جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 10

Cassandra's POVThe royal doctor’s office smelled of antiseptic and silence. I sat on the edge of the plush leather chair, my fingers twisting around the strap of my purse, nerves buzzing through my body like static.Year four.Four years of waiting. Of hoping. Of missing my period, clutching tests, and praying. And every single time, the results had been negative.It wasn’t just disappointment anymore. It was erosion.My marriage. My heart. My dignity.Richard had grown distant, as if each failed pregnancy pulled him one step further from me. We were still married, but the word wife had become more ceremonial than real. Divorce wasn’t permitted in the royal circle. So we stayed together, sinking, each of us chained to a vow neither wanted anymore.The door opened.“Good afternoon, Lady Valemont. Sorry to keep you waiting.”Dr. Reynold entered with my file in hand. He smiled, but his eyes carried the kind of concern that always came before bad news.My stomach twisted. You never reall

Cassandra's POV“Sandra, please,” Richard said, trying to appeal to my good side, but it only made me laugh some more.“This is madness,” I said, still laughing.It wasn’t polite laughter. It wasn’t ladylike. It was jagged, sharp, the kind of laugh that scraped the air raw. My voice carried through the gilded chamber, making Diana flinch, making Rachel shrink into her seat, making Richard shift uncomfortably.And making Ivana’s smile falter.“I won’t agree to this nonsense,” I said, my voice hardening.For the first time, Ivana looked truly surprised. Then her expression curdled into offense, as though she couldn’t fathom anyone refusing her decree.She expected me to smile, nod, and play the perfect princess. To stand at her side and make her treachery look like tradition.She had forgotten who I was.“She’s not staying in my home,” I said, my words cutting like glass. “And I will not stand before the press and welcome two bastards born of betrayal.”The silence cracked like ice.Iva

Cassandra’s POVWe rode like fugitives.The night wind whipped against my skin, tangling my hair, pushing tears from my eyes that had nothing to do with the speed of the horse. Every thundering hoofbeat felt like rebellion, like freedom.And beside me, Arden didn’t falter. He commanded his stallion like he was born in the saddle, steady, controlled, every line of him radiating strength.He didn’t speak. Neither did I. But silence wasn’t empty with him. It was a storm waiting to break.When we finally slowed, it was at a cliff ridge that overlooked the kingdom. Eldenwald sprawled beneath us, rooftops glittering under the moonlight, spires piercing the night sky, the royal banners barely flapping in the still air.“It’s beautiful,” I whispered, breathless from the ride, from him.Arden dismounted and stood at the edge, his coat flaring in the breeze, one hand tucked in his pocket. He looked like he belonged to the horizon, not this palace of cages.“The world is far more beautiful,” he

Cassandra’s POVThe front doors of the palace opened with a heavy groan.My father walked in, his face a thundercloud.“What do you think you’re doing?” His voice was low, stern, carrying the authority of a man who thought his word still mattered.I didn’t flinch. “I’m moving out of the palace.”His jaw clenched so tight I thought it might crack. “You can’t divorce the Crown Prince. You know it doesn’t work that way.”I shrugged. “Then I’ll live divorced in spirit.”His eyes narrowed. “And where will you go? Because hear me well, Sandra, I can’t house you. I made a deal with Queen Ivana. I can’t break it. You’ll ruin everything.”My laugh was bitter, sharp. “So you sold your daughter for a seat at the table?”His face hardened. “I did it for your future.”“No,” I whispered, my voice like a blade. “You did it for yours.”He took a step closer, softening his tone. “Please, Sandy. Don’t throw everything away over this. Be strategic. Play the game. When you’re queen, then you can take you

Cassandra’s POVThe villa doors opened before we even reached them. Two maids stood in the entryway, bowing deeply as if they’d been waiting all evening for my arrival. Their composure was professional, but I caught the flicker of curiosity in their eyes, the kind reserved for servants who knew more than they would ever dare to say aloud.“Welcome, Your Highness,” the taller one said softly. “We’ve prepared your room.”Of course they had.Arden must have called ahead.The thought tightened something in my chest. He had orchestrated this, not just the driver, not just the car, everything. Even here, in this private refuge, his presence lingered. I was breathing because of his decision. Living, for now, in his shadow.And wasn’t that dangerous?Diana and I followed the maids inside. The villa was breathtaking. High ceilings arched overhead, modern chandeliers glowed warmly, and glass walls opened to sweeping gardens lit by discreet lanterns. Everything about it spoke of wealth without o