Lydia and Ivan arrived at the palace. The carriage wheels rolled to a stop, and they stepped out together. Ivan’s face was unreadable as he helped Lydia down, but she could feel the tension in his touch.
They entered the palace, and imdiately the atmosphere changed. It was like stepping into a different world - one filled with fear and nervous energy. All around them, servants and staff beca tense the mont they saw Ivan walk through the doors.
A maid carrying linens froze in place. A footman polishing silver nearly dropped his cloth. Everyone bowed quickly, their eyes cast down, not daring to look directly at the Grand Duke. Whispered greetings of "Your Highness" followed them as they walked.
Ivan said nothing, walking with his back straight and his expression cold as stone. Lydia stayed close beside him, feeling the weight of everyone’s stares and the fear that seed to fill the air around them.
They walked through the long corridors, their footsteps echoing off the marble floors. The palace felt cold and unwelcoming, despite all its grand decorations and expensive paintings on the walls.
As they made their way deeper into the palace, they ran into Boris. The butler hurried toward them, looking nervous and worried. He bowed deeply when he reached them.
"Your Highness! Your Highness!" Boris said breathlessly. "Welco back to the palace."
Ivan nodded slightly. "Boris."
Boris straightened up, his hands shaking a little. "His Majesty is waiting for both of you in his study. He asked to bring you there as soon as you arrived."
"Of course he is," Ivan said coldly.
Boris led them through more corridors toward the study. Ivan’s jaw was tight, and Lydia could feel his anger growing with each step.
anwhile, in her chambers, Olga was getting ready for dinner. She was having her bath, relaxing in the warm water, when her lady-in-waiting rushed in with news.
"Your Highness!" the young woman said with a strange tone. "The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess just arrived! They’re on their way to His Majesty’s study right now!"
Olga sat up quickly in the bath, water splashing. A bitter smile crossed her face.
"Ivan is here?" she asked, her voice sharp with dislike. "That precious stepson of mine has finally decided to show his face?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. They just arrived."
Olga stood up, reaching for her robe. Her eyes had a cold, calculating look. "Help get ready! I need to look perfect. Let’s go see him and give him a proper welco."
Her servants rushed around, bringing her finest dress and jewelry. But Olga’s smile was not one of joy - it was the smile of soone planning to cause pain.
Back at Vladimir’s study, they had finally reached the heavy wooden door. Boris knocked softly.
"Enter," ca Vladimir’s voice from inside.
They knocked and he said enter. Vladimir was sitting behind his large desk, going through so reports by candlelight. When he looked up and saw them, sothing flickered in his eyes.
"Your Highness. Your Highness. Please, sit down," Vladimir said, pointing to the chairs in front of his desk.
Lydia looked at Ivan, waiting to see what he would do. But Ivan didn’t sit. He stood there with his face completely unreadable, his whole body tense and rigid.
Lydia was confused about whether to sit or stand. She remained standing too, her heart beating fast in her chest.
The silence stretched on, uncomfortable and heavy. Finally, Ivan spoke, his voice cutting through the quiet like a blade.
"Why did you call for us?" Each word was spoken slowly and coldly.
Vladimir set down his papers and looked directly at his son. "I need to talk to you about the village head. Why did you kill him? You’re not just a prince but the Grand Duke. The heir to the throne. You can’t go around killing people. What do you think people will say? This is the last ti this act will happen, if not—"
"If not what?" Ivan cut him off coldly. "You’ll remove as the Grand Duke? You’ll disown ? As if I care. We both know you have never wanted in the first place."
The words hit Vladimir hard. His face went pale.
"That’s not what I ant," Vladimir said, his voice softer now. "I’m just worried about people calling you a monster or nas. That’s why I am saying this as your father."
"Father?" Ivan’s voice cracked on the word, and tears began to form in his eyes. "Since when were you my father? Last ti I checked, I don’t have a father. I didn’t grow up with one, so I don’t need one now."
The pain in Ivan’s voice was so raw it filled the entire room. There was so much hurt there, so many years of loneliness and rejection. His eyes beca glassy with unshed tears.
Lydia’s heart broke watching the person she loved in such pain. Without thinking, she reached out and held his hands tightly. She wanted him to know she was there, that he wasn’t alone.
Ivan felt her warm touch and took a deep breath. He kept quiet and cald down a bit, but the sadness was still there in his glassy eyes.
Vladimir tried to speak again, guilt written all over his face. "I just want what’s best for you."
Ivan scoffed, and the sound was full of hurt. "What’s best for ? As if you ever cared. Did you forget what you did to ? What you did to my mother? Thanks to you, my mother’s honor has forever been trampled on."
Now tears were flowing freely down Ivan’s cheeks, though his voice remained cold. Vladimir looked stricken with guilt and pain, finally understanding the depth of what he had done.
Ivan imdiately turned to leave, but Vladimir called out desperately.
"Ivan, I know I wronged you, but—"
"Don’t you dare call by my na," Ivan cut him off, his voice cold but so incredibly sad. Tears poured down his eyes like a river. "You have no right."
His whole body was shaking now with the force of emotions he had kept locked inside for so long.
Ivan pulled his hands gently off Lydia’s hold and left the study, leaving Vladimir filled with guilt and Lydia with pain and worry for the broken man she loved more than anything in the world.
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