I called him hoping he would immediately show me his handsome face.
Stupid.
After being hurt many times by his words, my heart still kept pounding when I was close to him.
Aldrich was still standing where he was, not intending to turn his body to look at me. The view of the Lavender flower garden outside the window was probably more attractive to his eyes than looking at me.
"Are you hosting a banquet?" He spoke, his cold, heavy voice filling my ears.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Why don't you invite Reine?"
I suddenly fell silent because of his words. It's not that I don't want to invite Reine, but I just want to protect her feelings. He must have been hurt when he heard the news of our marriage and I didn't want to add any more to his wounds.
Instead of telling the truth because Aldrich would think I was a hypocrite, I instead pointed at him with another statement.
"I think Your Majesty knows better than I do."
Aldrich laughed sarcastically, "Yes, of course I know. You definitely didn't want to invite him because you were afraid of ruining your party. Likewise, when we got married, you didn't want to invite him either, right?"
"Are you also afraid that he will destroy your marriage?"
"Your wedding? What does Your Majesty mean? That's our wedding, why do you call it that?" My voice rose involuntarily, not accepting his words.
"Hahaha.. That's really funny." Aldrich turned around, walked over to me, his tall and straight body slowly started to approach me. "It's not me who wants this marriage, but you! Of course I call it that way." His cynical grin never left his face when he looked at me.
My shoulders slumped at his words because I knew it was true. I'm the only one who wants this marriage, while he doesn't.
I took a deep breath, as best as I could so he wouldn't see my sadness. "Then why did Your Majesty come here?"
Returning to his usual expression, he looked at me evenly, "The Emperor told me to take you to dinner tomorrow."
"Okay."
I knew this day would definitely come, because a week ago I kept avoiding it. I was afraid that the Emperor would make things difficult for me, because my father had a conflicted relationship with him. There is no doubt that as his child, I will definitely be affected by it.
"Prepare yourself, don't say anything unnecessary. Otherwise, just look at the consequences you will receive from me."
That's a threat, not an order. I clenched my fists then nodded my head slowly, "Yes, Your Majesty."
After that silence fell between us again. I glanced at him from the corner of my eye and saw him turning his face the other way.
Does he hate me that much, that he won't even look at me?
What kind of stupid question have I asked? Obviously, I know the answer.
I took a deep breath to neutralize my raging emotions. Unable to stand this funeral-like atmosphere, I took the initiative to start a conversation.
"Your Highness, are you busy?" I said casually.
"Yeah, I'm very busy." Aldrich clicked his tongue and looked at me strangely. Of course Aldrich is so busy that he can only sleep four to five hours a day. Doesn't this woman know that the Crown Prince's job is very difficult?
Huh, of course he doesn't know. This woman probably only knows how to dress up and is busy partying with those hypocritical nobles.
"Can I ask you a favor?"
Aldrich raised his eyebrows at me flatly, "What help?"
"Baron Sylvester's family has just experienced a disaster and he doesn't have anyone who can help him. Can you donate a little of your material to help them?"
"Why don't you just do it?"
My face suddenly turned pale. My tongue was numb because I couldn't give an answer. "I.. I.. can't." I squeaked softly which unfortunately Aldrich couldn't hear.
"Why? Aren't you Duke Valentine's favorite child? Doing that is just like snapping his fingers," Aldrich chuckled while looking at me mockingly. Dislike was clearly visible on his face which was clearly visible.
I just remained petrified and couldn't answer what he said. There was no way I could answer that, because that would be the same as exposing my father's cover, which he had been doing all this time.
"Why are you silent? Answer my question!"
"Oh, I understand now. Like father and son, you are truly cold-hearted. There is no doubt that you are truly his descendant. Just like my mother asked your father for help back then, but your father wouldn't even open the door for my mother. Didn't my mother also die because of your father's interference?"
Remembering that incident again made Aldrich's eyes flash red. He gripped my shoulder so hard it made me wince in pain. "Damn, you heartless woman," he growled angrily.
"Why didn't your father help my mother, huh? Wasn't your father the one who brought my mother to this damn kingdom? Answer!"
I remained silent and let him vent his emotions. My shoulder hurts but I know, it's not even that much compared to the pain he received.
"Never mind, there's no point in asking you. Apart from being heartless, you're also very stupid. Maybe you just think of me as a monkey screaming in front of you. Well, it can't be helped that you were raised with so much love, it's impossible for you to understand the pain of other people around you."
"Next time, don't act like a kind person in front of me, it only makes me even more disgusted."
After saying that, Aldrich left me with big steps.
When I saw Aldrich had disappeared from behind the door, my body immediately fell to the floor. I held my throbbing shoulder while covering my mouth to hold back sobs.
My heart hurts so much. How is his view still the same as before? Couldn't he have changed a little after our marriage?
Can't he even see that I'm not siding with my father at all? Why is his heart so blind that he can't even see the sincere look I gave him?
This is very painful.
Even my shoulder now doesn't hurt compared to the pain in my heart. His words were so cruel that they pierced my heart and tore my lungs apart.
"Your Honour."
Cherry ran hurriedly to see me kneeling on the floor. A worried look was clearly visible in his eyes, seeing his master's terrible condition.
"Your Highness, are you okay?" said Cherry kneeling down while aligning her body with me.
I raised my head to see Cherry who was looking at me worriedly. "It's okay, my chest just hurts again," I said, wincing.
I didn't want to tell Cherry because I didn't want to make her hate Aldrich even more. But what Yvonne didn't know was that Cherry had known about it since Aldrich left the room.
Who else in the world would make his master like this, after his bastard father, of course the Crown Prince.
'I'm sure he will definitely regret it after treating His Majesty like this.' Cherry muttered to herself.
"I brought your medicine." Cherry reached into her pocket and handed me a pill.
"Just a moment, I'll get you some water." Cherry rushed to get a glass of water that was on the table, then handed it to me.
"Here, Your Majesty"
"Thank you, Cherry," I said as I accepted it. I drank it in one gulp and finally breathed a sigh of relief after feeling that my chest no longer felt painful.
"How? Do you feel better?" Cherry looked at me worriedly, not forgetting to rub my back gently.
"Already." I nodded my head, looking at him with a gentle smile.
"Then you should rest immediately, Your Majesty. Let me help you to bed." Cherry held my hand and then carried me to bed.
My body felt like it didn't have the strength to walk, that's why I didn't refuse his help.
"Thank you, Cherry." I said after lying down on the bed.
"You're welcome, Your Majesty," replied Cherry as she raised the blanket up to my chest.
There was one more thing that made Cherry curious. He didn't move away and finally chose to sit beside my bed. "What's wrong Cherry?" I asked softly when I saw his expression which was hesitant to ask.
"Um, it's like this, Your Majesty. Did the party go smoothly?" Cherry spoke carefully as much as possible not to offend me.
Fluent?
Maybe it went well for them, since I was no longer there. I sighed and finally decided not to tell Cherry so as not to worry her.
But what Yvonne didn't know was that Cherry already knew just based on her master's languid sigh. Even though her master had tried hard to hide it, it was impossible for Cherry not to know because they had been together for a long time. Of course he had memorized his master's movements.
"Of course it went smoothly," I answered with a smile. Hopefully he doesn't realize I'm lying.
"Then why did you come back so quickly?"
'That way His Majesty won't meet the Crown Prince and make him sad like this.' Cherry muttered which unfortunately she couldn't say and just swallowed it silently.