"So you want me to release you from this agreement?" His voice sounded chilly, so much like when she first met him.

"Yes," she forced out, though her heart was not willing.

She took in a breath of the fragrant garden air, and tried again, but more firmly.

"Yes, I want to be released."

"Are you willing to meet my requirements?"

She nodded.

"Well..."

————————-

Aquilina checked the reports before further examining the man lying on the bed.

Clad in hospital robes, King Flavian looked quite vulnerable. She could feel him staring at her as she went on examining him. 

She rechecked the report that the nurse had brought in moments prior.

"Why did you do it?" His weak and raspy voice questioned, causing her head to jerk up.

"Pardon?"

He drew in a shaky breath.

"Why did you save my life despite all that I did to you?"

Aqui stood silent for a moment before replying.

"If it had been up to me, I wouldn't have. But hate cannot win against hate. Only love can."

He stayed silent for a long moment causing Aqui to think that the matter was over.

"I have decided to tell him the truth—the whole truth. No matter what it may cost, I need to let him know. And also, I want to ask for your forgiveness."

That took Aqui by surprise.

"I know I have cost you a lot. Nothing can repay you. I had thought about his image and the prestige that would be lost and did what I did. I cannot excuse myself. I am truly sorry."

He coughed a bit afterwards, causing Aqui to quickly raise the glass of water by his side to his lips.

All this while, none of them had caught sight of Tarquin standing in the half-open doorway. Though he left before she did.

When King Flavian was calm and satiated, she set it aside. She took a step back and prepared to say the difficult words.

"I forgive you."

Though she knew she already had, but it felt even more real and weightier to say them out loud. Never had she expected to say those words to him.

She recalled how he had revealed to Tarquin that she had been pregnant and lied that she had aborted the child herself.

The angry words and insults that Tarquin had hurled at her played back in her mind like a recording. And it wasn't the first time.

She had always tried to hit the 'Stop' button, but it never worked. They had replayed till the lies had eventually become the truth for her.

He had accused her and said that it was all her fault till she believed it.

Yet above all that, she was letting it go.

"And don't worry about telling him yet. Get better first instead," she managed a smile.

As she walked out of the room, her heart felt lighter. And her steps bouncier.

He shall be like a tree...

Aqui immediately picked up her phone when she saw the name flash on the screen.

(A/N: In case you've forgotten what she looks like. 🙂)

"Lu Zhi Ruo!" She almost screamed into the phone.

That was Lu Xia's elder sister—and Javier's step-sister. She then realised.

"Aquilina!" The silk-smooth voice replied.  "Guess who's around?"

"You're kidding! Where are you?"

"I'm at the Resort. Girl, we have some catching up to do."

"I can't wait to see you too."

"Get your beautiful self before my royal presence by the close of the day, got it?"

Aqui chuckled before replying. Zhi Ruo had always been sassy but in a loving way. And that reminded her so much of her own elder sister—Petra Philina Hanover Jaye.

(Princess Petra—can you see the resemblance? 🤭😁)

She was married but had had to keep her old surname with the new one.

Princess Petra had worked as an Advisor to the World Bank during her trial, but had stopped after she got married to Prince Mark Hanover.

Her strict attitude there had earned her the title of, Iron Lady.

———-

Her spirits were further lifted as she turned a corner down the hospital's hall.

But all of that was cut short when she met face to face with Javier.

Several Royals had been around to check on King Flavian, despite not being able to actually see him.

Apparently, Javier had dropped by for a visit. But not to see the King, for sure.

"Necesitamos hablar.(We need to talk.)"

——————-

He led her to the hospital's flower garden. It was deserted at that moment.

Aqui had felt her heart beat as she had followed him. She had thought hard about her final decision concerning their marriage as they had approached.

"I believe you also found out about the arrangement," Javier began slowly.

He judged her reaction to figure out her thoughts. But she had kept her expression blank.

He didn't feel confident about continuing the subject, but he knew he had to.

"I guess this all turned out to be rather surprising. But why don't we take things as they've come?"

She pursed her lips before responding. And when she did, he felt a stab in his heart.

"I don't think I want to keep this agreement, Javier. None of this was supposed to even happen, so why push it?"

She folded her arms over her chest and continued.

"Besides, this can be terminated. There are certain rights in my culture that have not yet even been fulfilled to make this all fully legit."

Javier's heart felt like a delicate vase which had been deliberately broken into tiny pieces — irreparable.

So I was wrong all along. She never felt anything for me. And I dared to hope, he thought.

He couldn't bring himself to understand. He felt his headache return but didn't pay heed to it.

"So you want me to release you from this agreement?" His voice sounded chilly, so much like when she first met him.

"Yes," she forced out, though her heart was not willing.

The truth was, though to him she seemed aloof, within her, she was also breaking into pieces.

Surely, she had forgiven those that had hurt her and felt a burden had fallen off. Yet, the fact remained.

She knew she couldn't bear him a child. For her womb, had been destroyed.

And besides that, she was tainted. A shame to her own family if they found out about it and... to him.

But there was no courage within her to bring out that fact.

Taking in a breath of the fragrant garden air, she tried again. But a bit more firmly though nothing in her actually felt thus.

"Yes, I want to be released."

"Are you willing to meet my requirements?"

She nodded.

"Well, bear me a child, and I'll release you."

"Wh-What?" She blinked at him, puzzled.

Javier didn't know why he had made such a requirement. It had slipped from his mouth.

Maybe, if she bears me a child, she wouldn't be able to leave then, he reasoned with himself after his outrageous demand.

"You heard me loud and clear. Give me an heir, Aquilina, and I'll let you go."

Truthfully, he didn't think he could.

She gulped and shut her eyes for a brief moment, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"You know I can't do that and leave."

"Then, stay with him, Skylah," a voice called out from behind them.

————————————

Hola, mis amigos! I'm so sorry I've been slow in updating. I hope you're all well by God's Grace.

Have a good umm... night/day.

Ciao!

Phela.