When Reagan entered the room, he met me in the same spot that I had been all morning. I was just sitting on the bed, I didn't cry, didn't move, didn't say a word. I just stared into space, willing myself not to cry and waiting out the pain in my chest to go away. Eventually the pain did go away, but now as Reagan came into this room, I could feel it start to slowly creep in.
"Hey." I greeted softly.
"Hey." Reagan responded gazing at me wearily as I stared up at him with a smile on my face. He walked into the room, taking tentative steps towards me, "I…I…"
For the first time in my life, I watched the bravest knight in the kingdom lose his ability to speak. Reagan opened his mouth, trying to find the right words to say in this situation. If he must be struggling like this, then it's no lie that Celeste is truly pregnant, she is with his heir.
"So you did sleep with her." I mumbled to myself looking down.
"I didn't touch her ever since we've been back." Reagan stated.
Since he's been be back? So if he didn't touch her then, since when? "When we you were out campaigning at the borders then."
"I'm sorry." Reagan whispered and I nodded my head, "Though I'm positive I didn't touch her, she wanted me to but I'm a man of my word. I may have been a jerk to you but I upheld our vows. The only reason I brought her was because I wanted to hurt you!"
I snorted in response, "Well you seem to be doing a very good job of that now."
"Dahlia, please believe me!" Reagan said suddenly coming in front of me to grab me by my hands, "I would never do anything to hurt you now. I have met you and now I know you are a caring woman, the kind who will sacrifice anything for the people of the kingdom. I know you are not like you are father and you don't keep any dark twisted secrets?"
"Dark twisted secrets?" I asked cocking my head at Reagan.
Reagan sighed and opened his mouth to speak, "Listen that doesn't matter, but now I know you are not hiding anything from me?"
"Hiding anything from you?" I asked because this just seemed to be getting more and more confusing.
"I don't know." Reagan shrugged, "When I first met you, I felt like you were hiding things from me. That your silent character was all an act to hide how_"
"Wait a minute_" I shoved Reagan's hands away from me, "You got someone pregnant and your reason for treating me like I was dirt under your shoes was because you thought I was hiding something from you? So because of that, you decided to go climb into Celeste's bed?" My voice rose up with each sentence and I didn't care if anyone could hear me at that moment.
"Shit!" Reagan cursed, "That wasn't what I meant, I'm trying to be open here."
"Well allow me to tell you that you are doing a very shit job of this!"
Reagan sighed and closed his eyes, frustration evident in his sigh. "Look Dahlia, what I mean is I would never do anything to hurt you, at least not now that I know the real you." Reagan said softly as he stared at me with an expression that says I should believe him.
Except you don't know the real me though! I thought to myself but I didn't say anything.
"I do not know how Celeste got pregnant but I swear to you Dahlia, I would never dishonor our marriage like that." Reagan finished looking at me.
I was about to say something when I heard a knock on the door. Reagan and I turned to look at the door at the same time it opened. Marina stood at the entrance dressed in a night gown and beside her stood Celeste, also dressed in her night dress and she had her arm around her belly that wasn't even protruding just yet.
"What is this?" Reagan asked his voice taking that dangerous tone.
Marina stepped forward, slightly pushing Celeste forward. "Well it is time to fulfill your duties my son."
Reagan arched a brow up at her, "And what duty will that be?"
"Why to lay with her of course." Marina said as if it was the normal thing in the world, "When a woman I pregnant, she needs her man that would nurse through the night."
"Get out!" Reagan said in a calm voice.
Marina's brows furrowed as she stared at her son, "Excuse you?"
"Get out!" Reagan repeated firmly.
Marina released a scoff, her gaze narrowing into thin slits as she took measured steps forward. "You dare to defy your own mother's request?"
"Yes! You know Celeste isn't who I want!" Reagan stated firmly.
Arching a brow up in disbelief, Marina's gaze turned to look at me. "So? You finally bewitched him?"
"Bewitched?" The word fell out of my mouth in a whisper as I gaped at Marina.
Reagan stepped forward, lightly pulling me to the side, shielding me from his mother. "You need to leave mother, right now I am speaking with my wife and you will respect that."
Marina's gaze widened as if she couldn't believe that Reagan could say such a thing to her. I could see realization dawn in her when she noticed her son had changed and the accusation in them when her gaze turned to hold mine, it was as if everything was my fault. I knew I needed to do something, if we were to go back and fault, Marina would just use this as more reason to hate me and the last thing I needed was for her to report to my father more lies about me.
"You can go to Celeste tonight." I informed Reagan and his gaze turned to look at me, "I could use sometime alone."
Reagan's eyes were filled with confusion as he stared at me. "But I_"
Before he could say anything, I leaned up and I grabbed his face in my hand and I kissed him. A gasped sounded from the far corner of the room but I didn't care. I kissed Reagan pouring all my emotion into the kiss. I pulled away from him and stared up into his eyes.
"Good night Reagan." I whispered softly.
The look in Reagan's eyes almost broke me but I held myself together firmly watching as he left with Celeste and it was only when the door had shut did the first tear roll down my cheek, and the second and then before I knew it I was crying uncontrollably.