"Arthur?" I couldn't believe it. The Alpha who I thought would bring disaster in the early hours of the morning, turned out to be an old friend who I thought had disappeared somewhere."Are you for real Arthur?" I said again, my voice floating in the air following the turmoil of my disbelief, at the reflection of someone's bias in the moonlight."You'r e... Still alive?" I said incredulously. Then, I realized one thing I had missed just now.He didn't come alone. In his arms, there was the tiny figure of a baby in a little dress wrapped around her smooth body. My baby, Starling, is in his arms.My little brain was still having trouble digesting the fact that Arthur was visiting me with Starling in his arms."Your baby is very lovely, she didn't whine when I tried to hold her," Arthur said with a smile, his voice still the same as it was in my memory, the last time we met half a year ago."But I wonder why the nannies have trouble calming her down?" he asked. "Because it only takes one
"Why don't I meet him tomorrow?" he asked without hesitation. And just like that, he stood up from her seat, faced me, and pulled my hand away from him."We'll meet the Alpha who's been keeping you up at night," he continued with a confident grin that I didn't understand. "We talked things over with him. And of course, he's the one who understands you best. More than anyone else in the world."I don't understand.My brain was too slow to digest his plan, which made no sense to me."You? Can you find out where Frederick is right now?" I asked incredulously. "You know, I'm tired myself from my failure to locate him. Matthias is too, he's put everything he's got into it.""Ordinary people wouldn't be able to figure out where he is," he replied with an amused chuckle, making me tilt my head even more in astonishment. "I was able to bring him here because I've been living with him."My mouth opened wide in surprise but lost all sound. "You? Living with him? Where? I mean, how could you? Di
[Isabelle's POV stops here][Now is Frederick's POV]....- Two days before the visit to Magnolia Castle- Remote area, edge of Theodosius' capital- 07.00 AM."Wake up, sleepyhead. Someone has been waiting for your painting since a month ago. How can you let it gather dust here? Gosh, it's really hard to take care of a prince. I should have just let you starve by the river."It's not that I didn't hear, it's just that my hearing was blocked by the hard pillow that was the only support for my head when I fell asleep.The poor hut that people called a rubbish dump was, for me, the most delicious escape ever. Since leaving the kingdom of Theodosius, I decided to become a lone traveler.This is where I live. Accompanied only by an old man who took pity on me, knowing that I lost everything for one Omega."I'm sorry, but I'm not selling this painting," I said, raising my voice so that the potential buyers waiting outside my hut could hear me. "Please choose a painting other than the one h
"I do love her, but I'm determined to forget her," I replied harshly. He was still standing there, next to Isabelle's painting. But I didn't care anymore.I picked up my backpack and carried it on my back. I ignored the Crying Mother painting. It's more interesting for me to get out of here before my resolve dissolves.I don't want to hear any more about Isabelle, because I know she's my weak spot."She can't forget you."Just as the toe of my grungy shoe touched the boundary line between my room and the front yard, an unexpected sentence burned through my emotions."What?" I replied, widening completely at his words. I stopped right in line with where he was standing, and from this side, I could see an expression that seemed to be tinged with anxiety.Arthur threw a face full of cold sweat, at me beside him. "Do you know what? She's not even married to Matthias. I don't want to ruin your sacrifice for her, but I can tell that what you expect from her life is completely different.""W
"Eek!""Aaaaaaaa!"My energy turned into a statue instantly, as I was confronted by an unusual apparition that startled me right as I touched the cold floor of this magnificent palace."Eek!"It was no longer the warm welcome, the emotion, or the hatred after leaving the Magnolia kingdom with dirty hands, and then returning at the drop of a hat. The servants who escorted me inside didn't have enough room to even think about my arrival.This was because everyone was panicked by the commotion in one room that was pink, sweet, and full of toys and dolls. But not as bright as the color of the room, the commotion in the nursery immediately hurt my ears.'So, is this what Arthur said yesterday? The conditions are more dire than I thought.' My mind was suddenly short of breath."Where did Isabelle go?" asked me who couldn't stand the poor baby's crying and screaming anymore, it was obvious that she missed her mother. Why wasn't Isabelle holding her?"Didn't I tell you? She can't even breastf
[End of Frederick's POV][Isabelle's POV starts here]..."Ugh. My head."Since when did everything feel so spinning?There was a soft pillow supporting my head, but the discomfort was the first thing I realized when I opened my eyes."Starling ..." My baby's name was the first thing that came out of my mouth as I began to regain consciousness. My memory only races to the sound of her crying, her whimpering, and the panic throughout the palace that failed to calm her tantrum."Frederick." Then all at once, my eyes opened wide as the name slipped out instantly from between my lips.'That's right. Frederick. He was the one who had brought me to this room last night. That's right! How could I forget him!' I grumbled to myself.Without giving a second thought to my throbbing headache, I pushed the blanket off my body and set off. My legs were suddenly difficult to work with, and I almost fell over as I forced myself to stand up because of it."Isabelle?"Halfway through my hobbled walk, I
"F-frederick! What are you doing!?" I snapped, pushing him off the top of my body. He was so heavy, I had trouble breathing because of him.It seemed that he was intentionally pressing down on me with all his might, knowing that I wouldn't be able to resist."You said you wanted to make me happy? Where did your stance go a minute ago?" he said sarcastically, his smile falling with great disdain. "If you want to know what makes me happy, then just shut up and watch.""Hmmm!" I groaned under my breath, he once again locked the movement of my lips with his forced kiss.My head was suddenly empty, this was not what I wanted. When I said I was serious about fighting for his happiness, this is not what I meant!I don't know if the happiness Frederick wants is to go back to the time when he still had me."Let me go!" I finally rebelled with a fuse of anger in my chest. I kicked him with both feet, causing him to almost fall off the bed. My eyes began to water from holding back tears, but it
"Matthias ... What are you talking about? That's not what Frederick came here for. He came to see me to set things straight between you and me," I said, still trying not to scream hysterically. Despite his words that made me feel like I was being torn apart from the inside."I know," he added. He glanced at me with a bitter smile, then turned back to face his best friend. His gentle gaze made me think of nothing but suspicion.The thing I was afraid of happened. He took off our engagement ring and gave that circular gold to Frederick."I think Isabelle would be happier with you, mate," he said, taking the ring in his hand even though Frederick was faced with a big question mark."No." Frederick refused to take the gold ring in his hand and threw it back in one go. "I don't like the way you give up like this. If you had intended to waste Isabelle's love from the start, why didn't you reject her when I first wrote that letter? Now, the rice has become porridge. You already have a child,