FROST AND FLAME

The change in Paris was subtle at first, a sharp edge to her tone when she addressed Sabi, a lingering glance of disdain. Sabi dismissed it initially, chalking it up to a bad day or some stress Paris wasn't sharing. But as the days went on, the duchess's warmth cooled into biting remarks and cold stares.

"Sabi, can't you ever get it right?" Paris snapped one morning when Sabi placed her tea tray on the table. The tea cup wobbled slightly but didn't spill, yet Paris shot her a glare.

Sabi's hands tightened at her sides. She had done nothing wrong, and Paris knew it. The same duchess who had once greeted her with smiles and kindness now seemed bent on finding every excuse to belittle her.

'What did I do?' Sabi wondered as she returned to her duties, her chest heavy with confusion.

Days went by and Paris' cruelty escalated.

During breakfast Paris' with Levi, Sabi was serving.

Paris watched how Levi lustfully stared at Sabi, she could see through his eyes, he longed for the maid and it annoyed her. 'What does she have that she doesn't? Was it just about the curves? Is he only into curvaceous girls? Should I go for a BBL surgery, so he could at least find me attractive enough?' she thought.

Sabi naively placed the dishes on the table and Paris deliberately knocked over a wine glass. The dark liquid spilled across the pristine tablecloth, and Sabi quickly moved to clean it up.

"Can you at least pretend to be competent?" Paris hissed, her voice cutting through the quiet dining chamber. The other maids exchanged uneasy glances, their faces taut with discomfort.

Sabi's cheeks flushed, but before she could stammer out an apology, a sharp voice cut through the tension.

"Enough."

Levi's voice was low but commanding. All eyes turned to him, his piercing gaze fixed on Paris.

"What is the meaning of this?" he asked coldly, gesturing toward the spilled wine. "You spilled the wine and you're accusing her?"

Paris opened her mouth to respond, but he cut her off. "Can you ever be honest?"

The room was silent, the air thick with tension. The maids stared at the duke in shock, while Paris's face flushed with humiliation. Even Sabi was stunned, her heart pounding as she stared at Levi.

Paris tried to recover, her tone icy. "It's not your concern how I manage the staff..."

"It is when you treat them like this," Levi said, his voice cutting through her defenses. His eyes flicked briefly to Sabi, then back to Paris. "We are not tyrants in this house."

He resumed his meal, leaving the table in stunned silence. Paris said nothing more, but her clenched jaw and stiff posture spoke volumes. Sabi quickly finished serving and slipped out of the room, her mind racing.

***

Sabi's thoughts were a whirlwind of emotions. She had replayed the moment at the dining chamber over and over in her mind.

'Why did he do that?' she wondered. She bit her lip, her heart fluttering at the memory.

She shook her head, trying to dismiss the thoughts. "No, he's just changing, he's trying to be nice to everyone. I'm not special, he is not treating me specially. He's the duke, and I'm just… me." Her heart skipped a bit as she clutched onto her chest, "I think I'm falling for the Duke!"

***

The night was quiet as Sabi made her way to her room after finishing the day's tasks.

Then, she felt it, the presence. She froze mid-step, her pulse quickening. Before she could turn around, Levi stepped out from the shadows, his tall frame towering over her.

"Your Grace," she said breathlessly, her voice barely above a whisper.

He didn't respond. Instead, his eyes searched hers. Before she could process what was happening, his hand reached out, brushing against hers.

Sabi's breath hitched. The warmth of his touch sent a shiver down her spine, and she hated how much she wanted him to hold her closer. She stood still, her heart pounding as she looked up at him, their faces mere inches apart.

His lips crashed against hers, rough and urgent, as though he had been holding back for far too long. Sabi's body stiffened for a moment, her mind screaming at her to pull away, but her heart betrayed her. She melted into the kiss, her hands clutching his shirt as he pulled her closer.

Their kiss was a storm of emotions, weeks of Levi's repressed desires meeting Sabi's growing longing.

He didn't forget to clutch her bountiful ass and squeeze her firm and attractive boobs as he has imagined and his manhood grew and brought a discomfort to his pants.