The Duke's Passion

I squeezed their hand and gazed down again to reassure them not to worry. After that, I set my eyes on Sam and the arm-wrestling champion. 

The host of the event stood in between them, announcing to the crowd to put their bets before the round started. My eyes scanned the crowd, some chipping their money in a hat. 

'So the betting is really allowed, huh?' I nodded, as it only made sense to make it more interesting. I didn't pay attention to them longer as I cast my gaze at Sam. 

Studying Sam and the champion by their appearance, it looked like my husband didn't have the slightest chance. Unlike the topless champion, who was parading his robust physique plus his towering height, my husband looked like a spoiled noble. 

I had always known my husband was handsome, but now that I study him from this distance, he looked more refined. In the past, his hair would rarely meet the comb and he would always be in his loose white blouse. But now, although his hair wasn't as neat as those aristocrats, its tufts didn't fly away in a random direction. Not to mention Sam in a vest and tailcoat? 

Divine.

'He didn't even age in the past five years. If anything, he looked more gorgeous than ever.' I nodded, agreeing with my internal comments.

"You. You better not go home crying to your mother once I break your arm." The champion taunted, but that didn't faze my husband. "I won't give you mercy unless you plead on your knees."

"If I plead, you will forfeit?" asked Sam with disinterest in his voice, cocking his head to the side.

"Hah! Maybe? Why don't you try?" the Champion snickered, smirking viciously.

Sam glanced in our direction and shrugged. "Nevermind. This game is boring since I have already enough money to triple what's inside that pot, so I don't need it."

My brows furrowed, and so was the crowd. Everyone looked at Sam with the same confusion in their eyes — even the Champion could not help but frown. The major highlight of this event was the prize money, after all.

"Boy, what are you trying to say?" the Champion inquired in an authoritative tone, displeased at my husband's remark.

"What about we make a separate bet, Sir?" Sam faced the champion fearlessly and calmly. "If I lose, I will triple the prize money."

There was a moment of silence when Sam dropped his offer before a loud cheer resonated across the entire street. Even the champion chuckled in amusement, nodding at this tempting offer.

"And if you lose?" asked the champion. The cheering crowd went into silence as they listened to Sam once again. 

"If I lose..." Sam trailed off as he cast my son a knowing look. "You will attend my son's birthday in two months."

Not just me, but everyone, including the young boys, looked at Sam with shock. Although what surprised me the most was that Law's birthday was coming! My son was getting a year older and it would be the first birthday that I would be there! I gazed down at Law, who was staring at his father blankly. 

"What? If he wins, he wants Glory to attend a kid's birthday party?"

"Is this a new insult the nobles created?"

"Pfft--! He has to win first, though."

"But what if he is stronger than he looks?"

Murmurings replaced the cheering; some were having second doubts since Sam was confident. Before Sam offered a new bet, everyone was confident that Glory, the arm wrestling champion, would win. But now, the opinion was split. 

"Don't get me wrong, Sir. I am not inviting you to be the clown of the party." Sam explained when Glory roared at this 'insult'. "I am simply inviting you since my son admired strong men like you."

He pointed his thumb in our direction, making Glory the Champion, gazed at us, and then down at Law and Adam. Glory narrowed his eyes, staring intently at the young boys before shifting his attention back to Sam. 

"I believed you will keep your word if I put my invitation to a bet. What do you think?" Sam inquired while tilting his head, smiling politely at him. 

I couldn't believe what my eyes were seeing and what my ears were hearing. It seemed to me that Sam had his son's interest on top of his head. 

"Father..." Law whispered, making me gaze down at him to see how moved he was. "You didn't have to do this."

My heart warmed up at Sam and Law. The first time I heard them converse, they sounded very distant. But it seemed they weren't as distant as I initially thought they were. It was just that they had their own way of showing their affection. 

'He is just like Sam,' I thought, planting my palm on Law's head with a warm smile on my face. I ruffled it before setting my eyes back to my husband.

I had always known my husband would be a great father, but witnessing it now still felt different. My eyes stung, but I suppressed my tears from falling. 

'I'm so proud of you, Sam,' I whispered in my heart. 'I won't let this devil inside me break our family.'

Soon, when Glory accepted the bet as his honor was on the line, they took their respective spot. Sam on the left and across from him was Glory. The latter snickered as he position his elbow, showcasing his brawny arm while closing and opening his fingers. And then Sam let out a shallow breath, positioning his elbow.

"Alright..." the host was standing behind the table, guiding Sam and Glory's arm against each other until it made a cross sign. He held onto them for a moment before yelling, 'now!', and then withdrew his hand away.

But instead of a heated battle of the arm, their arm didn't move. Usually, the challenger should be making ugly faces while trying to down the champion's arm. Alas, Sam and Glory's expression remained the same.

"Huh? What are they doing? Aren't they moving?"

"It's just stuck there..."

"What the...?"

The murmurings grew louder as the situation baffled them. Sam wasn't trying to down Glory, and the latter was giving Sam the honor to do an offense.

"Little boy, I am amused that you muster the courage to challenge me for your son. So, I'm giving you the liberty to have the upper hand. I will assure you I will go easy on you." Glory snickered confidently while wiggling his eyebrows.

"I see..." Sam nodded and without a change of his expression, he channeled his weight on his arm. It took Glory by surprise but managed to fight Sam's arms before it completely touch the table. 

This sudden turn of events caused a momentary silence in the air before the loud cheering deafened my ear.