Chapter 3

"If you really want to express your gratitude, why not wish Her Highness and her husband a long and happy life together?"

Arthur froze briefly, his mind flashing back to the scene of Anna dragging him out of the main quarters. Then, he recalled when Anna forcibly drew my blood.

His eyes gradually grew dim. "I see. I should thank… Her Highness."

The pain was a hundred times worse than when I was being cut. Looking at Arthur's despondent expression, I recalled the past.

Anna had once loved Arthur and me deeply. She even risked her life to give birth to a child with my bloodline for me.

When I was being bullied by the crown prince, she rushed into his residence without hesitation and brought me back to the princess' residence with bloodshot eyes.

On my birthday, she even secretly told me that her wish was for the family to never be apart.

However, all of this came to an end on the day Zachary returned to the capital. He used his childhood bond with Anna to play the victim time and time again, pretending to be innocent and winning her sympathy.

Then, he deliberately poisoned himself and framed Arthur and me, making Anna completely lose faith in us.

From then on, everything changed.

On the street, Ella nodded with relief and continued, "By the way, where's your mother? How could she let you run out alone?"

Arthur froze and was about to speak when a gentle male voice suddenly came from behind. "Darling."

A tall, young man, leading a boy about Arthur's age, called out with a smile, "It's getting late. We should go home."

"Mother, let's go home." The boy, holding a candy, smiled innocently and lively.

Ella let out a soft exclamation and quickly stepped between the two. Holding the man's hand in one hand and the child's in the other, she walked away.

Only when they were completely out of sight did Arthur slowly withdraw his envious gaze. Looking at the almond cookies in his hand, he uttered his unfinished sentence, "My mother's... dead."

After bidding the kind woman goodbye, Arthur quickly ran back to the princess' residence with the almond cookies in his arms. However, he bumped into the leisurely Zachary as soon as he entered.

Zachary swayed. A flash of disgust crossed his sharply featured face, and he slapped Arthur across the face. "You little bastard! Who gave you the nerve to touch me?"

Caught off guard, Arthur was knocked to the ground. Blood quickly seeped from his mouth, and the paper bag he was carrying fell to the ground.

Ignoring the pain, Arthur frantically reached out to retrieve it.

However, Zachary was not satisfied. He grabbed Arthur's hair, forcing him to look at him. "You're indeed a bastard, just like your useless father—always playing the victim. I'm warning you, stop putting on that pitiful act. If Her Highness sees you like this, I won't spare you. You hear me?"

His gaze was vicious, as if he wanted Arthur to disappear forever.

I was also driven to the brink of madness, desperately trying to pull Zachary's hand away, but it was all in vain. Self-reproach and helplessness suffocated me, while Zachary's smile grew even more triumphant. He gestured for a servant to open the paper bag on the ground.

Seeing this, Arthur immediately began to struggle. "That's for my father! Don't touch it! Give it back!"

Hearing the word 'father', Zachary's expression darkened, and he kicked Arthur squarely in the stomach. This caused Arthur to cough up a mouthful of blood.