My Disfigured Duke Husband Helps Me Plot My Revenge
Chapter 108: Jealousy

Chapter 108: Jealousy

Just like brothers, it wasn’t the first time Desmond and Stephano got into a physical argument, but it was the first time it had to do with a woman.

When the door was shut and it was only the king and duke, Stephano immediately became defensive enough that his familiar started to growl next to the door to his room.

"Calm down, girl," Stephano said evenly, though he didn’t break eye contact with Desmond. "It isn’t as if he would be moronic enough to hurt the king of this nation."

The certainty of Stephano’s words caused Desmond to step back, immediately regretting what he had done.

Each moment longer the king and duchess took on their walk, the more his jealousy ate at him until he could no longer contain it. He slipped into Stephano’s room, expecting to have a calm conversation with him, but hearing the two of them wish one another goodnight made Desmond snap.

Although he knew he had no excuse. He would apologize when it didn’t feel like he was being ripped to shreds.

"Are you interested in my wife?" Desmond demanded. "More importantly, is she interested in you?"

Stephano wasn’t scared of the beast wearing a hood and threatening him. He stood up and went to the door. A maid was walking past and he got her attention.

"Something strong to drink," he requested. "Two glasses."

When the king returned to the room, he sat on a cushioned chair near the fire and stared at the fire for a while before he gestured for the wound-up duke to join him.

"What about–"

Stephano gazed at Desmond and frowned.

"I need something to drink before I can talk to you further," he said. "The first night in your home and you’ve pissed me off already."

"Me?" Desmond exclaimed, hurting his throat.

Stephano pointedly ignored him. He set his conditions out and wasn’t willing to bend.

Soon enough a maid came in and placed the string alcohol on the small circular brass table between them. She poured the two drinks and left the bottle behind.

Stephano drank down the brown alcohol quickly. He waited a few more minutes to speak.

"Plead your case, Desmond."

"The way my wife lit up the second she realized it was you," the duke began. "The unnecessary hug. I believe in evidence. Just how close did the two of you get?"

The duke begrudgingly reached for his glass of alcohol and drank it down, feeling a burn as he did so. Though it wasn’t as bad as the burn from a flame so he didn’t react.

"I told her tonight I should have married her before you came around," Stephano shot back, purposefully fanning the fire that was Desmond at that moment. "She’s in an affectionless marriage. Why not do so from the safety of the capital where the winters aren’t awful?"

Desmond knew the king was trying to get under his skin and it was working enough that he couldn’t hold back his harsh words.

"How close did you get to her in my absence?" he asked again. "Did you give her that necklace?"

Stephano’s hazel eyes seemed golden as the fireplace lit them up. He was angry and wasn’t trying to hide it.

The king was tempted to give a low blow considering how ridiculous the duke was behaving. However, he didn’t want Desmond to doubt Leonor.

The red-headed monarch released a huff so he wouldn’t say anything irrational. His anger began the moment he realized Desmond seemed to have no intention of telling her who he was.

"The day you were sent to war by the count," Stephano began, "I came to find you but you weren’t there. I went to the von Burien Manor to see if Leonor knew more than me. Do you know what I found there?"

He narrowed his eyes at Desmond but didn’t let him speak.

"I found a bruised and battered girl dizzy from starvation who, even though her father beat her practically to death, still wanted to know if you were okay," Stephano said. "I stayed by her side for months because it was the only way I knew how to get her brown-nosing father not to hurt her."

Each word was a dagger in Desmond’s heart but he was still angry.

"And all the months you were by her side, did she feel something for you?" Desmond asked.

He heard about how Stephano sent Leonor to the Academy but he hadn’t seen them together to know how close they had gotten.

However, the king stood up, not letting Desmond wallow in self-pity for longer.

"What on Earth are you talking about?" Stephano snapped. "If I didn’t have to burn each one of the letters she sent to me, you would see the content of each one was wholly about you. You need to resolve this anger within you and tell her the truth. You’re going to blow up on the wrong person if you aren’t careful."

Stephano spoke as if Desmond hadn’t already threatened the king of their nation. However, he felt he owed the man a lot and looked past it even though the duke could be charged with contempt of the king.

The king walked to the fire and rested his hand on the tall mantle above the fireplace. He stared into the flames as if searching for how he could ease his irritation.

"Leonor and I were a support system to one another, nothing more," Stephano finally said. "You of all people should know that. Even on our walk, she begged me for details about Valerio. She said she feels like she’s betraying him by enjoying her life here with you."

Stephano wouldn’t tell Desmond that she admitted to falling for him. That wasn’t his business to share. Since he held so many secrets for the duke, he would hold secrets for Leonor as well.

The silence in the room felt heavy with things unsaid.

Both of their minds were racing with accusations of the other person.

However, Stephano couldn’t tell Desmond he was wrong for not wanting to reveal himself to her as he was.

Desmond couldn’t fault Stephano for helping Leonor regardless of his reputation. Since he couldn’t protect her while he was away, at least the then-prince did.

Desmond’s elbows went to his knees and he pushed off his hood so he could run his large hands over his head. He needed to cool off.

"I apologize for everything," Desmond said. "You’re not at fault for my frustration."

Stephano walked to his drink and downed the rest before filling his glass again.

"You have one month to convince me not to tell her myself," Stephano said resolutely. "With guilt like that, she will never be happy. I will also continue treating her as I’ve always done. She’s one of my only friends."

Desmond knew that Stephano was right, even if he didn’t want to admit it.

Eventually, Desmond departed after they both emptied the bottle. They were cursed with high alcohol tolerance from years of drinking away the stress of their lives in the years past.