Chapter 37 Chapter thirty-seven
~Ellie~
I groaned and rolled onto my back, dragging a pillow over my face in a futile attempt to escape the sunlight spilling across the room. My breath warmed the fabric, and I shifted restlessly until my body brushed against something solid and warm. Slowly, I opened my eyes.
Claus lay beside me, sleeping soundly, his hair scattered across the pillow in careless strands. For a moment, I simply stared at him then the memories of last night came rushing back like an uninvited storm. The sounds, the touches, the intensity—it all pressed against my chest until I could barely breathe. The air still carried the heavy scent of sweat and cologne, sharp and suffocating. My stomach tightened, and guilt burned hot in my throat.
I sat upright, my hands trembling as I pressed them against my knees. My eyes felt dark, unreadable, as if they no longer belonged to me. Why did I feel this way? He was my husband, my mate. There was no betrayal in what had happened, yet my heart beat with the hollow ache of someone who had done something unforgivable.
The feeling clung to me like grime I couldn’t wash off. Shame. Guilt. Disgust. I looked at Claus again, peaceful and unaware, and regret twisted inside me. I shouldn’t have let him touch me last night. But if I hadn’t, he would have noticed, he already suspected too much: the pregnancy, my closeness with his brother, the subtle changes in me I couldn’t hide.
Still, watching him now, I felt a strange distance forming between us, a quiet disdain, cold and creeping. I shook my head sharply, as if I could scatter the thought before it took root. I needed to move. To leave this room before the walls started closing in on me.
I jolted upright, slipping off the bed as quietly as I could so I wouldn’t wake him. Hastily, I gathered my clothes scattered across the floor, ready to make a quick escape.
Thank goodness Claus was still asleep, his arm stretched across the empty space I had just left, his chest rising and falling in a calm rhythm. I couldn’t bear the thought of facing him right now.
I needed to wash up. My skin felt sticky, and I reeked of sex. A warm spring bath would help — the ache between my thighs was unbearable.
Wrapping myself in my robe, I crossed my arms tightly around my body. Despite the sunlight streaming through the windows, I still felt cold.
Outside the door, Bianca, my court lady, was waiting. “Good morning, Your Majesty,” she greeted, bowing politely. I gave only a brief nod, I wasn’t in the mood for pleasantries.
“Heading to the spring already?” she asked.
“Yes. And I won’t be needing your assistance today,” I replied quickly.
“What?” Her tone wavered with panic. “Are you alright, Your Majesty? Did I do something wrong?” Her questions tumbled out one after another, but I had no answers for her.
“Nothing happened. I just want to handle things myself today,” I said, continuing down the corridor.
“But, Your Majesty…” she began, then fell silent when she saw I wouldn’t stop.
Her worried expression lingered in my mind. This was the first time I’d chosen to bathe without an attendant.
But this morning, I needed solitude a moment to gather my thoughts, to breathe, and to sit with the quiet before facing anything else.
The spring bath exudes a serene, soothing warmth, surrounded by gentle steam and the soft scent of earth.
I untied the knot of my robe and let it slide off my shoulders, pooling silently at my feet until I was completely bare.
My hips moved in a slow, rhythmic sway as I made my way toward the spring, each step almost a deliberate tease.
I dipped one foot into the water; the temperature was perfect.
Gradually, I waded in until the water reached my waist, its warmth melting the tension from my body.
Then, I let myself sink deeper, allowing the water to swallow me completely.
After spending several minutes in the water, I lifted my upper body. My hair clung to my face, dripping quietly.
The warmth had already eased my muscles, leaving me completely relaxed; even the soreness between my thighs had faded.
I poured shower gel onto my skin and scrubbed myself vigorously, as though trying to erase every trace of last night especially between my thighs.
Then I lathered my hair with shampoo and sank back into the spring to rinse it all off.
When I finally swam to the edge and stepped out, the cold breeze brushed against my damp skin, making goosebumps appear on my baby-like skin. I quickly wrapped a towel around myself and used another to dry my hair.
When I returned to the chamber, Claus was still fast asleep, sprawled across the bed, his chest rising and falling steadily.
I opened the wardrobe and picked out a light-blue bodycon dress. After applying moisturizer to my skin, I put on matching nude underwear before slipping into the gown.
Turning to the mirror, my reflection stared back at me. The dress hugged my figure perfectly, accentuating my small waist and full hips. My hand instinctively rested on my belly, gently caressing it. The gown outlined my growing baby bump.
A smile spread across my face. My baby was growing well and healthy that thought filled me with happiness and contentment. It was one of the best things that had ever happened to me.
Speaking of which, I needed to visit Cyprus. It had been a while since I last checked on the baby’s condition, and besides, I still couldn’t fully understand what she meant during our last conversation. Her distant attitude toward me then had left me hurt.
Through the mirror, I could still see Claus sleeping soundly. I had been moving quietly so as not to wake him; truthfully, I wasn’t ready to face him yet.
I took a piece of paper and a pen from the dresser and wrote a note explaining that I was heading to the healer’s house for a check-up.
“Good morning, Your Majesty,” the court ladies greeted as they went about their duties.
I smiled warmly and nodded in acknowledgment.
“The pregnancy is making her glow, look how radiant her skin is,” I heard one of the maids whisper.
My cheeks flushed pink, and I unconsciously rubbed my stomach, smiling softly.
As I exited the hallway, I bumped into something firm.
“Ouch,” I muttered, lifting my head and froze.
For a moment, I couldn’t move. My heart skipped as I found myself staring up at him. A nervous smile tugged at my lips, and heat rushed to my cheeks until they ached.
He stood tall before me, dressed sharply in his military uniform, his silver hair neatly parted.
“Sylvia.”
I managed a sheepish smile. “Oh, it’s you…”
But he didn’t even glance at me. He brushed past without a word, as if I didn’t exist.
The rush of air from his movement sent a shiver through me. I stood rooted to the spot, eyes wide, lips parted, my chest tightening painfully.
Tears welled in my eyes.
Why had he been so cold toward me these past few days?