Chapter 57: Married LifeTristan jolted awake while his heart was pounding as if trying to escape his chest. He blinked against the bright morning light streaming through the window, momentarily disoriented. He immediately glanced beside him and found Isabel's side of the bed empty, with the sheets neatly arranged. Panic surged through him as he threw off the covers and swung his legs over the side of the bed."Isabel?" he called out, his voice hoarse and tinged with urgency. But there was no response.He quickly dressed himself and rushed out of their room as his mind raced with fear. Once he descended the stairs, the scent of freshly baked bread and the sound of soft laughter reached his ears. And when he entered the kitchen of their humble home, he saw his mother-in-law seated at the table, feeding Liam breakfast."Good morning, Tristan," Teressa greeted warmly, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "Have some breakfast.""Where is Isabel?" Tristan asked, barely able to mask his anxi
Chapter 58: Giving Back His FreedomAfter the meal, Teressa cleared her throat gently, drawing everyone's attention. "Isabel, I thought I might take Liam to school today. It would give you some time to rest or tend to anything you need."Isabel, who had been avoiding Tristan's gaze throughout lunch, looked up at her mother, considering the offer. She glanced at Liam, who was happily finishing his bread, and then at Tristan, who was watching her intently. A moment of silence stretched before Isabel spoke, her voice calm and deliberate. "Thank you, mother, but I think I will take Liam to school myself today."After hearing her words, Liam's face lit up with excitement. "Really, Mother? You will take me?"Isabel smiled at her son's enthusiasm, her heart warming at the sight. "Yes, darling. I will take you."Tristan sensed an opportunity to mend the rift between them and immediately spoke up. "If you are going, my love, I would like to join you."Isabel shook her head gently, though her
Chapter 59: Isabel Belongs to meTristan's expression grew serious, his eyes never leaving hers. "Yes, it has," he said quietly, sensing the importance of what she was about to say.Isabel swallowed hard, her heart pounding in her chest. "For six years, you have been by my side, supporting me and Liam without hesitation. You have given up so much for us, and I have been selfish in my expectations."Tristan shook his head, squeezing her hand gently. "Isabel, you and Liam are my family. There is nothing I would not do for you."Tears welled up in her eyes as she continued. "I know that, and it means the world to me. But I have realized that I have been holding on to a dream, hoping for something more when I have no right to demand it. You have given us everything, and I fear I have taken you for granted.""I have long been drowning in your favor and it is time that I return it." She smiled.Tristan's heart skipped a beat at Isabel's words, his mind racing to grasp their full meaning. He
Chapter 60: In his grasp once again"Stop! Let go of me!" Isabel's voice echoed through the corridor, choked with fear and desperation.Lucian's grip tightened around her arm like an iron vice as he continued dragging her towards his chambers. Isabel stumbled on the uneven floor, her heart pounding with terror. With a sudden jolt, she fell to her knees, the impact sending a sharp pain through her. Tears streamed down her face as she sobbed uncontrollably, overwhelmed by helplessness."Please," she pleaded, her voice trembling, "let me go. Give me back my child!"Lucian remained unmoved, his expression cold and resolute. He tightened his hold on her arm, his voice cutting through the air like a whip. "You dare carry another man's child? I will not let him near you ever again!"Isabel gasped, fear and defiance mingling in her eyes as she struggled against his grasp. "No! Liam needs me. Let me go! Where are you taking him?!"Ignoring her pleas, Lucian roughly pulled her to her feet and c
Chapter 61: The Royal Family ReunitedLucian stood in the doorway while his eyes are fixed on the young boy seated on the edge of the bed. Despite Liam's confusion of what was happening around him, the boy still seemed calm, his wide eyes . Lucian felt an inexplicable connection to the child, a strange sense of admiration that he couldn't quite place.The moment he saw Liam back at the village, he had been mesmerized by the boy's striking blue eyes, a vivid reminder of the first time he saw Isabel. Those eyes, so similar to hers, had caught him off guard. Yet, unlike Isabel's golden locks, Liam's hair was dark, likely inherited from his father. Yet again, the thought of Isabel having someone else's child angered him once more, but despite his fury, he couldn't bring himself to direct it at the boy.Suddenly, Liam stood up, bowing slightly as he greeted Lucian with an unexpected level of reverence. "Your Majesty," he said in a clear, steady voice.Lucian's eyes narrowed slightly, intri
Chapter 62: Divide and conquer"Mother!" Liam cried, reaching out for her. Lucian carefully set him down, and the boy who have missed his mother dearly immediately ran into Isabel's arms, clinging to her tightly.Isabel hugged him as her tears began streaming down her face. "Liam, my little baby," she whispered, holding him close. Lucian watched the reunion with an unfamiliar tightness in his chest. He had expected relief, perhaps even satisfaction, but instead, he felt an overwhelming sense of vulnerability."Liam, would you like something to eat or drink?" Lucian asked, attempting to coo the child that alarmed Isabel somehow.The boy looked up at his mother, then back at Lucian. "Your Majesty, I only want to stay with my mother," he said softly and politely.Lucian nodded, understanding the boy's need for his mother. "Very well," he said. "You can stay here with her." He glanced at Isabel. "If there's anything you need, just let the guards know."Isabel's expression hardened. "You'
Chapter 63: The Dead Boy's MotherLucian's voice echoed inside the room as he called out for his guards."Take this boy away!” he commanded out of anger as his men immediately made their way to take Liam out of the room."Don't hurt him! No! Liam!" Isabel cried out, trying to reach her son as he was being taken away. Liam cried out to his mother, his voice filled with fear and desperation."Mother! Please, help me!" Liam's small voice echoed in the room, his eyes wide with terror as the guards pulled him away."Take him to the dungeon with his father!" Lucian added, his voice cold and resolute.Isabel's heart shattered at those words. She fell to her knees, her hands reaching out in a desperate plea. “Please, no! Not Liam! He’s just a child! Don’t do this, Lucian, I beg you!”Lucian’s face remained impassive, though a flicker of something unreadable passed through his eyes. “You have defied me, Isabel. This is the consequence of your actions.”She crawled towards Lucian, tears streami
Chapter 1: Dear MotherThe kingdom of Montebello awoke under a sky streaked with the hues of dawn. The golden light spilled into the busy slums where Isabel lived. As she completed her daily household chores, the warm morning sun touched her pale skin and her icy blue eyes sparkled with every splash of water as she stomped on the fabrics soaking in the wooden basin.Despite her humble beginnings, Isabel embraced her life with gratitude, which was a fruition to the lessons her mother had imparted. Although Isabel was uneducated, she was wise enough to find joy in the simple things and never grumbled about their status in society’s hierarchy. Her appreciation for her mother's sacrifices was boundless that she often expressed it in songs of love and gratitude during times of scarcity.Her father was a subject shrouded in silence. A past her mother never spoke of, and Isabel never pressed. She understood enough to harbor a deep, personal hatred for the pain her existence had caused her mo