The Duke's Bed Warmer

Chapter 91: Betrayal?

"Since before you arrived."

His words echoed in the air like a death sentence.

Then, suddenly, Alina couldn’t feel anything. The numbness started from her fingers, crept up to her arms, and sank deep into her chest. Her body couldn’t process what she had just heard.

"Before I arrived," she repeated in her cracked voice.

"Alina..."

"You knew who I was...before you bought me?"

He took a step towards her, his hand reaching for her shoulder to steady her, but she staggered back as if his touch would burn her.

"Alina..." he said. "It’s true that I bought you because I knew you belonged to Arcasedian royalty. Arcasedia is a rival kingdom. If someone else had claimed you first...you would have been used as a weapon against this kingdom."

"So you bought me first?" Her voice rose, trembling with disbelief and pain. "To win the competition?"

"To protect you."

"No," she shook her head. "You acquired me...like a rare artifact."

Her knees buckled, and she collapsed to the floor, the book slipping from her numb fingers. A broken sob tore out of her throat before she could stop it.

Austin stood frozen a few steps away, watching her cry on his study floor. His every instinct was screaming at him to hold her in his arms. But she had stepped away from him, and he wanted to respect her choice.

Alina cried until there were no tears left. When she finally stopped, the silence that followed was even more unbearable.

"I don’t know who to believe anymore," she whispered hoarsely.

"My mother never told me who I was...but she died when I was only four," her fingers curled into the fabrics of her dress. "Maybe she planned to tell me when I was older," she tried to justify her mother.

"But my father? He knew everything, and still he kept his mouth shut. Not even when he sold me to the man who already knew."

She felt disgusted

"And Elspeth...she is like a mother to me. Even she hid the truth from me," her voice broke again. "Every single person I have ever loved and trusted has been lying to me. Even you..."

She lifted her wet face and looked at him with such raw betrayal that Austin felt it like a knife to his chest.

"Alina...please...at least listen..."

"I should actually be thankful to Dorian," she laughed bitterly.

She was right. The people who loved her had hidden the truth from her, and the person who wanted to use and exploit her had given her honesty. The irony was devastating and cruel.

Austin didn’t defend himself. Instead, he crouched down and wrapped his arms around her. She pushed him but he didn’t let go.

Eventually, her resistance crumbled. She clutched his shirt and buried her face into his chest as she cried again.

"I’m sorry," he whispered into her hair. "I’m sorry... I didn’t tell you. I’m sorry you found out this from Dorian instead of from me."

She replied with her silence.

"But things are different now," he continued softly. "It may have begun that way, but it’s not that anymore. You know that. I care about you, Alina. Whatever the beginning was... it doesn’t matter anymore."

She pulled back just enough to look at him. The realization that everything that she had built with him could be a lie hurt her more than anything else.

"You care about me?"

"Yes. I do.

"Then why didn’t you tell me earlier?"

"Because it’s not that easy. It’s...it’s messy and complicated. Even I don’t know the complete picture yet. Maren has been investigating for months but every answer only leads to more questions. I didn’t want to give you the half-truths. I needed to understand everything completely before dragging you into it."

He paused.

"Besides...Arcasedia has nothing to do with you or your mother anymore. To them, you don’t exist. No one in Arcasedia even knows about you. Your real life...the life you’ve built and lived is here."

She didn’t argue. Instead, she leaned onto him, tired and overwhelmed. She needed something steady to hold onto while her entire world crumbled.

Then, after what felt like an eternity, she finally spoke.

"What will happen now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Dorian has known about me for six months. He had an entire intelligence service tracking me. And if Dorian knows..." her voice trembled with panic.

She pulled back herself and looked at him with fear.

"Then Audrey must know too. And if she knows...the king will know. Austin...what if the king finds out I’m the heir to an enemy kingdom? What if he orders me removed? Imprisoned? What if he decides I’m a threat and orders to execute me?"

"He can’t do that."

"You don’t understand," she almost shouted. "Audrey wants me out of your life. If she tells him that you are harboring the heir of a rival kingdom in your bed, then the king will have every reason to.."

"He can’t," Austin’s didn’t let her finish, his arms tightening around her. "I will not allow it. The king can decide about the engagement, the alliance or the political situation...but not for you. You are mine."

Her breath hitched.

"It’s easy for you to say this because you are not married to Audrey yet. But once you are, you’ll be bound to the crown. You won’t be able to protect me from the king then."

Austin fell silent. His mind raced, thinking about all the possibilities and consequences. Then his expression changed. He looked determined as if he had finally made a decision he had been wrestling with for a long time.

"I’m not marrying Audrey."

Alina stared at him in disbelief, her breath caught in her throat.

"What?"

"I’m not marrying Audrey. I’ve made my decision," he said again, his voice more firm now.

"What about your engagement? The politics? The alliance? The..."

"I’m not marrying Audrey," he said for the third time.

And this time, there was no room left for doubt.