Kyle moved closer, taking her hands firmly, then pulling her to his chest, holding her as though afraid she might slip away again.
"Just... blame me. Curse me if you want. Say everything. I don't deserve forgiveness, I know that, but it must have been hard for you to stay strong all this time, alone."
His words touched something deep within her, something she had tried to conceal for so long. Tears began to fall, at first lightly, then with increasing intensity, like an unstoppable torrent. She wept with raw emotion, weakly striking his chest:
"Why? Why did you leave me alone? It was so lonely! All my life, I've been the one to give up everything because I'm the eldest daughter... the responsible one. Even though we were together for only a month and a half, I felt alive during that time. With you, I could be a child who didn't know where to place her feet. I didn't have to think about every step I took, fearing that I would ruin everyone's life. I am tired, Kyle... so tired."
He gently patted her head and kissed her forehead tenderly, whispering:
"It's okay... go on. Say whatever you wish."
She lifted her head slightly, her eyes filled with tears, her voice choked:
"I was so angry when you didn't come to look for me. I am your wife, Kyle. How could you not care about what happened to me?"
He answered her in a voice filled with sadness and pain:
"I thought... I thought you loved him. Our marriage was just a matter of convenience, and I didn't want to ruin your happiness, even if it was at the cost of my own."
She looked at him in disbelief before letting out a clear laugh, one she hadn't had in a long time:
"Honestly, Kyle... who would leave someone as handsome as you for that jerk?!"
He smiled gently as he wiped her tears with his fingertips. Then, unexpectedly, he knelt before her, his eyes brimming with regret.
"Please... forgive me. I cannot forgive myself for what happened. Please."
Leila gasped, trying to lift him as she looked around with embarrassment:
"Get up immediately! You are the crown prince, you shouldn't kneel to someone like me!"
He looked at her with eyes full of sorrow, then spoke in a deep, calm voice:
"I'm not the crown prince anymore... I'm just a husband kneeling, seeking his wife's forgiveness. Please, Leila... forgive me."
Despite everything, Leila felt the wall she had built around her heart begin to crack. She reached out to gently touch his face, a small smile forming on her trembling lips:
"Kyle... it's the past, and the past doesn't matter now. What matters is that you're here... with me."
Kyle sprang up eagerly, lifting Leila by the waist and spinning her through the air as if they were in a world detached from everything around them. Her laughter flowed like music, and their eyes saw nothing but each other.
But this perfect moment was abruptly interrupted by a deliberate cough from behind the door.
"Ah, ahem... are you done?"
The two turned to see Matthew and Olivia standing at the door, Matthew's usual mocking grin in place, and Olivia wearing a neutral expression that made the situation even more tense.
Olivia raised her hand slightly, apologizing coldly:
"Sorry to interrupt, but there's something that needs to be discussed with you both."
At that moment, Kyle and Matthew's gazes locked. There was something invisible between them—an old rivalry or perhaps a sense of duty. They stared at each other in silence for a moment before Matthew took firm steps toward Kyle, stopping directly in front of him.
Matthew smiled with a strange innocence, then suddenly raised his fist and struck Kyle's face with force. The blow was so violent that Kyle fell to the ground, and Leila rushed toward him, shouting in concern:
"Kyle! Are you okay? Your cheek is completely bruised!"
Kyle spat blood aside and wiped his mouth with his thumb, then looked at her with a reassuring smile:
"Don't worry, it's just a light blow."
He stood up, adjusted his disheveled clothes, and looked at Matthew with a sarcastic smile:
"It wasn't a strong punch, my brother-in-law." He emphasized the last word clearly, increasing the tension in the air.
Leila shuddered in fear as she looked between the two men. Her husband stood with overconfidence, and her brother was burning with anger. She turned to Olivia, who had folded her arms coolly and showed no interest in what was happening, calmly sitting on the chair.
Leila pleaded with her:
"Your Grace! Help me, they'll kill each other!"
Olivia looked around the room indifferently and said carelessly:
"What? Me? What's it to me? Let them fight. They'll stop when they tire."
As she spoke, the two men were already engaged in a fierce struggle, throwing punches, each trying to land a blow on the other. Leila stood frozen in terror, her eyes filled with tears, and once again, she turned to Olivia, seeking help.
"Please, Your Grace, do something!"
Olivia sighed in annoyance, as though she had been forced to intervene:
"Fine, I'll stop them."
She stood slowly from her seat, her voice stern:
"You..."
But suddenly, everything began to blur in her vision. She felt the ground spinning violently beneath her feet, and her limbs went limp. Before she could finish her sentence, her body collapsed to the floor with a thud, causing everyone in the room to freeze.
Leila screamed in fear:
"Olivia!"
Kyle and Matthew immediately stopped fighting and rushed toward her in panic. Matthew gently caught her in his arms, clearly worried, and tried to wake her with loud calls:
"Olivia! Wake up!"
He turned to Kyle with anger and shouted:
"Get the doctor quickly! There's no time to waste!"
Everyone froze for a moment in the intensity of the situation, then quickly moved to bring help. Matthew carefully lifted Olivia, as though she were fragile glass, and placed her on the bed, his eyes watching her pale face as though begging her to awaken.
The room was filled with fear and anxiety, and the silence that hung in the air was only a reflection of the gravity of the moment.