She swallowed hard and said slowly:
"Your child, Kyle. You have a child."
Kyle froze in place, his expression a mix of shock and disbelief:
"I have a child?"
"Yes, you have a child."
A wave of conflicting emotions washed over him—regret, joy, and pain. Tears welled up in his eyes.
Olivia stared at him in astonishment:
"Are you... crying?"
He turned his face away quickly:
"That's none of your business."
She handed him a handkerchief.
"Here, wipe your face. If someone walks in and sees the slap mark on your cheek, they'll think I made the crown prince cry."
He took the handkerchief silently and wiped his tears.
Then, with urgency, he asked:
"How do you know all of this? Do you know where my wife is?"
"She's in the next room, and don't worry. I used a magical stone to block the sound. She didn't see you when you entered from the back."
He stood up abruptly, eager to go to her, but Olivia grabbed his arm and pushed him back into his chair.
"What are you doing? Let me go!"
She leaned in, pressing her finger against his forehead:
"Oh, of course! Go and tell her: 'Hello, Leila! I'm your husband who abandoned you, lied about being a soldier when I'm actually the crown prince, and left you with our child!'"
He froze, swallowing hard.
"What's the matter? Why did you stop? Go on, then!"
Suddenly, he knelt before her, his voice filled with sincere pleading:
"Please, sister... help me. For the first time, I'm asking you for something—not as a crown prince, but as your brother. Please!"
Olivia sighed and pulled him to his feet.
"Stand up. You're making me look like a bully. I summoned you here to solve this problem, not complicate it. So, do you have any suggestions?"
"What do you mean?"
"That scoundrel of a baron has filed a lawsuit against me, accusing me of detaining his wife. And tomorrow, Matheus returns. Trouble never comes alone!"
"He filed a lawsuit? I'll make him pay for that!"
"Yes, we will, but now is not the time to talk about it. Tomorrow, we'll meet at the imperial palace and discuss it. This place isn't entirely safe."
"Fine, I'll leave. But... can I at least see my child?"
She looked at him coldly.
"Fine, stay here. I'll bring her to you."
Olivia entered Leila's room with a smile. Leila, holding her baby in her arms, looked tired but calm.
"Hello, sister-in-law. Here you go."
"Thank you, Miss Leila."
Silence lingered for a moment before Olivia spoke:
"You look exhausted. Would you like me to help? Let me hold the baby for a bit."
"No, thank you. I know you don't like children. You refused to hold her last time."
Olivia replied with a tense smile:
"No, not at all. I love children. I was just nervous back then."
"Alright, then, go ahead."
Olivia carefully took the baby and smiled.
"She's beautiful. What's her name?"
Leila answered softly:
"She doesn't have a name yet. I haven't found the time to choose one."
Olivia felt a twinge of embarrassment and said:
"That's fine. When you find the right name, you'll know."
She left the room, returning to Kyle. The moment he saw the baby, his eyes lit up with love. He gently took her tiny hand and said with emotion:
"She's so small and adorable. I can't believe she's mine!"
Olivia replied mockingly:
"Yes, and clearly, Leila didn't have her alone."
"Can I hold her?"
"Yes, but be quick. I need to return her to her mother."
He held her delicately, his eyes drinking in every detail of her.
"She looks so much like you and our mother."
"That's what her mother said too."
"What did Leila name her?"
"She hasn't named her yet."
"What?"
"As I said, she hasn't chosen a name."
His joyful expression dimmed again as he asked:
"And Leila? Is she alright?"
"She's fine now. Don't worry. Now hand me the baby; I've delayed returning her long enough."
"Here you go. I'll leave now."
"Alright. Goodbye. See you tomorrow."
The room was left heavy with tension as Kyle departed, and Olivia returned with the child cradled carefully in her arms, her expression an unreadable mix of resolve and uncertainty.
When she entered Leila's room, the woman was seated on the bed, exhaustion evident in her posture. Yet she managed a faint smile as Olivia approached.
"Did you enjoy your time with her?" Leila asked softly, her voice tinged with warmth despite her weariness.
Olivia nodded lightly. "Yes, she's wonderful."
Carefully, Olivia handed the baby back to her mother, her movements tender, almost reverent. "I just wanted to give you a moment to rest. Take care of yourself, Leila."
Leila took the child into her arms and murmured gratefully, "Thank you, Your Grace. I appreciate it."
Olivia lingered near the door for a moment, hesitating as though weighing her words. Finally, she turned back and said, "Leila, tomorrow will be difficult. If you need anything, don't hesitate to rely on me."
Leila offered a faint smile, her voice steady despite her visible fatigue. "Thank you, Your Grace. I'll manage."
With a final nod, Olivia left the room, her steps echoing softly through the corridor. Her mind swirled with thoughts, the weight of the situation pressing down on her. Every piece of this tangled puzzle seemed more fragile than the last, yet one thing was clear: this chaos needed resolution, and soon—preferably without shattering what little remained of their fragile bonds.
As Olivia walked through the dimly lit hallways, she whispered to herself, a mixture of determination and weariness in her tone, "One step at a time, Olivia. Fix the mess, protect what's left, and make sure this madness ends with as little harm as possible."