The Cursed Prince's Strange Bride

Harold looked around a bit awkwardly, not knowing what he was supposed to say now that there were just the two of them in the room. He closed the door and kept his gaze on Alicia, who was looking at Alvin with concern.

She felt his gaze on her and turned to face him. But just as he was about to say something, Alicia looked around, her eyes filled with panic as she suddenly realized that they were alone.

"Where is Paulina!?"

Harold stupidly looked around the room as if expecting to find her, as it had just occurred to him that the place had been too quiet. If Paulina had been with them, she would have been crying the entire time for no reason at all.

"Wait here. I will go out to find her," Harold suggested.

"I want to come with you," Alicia said eagerly, but Harold shook his head.

"I want you to stay out of sight for the time being. And... it's dangerous to be out at this time."

Harold noticed how anxious she was as she reluctantly nodded. "Please look after Alvin. I won't be gone for long." Harold said before he walked out, and once she locked the door behind her, he hurried away in search of Paulina.

******

Away from there, Susan entered Alicia's chamber and bowed politely to Harvey, who stood outside the chamber.

"You were very brave today," Harvey said, sending her a small, proud smile.

"I didn't have a choice." She muttered and continued to use her hands to cover her stomach self-consciously.

Harvey noticed and decided to let her be. With a curt bow, he took his leave, heading to meet his family.

Susan locked the door before walking into the bathroom to see if she could find water to wash up. She was relieved when she found a half-bucket of water inside. She quickly cleaned herself and dressed in Alicia's fresh clothes, feeling very relieved when she stopped smelling the blood, sweat, and dirt all over her.

While she was doing all this, her thoughts wandered to all the events of the day, and she tried to make sense of them all.

Her heart ached when she remembered how they had all gotten hurt, and she began to sob. Luciana, Williams, and even Alvin would never have been hurt by Ivan had she not stood in Ivan's way. Maybe if she had stayed out of their issues and allowed Luciana to leave with Ivan, everyone would be fine by now.

She was the cause of all that had happened. Every one of them had gotten hurt because she never listened and always got herself into trouble. Williams had gotten hurt while trying to protect her, and so had Alvin too. She would never forgive herself if anything happened to any of them.

She was startled out of her thoughts when she heard an urgent knock on the door as soon as she sat on the bed.

"Who... is there?" Susan asked in fear as she rose from the bed and looked around the chamber for any weapon she could use to defend herself.

"Open the door!" Her mother spoke in a harsh whisper, scaring her.

Susan quickly dried her tears as she went to the door.

"How did you know I was here?" Susan asked as she opened the door.

As soon as her mother walked in, she locked the door behind her and turned to Susan, whispering loudly, "Have you lost your mind!!!?" she asked, ignoring Susan's question.

Her tone made Susan flinch since her mother had never scolded her this harshly before. The angry look in her mother's eyes was not helping either.

"I... did not have a choice," Susan said, thinking her mother was referring to all the crazy stunts she had pulled to ensure that Williams and Luciana got treated.

"You did not have a choice? Walking around the place dressed that way and embracing a man? Not just any man, but Prince Harold's guard for that matter! A servant!" She snapped at her in annoyance.

Susan suddenly went pale as she looked at her mother like a deer caught in the headlights.

"He was the one you sent the antidote to, wasn't he?" Her mother asked.

Susan swallowed nervously as she began to explain, "I... he... he saved my life."

Her mother looked horrified as she ran her hand over her face and covered her mouth in shock.

In a very low voice, the woman asked with wide eyes, "Don't tell me Prince Ivan had been speaking the truth when he said there was something going on between you and... the guard?"

"Nothing is going on! I swear! He... he saved my life, and I had to make sure he was safe--"

"You embraced him!" her mother cut her off in disbelief.

"Do you have any idea the number of people who saw you? What if word of that gets to your father? How do you think your father would react when he finds out you risked your life going against the queen only to have the guards and physician go out of the palace for a mere guard?" The woman asked before adding the most horrifying part: "You did all that right in front of your betrothed!"

"I said he saved my life! You shouldn't talk about him like that," Susan snapped at her mother irritably.

"What has gotten over you?!" her mother yelled back, not minding the fact that they were supposed to be quiet by this time.

"HE DOESN'T EVEN LIKE ME BACK!" Susan cried and burst into tears as she sat on the floor, overwhelmed by all her emotions.

"What... do you mean by that?" her mother asked in shock.

"He doesn't like me. He is annoyed by me. And now because of me, he got hurt. He is never going to like me," Susan cried, burying her face in her hands.

"Which man in his right mind would ever be annoyed by you? Is he out of his min--" the woman shook her head, realizing how she was deviating from this shocking revelation.