Chloe felt a lump form in her throat, "But at what cost? How much are we willing to sacrifice for the sake of duty?"Liam sighed, "I don't know, Chloe. I really don't. But I do know that I'll always be here for you, no matter what happens."Chloe felt tears well up in her eyes, "And what about Aiden? What happens to him?"Liam's expression hardened, "We'll deal with him later. Right now, we have to focus on the ceremony."Chloe bit her lip, feeling torn between her duty and her heart. She knew that whatever decision she made would have far-reaching consequences, and she wasn't sure if she was ready to face them.Chloe's heart was pounding as Liam leaned in to mark her, but suddenly the door burst open, and in walked Aiden with his guards. Chloe's relief was palpable as she was quickly untied."What is the meaning of this?" Liam demanded, his face twisted with anger.Aiden stepped forward, his eyes blazing. "I won't let you mark her, Liam. Not when she doesn't want it."Liam's lip curl
Chloe couldn't believe how lucky she was to have found Aiden. As they spent more time together, she felt her heart grow fonder and fonder of him.One day, as they were walking through the gardens, Chloe turned to Aiden and said, "You know, I never thought I would find someone like you. You're kind, strong, and always there for me."Aiden smiled at her and replied, "I feel the same way about you, Chloe. You're smart, beautiful, and I can't imagine my life without you."Chloe blushed and looked down at her feet, feeling a warmth spreading through her body. "I don't think I've ever felt this way about anyone before," she admitted.Aiden reached out and took her hand, pulling her close to him. "Neither have I," he said, his voice low and husky.They stood there for a moment, lost in their own thoughts and feelings, before Aiden leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. Chloe's heart raced as she kissed him back, feeling like she was on top of the world.As they pulled away from each other
Chloe woke up with a lingering sense of anxiety, a feeling that she had grown accustomed to over the past few days. Her mind was preoccupied with the ongoing trial of Emily, who had been remanded in house arrest for attempting to poison her. As she walked to Janet's garden, she couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over her.Janet was overjoyed to see Chloe and welcomed her with open arms. "My dear, how I have missed you!" she exclaimed as she hugged her tightly. Chloe smiled and reciprocated the hug. "I've missed you too, Janet," she replied.Janet asked Chloe how she could be of service, but Chloe told her that she was her friend now, and she didn't need to act like her servant. Janet was surprised but pleased to hear this, and she smiled warmly at Chloe.Chloe then told Janet about the trial of Emily, and how she hoped that justice would be served. "I really hope that she gets what she deserves for almost killing me," Chloe said, her voice laced with frustration.Janet list
Chloe felt a flutter in her chest as she met his gaze. There was something about Liam that drew her to him, something that made her heart beat faster whenever she was near him. "I'd like that," she said softly. "I'm excited to get to know this new Liam."He laughed, the sound rich and full of mirth. "I'm not new, Chloe. Just refined."Chloe giggled, feeling a lightness in her chest that she hadn't felt in a while. "Well, refined or not, I'm happy to have you in my life again."They fell into an easy conversation then, talking about everything and nothing, just enjoying each other's company. Chloe found herself feeling more and more comfortable with Liam, as though they had never been apart. They laughed and teased each other, and as the sun began to set, Chloe knew that she didn't want the evening to end.But eventually, they had to part ways. Liam walked her to her car, and as she got in, Chloe turned to him with a small smile. "Thank you, Liam. For everything."Liam leaned down and
With that, Chloe turned and walked out of the room, leaving Aiden standing there in stunned silence. She knew it wouldn't be easy, but she had to stand up for herself and her own happiness. And maybe, just maybe, things would work out in the end.Chloe walked out of Aiden's room, fuming with anger. She couldn't believe how he was acting, making it seem like Liam's sacrifice didn't matter. She stormed through the corridors, feeling the rage coursing through her veins. She needed to talk to someone who would understand her, someone who would listen without judging her. She immediately thought of Janet, her best friend and confidante.Chloe made her way to Janet's room and knocked on the door. Janet answered almost immediately, her eyes widening when she saw Chloe's angry expression."What happened?" Janet asked, ushering Chloe inside.Chloe collapsed on Janet's bed, feeling the tears stinging the corners of her eyes. "It's Aiden," she said, her voice shaky. "He's being so unreasonable.
As Liam sat in his dimly lit apartment, thoughts of Chloe consumed him. He couldn't shake the feeling that he had made a mistake by letting her go. Sure, he had made progress in proving to her that he was no longer the monster he used to be, but at what cost? Had he lost her for good?He couldn't help but imagine her in the arms of Aiden, the man he had always seen as his competition. What if Aiden took advantage of Liam's absence and won Chloe over? Liam clenched his fists at the thought. He had worked too hard to change his ways, too hard to prove to Chloe that he was worthy of her love. And yet, she had chosen Aiden.But what if he had made the wrong choice? What if he should have fought for her honestly, without any tricks or manipulation? Would she have chosen him then? Liam sighed, running his hands through his messy hair. He knew deep down that he had done the right thing by giving Chloe up, but it didn't make it any easier.He couldn't stop thinking about her. The way her eyes
He paused in his pacing and looked out the window, staring out at the beautiful landscape of his kingdom. It was peaceful and serene, and for a moment, he forgot about his troubles. But then his mind returned to Chloe, and he couldn't escape the guilt and sadness that consumed him."I don't know what to do," he muttered to himself. "I can't just give up on her, but I can't keep her locked up like that either. It's not fair to her."He continued pacing, lost in thought, for what felt like hours. He knew he needed to make a decision soon, for both his and Chloe's sake. But what was the right decision? He didn't know.Eventually, he collapsed onto his throne, feeling defeated and hopeless. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing thoughts."I'll figure it out," he said to himself. "I have to. For Chloe."Aiden couldn't believe his ears. Liam, the man he had come to see as his arch-rival in love, had just proposed an idea that could change everything. He was he
Janet smiled warmly at Jason as she entered his office, and he couldn't help but feel his heart skip a beat. "Hey, love," she said as she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek."Hey, yourself," Jason replied, feeling a surge of affection for the woman he loved. "How's your day going?""It's going well," Janet said, taking a seat across from him. "Just busy as usual. How about you?""I'm hanging in there," Jason replied with a smile. "Just trying to keep up with all the paperwork around here."As they chatted, Aiden walked in, looking serious. "Hey, guys. Can I talk to you for a minute?"Janet immediately got up, thinking that Aiden might want to talk to Jason alone. But Aiden held up a hand. "Actually, Janet, I was hoping you could stay. I think your perspective would be helpful."Janet nodded and took a seat again, and Aiden got straight to the point. "I've decided that I want to make things official with Chloe. I want to ask her to be my girlfriend."Jason chuckled at this, unable to r