head. "No. Please leave," she said looking away and his eyes remained fixated at her. A while later, she watched him step back before he left her room.

Sitting on her bed, she couldn't help the tears that flowed from her eyes. She so much wanted to be with him but not in this way. She wanted to have him all for herself, which she knew was impossible given their different worlds. It was better to stop it now before she gets trapped and fails to come out of it.

A week passed, where the Duke hadn't come to talk to her at all. She could only see him at a distance sometimes, and he would only spare her a glance. But it was for the best, she told herself.

They were all in the kitchen doing their usual work. The atmosphere was lively since all the servants in the manor had just received their monthly salaries that morning.

"I will go to the market and buy some nice things for myself," said Emily, excited. "Me too. I will take you to the other shop that I told you about," said Rosalie as she organized to deliver the Duke's breakfast. "Alright then. Tomorrow, it is the two of us going to buy the groceries," spoke Emily. "Of course," she replied as she carried the food, walking away.

"You don't seem to be excited. What's wrong?" Charlotte asked Hazel when they remained the two of them. "Nothing. You don't seem to be excited too," she said. "I think it's because I miss my son," she spoke and it surprised Hazel. "You have a son?" she couldn't believe it. "Yes," she replied. "Oh, I didn't know about that. So, you were married?" she asked. "It's a long story," she said and Hazel nodded, realizing that she didn't want to talk about it.

"Hazel," she was called and she turned to look at Rosalie who came back with the food she had taken. "The Duke said that it should be you to serve his breakfast," said Rosalie with an annoyed expression on her face. "Me?" she asked.

"You heard," she replied before placing it on the table and she walked away.

She couldn't understand why he asked her to serve him. She thought he didn't want to see her again after the conversation they had.

She got the tray and walked towards his room, then knocked when she reached the door. It was the very first time she was going to see his bedroom and she couldn't deny that she was nervous. She balanced the tray on her hip before pushing the door open and stepped inside the room. She saw him standing in front of the huge dressing mirror as he buttoned up his shirt.

Placing it on the table, she looked at him and said," Your breakfast is here, your grace."

His eyes met hers in the mirror and she immediately looked away. "I will take my leave now your grace," she announced when she saw him going back to what he was doing. "Not yet," he said and she watched him straighten his collar.

Looking around, she realized how huge and fancy his room was. She could tell that it was the size of the sitting room at the Milbrand household, and back then, she had thought that the place was huge.

"How have you been?" he asked and she watched him come to where she was. "Good your grace," she replied. He stood in front of her and her nervousness increased, wondering what he was going to do.

Silence engulfed the room and he said," You can take your leave." Huh? Just like that? She had honestly expected him to do something.

"T-thank you your grace," she said before turning around and dashed out of the room.

Closing the door behind her, she released a sigh of relief and quickly walked back to the kitchen.

"Why did the Duke ask you to serve him?" asked Charlotte the moment she reached.

"Uh, he wanted to see if I am no longer sick. He told me that he was considering replacing me if I was still sick," she said. "Oh, I'm glad you're okay now because you would have lost your job," said Charlotte and she nodded. "You know, being a maid is no fun but working in the Atticus Manor is not so hard like working in other households. I mean our master is not harsh and he pays on time," spoke Charlotte and Hazel couldn't agree less to her words.

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