Note:
This chapter is dedicated to Maude Fluckiger. THANK YOU for gifting a spacecraft last night to The Cursed Prince. OMG… I will also dedicate the next chapter to you. Your kindness truly warms my heart.
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Seeing Emmelyn was deep in thought, Mars was wondering what was going on in that beautiful head. So, he touched her knees gently and asked what she was thinking.
The woman shook her head. She turned to the side and saw Harlow was sleeping, looking so adorable. Her mouth was half open and her hands clenched into fists. Emmelyn muttered to herself, "She is so beautiful…"
Mars had taken off Emmelyn's shoes and put them nicely on the corner. Then, he took off his own shoes and sat beside her. He smiled when he heard Emmelyn say Harlow was beautiful. He commented, "Of course, she is. She has such a beautiful mother."
Emmelyn raised an eyebrow and turned to look at her husband. "You do realize that she takes after you one hundred percent?"
"She did?" Mars furrowed his brows. "Well… her behavior and personality are just like yours."
"I was talking about her looks." Emmelyn rolled her eyes. "You are allowed to take pride in your good looks and just admit that she is beautiful because she takes after you."
"Well…" Mars leaned closer to his wife and whispered to her softly, "To be honest, I would prefer to see her take after you. When you were gone, I kept wishing I could see your face in our daughter, but I couldn't. It felt so heartbreaking. I missed you so, so much…"
Emmelyn felt her heart flutter when Mars openly admitted that he missed her so badly when they were separated. She missed him too… so very much.
Even when she thought he had betrayed her, she couldn't deny that she was missing him almost as much as she missed Harlow.
Emmelyn lowered her face and looked at her lap. Her fingers wrung together as she spoke with a hoarse voice, "It must be so hard for you to raise Harlow on your own."
Mars was surprised to hear Emmelyn's words. He tugged her chin and leaned closer to Emmelyn. "It was hard but, when I thought you were dead, I was grateful every day that you left behind a daughter for me to care for. So, I can always have a piece of you in my life, even after you are gone."
Emmelyn bit her lip. "I didn't mean to leave. I was devastated when I had to decide to leave Harlow behind. I didn't really have a choice."
"I understand that completely," Mars coaxed Emmeyn. "Honey, it's not your fault."
"Yeah… but still…" Emmelyn looked up and stared at Mars deeply. "I tried to see you. I really did. I wanted to let you know the truth about what happened. I wanted to give you a chance to listen to me and make your own assessment, the fair one."
Mars looked at Emmelyn attentively. He was listening carefully to what she had to say. He kept thinking about this too. If only Emmelyn came to him, instead of running away, he would definitely help her.
Even if he was forced to punish her for a crime she didn't commit, he would hide her and keep her safe while he worked hard to find evidence and witnesses to exonerate her.
Unfortunately, Emmelyn didn't give him a chance to see her and talk things out. He remembered those days where he thought she died… they were the hardest days of his life.
"I was always wondering the same thing…" Mars spoke in a low voice. "I kept asking myself… why you didn't come to see me and seek my protection. I could only assume you were scared that I would take my father's side because it was my mother who was killed."
Emmelyn shook her head. "Trust me, I did try to come and see you. At first, I thought you would definitely protect me and you would take my side because you love me and you know me well enough to understand that I WOULD NEVER hurt your mother."
She sighed and bit her lip. The memory of what happened in the past really left a deep scar in her heart. She was wronged, imprisoned, and had to fend for her life… all alone. Mars's heart ached for her.
Emmelyn continued her explanation after she steeled her heart. "I came to see you, but you were surrounded by so many people when you came to my fake grave. Then, I tried to infiltrate our castle so that I could talk to you, but unfortunately, the security was tightened and I was a wanted fugitive back then. It was almost impossible for me to enter."
"Ahh.." Mars let out a long sigh. He remembered that time too. The king's guards immediately arranged for his security after the queen's death. And he was too distraught and devastated by his mother's and wife's deaths, one after another, that he didn't even stay in his castle. "I am so, sorry… I didn't know you were trying to see me."
He cupped his face with both hands, feeling aggrieved. Gosh… Emmelyn did try to see him… but he thought she already died, so he didn't even make an effort to loosen his security to allow her to come near. When he did, it was already too late, because Emmelyn had left.
"Mars… shit happened and there is no use crying over spilled milk," Emmelyn said bitterly. "I did go through a lot of hardships during the past year, but imagine, if I didn't go… I would never have met Raphael who could help revive Queen Mother, who eventually told the truth about what happened and cleared my name from suspicion…"
Mars thought deeply about her words and realized, she was right. Everything happened for a reason. If Emmelyn didn't go… his mother, Queen Elara would be dead for real. That was something to be grateful for.
"Look…" Emmelyn touched her husband's hands and held them with her hands. "I suffered a lot… but I know you did too. You had to endure grief when you thought I was dead, you raise our daughter alone while managing such a big country, and you also went all the way here to come and get me in person."
She added, "I guess… now we can choose to keep thinking about the past and regret what happened, or we can look forward to the future and learn from the past."
Mars looked at Emmelyn with tears forming in the corners of his eyes. He couldn't believe his luck. The woman he fell head over heels for, was not only still alive, but she was also very wise and willing to understand him.
She didn't dwell on her suffering and demand to be pitied and compensated, but she also put herself in his shoes and understood how much he also suffered and made sacrifices. An empath, someone who could feel other people's feelings and pains.
This woman was truly a gem. Even though Mars knew Emmelyn was special, this moment, made him realize that she was really, really the kindest woman he had ever met.
No wonder, their cooks adored her, a vicious pirate princess loved her to bits, and the king of Summeria fell deeply in love with her. Emmelyn didn't only have her outer physical beauty, but mostly… it was the internal beauty that shone and made people around her love her.
The man was ready to be scolded, demanded compensation, and even a request for divorce for his failure in being a good husband. He already imagine groveling on her feet to beg her to understand his side and take him back.
But apparently, she did understand him. She empathized with his situation, and she didn't blame him for everything.
"Why are you crying?" Emmelyn furrowed her brows when she saw beads of tears start falling from her husband's eyes. "Did I say anything hurtful?"
Mars shook his head vigorously. He was at a loss for words and needed to calm down his heart before he could say anything. "No… it's just…"
Emmelyn waited patiently to hear what he needed to say.
Mars took a deep breath and finally spoke softly. "I love you… so much. These are tears of happiness because I realize how lucky I am to meet you in this lifetime."
He had been holding in all his sorrows and sufferings alone. And today, they all welled up and came out the surface.
Mars had been carrying such a heavy burden for a year, and her soothing words took the burden from his chest, just like that. The feeling of relief immediately filled his heart.
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From Missrealitybites:
I'll publish many chapters all weekend to make up for the slow release this week. So, you can have a lot to read for the next couple of days. THANK YOU so much for supporting and loving this book.. I am humbled by your support.
