The Royal Contract

Chapter 1355: Not be for long

"Ouch!"

That hurt.

She let go of the fork in her hand as she looked at her finger. So far, it was just a scratch.

She was trying to unlock her door by tinkering on the doorknob.

At first, she tried the hairpin on her hair, inserting the small metallic pin into the keyhole. But she failed. She concluded it was easier to watch it done in the movies than doing it in real life.

"Please work." She desperately uttered as she tried inserting the fork again into the thin slit of the door, but the small opening was just too narrow for the silver cutlery to fit inside.

It was just no use.

She could not open the wooden blockage. She could not get out of there and escape through the door.

She dropped the fork back on her plate and slumped back on her chair, giving up on her current escape plan. But it did not mean that she had given up. She just had to find another way.

She knew she could not stay in that house for long. Not if she wanted to be free from his father and his plans.

"What now?" Haley asked herself as she allowed her eyes to wander around her old room. She had slept in this room countless times, but she had never attempted to escape it before.

She stood up, walked over to the window, and looked down on the lawn outside. She saw two guards who just passed by. Then, they were gone.

"What if..." She thought about it for a second. She even attempted to unlock it. And it easily cracked open.

But as she stared outside, she knew it was impossible. It was a long way down. And she would not attempt such a stunt due to her condition.

She would not place her baby in a dangerous situation. She had to think of another way as she turned away from her last alternative.

"I know you have no suggestions, but I need you to hang in there." She touched her belly as she spoke to her unborn child. "Ok."

She knew she had to get out of there as soon as possible. She could not let her father force her to marry that monster.

Suddenly, her heart drummed inside her chest as she recalled what her father had told her. It was as if coming back to this place was not bad enough. Her father insisted that she marry that man who had been working side by side with her father.

"No..." She muttered under her breath as she attempted to calm herself down. "Never."

She would never marry another man as long as she lived. Besides, she believed there might be the slightest chance that Gerald was alive. At least, that was what her gut was telling her.

She still wanted to see him and hear from him all these accusations they were throwing at him. She wanted to hear from his lips if those were true.

"You see. I can't do that." Then, her father stood up and walked menacingly close to her. He only stopped when he was a meter away.

"I need you and your growing child." He continued, this time, his eyes focused on her swollen belly.

"Why? Why are you so interested in my child?" She did not believe for a second that her father wanted to be a grandfather to her baby.

She could tell her father had something else in mind for her child. And that was what got her more worried. She was afraid that her child might be in danger.

"Because..." Her father paused as he shifted his eyes back to hers. "That child is the heir to the throne." Her father uttered with excitement.

But it only confused her more rather than answered her questions. She had no idea what Alfred was blabbering about. "Heir to the throne?" What throne? Which Kingdom?

Her child was no prince or princess since she was not royalty, nor was the father of her child. Therefore, her father's words did not make sense at all.

"Let me explain it to you, my Princess." Her father said as he moved closer, trapping her into a corner.

"You see. Don was trying hard to become the new underground leader of the organization that Gerald's father had built.

Although some had already vowed loyalty to him, many were still unconvinced that he should take over." Alfred informed her.

"So, what does my child have to do with it?" She tried to encourage her father to tell her more so she would know more about his plans for her and her unborn child.

"If you agree to marry Michael Prescot, I will put him as Gerald's replacement. I will vote out Don as the new leader. Besides, Don is old like me. We need fresh blood, like Michael." Her father suggested his protegee.

"Because you want someone you can control. And you think Michael is the one." She heard that her father was supporting his campaign as the new Governor of their state.

"Yes, precisely." Her father nodded, acknowledging her deductions. "And many of our members like him more than they like Don. But still, many have reservations. Many are still loyal to Joaquin and his son, Gerald."

Alfred moved closer again, but this time, he only stopped when he was a foot away. Then, he extended his hand and touched her belly.

She swiped them away, not wanting him to touch her child, but he only laughed at her action.

"I think I know what you wanted." She said, finally realizing her father's plan. "You are going to use my child to earn the trust of the people still loyal to Gerald."

Her father finally walked away, giving her some space to breathe. But he neither confirmed nor denied her assumption. Not yet.

"You see if you marry Michael, then he adopts your child. That would unite the entire factions. That would solve all our problems." Her father said, looking quite satisfied with himself.

"What about Gerald?" She suddenly asked, wanting to know if he was indeed still alive. "What are you planning to do with him?"

"We believe he is still alive." Alfred casually told her as if it was not such a big deal. "But I promise you, it will not be for long."