All Chapters of Royal Hearts in Lockdown: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

11 Chapters

CHAPTER 1: FREEDOM DESPERATION

QUINCY POVThe beeping of the heart monitor was almost soothing. Rhythmic. Predictable. Unlike of the rest of my life."Room 208 needs a refill on saline," Linda said, depositing a chart in my hands before disappearing down the hall in a whirl of mint-colored scrubs and exhaustion. I nodded, made a note, and moved along.My twelve-hour shift had finally ended, and my legs were pleading to take a break. The soft soles of my shoes did not do much against the hospital floors’ hard tiles. I swept a stray black curl back behind my ear and let out a sigh. One more hour.One more hour, and I could go fetch Eva from my sister's place and pretend to not be as tired and drained as I felt. Pretend to read her a bedtime story and sing that goofy "Goodnight Moon" remix she needed every night.The door of Room 212 was ajar, and I hesitated in opening it."Hello, Mr. Charlie," I whispered, stepping into the darkened room. He was already asleep. I smiled, readjusted his IV line, and took a quick peek

Last Updated : 2025-06-25

CHAPTER 2: DIVORCE OR FREEDOM

MAXWELL POVThe problem with appearances was that they came with an expiration date.Sooner or later, someone looks past the pressed pants, the pretty smile, the rehearsed lines and they see the real thing.Mine was in front of me in four-inch heels and silk, kissing her secretary like he was her husband and not me.I didn't blink. I didn't say a word. I just watched them on the screen, the hotel security loop running before me.Nora moved away from the man—Mark, or Jordan, I think—and laughed as she rubbed her lipstick off his mouth. She glowed and looked free. Like a woman who didn't have a husband to return to.I closed the laptop.I wasn't surprised.Nora and I had been married for two years, and I had never seen her look at me like that before. It was a bargain from the beginning—power, business, respect. Her father wanted to keep the name Russo tied to legacy. My father wanted me to stop disgracing the royal house with my "unserious behavior." And I was weary of battling both of

Last Updated : 2025-06-25

CHAPTER 3: A PLAN-B.

QUINCY POVThere were exactly six and a half crayons under my couch. I knew this because Eva made it her mission in life to find every single one of them before breakfast."Found purple!" she cried out happily, holding the crayon high up like a trophy before crawling farther under the cushions. "But no orange yet, mommy."I leaned against the kitchen counter, drinking lukewarm coffee and watching her little feet sticking out from the living room as if they had a life of their own."You don't need to use orange," I said to her. "Use pink for the sun."She gasped as if I'd committed a crime. "Mommy, that's not proper." Her proper came out as ‘pwopa’ and I found it cute."Oh, is it now?""Yes mommy."I smiled, despite the ache in my eyes. Mornings like this did come often-quiet, silly, soft around the edges. Most mornings I was running on three hours of sleep and whatever coffee I could scrounge out between shifts.But today, I had a half-shift, and Eva was spending the afternoon with my

Last Updated : 2025-06-25

CHAPTER 4: STAGED.

MAXWELL POVI had to admit, Dr. Ashley was dramatic. "You want to fake an injury," he stated flatly, holding a foam neck brace in one hand and a roll of gauze in the other."No," I started, "I want to speed up the inevitable. If Nora believes I'm no longer 'public-worthy,' she'll sign the divorce without turning it into a Broadway spectacle."Ryan raised an eyebrow. "You're playing on her vanity."I shrugged indifferently. "It's not manipulation if it's the truth."He tossed the brace on the couch and let out a sigh. "Most people break up over one-night stands and texts. You stage a car accident and bribe a doctor."“Well, something has to work," I muttered.He laughed sharply. "You need help.""Guess, you’re my help."Ashley adjusted his stethoscope around his neck. “Lucky me.”He examined the fake reports he had drawn up—dislocated shoulder, minor back strain, nerve compression. All believable. All temporary.I slipped on the sling. “Convincing?”Ashley studied me, then nodded. “Co

Last Updated : 2025-06-25

CHAPTER 5: RE-UNION AND SURFACED SECRETS.

QUINCY POVThe last time I saw Maxwell Russo, we were seventeen and both barefoot on a wet football field. He kissed me and promised me forever. His family sent him overseas after that… or so I heard, and forever was only a week long.He sat before me now in a cinched grey T-shirt, sling across his arm, looking nothing like the kid I had once known—and somehow, exactly the same."So… you're a nurse now," he'd said, after an awkward pause."And you're… not actually crippled, are you?" I said, raising my eyebrow.His mouth quirked. "You were always quick.""I work with orthopedics. That's not an actual brace, Max."He held up his hands. "Okay, okay. You caught me. Let's just say this was a strategic misdirection."I crossed my arms. "Does the hospital know you're lying or you’re faking this whole…?""Apparently, I’m not lying ," he corrected. "And yes. Ashley's involved. This was the least messy way out of that damn marriage." He murmured the last part.I blinked. "You faked an injury t

Last Updated : 2025-06-25

Chapter 6: Moving in with a Spark.

