Chapter 15 : Reignited Hope

*Ember*

After the awkward dinner, I couldn't shake the feeling of doubt that had crept in. Kieran's dismissal of my input hit me hard, making me question my place in all of this. I couldn't help but wonder what my role would be in this child's life. Would I just be the surrogate, the vessel that carried the heir to the throne, or would I have a say in how they were raised? Would I be nothing more than a distant memory while Kieran took the reins of their life?

I found I really hated the idea of that and tried not to let the dismay it caused consume me. I'd known what I was agreeing to; it wasn't fair for me to get tangled up like this and make a mess of everything just because it wasn't how I imagined having my first child would be.

I walked through the castle corridors toward my room, my mind swirled with conflicting emotions. The walls seemed to close in around me, amplifying my sense of uncertainty. Was this what I wanted? To be forever bound to Kieran? I couldn't deny the att