Page 85 of Claimed By the Beastly Duke

Ava shook her head vehemently before crossing the street. “I must do the honorable thing and let him know, instead of sneaking after him like some thug looking for the perfect opportunity to rob him.”

Fueled by her newfound courage, Ava hurried up the stairs. She was determined not to look back partly because she knew that one glimpse of her sister’s horrified face would force her to reconsider her decision.

She took a deep breath when she finally stopped in front of the front door.

I must do this!

She raised her knuckles, but then she hesitated. She could not help but wonder if she truly wanted to do this. What would she do if she saw his mistress? Would she ever be able to get the image out of her head?

She slowly lowered her hand as she felt the fight seep out of her.

All she had to do was return home and pretend that she had not just seen her husband enter his mistress’s house. However, deep down, Ava knew she would never be at peace.

Turning back now would mean that she would forever be curious to know what lay beyond that door. And as much as she tried tolie to herself, she also wanted to see what her husband’s mistress looked like.

Steeling herself, she raised her knuckles and knocked, assured and deliberate. And she waited.

Her heart thudded in her chest, and she could not help the tremors wracking her body, scared of what she was about to find out.

The seconds ticked by painfully slow as she waited. She was about to knock again when the door opened wide and a harried-looking butler stepped out.

Whack!

The slap rent the air. Her eyes immediately darted from the butler to the scene unfolding behind him.

Edwin stood in the middle of the foyer, his back turned to her, and standing right in front of him was a far older woman with her hand raised. The woman was wearing a fine maroon dress, and Ava could tell she was of high rank.

She is certainly not his mistress.

The older woman’s raised hand started shaking with fury.

There was no mistaking what had happened. She had just slapped Edwin.

The gasp had escaped Ava’s lips before she even realized it. She scrambled to cover her mouth, but it was far too late.

The older woman’s eyes darted to her, and Edwin’s head whipped around.

I have been caught.

Ava had half a mind to run away, out of embarrassment, but it would only worsen the matter.

There was no escaping it. She must face her husband and explain why she had followed him into a random house on the streets of London.

The next thing she knew, her husband was advancing towards her, his eyes flashing with fury. Or perhaps it was the aftermath of the slap he had received from the older woman.

Ava shrank back, expecting an angry barrage of questions. She had never seen Edwin so angry. The sight of him scared her.

However, he did not stop in front of her. Instead, he walked past her, grabbing her hand and dragging her after him.

“Edwin…” she trailed off, unsure how to proceed.

He did not seem to have even heard her, his eyes trained ahead.

Ava heard a flurry of footsteps following them as he all but dragged her down the stairs. She cast a glance over her shoulder to see the older woman standing by the door, staring menacingly down at them.

If she could strike us dead in this moment, she certainly would.

“I have not spoken to the man who harmed me in years!” the woman yelled, unperturbed by the passersby.

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