Lahat ng Kabanata ng Never To Be Loved Again: Kabanata 81 - Kabanata 90

Basil’s mouth fell to the floor, eyes flooded with shock. “My Lord! My God, you remember all that?!”Alicia giggled lightly, one hand covering her mouth. “Yes. I remember. I hid it secretly and ate it away from my mother’s eyes. She never gave me treats. Thought my teeth would rot if I did.”“You were young. I thought you wouldn’t remember at all, Your Majesty.”“Basil, I was only ten-years-old at the time. Of course I’d remember a lot of things. Hehe…”“No, no. Few people have clear memories of their youth. You’re smart…”“How long will you stand there?”Ivan’s voice rang from behind. Alicia and Basil stiffeTed at his sudden appearance. They had come to the door of the drawing-room and did not enter, merely talking casually to themselves.Basil coughed and bowed politely. “I’ll be taking my leave, My Queen.”As Basil’s figure faded in the background, the laughter on Alicia’s face quickly drained away as she said nervously, “I was talking to Basil. I had disrespected you. I’m sorry.”

“My God… what is all this…?”The next day, after Ivan’s departure, numerous offerings laid before here. Silk made of rare materials and top-of-the-line accessories quietly rested on the table. It is as Ivan said. He had prepared in advance.Alicia had no choice but to admit that Ivan never had plans to drag the princess of Coulson by the foot and slit her throat. If not, why had he renovated the Queen’s Palace for the princess to this extent?“You won’t have to worry about the lack of jewels for a while after the wedding. Isn’t that right, My Queen?” The duchess’ eyes smiled a twinkling light.Alicia chuckled. “That’s true.”She picked up a beautifully tailored blue cloth. From the surface, it looked plain, but the texture of the cloth spoke much depth. She was sure the designer placed much thought during composition.“I don’t know why he told me this now… it’d have been great had he informed me earlier,” Alicia said.It might have been easier to decide on the items she needed for the

The Duchess knew she could not prevent Alicia from leaving. Convinced that the situation was unavoidable, she stepped back.“…I await your safe return, My Queen.”Alicia nodded and followed the Countess to the carriage journeying to the seasonal palace. The palace the Queen Mother resided in was located on the cool highland and used mainly for relaxation during summer seasons.It was also the place Alicia rested in to care for her body while pregnant.She resided in the seasonal palace for a month-long. Those were happy times. Ivan visited her daily. She thought things might change, that maybe, this wastheir beginning. Then one day, Ivan did not visit her. Curious, she went to his palace without notifying him in advance and saw him with Patricia… their bodies tangled together.Alicia looked out the window to shake off the painful memory. The road to the seasonal palace was strewn with fallen leaves. The autumn season had begun long ago in Coulson, but Ehrlich was just now ushering to

Alicia shook her head in a hurry.There was a misunderstanding.The Queen knows nothing of their past life.“I’ve no choice but to return to Ehrlich. It’s definitely not what Her Majesty thinks,” Alicia said.The Queen smiled. “That is because you don’t know Ivan yet. He possesses the blood of Coulson. He has a strong desire and obsession to pursue his own goals. He’ll never do anything he does not want to do. If he truly had no inkling feelings for you, he would not marry you. It is in his nature of Coulson blood.”The Queen said similar words to her before. She thought it was mere empty words said to comfort her once, but now she knew it to be the opposite.“I had thoughts of matching you with Ivan from the beginning, so I purposely asked Irina to bring you to the palace with hopes that you and Ivan would fit in together. Was it because of you that his clothes were torn and dirty during your first meeting? He did something for you, right?”Alicia flinched and covered her gaping mout

It was dark. The blue haze of day lifted to reveal the twinkling stars. Alicia and the Queen’s reminiscent talks came to an end and she said her farewells to the Queen, but a brewing thunder and heavy rain fell. The roads would be muddy and dangerous to thread on at this time of the hour.The Queen dissuaded Alicia from leaving.She nodded and stayed overnight.The Queen guided Alicia to the guest room she’d sleep in. The maids were attentive to her every need. After a fresh bath, she slumped on the bed and tossed and turned… unable to sleep. Time had taken on a different form, more plentiful than it ever was. Her mind was alight with forms of darkness, but eventually, sleep overtook her and dreamt of heavy blackness.She awoke from the strange noise outside the palace.The pitter-patter rain had long ceased to be. A silhouette light seeped through from the gaps on the window curtain.She looked around.The door burst open a second later.Alicia stepped out of the comfort of her bed a