Chapter 266: In-Waiting?

Aries didn't probe anymore about how Curtis recovered overnight. It was strange, but she gave him the benefit of the doubt that it was because his will to recover brought his voice back. It was a lame excuse, but Curtis had been trying to call her name with great difficulty.

Moreover, she didn't have the time to investigate or interrogate him since she couldn't delay the build-up she created last night. The plan must go on and Aries needed to be there since she was the one who was holding the steer.

So, after several minutes, Gertrude arrived in Curtis' room to fetch Aries and prepare her for the day. Abel had already told her about how Gertrude stood up to Joaquin last night, forbidding him from entering the room.

"Thank you, Gertrude." Aries smiled subtly as Gertrude brush her hair while the crown princess was sitting on the stool in front of the vanity mirror. "Abel told me what you did last night. It must've scared you."

Gertrude sported a meek smile. "I was scared, Your Highness. But I also knew His Majesty will not let me die unjustly."

"Mhm." Aries's eyes softened at the thought of Abel, feeling this surge of warmth in her heart. "He's reliable at times."

"I'm glad that you feel better now, my lady."

Aries glanced up at her but said nothing. Gertrude came in the room with Aries still crying, but she didn't know Curtis had recovered. Neither did Gertrude probe what happened early in the morning.

'I feel bad, but it's better if no one knows about Curtis' condition.' She thought, agreeing to Curtis' request. He said he hadn't recovered completely and even though he had retrieved his voice, his body still needed rehabilitation to move like before.

"Your Highness, the crown prince invites you to breakfast." Gertrude snapped Aries back from her thoughts. "He said he will wait for you."

This time, Aries's soft eyes were replaced with nothing but coldness. She gazed at herself in front of the mirror, holding the necklace Abel gave her, caressing it with her thumb.

"My eyes were swollen…" she pointed out, as she couldn't stop her tears this morning.

"They look like the eyes of a woman who faced betrayal, Your Highness."

Aries's lips curled up into a sneer as she glanced at Gertrude. She didn't expect that reply, but Gertrude was growing courageous. Well, she couldn't blame her personal maid, as Aries's activities were forcing the poor Gertrude to have a heart of steel if she wanted to survive longer.

"You're slowly picking things up, Gertrude." She praised. "Abel said he would go on a strike if I didn't give you a raise."

Aries chuckled and Gertrude laughed weakly while the latter continued to arrange the crown princess's hair. As usual, Gertrude did her best to doll Aries up so Joaquin would see <strong>'what he was losing.'</strong> Right after Aries was finished going through her usual morning routine, she was escorted to the dining hall.

Sitting on the other end of the rectangular table, Arie kept silent as she ate breakfast. She had been silent even when Joaquin arrived minutes after her and perched on the other end of the table opposite her.

"Circe," he called, but she ignored him. Her eyes were swollen even if makeup concealed it, it was a futile attempt. Anyone could tell she cried herself to sleep. A deep exhale escaped his mouth, pushing himself up.

Aries slowly raised her eyes when Joaquin sat down on the chair on her right. The sight of her rendered him speechless as she looked so vulnerable he simply wanted to embrace and protect her.

"Circe, my crown princess, and wife." He reached for her hand, eyes on her. "Is there something wrong we should talk about?"

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"Nothing, Your Royal Highness." Her expression, despite her swollen eyes, was stern. "There is nothing that is worthy of your concern, Your Royal Highness."

"Not worthy of my concern?" he laughed weakly before he dragged his chair closer to her. Joaquin helped her let go of the cutleries and faced her squarely.

"My wife, how can you say that? How is it not worthy of my concern when your eyes were swollen and you don't want to talk to me?" He breathed out, raising his hand to cup her cheek while brushing it with his thumb. "I am your husband, so I care Circe. Communicate with me."

? Aries pressed her lips as her eyes lowered. "Are you... having an affair with my lady-in-waiting?" came out an almost muffled voice.

"No." Joaquin denied almost instantly, as he had guessed this was her primary concern and he simply didn't want to jump to a conclusion.

"Are you sure?"

"Circe." He pinched her chin and raised it so he could look her in the eye. "Was there something Countess Lloyd had that you do not have?"

"Yes, Joaquin." Aries laughed bitterly. "A beauty will never win against a flirt and temptations aren't called temptations when it's something one wouldn't want. Don't make a fool out of me, Joaquin. I warned you before. If you're going to have an affair, make sure you do it somewhere I will not see."

"Circe, love."

"Love?" she laughed in ridicule, snatching her hand away from him. "You don't love me, Joaquin. You needed me, but you don't love me. Because if you do, you will never enter a room with another woman while your wife is out there waiting for you."

Aries shook her head in disbelief as she pushed her chair and stood up. But just as she took a step, a hand grabbed her wrist and stopped her. Joaquin slowly stood from behind her, his grip around her wrist trembled.

"You're right. I don't love you and simply needed you," he whispered, embracing her from behind as he bent over until his forehead was on her shoulder. "That's also what I thought, Circe. However, these past weeks with you... is different. Without me realizing it, I will subconsciously look on my side to check if you were still there."

"You're the woman I married for mutual benefits. I admit I expect nothing from you, but... your sincerity, your grace, your intellect, I think they're beautiful, and I only realized last night while I was thinking about you, you're more important to me than you and I thought," he continued under his breath and this time, he was speaking from his heart. "Please listen to me, my wife. Give me a chance to explain."

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Aries hung her head low before the side of her lips slowly curled up, eyes sparkling with amusement. But all that disappeared in a second when Joaquin let her go and held her shoulder to spin her until they were facing each other.

"If I am just as important to you, please hear me out," he requested solemnly, staring at her in the eye. "It's all just a misunderstanding."

Her lips opened and closed, but no voice came out. All she could do for a moment was stare into him before she sighed deeply, rocking her head.

"Lie to me and that's it, Joaquin," she warned weakly, but he smiled and nodded.

"I won't. I promise."

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