Nova’s POV
Tears welled up in my eyes as I quietly walked down the foyer. My legs felt light, my entire body felt heavy and it seemed like I was going to fall down on my knees any moment from now.
‘I don’t have anything to say to you, please leave.’ Prescott’s words to me kept replaying in my head and I couldn’t do anything to stop my mind from repeating those hurtful words.
Why did he do that? Did he really not want to see me again? Did I make the wrong choice by coming here?
“No! I didn’t make the wrong choice,” I shook my head, “coming back is the right choice I could ever make.” I sniffed, tears rolled down my eyes as I kept walking aimlessly to the building I shared with His Majesty.
I couldn’t call it “Ours” because it was more like I was the only one staying in the building. Ever since the coronation, Prescott had never slept in the building that it would make sense if I could just call it my building.
I kept on walking with my thoughts on Prescott whom I had gravely sinned against.
My head was filled with the bad things I did to him. If by any chance he would give me a punishment without denouncing me as his wife and Queen, I would gladly serve the punishment with a smile on my face. Not minding whatever the punishment is.
Not being able to speak to him wasn’t a punishment I wanted to serve. I wanted to see him and explain myself, but he was avoiding a chat with me.
I let the last tears drop from my eyes before wiping my face with my shirt, My eyes hitched from all the cries but it seemed like I hadn’t cried enough. My heart still aches with regret.
The night breeze blew, soothing my aching head a little. I came into view with the building and my eyebrows knitted with worries.
Standing in front of the building was a woman whose back was on me. Two maids were standing closely behind her, making it hard for me to have a clearer view of her face.
What was going on there? Why were they standing in front of the building? Were they waiting for me? Has Prescott instructed them not to let me in?
Different thoughts flooded my brain as I picked up my race and ran towards them. My heart tensed when the woman slowly turned around and I let out a gasp.
“Aunt Velvena!” I called, my eyes widened in shock as I stopped right in front of her.
“Your Highness!” the two maids hastily gave a curt bow as they saw me.
“Dear,” Aunt Velvena smiled, Her smile was so sincere that I didn’t know when my cheeks curved in a short smile which quickly replaced with a confused frown.
“Why are you here, Aunt?” I asked, fidgeting with my fingers while hoping she never heard of what happened.
“I heard you left the Villa for your pack.” She smiled, stepping forward with the smile on her face growing with each step she took.
“So, I came in person to welcome you back to the Villa.” She smiled, snaking her palm to my cheeks and caressing it gently.
“Oh,” I smiled, my heart seemed to feel light upon hearing her reason for standing in front of the building.
“Thanks, Aunt!” I did a courtesy, the smile on my face grew wilder when I realised she cared about me. It made me happy that there was a person in the Villa who was waiting for my return.
“I hope you’re okay?” Aunt Velvena asked, her brows furrowed as she trailed her fingers on my face.
I hastily stepped back from her when I remembered I had been crying since forever. I might not have cleaned out the entry tears off my face and I didn’t want her to find out.
“I’m fine, Aunt!” I smiled, feeling a little bit nervous as I intertwined my hands.
“You had… I think your cheeks were wet with tears, or probably water. It seemed slippery.” she gasped, taking a step closer but I moved back, not wanting her to know I had been crying.
“It’s nothing at all.” I flashed out a faint smile as I tried walking away from her.
“That’s not the only reason why I’m here.” Aunt Velvena’s voice echoed in the air, I halted on my track, turned around and took a step back to her.
If she wasn’t here just to welcome me, why else was she here? What has she come to do?
My heart tightened in fear as she opened her mouth to speak. Silently, I prayed to the goddess not to be about any order from His Majesty.
“His Majesty has given out an order…” Aunt Velvena paused, and the smile on her face vanished within a second. I felt my fists clenched to my side as balls of sweat formed on my forehead.
The air felt thick, making it hard for me to breathe as I impatiently waited for Aunt Velvena to drop the bombshell.
“He said,” The corner of her lips curved in a smirk. I held my breath as I felt a running movement in my stomach. I wanted to vanish from her sight, the tension she was giving me was so much that I had wished I never come back.
“He ordered your things and his to be moved to the King’s hall.” Aunt Velvena exclaimed, clapping her hands with a wild smile dancing on her face.
I felt my eyes sparkle as she said those words. Prescott didn’t order them to send me out? He fucking didn’t ask them to throw me out?
I held my chest as I let out the breath I had been holding back. Once again, I felt relaxed that I wasn’t leaving the Villa.
But why did she have to make it seem like I had been banned from the Villa? I groaned, recalling how she had almost made me run away from her sight.
“I’m so happy that he’s finally vacating this old building.” Aunt Velvena beamed, stepping forward and pulled me in for a hug.
“You don’t know how long I have been waiting for the day he would move to his building with his wife and kids.” She heaved a deep sigh as she rocked my back with her palm.
“After his parents died, he had vowed to remain in the building he shared with his parents, abandoning his own building entirely. He made a promise to me after much persuasion that he would only move out of his parents’ building when he had a wife, but seeing how he kept you in this building, I thought your marriage wasn’t one of love.” she sniffed, patting my shoulders as I remained unmoved in her chest.
“Prescott has never loved a woman before. He never moved closer to any other person than his two friends that I was worried he might end up dying single.” She chuckled, she moved her hand to my head and brushed my hair with her hands.
“Now, I believe in your marriage. I believe he truly loves you, considering he’s taking the bold step of moving to his building with you, It shows that he’s truly ready to start a life with you. He might not understand his heart yet, but I know there’s a part of him that yearns for you.” she whispered into my ear, my body shuddered as her words sank into my heart
I didn’t know when I burst into tears. Not because I believed in what she was saying, but because Prescott was willing to move into his supposed building with me, even after what I did to him.
Why would he want to move into the building with me, when he was avoiding me? It didn’t make sense to me until Aunt Velvena whispered yet again.
“Are you not curious to know how it happened?” she whispered into my ear, caressing my hair as she smiled, her excitement for what occurred was breaking my heart into a tiny pieces.
“He mind linked the royal Beta and said, ‘I shall soon be departing for the Villa, but not before I get to the bottom of the trouble that is brewing in my beloved Queen’s pack. Upon my return, I ask that you prepare the magnificent building I had built for my future family. My Queen and I will be dwelling there upon our return, and we will raise our beautiful children in that great building. I ask that the master chamber be decorated in shades of purple and gold, as my Queen does not care for the dark and gloomy shade of black that I found interest in.”
My heart sank like a stone thrown into a sea when I heard Aunt Velvena’s words. My stomach twisted with regret, and I cursed my own foolishness. How could I have been so blind, so ignorant of His Majesty’s affection for me? I had allowed myself to be led astray by Tamsyn, who had only ever cared for her own selfish goals. I was such a fool to lose every bit of His Majesty’s trust in me.
How could I have been so blind to the love and kindness that he had shown me? How could I have agreed to take the life of a man who had publicly announced me as his wife and who had saved my life not once, but twice? I felt a sick feeling in my stomach, filled with a deep regret that threatened to overwhelm me. I had betrayed him, and there was no way to take back what I had done.
How dare I call him a beast when I was the true beast in this tale?
It was as if the nation had stopped for a while, only my cries and the little thought in my head was the only thing that I could hear.
I felt Aunt Velvena’s palm, moving up and down my back, her kind heart made me cry even more and I could not dare tell her what I had done.