Chapter 6

For a split second, panic flashed across Augustine's face, but he quickly composed himself.

"I was in negotiations with the Rhine Clan representatives," he explained softly. "You know how tricky the recent territory disputes have been. They required my personal attention."

He gently caressed the back of my hand.

"Thank the gods Clara found you and called me immediately. The moment I got the news, I dropped everything and rushed over."

His voice trembled. "Haley, I can't lose you. You know you're the most important person in my life."

He even had tears welling in his eyes as he said it.

If I hadn't personally heard him with Lucy just moments before, I might have been moved by his heartfelt performance.

I closed my eyes, unable to look at his deceitful face any longer.

"I'm a little tired," I said weakly.

Augustine placed a soft kiss on my forehead. "Then get some rest. I have to take care of a few urgent matters, but I'll be back to stay with you soon."

The moment his footsteps faded down the hall, Lila burst in.

"Haley!" She rushed to my bedside and squeezed my hand. "I heard your old wound acted up. You scared me to death! How are you feeling?"

I gave a bitter smile. "Still breathing."

Lila’s expression hardened with fury. "Haley, I just saw that woman you told me about! She's on the third floor, in the maternity ward."

"I saw her holding a bloodline report from the clinic, and Augustine looked ecstatic. He was muttering things like 'I'm finally going to have an heir' and 'this is a gift from the heavens.'"

A strange silence fell over the room.

Lila looked at me, worried. "Haley, are you okay? You've gone pale."

But I was unnaturally calm. I even started to laugh.

The sound was jarring in the quiet hospital room, startling even Lila. "Haley, you…"

"Lila, I'm going to tell you a secret," I said with a smirk. "A hundred years ago, Augustine and I tried for a child. For a whole year, nothing happened. We finally got tested. It turned out that during his fight with the werewolves, it wasn't just his heart that was damaged. His bloodline was permanently corrupted."

Lila's eyes went wide. "You mean…"

"He lost the ability to have children," I said, looking her straight in the eye. "But to protect his dignity and authority as a Prince, I had the family physician conceal the truth. We announced that my body was too weak and needed long-term recovery."

Lila covered her mouth in shock. "Gods, Haley… so now…"

"Now, he's celebrating a child that isn't his," I said, and this time, a real laugh escaped me.

For a hundred years, I had protected his secret with my own reputation. Now, it seemed, there was no longer any need.

Furious, Lila paced the room. Suddenly, she stopped, a wicked glint in her eye. "I have an idea. After that Lucy bitch has the baby, let's mail Augustine the bloodline test results. I want to see the look on his face."

I nodded, and we shared a dark smile.

The next afternoon, Clara came to the hospital to give me a report.

She seemed to be struggling with something, opening her mouth to speak several times before closing it again.

"Just say it, Clara. What happened?"

Clara took a deep breath. "My lady, yesterday I saw… that woman, Lucy. She was wearing your nightgown and has moved into the master bedroom of the castle."

Even though my heart felt like it had turned to ash, a sharp pain lanced through it at her words.

That master bedroom had been our sanctuary for five hundred years.

And now, Augustine couldn't wait to give it all to Lucy.

"I see."

Clara looked at my face, her own eyes turning red. "My lady…"

"It's alright, Clara," I said, patting her hand. "It will all be over soon."

As night fell, Augustine arrived.

He carried a bouquet of red roses, his face a perfect mask of concern.

"How are you feeling? The doctor says you can be discharged soon." He sat by the bed. "I've had the kitchen prepare your favorite restorative blood soup. It will be waiting for you when you get home."

Looking at his charade of a devoted husband, I suddenly wanted to rip the mask off. "Augustine," I began softly, "I want to ask you something."

"Anything, my love."

I looked him straight in the eye. "Have you betrayed me?"

For a second, his expression faltered, as if someone had suddenly choked him.

But the look vanished in an instant, replaced by one of confusion. "Why would you ask that, my love?"