“No.” I spun back to face him.
He took a step closer.
“Stop.” I held up a hand to keep him at a distance. “Just stop.”
‘I can’t stop, Sabi. I’ve tried.”
The nickname broke something inside me. “Don’t call me that.”
“Why not?”
“Because it hurts.”
The raw honesty in my own voice surprised me. Caelan’s face crumpled slightly.
“I never wanted to hurt you,” he whispered. “That was the last thing I ever wanted.”
“But you did hurt me.” My voice was steady now, matter-of-fact. “And I can’t go through it again.”
Caelan’s POV
“Sable, about everything between us, I need to tell you the truth-“
My phone rang. Edward’s name flashed across the screen.
Sable was already moving toward the door.
“Wait, I- I looked at the screen again, Edward’s name glowing insistently.
But Sable was gone. The door swung shut behind her, leaving me alone with the shrill sound of my ringtone.
I stared at Edward’s name for another second before accepting the call.
“Edward, you better have a very good reason for interrupting me.”
“Your Majesty, Marcus is in trouble. He attempted suicide in the dungeons.”
My blood went cold. “What?”
“He learned about Lucian’s death. Somehow the guards were discussing it within earshot. Marcus grabbed a sharp piece of stone and slashed his wrists. He lost significant blood before anyone found him.”
I drew in a slow breath. “What’s his condition?”
“The dungeon medics say he’s out of immediate danger, but he’s still unconscious. Your Majesty, which hospital should we transfer him to?
I glanced toward the door where Sable had disappeared. “Bring him to Sable’s hospital. I’m already here.”
“Understood. We’ll depart immediately,”
I walked outside to wait. The hospital entrance was stark under the fluorescent lights, all concrete and glass without warmth.
The minutes crawled by. I checked my watch repeatedly, paced the length of the sidewalk, tried not to think about the conversation I’d just ruined with Sable.
He’s punishing me or punishing himself?
After fifteen minutes, the ambulance arrived. They wheeled Marcus through the emergency doors on a stretcher, his face gray against the white sheets. An hour later, the doctors moved him to a private room.
The medical team left us alone. Marcus stirred, his eyelids fluttering open.
“You…” His voice was barely audible.
“You’re awake. How do you feel?”
His eyes focused gradually, sharpening into familiar hatred. “You still have the nerve to ask how I feel?”
“The doctors said you nearly died.”
Marcus let out a bitter laugh. “Maybe death would be preferable.”
“Tell me. What the guards said about Lucian-is it true?”
I waited, watching his face.
“You want to hear what answer?”
“The truth. Did you kill him?”
‘Yes.’
Tears of rage filled his eyes. “You monster! How could you!”
“You didn’t even let me see him one last time! He was my son!”
Marcus struggled to sit up higher, his voice rising. “You know what you are? You’re a murderer!”
“He tried to kill Sable. I was returning the favor.”
“He was your brother! Blood should mean something!”
“Brother?” I kept my voice level. “When did he ever treat me like one?”
“You were jealous of him from the beginning! Jealous that he had my love!”
“Your love?” Something cold settled in my chest. “What love?”
“You destroyed everything! Destroyed our family!”
“Did I destroy this family? Or did you?”
“I should have seen your true nature years ago! You and your mother-both of you cold-blooded!”
“Don’t mention my mother.”
“Why not? She was just as selfish! Only cared about competing for my attention!”
Marcus suddenly grabbed the glass from his bedside table. ‘You don’t deserve to live!
He hurled it at me with surprising force.
I dodged sideways, but glass fragments caught my cheek. Blood trickled down my face.
“You’re insane.
“Yes! I’m insanet Because of you!
I touched the cut on my face, my fingers coming away red. “Why? Why didn’t you ever love me?
“Love you?” Marcus’s laugh was harsh. What reason did you give me to love you?”
‘I’m your son too! Your blood runs through my veins!”
“But you’re not the son I wanted.”
879
“You know what I did as a child? Just to get you to look at me once?”
“I don’t want to hear your complaints.”
My voice cracked despite my efforts to control it. “I studied constantly, trained relentlessly, tried to be the perfect heir…”
“That was your obligation.”
“I thought if I tried harder, if I was better, you might love me…”
“The love you wanted, I couldn’t give.”
“When I was six, do you know what my greatest wish was?”
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