"Are you okay, Hazel? Asked Jonathan to hear her cries. He wanted to hear that she had suffered greatly and then beg him to save her. He was waiting for her to beg him all this time. Not because he wanted to save her, but this would feed his pride.
Hazel knew that very well. He wanted to see her suffering and crying, so that he could feel his superiority over her. Though she was pretending to be weak continuously, she could not bear to see the man satisfied and smirking over her demise. She would rather kill him and accept the death penalty.
"Yes! I am better. Shall we go back?" she asked and wiped her tears. And before he could deny or ask another thing, she stood up and turned, ready to leave the glass room garden.
He gritted his teeth at her pride! What did she think of herself? She had lost everything yet she had the pride to speak in front of him and show him pride! That dumb woman! She did not know, with that attitude, she had even lost the chance to be his mistress now!
He followed her with a dark face. She did not even thank him when he admonished the messenger who was disrespecting her and when he took her side. She did not even feel grateful that he came to check on her when her family did not even care how she was handling that strange man! She was nothing but an ungrateful wench who had nothing but her beauty to be proud upon! Soon.. very soon she would learn the lesson to be this proud!
Amelia and Count were sitting on pins and needles while waiting for hazel. They were afraid that she would do a mistake and anger the messenger or show how foolish and dumb she was and the man would take the offer of the marriage back or would at least inform his master how dumb she was!
Count wanted to go and check but his pride was stopping her. He wanted to show that he was a self respected man who had no greed over the possessions of the other nation. So he did not care much if his daughter got married to the prince or not. But deep inside he could not wait anymore, the thin thread of his patience was almost breaking apart!
Even Amelia, who was worried about the conversation from the start, almost jumped from her seat when she saw Jonathan standing and taking permission from her father to go and check on Hazel. Of course, her father was too happy to accept the offer. So, even if she had tried to stop, it would not have worked out. But since then she could not help but imagine a lot of possibilities of both of them coming closer.
She had wasted years of her lifetime to create rift between the truth and entangle him on her fingers. But what if he got jealous of the proposal and decided to go back to hazel? After all, he had not said once since he had heard about the marriage proposal! His face was blank yet she could see that his eyes were staring hazel all this time. And he ran for her, like he could not accept that she was going to leave him.
Even that thought made her seething with rage. She stayed silently, as she could not let her image drown but the wait was almost killing her!
So, when she saw that Hazel was coming alone with a tear -stricken face while Jonathan was coming behind them glaring and fuming, joy filled her heart. She smirked in her heart.
Ha! To think that Hazel would be able to snatch Jonathan from her! She must have been paranoid! She shook her head but soon hid the joy and made a worried face.
"Hazel! You are finally back!" she exclaimed and ran towards hazel. She hugged the young girl with open arms as if she was meeting her long lost sister.
"We were all worried for you. What took you so long, dear sister?" she asked in a soft voice as she held a tendril and tucked it gently behind hazel's hair. She was looking so warm and gentle as if no one cared more about Hazel in this whole world!
Amelia looked behind Jonathan when Hazel did not reply a word. Her brows furrowed when she noticed no one was there.
Even others eyes were stilled on the door as if they were waiting for the god to arrive and tell them their fates! But no one came in even after waiting for so long.
Now every eye was on hazel. While she stood there unafraid.
"Thank you Amelia. I knew that you would be worried about me even when you did not come to see me all this time. I was sure that you would hug me when you saw me." mumbled Hazel as she let go of the girl in her arms.
Amelia laughed awkwardly. But then I looked back and changed the topic.
"By the way, where is the messenger who has gone with you?" Her words caught the attention of everyone. They all looked at her face with expectations.
Hazel shook her head and then looked at the man that was standing behind her with a dark face and sighed.
Jonathan frowned when everyone's face moved from hazel to him. But even he stayed silent as he did not know what to say!
"Where is he, hazel?" asked the count when he did not bear the suspense anymore. He looked at the girl as if he would skin her alive if she would not reply to them instantly.
Hazel sighed as she looked at Jonathan. Her eyes were filled with regret and hesitation when she replied in a low voice, "Father, lord Jonathan had thrown the messenger out of the palace!"