An Unexpected Proposal

August 13, 2020

"I'm sorry. I should have told you sooner. But I had a sliver of hope. It was just one night. I never imagined the monster could wield its power even as a fetus."

Even if Alicia came to despise him for his confession, he had no right to complain. No one could welcome the existence of a monster carrying the blood of a beast.

And yet, even knowing he might earn her rejection, Cabelenus could not bring himself to accept that child.

The fear of losing Alicia consumed him.

He had tried to remain composed, but the longer she remained unconscious, the deeper his suffering became. Each day she did not wake was another day he drowned in a living hell. He had felt an urge to destroy everything, and yet at the same time, a crushing helplessness rendered him powerless.

He had thought that no matter how much he cherished Alicia, he could still maintain his boundaries.

But he had already crossed that line.

"This incident made it clear. That thing is a monster. It may be quiet now, but there's no telling when it will try to harm you again."

His grip tightened.@@novelbin@@

Alicia stared at his distorted expression, parting her lips slightly, yet no words came out.

The man who had always seemed so unwavering now had cracks in his facade, and it left her parched with unease.

Cabelenus's gaze was trembling.

And Alicia knew all too well what that meant.

"I don't need a child. I only need you."

"Your Highness…"

"I know you're confused. But this is urgent. We need to—"

"What is it that you're so afraid of?"

Alicia met his gaze head-on, her eyes burning with resolve.

Cabelenus's eyes wavered even more.

"…You."

His voice was deep and unsteady, vibrating in her ears.

"You are so fragile that it feels like you’ll disappear at any moment. Even when I think I have you in my grasp, the moment I look away, I fear I will lose you forever. That’s what I’m afraid of. That no matter how desperately I fight, there will come a day when I can no longer hold on to you."

"…"

"Since that day, I've only lived for one thing. I told myself that as long as I achieved my goal, I wouldn’t care what I had to sacrifice. I always chose the fastest path, the most beneficial choice. I've never regretted it. And I never intended to."

Cabelenus shut his eyes tightly before reopening them.

His golden irises shimmered beneath his reddened gaze.

"And yet, here I am. Thinking how utterly foolish I am for making this decision."