Quincy’s povThe doors slammed shut behind him loudly. Maxwell had left and I stood there, suspended in confusion, my heart pacing faster than my thought could keep. “Why didn’t he kiss me? Does he feel nothing for me?” I questioned myself, her mind swirling with different thoughts.I turned slightly, my eyes falling once again on this scattered magazine, still curious about what was written on that paper. Skeptical of checking it out again, I shook my head and just walked away.I made her way down the hallway. The penthouse sprawled out around me, luxurious and intimidating. Still, my mind wasn’t in the room anymore__ it played scenes like reels, imagined kisses and slow embraces with Max, scenes that had never happened but felt dangerously close to real. I wasn’t sure what to think, or what my next move would be. Before I could make sense of anything, I was already outside.I arrived home after a long ride of distance, my drive home was full of delusions and loved scenes with Max

Last Updated : 2025-07-24

Chapter 7: Where it Hurts.

I have been at the penthouse for a while now, and I haven’t really had any proper section with Max. Honestly, it didn’t feel like he needed one. He worked around like a man on holiday peacefully and entirely unbothered as though he had escaped reality instead of recovering from an injury.It wasn’t like he’d fractured anything. Just a minor sprain in his leg. Nothing serious, nothing pressing.I had just finished putting together my enormous room— it was so big, I still got lost in it sometimes— and I was getting ready to head out to the hospital. I needed to pick up some files and equipment, just in case Max's ‘little sprain’ turned into something more demanding. Then I heard it.“Hey, Quincy.”The words barely landed before the door to my room flung open, no knock, no warning.I turned quickly, startled— and there he was. Max stood in my doorway, like a scene from a daydream I wasn’t ready for. The morning light kissed his skin, making his already-golden glow even more dazzling an

Last Updated : 2025-07-24

Chapter 8: Mixed signals.

“Do you want to talk about what happened yesterday?” I asked as I entered the living room, where Max was comfortably sitting, looking like he had no worries in te world.Since all the chaos of yesterday, my mind hadn’t stopped spinning. From the almost-kiss with Max almost to the dramatic entrance of his ex- wife—everything had been whirlwind. And he had gone silent with me since then, like nothing happened.Without glancing at me, he responded flatly. “No.”My jaws dropped slightly. “Not even a thank you for saving you?” I wasn’t trying to sound petty—I just wanted some kind of acknowledgment. I needed to know I wasn’t invisible too him.He finally took his eyes off the TV, offering me a glance that barely lasted five seconds.“Thank you for what?” He asked, his tone calm and reserved as if we were talking about the weather.My brows shot up. “For keeping your secret from your wife.” My pitch rose with a sharp edge of frustration. I didn’t bother hiding.I hated that he has stirred

Last Updated : 2025-07-29

Chapter 9: Love and Lies.

“There’s no way I’m going on a date with you,” I scoffed, making my way deeper into the house.I knew I wanted to—God, I really did—but I wasn’t about to let him know that. Not with the smug way he looked at me.Max trailed behind, calm and unbothered, like he had all the time in the world. He followed me all the way to my bedroom. And he made no hesitation into entering my room, like boundaries were something meant for everyone else but him. “So you‘d rather go on a date with a complete stranger, than go out with me?” He asked, his voice hitched with jealousy.I turned back to face him, my brows raised. “Last I remember, you said you had no interest in me. So what does it matter who I go out with?” I pressed on, I knew what I wanted to get out of him.I didn’t even want the date with kelvin. That whole thing was just—ugh. But I just wanted him to admit he actually had some interest.He let out a quiet groan, dragging a hand through his hair and finally lowering his pride. “Quincy…w

Last Updated : 2025-07-31

Chapter 10: Running Scared.

I pulled into the driveway a little after 9 PM, this guy already cloaked in black velvet and the streetlights painting everything in an eerie amber glow. I had promised Eva a visit—I had to. Ever since I started the contract job and moved into the penthouse, she had barely seen me. And I’d missed her too, more than I admitted to anyone, even myself.The drive had been long and draining. My back ached, and every blink felt heavier than the last. After cutting the engine and dragging myself out of the car, I unlocked the front door and stepped into the dimly lit living room, letting out a sigh that carried all the exhaustion weighing on my shoulders. My ears clacked softly against the floor as I stumbled inside and sank into the couch. The familiar scent of home wrapped around me like a blanket, but it wasn’t enough to keep my eyes open. Within moments, I was dozing off. Suddenly, the light flicked on. “Oh my God,” I gasped, clutching my chest, turning to check who put on the light.

Last Updated : 2025-08-03

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