Chapter 101 The Despicable Man

Chapter 101 The Despicable Man
\- Princess Heminica’s POV -
“S-Simone?” My voice merely broke in disbelief. My lips trembled, and my chest felt like it was about to burst. I knew my heart could never be mistaken. The posture of this man… the way he stood there, like a storm and yet calm at the same time… my heart keeps shouting that he is… my mate.
The wind blew and carried his scent straight to me, striking my nose. It was strong, familiar, and enticing, the kind of scent I could never forget. Even if lifetimes passed, I would know it. My knees almost gave up as I breathed him in. Everything slowed, almost like the whole world wanted me to remember this exact moment, when the man turned and faced me.
And then… my eyes caught his face. For the first time in five long years, I saw him completely. My heart broke down, shattered into pieces, as I closed my eyes, unable to believe the picture in front of me. I tried to breathe, tried to absorb what was happening, but I couldn’t. My body shook, and my soul screamed.
If this is a dream… I don’t want to wake up anymore. Not now. Not ever.
I opened my eyes again, and there he was, closer this time, standing right in front of me. I couldn’t stop the tears, no matter how much I tried. They wanted to escape, and they did, falling without shame.
“Happy Birthday, my queen.” His voice was soft, low, but it thundered inside me. He handed me a red rose and bowed his head.
I bit my lip, hard, trying not to break, but his words, his voice, struck my heart with an unknown force. It made me softer, weaker, like I was melting from the inside. I even forgot that today was my 25th birthday. My head was too full of the Coronation Ceremony, too full of duties, of faces, of the crown. But him… how did he know? Damn, it didn’t matter anymore. Nothing mattered as my tears flowed endlessly down my face.
He noticed. He saw my tears. And I saw the change in his eyes. Sadness. Longing. Pain. They covered the darkness of his gaze, like a veil that I wanted to remove with my hands. He looked at me like I was both his salvation and his punishment. Still, I was speechless. My throat was locked, but my heart wanted to scream, to speak, to tell him everything it carried. It kept exploding, so loud inside my chest, louder than the music, louder than the whispers of the crowd.
“Don’t cry… you’re breaking my heart.” His voice was so soft and smooth to my ears, yet so manly, so steady, like it was crafted only for me.
His face… gods, his face had changed. It was more mature now, sharper, carved like stone, but filled with stories I didn’t yet know. He was paler than the last time I saw him, but his lips were still the same rosy red I dreamed of. His chiseled jaw, his strong cheekbones, his hair perfectly arranged—everything about him was perfection.
He was so far different from the Simone I once knew. That boy I had met five years ago was gone. This man… this man carried something heavier, something deeper. I don’t know what those five years did to him, but I could feel the weight just by looking at him.
“I… I’ve been waiting for you. For so long.” The words slipped out of my mouth before I could stop them.
Damn. How could I be this stupid in front of my mate? He was everything I ever wished for, everything my soul ever cried for. And now, on my 25th birthday, the heavens gave me my wish.
“I’m sorry,” he said, his eyes locked only on me, as if the world had vanished. “I’ve been busy with the duties in the Kingdom. Love, I was always looking forward to this day, to face you without any blockage. I’m sorry it took me so long.” His hand cupped my cheek gently, his thumb brushing away the tears I didn’t even notice anymore. His warmth burned my skin. “C… can I hug you?” His voice wavered, shy, almost like a boy, but it only made me admire him even more.
Without any more words, I threw myself at him, my arms wrapping around him tightly. I didn’t want to let go, not even for a breath. He froze, tense, like my sudden touch shocked him. But then, slowly, he softened. His arms found their way around me, pulling me closer, securing me like I was the most precious thing in his life.
He held me. And I held him.
I buried my face against his chest, and I felt him bury his face against my hair. He sniffed my scent, breathing me in, and I closed my eyes, surrendering. This was where I belonged. Right here.
“You have so much to explain,” I whispered softly, my lips against his chest.
Though I didn’t understand everything about him, though my mind carried questions, my heart knew. My heart and my soul only belonged to him. My mate. Nothing could change that fact. Not time. Not pain. Not distance. Even if he was mysterious, even if he was despicable in the eyes of others, to me he was mine.
“I know,” he whispered back, his voice trembling. “And you have all my time, love.”
I pulled back slightly, just enough to look at him, and a wide smile grew on my face. “Really!?”
He smiled, the kind of smile that made me weak. He reached into his pocket, and my breath stopped. When he pulled out a small red elegant box, my heart exploded once again. Butterflies went insane in my stomach, fluttering wildly, almost painfully.
It was just a box, but my feelings told me exactly what it was. My soul screamed, my knees nearly collapsed.
And then… he kneeled down.
My hands flew to my mouth, covering my gasp. Tears fell freely, as if they had been waiting for this exact moment. My chest hurt, but it was the sweetest pain I had ever known.
This was too much. Too surprising. Too fast. My whole world was spinning, and yet everything felt so right.
“My Queen, will you marry me?” His eyes looked up at me, full of hope, full of fire, full of a love I could finally see.
My breath hitched, and my body trembled. The entire world could collapse, but this moment would remain forever.