"That’s different," he said, turning away from her, his tone firm but evasive.
Belle scoffed. "How is it any different from what the king is about to do?" She demanded, her voice tinged with frustration.
"Perhaps you diverted attention from Sofia to so I would be the one in danger while she stays safe as your wife, huh?" She continued, her voice rising slightly as she pointed out the glaring hypocrisy.
"Like I said, it’s a different case," he replied, his voice tight with defense. "Hezekiah is the king, his duty is to prioritize his kingdom’s safety over yours if that day cos. I am not bound by such limits. I can do whatever I want."
Belle’s brows furrowed, disbelief washing over her. "Was that why you brought another woman into our ho?" She asked, her tone laced with bitterness.
His silence was all the answer she needed.
She let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head as she stared down at the glass of wine in her hand.
"I found you, didn’t I?" He said, his voice soft but piercing.
Belle lifted her gaze to et his, her eyes searching his face for sincerity. She couldn’t tell if he ant his words or if they were just another ploy to manipulate her.
"Don’t act like you care," she snapped, her voice cold. "We both know you are doing all this because of the deal. Bad news for you, you will never sway . You can only dream of it."
He smiled faintly, unbothered by her sharp words. "Then why are you swaying ?" He asked, leaning forward slightly, his eyes locked on hers.
Belle instinctively leaned back, her breath hitching as she stamred, "Wh...when did I sway you?" Forcing herself to avoid looking at his lips, though her resolve wavered.
"Oh, Belle," he said, his voice a husky whisper. "When you argue, it turns on. When you glare at , it turns on. When you try to avoid , it turns on."
Her eyes widened in shock, the confession leaving her montarily speechless. The man before her bore no resemblance to the one she once knew, the one she had confronted in the aftermath of her miscarriage.
"Why are you doing this to ?" She asked, her voice trembling. "You weren’t like this before the divorce. Why have you changed so much?"
"Maybe it was you who changed," he replied, his tone nonchalant. "I have always been ."
Her frown deepened as anger bubbled up within her. "You were the one who brought another woman into our ho. Why are you blaming for your mistakes?"
Quinn’s expression darkened. "Still pretending to be the victim, huh? Belle, that act might work on Hezekiah, but not on . I know everything."
His words left her stunned, confusion flashing in her eyes. "What are you talking about? What do you know? When have I pretended to be a victim?" She asked but he remained quiet, irritating her.
"Stop twisting the truth," she snapped when he remained silent for long, her tone sharp. "Your manipulation won’t work on ." And added.
Without warning, he leaned forward slightly and asked, "Can I kiss you now?"
Belle’s heart raced, but she quickly slipped off the couch, putting distance between them. "I guess that’s a no," he murmured, running a hand through his hair before reclining against the couch, his gaze heavy with unspoken desire.
"I only ca here to find out why you have been avoiding ," she said coldly, setting the glass of wine on the desk. "I will take my leave now."
"We usually don’t take female servants on journeys like these, so you will need to adjust to managing things yourself. You will also be assigned a male protector," he inford her. Belle nodded silently and swiftly exited his room.
---
The day of departure for the truce arrived, but Maddie and Mia strongly opposed Belle tagging along, citing the bullfighting incident as reason enough for her to stay behind.
"I will be fine, trust ," Belle assured them with a confident smile as she made her way to the carriage.
To her surprise, she found Quinn seated casually beside the carriage, his expression one of smug amusent. She hesitated for a mont, wondering if she had mistakenly approached the wrong carriage.
"I am your assigned protector, my lady," he said, reading her confusion with ease.
Belle raised a brow, her disbelief evident. "And the King approved this?" She asked, her tone skeptical.
"As I ntioned before," Quinn began, a hint of mockery in his voice, "it’s his kingdom over love. The leader of the imperial guards oversees the Queen’s safety, so he had no choice but to agree."
His response silenced her, and she climbed into the carriage without another word.
The ride to town was steeped in quiet tension. Both of them sat staring out their respective windows, unwilling to acknowledge the other. While one replayed their conversation from the previous day in her mind, the other entertained thoughts far less innocent.
Belle found herself unable to rest, her thoughts a whirlwind of confusion. Quinn’s earlier accusation about her playing the victim haunted her. When has she ever done so? Was it not clear to everyone that he was the one who had wronged her?
The more she dwelled on it, the more convinced she beca that there was more to the story than t the eye. Sothing was undoubtedly amiss, and deep down, she suspected that his adopted mother or even her father might be at the root of it all. But what did Quinn know that he was keeping from her?
She sighed deeply and turned her gaze toward him, only to find him already staring at her.
"Thought you were dead," he teased with a smirk.
"Don’t worry, I won’t die before you," she retorted, forcing a smile before looking away. His perpetually unserious deanor made it nearly impossible to have a straightforward conversation.
"Where are we headed?" She asked, determined to steer her thoughts elsewhere.
"Do you rember that restaurant you once begged to take you to after I skipped our honeymoon?" He inquired, his tone casual.
Belle’s brows furrowed in thought before her eyes widened in recognition. "Klaus’s restaurant! It’s still open?" She exclaid, recalling the joyful mories tied to that place.
"Yes, it is," he replied, his tone neutral. "But likely not for long. If they can’t pay off their late father’s debt, they will have to shut down. You should try their icy salad before they close for good."
Belle frowned at the revelation. "Is that why you chose the location? For ?"
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