Chapter 64: 64:I didn’t do it,Alaris

"That child is mine, brother. When the king dies, his child takes over the throne. But in this case, the child that will be taking over the throne would be mine, my blood and flesh." Endrado said, throwing his leg over the other. Ladya had known he was an ambitious man, but she didn't expect he would go this far, even involving her in his plans.

“Ladya? She gets to be the mother of a young king. That is what she will get in return, and that is more than being a queen to a man who doesn't give a shit about her. Her son will not desert her. No, she doesn't know yet."

Ladya placed her palm over her mouth and tiptoed away, holding her breath.

"No one would suspect the child isn't the king's. He is cursed, and only I know that." Endrado said, rising to his feet while clutching the phone to his ear, and approached the door.

"Are you alright?" The head maid asked immediately when she saw Ladya descending the stairs looking sick.

"I am sick; I have to leave." Ladya muttered and scurried away, legs wobbling as the heels on her shoes threatened to give way to the ground.

She arrived at the palace and made her way to the second floor. She pressed theevator button, but it didn't work. She gritted her teeth, annoyed she would have to use the public stairs.

She clutched her purse tightly and held her shoes with the other hand. A sigh of relief escaped her lips when she saw that there was no one on the stairs. It was just her.

As she stepped on the last staircase, her heart sank to her stomach, and her face turned green and brows furrowed when she saw Athena approaching the stairs with her face radiating like the sun.

She gulped, swallowing the bile in her throat, and held a straight face.

"Hello, Ladya," Athena cooed, smiling at her, and Ladya forced back a smile.

"You whored your way to the top and then smile?" Ladya asked, leaning against the railing, her brows raised.

"Oh Ladya, what do you think would happen when the king finds out the child in your stomach isn't his?" Athena asked lazily, rubbing her temple, and Ladya's face paled.

A big lump formed in her throat, and all her attempts to swallow it were fruitless. She shut her eyes and bit the inner skin of her mouth, biting back the erratic beating of her heart. Her legs wobbled, her purse fell from her hand and she clutched the railing tightly.

"Don't worry; I am not a snitch." Athena's voice was meek, and Ladya drew in a sharp breath.

'Guess this is it. Endrado will kill me if he finds out my pregnancy is a lie. Alaris will burn me if he discovers I had an affair and lied about my pregnancy. Why don't I put an end to the lies and save myself now? There is no pregnancy; there is no... ' Her thoughts ran wild, her soul trapped by fear.

"Don'tpush me! Stop!" Ladya screamed at the top of her lungs, and Athena stared at her with wide eyes.

"Have you gone crazy?" Athena asked, her voice laced with confusion.

"Nooo! Athena!!" Ladya screamed and threw herself down the staircases, tumbling until she hit the ground,, and Athena's mouth dropped, a loud gasp escaping her mouth. She stood there, numb, eyes wide and speechless.

Athena watched blankly as servants who must have heard the screams rushed to Ladya's side.

"Oh no, she is bleeding!" One of the servants screamed when she spotted the blood dripping down Ladya's thighs.

"She pushed me. Athena pushed me," Ladya mumbled, enough for the servants to hear, and she lazily raised her hand and pointed her index finger at Athena.

Athena's heart sank into her stomach and beat against the walls lining her stomach, making her intestines knot. She felt sick.

“Call an ambulance. Inform the king and the elder Endrado of what has happened." The servants screamed amongst themselves while they tried to get Ladya to her feet.

"What have you done?" A voice asked beside Athena, but her muscles and joints were too numbed for her to turn around to see who it was.

As the servants helped her away towards the parking lot, Ladya stopped, blood dripping from the side of her head. She suddenly realised going to the hospital was a bad idea. The doctor would discover she was never pregnant.

"Call Dr Marcus," she said, her voice barely a whisper. A sharp pain like an electric signal coursed through her head, and she passed out.

Alaris frowned at the constant knock on the door of his study. He dropped the pen in his hand and went to get the door, only for him to see a trembling maid outside the door.

"Speak." He ordered, displeasure evident in his voice.

"Lady Ladya, she has been taken to the hospital." The maid stuttered, her gaze fixed to the ground.

"Is that all?" Alaris asked, uninterested, if Ladya had been taken to the hospital or not. She was none of his concerns anyway.

"A... Athena pushed her down the stairs." The maid managed to say, closing her eyes shut, and Alaris grabbed her by her arm roughly.

"Where is Athena?" His voice rumbled, making the maid's knees melt.

"I don't know." The maid cried, scared to the marrow. Immediately Alaris let go of her arm; she melted to the ground.

He exhaled and vanished into thin air. He appeared under the stairs and saw servants gathered, muttering and whispering amongst themselves.

The noises disappeared when they felt his presence.

His eyes caught sight of the blood on the tiles, and he knew it was bad. His heart raced in his chest as he looked around for her, but she wasn't there.

"Where is Athena?" He asked, his voice resounding, and all the servants bit their tongues.

Tears slipped down Athena’s face. Her tongue was tied by fear. She didn't know if Alaris was angry or if it was something else in his tone. She was scared, afraid of facing him. Afraid he believes what he has been told, afraid he would resent her.

She choked on her saliva, and the choking sound broke the silence like a stone throne at delicate glass.

"Athena?" Alaris breathed, his voice soft, and in the next second, he was on the second floor where Athena sat, knees folded to her chest.

He rushed to her side and crouched next to her. He placed his palm on her head and tried to tilt her head upward, but she refused, her sob becoming louder, and he felt his heart squeezed.

"I didn't do it, Alaris. She pushed herself," she sobbed, and the way she called his name? It made his heart race.

"Athena, look at me." He said, his voice almost pleading, and her tears poured more than before.

"Look at me, Athena." He pleaded, his eyes wavering. She swallowed and slowly raised her head to look at him. The sight of her tears shattered something inside of him, and a dull ache spread throughout his chest.

He held her face in his palms and brushed away her tears with his thumb before leaning closer and capturing her lips with his. It was brief, breathtaking and tantalising.

He pulled away, leaving her breathless, and gazed at her shocked eyes.

"I believe you," he whispered.

He lifted her into his arms and took her away.

In less than a minute, they appeared in his chamber, and he placed her on the bed.

"Shhhh. No more tears." He hushed her and tucked a strand of hair at the back of her ear.

"Lie down," he told her in a soft, low voice, and just like a command, she obeyed and lay on the bed, swallowing her sobs.

He picked up the duvet and covered her with it gently.

"Go to sleep and think of nothing." He told her and she nodded her head but deep down, she knew it wasn't as easy as he said it.

She closed her eyes, pretending to fall asleep, and Alaris's lips twitched. He knew she was faking it, but he didn't mind. He leaned down and planted a soft kiss on her forehead before leaving the room.

"The elders have assembled at the throne hall." Jason informed him midway, and he halted and furrowed his brows.

"That was quick," he mumbled and kept walking.