Chapter 11 #2
In my previous life, I had lost my baby in the flames. He hadn't even had the chance to see this world before leaving forever. But this time, this time, I would never allow anyone to hurt him.
I held my stomach tightly and swore silently in my heart. No matter what happened, in this life, I would protect you. Mommy promises she will take you away from this damned place as soon as possible.
But soon, another thought came to my mind. I absolutely could not let Victoria and Cedric know that the baby existed. My fingernails dug tightly into my palm, and the pain helped me keep my mind clear.
"No." My voice remained calm as I pretended nothing had happened. "I'm not pregnant. My stomach just feels a little uncomfortable."
But Victoria's gaze toward me grew even darker. Then it shifted into fear, unease, and even pain. I knew that expression far too well. In my previous life, she had used the exact same expression to pretend that she had no choice but to reveal the "truth"... And push me straight into hell.
Just as I lost myself for a moment, Cedric walked over to my side. There was surprise in his eyes, along with worry. He raised his voice and ordered, "Call the healer immediately and have her examine the Queen!"
"No!" My voice came out a little too urgent, but I forced myself not to raise it. I couldn't reveal the slightest trace of abnormality. "I know my own body very well. I'm not pregnant."
On the surface, I tried my best to remain calm.
But inside, fear was almost drowning me.
In my previous life, it was because they found out I was pregnant that Victoria set her trap.
And in the end, she caused both me and my child to die.
This time, I absolutely could not let my child be placed in danger again!
"Alice—" Cedric began to speak.
"I said no!" I interrupted him. My voice remained calm, but the resistance in my eyes was impossible to hide.
However, Cedric had already signaled for the healer to come over. She was an elderly female healer. She respectfully walked up to me and extended her hand. "Your Majesty, please allow me to examine you." Her voice was gentle.
My body stiffened like stone. I wanted to refuse. But she didn't give me another chance. And if I continued to resist, they would definitely notice something was wrong. I could only allow the healer to approach.
The healer placed her hand over my lower abdomen. A warm energy seeped into my body and slowly flowed through me. I closed my eyes. My heart was pounding wildly. My fingers gripped the fabric of my dress tightly.
A few seconds later, she withdrew her hand and turned to face Cedric, a joyful smile appearing on her face. "Congratulations, Your Majesty." She bowed respectfully. "The Queen is indeed pregnant."
My heart sank to the bottom. A massive wave of unease surrounded me. My hands and feet turned cold, and my mind went completely blank.
"The Queen is pregnant?"
"Our kingdom finally has an heir!!"
Cheers and congratulations erupted from every direction.
But all I felt was suffocating fear. My hand remained tightly pressed against my stomach, and my body began trembling uncontrollably. I turned around and wanted to leave.
But suddenly, a hand grabbed my wrist. "Alice." Cedric's voice sounded beside me. "What's wrong with you?"
I didn't know how I should answer.
"We have a child." There was an emotion in Cedric's voice that I couldn't understand. "But why do you look unhappy?" He stared at me. Those dark blue eyes locked onto mine, filled with confusion. "What are you afraid of?"
I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. How could I answer him? How could I tell him that in my previous life, he abandoned his wife and child for Victoria and left me and our baby to die in the flames?
At that moment, Victoria suddenly covered her mouth. Her entire body swayed as if she had suffered an enormous blow. Her face turned deathly pale, and her emerald eyes were filled with fear and hesitation.
"Cedric..." Her voice trembled, carrying a hint of sobbing. My heart suddenly jolted.
"I..." She bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes. "I know I shouldn't say these things... but I... I can't help my sister deceive you..."
I knew this day would eventually come. But in my previous life, this scene should have happened a month later. Why had it happened so much earlier in this life?
"The child Alice is carrying..." Victoria's voice trembled, as if she were making an agonizing decision. "Is not... not yours."
The entire arena instantly fell silent. A deathly silence descended over everyone.
But inside my heart, I no longer felt the pain and panic I had experienced in my previous life when I heard those words. I had already lived through all of this once. And back then, it had been far more humiliating than this.
"She has always been very close to Caspar...
" Victoria continued, tears rolling down her face.
"I didn't want to believe it either, but...
but you saw her reaction just now when she found out she was pregnant.
If the child truly belonged to you, how could she have been so frightened?
How could she have wanted to run away so desperately? "
She turned toward me, her eyes filled with sorrow. "Alice, I'm your sister. I don't want to watch you make mistake after mistake..." She choked back a sob. "And I can't hide this from Cedric, allowing the royal bloodline to be tainted."
I slowly turned my head toward Cedric. His face had already turned completely dark. His eyes burned with overwhelming rage, and his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles cracked.
"Alice, you..." His voice sounded as if it had been forced out through gritted teeth. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?"
An explanation? What else could I possibly explain? I thought mockingly in my heart. In my previous life, I had desperately tried to explain. But did you believe me? You had never believed anything except Victoria's words.
I took a deep breath and raised my head to meet his gaze. "I have nothing to say." My voice was calm.
Cedric's pupils suddenly contracted. "Guards!" He roared. "Bring Serena here! Have her verify it!"
"No need." I interrupted him. Everyone turned to look at me.
My heart was beating so fast it felt like it would burst from my chest, but I forced myself to remain calm.
Perhaps... Perhaps this was actually a good opportunity.
An opportunity for me to leave this kingdom early.
I could follow the same script as my previous life, then fake my death in that fire and disappear forever with my child.
Slowly, word by word, I said, "I have nothing to do with Caspar. But the child in my womb is indeed not yours."
The air fell into a deathly silence. Then, an explosive uproar erupted.
"Alice betrayed the King?"
"Execute her!"
An elder stood up, his face filled with fury. "The Queen has betrayed the royal family and betrayed the Moon Goddess! This is a crime punishable by death!"
"Yes! Execute her!"
"Burn this whore!"
The curses surged toward me like a tidal wave. I stood there expressionless, listening to every word.
Cedric stared at me relentlessly. His eyes burned with fury, his chest rising and falling violently, his entire body trembling. But beneath that anger, there was another emotion in his eyes... An emotion I couldn't understand.
"Although matters among your pack have nothing to do with me..." Prince Adrian's voice suddenly rang out, breaking the deadlock. Everyone turned toward him.
He was still standing there, a playful smile lingering on his lips. "But I have already invited her. So tonight, she must dance with me." He pointed at me, then looked toward Cedric. "I believe your pack is not the kind that breaks its word, correct?"
Cedric's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Keep dreaming!" His voice sounded like the roar of a beast. "She will not dance with you!"
"Guards!" He turned toward the soldiers, his voice filled with unquestionable authority. "Take the Queen back to her chambers! As for her punishment, I will decide myself."