Chapter 52
Ethan asks, “Then what do you want, Ariella!TM
Everyone looks at me, waiting for my answer, but honestly, I haven’t thought it through.
“Castor, Eli and Rafe, may I speak with Ethan in private”
“Of course, Princess.” Castor is the first to get up and leave. Eli gently pets me on the shoulder and also leaves without another word with Kafe following him
The door clicks close and I look towards Ethan, who has been patiently waiting
for
me to start.
“Where do I begin?” I ask myself, and I turn my gaze outside of the window
Ethan stands up and pours me a cup of water, “Here: You need to keep yourself hydrated”
“Thank you.” I take the glass from him and have a sip and all the memories from when I first was rescued to the Crystal River royal palace comes back to me.
“After I escaped from Marcus, I’ve lost all confidence in marriage, or love. I was planning to stay single, and help my brothers manage our parents‘ kingdom. But everything changed when I found out I was pregnant.
“I didn’t tell my brothers: about Marcus nor the baby, because I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do at that point. So, when you proposed to my brothers asking for me, I saw it as an opportunity to buy myself some time to decide what to do and if possible to find out who’s my child’s father. Since you may be my baby’s father, I wanted the chance to get to know you.”
He asks, “That was all the reason you decided to come to Everstone with me? Nothing else?”
“In addition to that, your proposal for the land deal is just too attractive to turn down. I wanted to help my brothers out, I don’t see a reason to say no to that. After all, in a princess and that was the least I could do for my country.”
can respect that,” he comments.
“But after I got to Everstone and I started to spend time with you, I realized that I couldn’t read you at all. I never knew what’s in your mind. Then with everything that occurred with Cassandra, Lilith, Marcus, even those unfriendly noble ladies, it finally hit me that the palace life in Eversione was way more complicated than I anticipated. Especially after I was kidnapped and hurt, I really didn’t have the energy and courage to fight with those seen or unseen enemies.”
Ethan nods. “And that was when you sent a letter to your brothers, asking them to pick you up.”
“Yes. But then, you took me to the hot springs. The few days there, well, it was some of the best days I’ve had in the past few years for as long as I could remember. I had really thought about staying with you, but when I asked about the wedding day, you brushed it off. And that leads me to believe that you weren’t serious about the marriage, and I was just a breeder to you at inst. But that’s not what I want.”
“I told you that’s not true,” he insists.
“Then what am I?” ask.
“You are my fiancee, and will be my son’s mother, my wife, and my luna queen. Besides that, now you’ve also gotten the wedding day you asked for, I don’t know what else I can give you. He is getting frustrated
“Had you told me that a week ago, I would be so happy, but now…”
“Now what?”
I scoff bitterly. “Tell me this, why did you decide on marrying me all of a sudden?”
그래
“I’ve always planned on marrying you,” he corrects me, “it’s just about the timing. But now with the baby
“See, that’s the problem.” I cut him off.
“What’s the problem!” He is confused,
The problem is..I don’t want to get married just because I’m carrying his child.
How can I tell him that I want more? How can I tell him that I want more than the titlest
I’ve grown greedy. I want more from him, I want his heart.
He pushes, “Ariella, just be honest and tell me what you want. If it’s within my power, I’ll give it to you.
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2:10 PM
Chapter 52
I sighed. “You can’t give me what I want.”
I want to tell him that he can provide me with protection and care, and he’s already done that, just like he has been doing that for Cassandra.
However, what I want isn’t something he can grant or give.
Because love can’t be directed by one’s will. It simply happens or not.
“So, what you are saying is that you’ve decided to leave and go back with your brothers?” he asks, narrowing his eyes. Dangerous aura radiates from him. He’s angry, but I can tell he’s doing his best to suppress that.
I shake my head again. “No, I’ve decided to stay”
He’s surprised and clearly confused.
you and for the baby’s sake, we’ll get married in a month like you’ve suggested, but I need you to promise me one
I explain, “Yes, I’ll stay with y thing.”
He frowns and pitches the bridge of his nose. “Ariella, you’re making this more complicated than necessary. Fine, what is it?”
“I need you to promise me,” I look into his piercing blue eyes, and take a deep breath. “If I choose to leave here, leave Everstone after our marriage, you cannot stop me or retaliate against my brothers or my kingdom.”
Ethan looks taken aback, his eyes searching mine for something, perhaps something that can better explain my decision and my request.
I ask him, “Are you willing to accept my condition?“.
He finally sighs, his voice low and somewhat defeated, “Okay Ariell, as much as I don’t understand your request, you have my word. If that day ever comes, I’ll respect your decision and not retaliate against Crystal River”
“Thank you,” I say in a soft voice, feeling a mixture of sadness and hope.
This isn’t how I imagined finding love or building a life with someone. Yet here I am, bound by circumstances to agree to my second marriage due to political reasons.
However, I can’t help but wish that perhaps there’s also a sliver of hope that Ethan might truly understand and understand me by the end of my pregnancy, if we can get the curse resolved and both my baby and I can live through the curse, that is.
I look up at him, trying to read his thoughts, but fail again. He looks as if he’s just finished another business negotiation, and the outcome, while not the best, is acceptable, so he can move on to his action plan.
Then, he stares into somewhere februar–I realize that it’s someone mindlinking him.
“Ariella, I need to go. Kyle has arrested Marcus beta. Let’s see what we can find out from him.”
I nod to him. A bit relieved for Kyle pulling him away, because I wouldn’t know what to say to him next. This is probably the best way to end our conversation today.
He gets up, but before walking away, he suddenly firmly grips my chin and crushes down on my lips. His tongue enters my mouth and savors me, “Listen, Ariella,” he pants from the kiss along with me, “while I agree to your terms, you need to understand one thing. Once mine will always be mine, no matter where you are!”
Before I snap out from his passionate kiss, he has already left the room.
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