Rebellious Love

Part 22

"Abigail..." Edward uttered quietly, his voice barely audible as he looked at her. His thoughts were suddenly filled with curiosity, trying to discern what she was thinking. Meanwhile, Mara couldn't help but feel curious about the tension between the two of them.

"Edward?" Mara spoke, attempting to break the silence in the hall. However, before they could say anything further, Abigail raised the cup of wine she was holding.

"To our future," she said, prompting cheers and laughter to fill the surrounding as everyone toasted.

With everyone enjoying, "Philip... I think it's time, let's go," Abigail whispered, her words meant for Philip's ears only.

Before Edward could say anything, I interrupted him by extending my congratulations. This garnered everyone's attention, and the hall fell silent once again.

I locked eyes with Edward, detecting a hint of curiosity in his gaze as he tried to discern why I had halted him. But I couldn't afford to fail. This was the right time, the right night, to persuade his Majesty and ensure our plan continued.

I had already failed everyone by disappearing and compromising the values my people held dear. I couldn't risk losing more because of this.

"Philip... I think it's time, let's go," I whispered, ensuring only Philip could hear me, before turning away from Edward and leading Philip away.

"So you're going to run away like this?" Edward's voice stopped me in my tracks.

"How long... are you going to deny—"

"There is nothing to deny or hide... everything is as it should be," I cut him off, speaking from a place of resolve. Despite the turmoil in my heart, I couldn't let him ruin the night. It might not matter to him, but to me, it was essential to maintain the facade.

I know... this isn't how it was supposed to turn out, but people are counting on me, on us. I can't even imagine the consequences if we fail because of my foolish decision not to stop him, "Abigail... remember the plan. We can't afford to lose, not tonight," he reminded me in a whisper, his grip on my wrist tightening slightly.

I sighed and squeezed his hand in response. "Don't worry, I've got this," I reassured him, forcing a smile despite the turmoil within me.

He nodded in understanding, fully grasping the gravity of the situation.

"What's going on here? Edward, is there something I don't know?" Mara interjected, injecting drama into the scene. She reached out to Edward's shoulder, hoping to coax him into revealing the truth.

"Shut up, don't meddle," Edward snapped at her, brushing off her touch as he took a step closer to me. There was a palpable anger in his voice, fueled by the mounting tension of the situation.

Without warning, he harshly grabbed my wrist and pulled me closer to him, causing me to wince in pain as his grip tightened around the hand connected to my wounded shoulder.

"Brother, stop it!" Philip's voice rang out, filled with urgency and concern as he attempted to approach us. But Edward swiftly drew his sword from its sheath, brandishing it threateningly at anyone who dared to come near.

Philip stood his ground, ready to defend himself if necessary, but refraining from escalating the situation further.

"Edward, withdraw your sword, now!" Emperor Ling's authoritative voice cut through the tension, commanding his son to cease his reckless behavior.

However, Edward remained defiant, his anger palpable as he shouted at his father, demanding the immediate dissolution of the engagement.

Meanwhile, I hesitated, torn between fighting back and heeding the physician's warning to avoid any sudden movements that could endanger my pregnancy. But seeing Edward's aggression, I knew I had to act swiftly.

Seizing the opportunity while he was momentarily distracted, I stepped into his space and used my elbow to push him off balance. However, my attempt wasn't strong enough, and he maintained his grip on my wrist, refusing to let go.

"Let me go, Edward!" I demanded, struggling against his hold. But he was unyielding, his determination unsettling.

I've never seen him like this before, crossing the line just to get what he wants. It was somehow not him at all, or is it just what I thought.

Everyone's eyes are now on us, some of them felt terrified by the scene, some didn't care less and some were worried.

As the tension escalated, I signaled to a knight standing nearby, silently urging him to intervene. With a swift understanding, he rallied his comrades, positioning themselves strategically around us with their swords drawn, ready to intervene if necessary.

"Was this your plan all along? Did you deliberately sabotage my plan because deep down, you didn't want to marry me?" Edward's accusation hit me like a bolt of lightning, his words dripping with anger and bitterness. But despite his hostility, I remained composed, refusing to let his accusations rattle me.

"I didn't plan any of this, Edward," I responded firmly, meeting his gaze with steely resolve. "I didn't oppose you"

I could feel the weight of everyone's eyes on us, their silent scrutiny adding to the pressure of the moment. But I refused to back down, determined to stand my ground and defend my actions.

"Your impulsive behavior could have put us all in danger," I continued, my voice unwavering. "I couldn't stand by and watch as you risked everything we've worked so hard to protect."

"You called this IMPULSIVE?! You started this, you started everything" His words cut through the tension in the room like a knife, his anger palpable as he lashed out at me. But I refused to let his accusations unsettle me, standing my ground.

"What does he mean... Abigail?" Philip spoke, his curiosity growing as he watched both of us, fighting over something that no one knew what the cause of it.

I turned to face him, seeing the worry etched on his face, and felt a pang of guilt at the sight.

"I'll explain every-"

"She's pregnant with his child!" Luciana cut me off. My eyes widened in disbelief as she let go of those words.

The revelation hung heavy in the air, leaving an uncomfortable silence in its wake. I could feel the weight of everyone's eyes on me, their gazes filled with a mixture of surprise and disbelief. Luciana's words had exposed my secret, laying bare the truth for all to see.

For a moment, I was at a loss for words, my mind racing as I tried to come to terms with what had just been revealed.

How?... Luciana? How did she-

"From the very start, they've been manipulating all of us. Hiding their relationship from us and even using Philip to gain more pow-"

"That is bullshit! Abigail would never do such thing"  Philip opposed, looking straight into my eyes, hoping that the words he heard was all a lie.

Luciana's accusation pierced the tense atmosphere like a blade, her words echoing off the walls of the grand hall. I could feel the weight of her accusation bearing down on me, a heavy burden that threatened to crush me beneath its weight.

But even as her words hung in the air, I refused to back down. I had made my choice, and I was prepared to face the consequences of my actions. Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I met Luciana's gaze with a steely resolve.

"You're wrong, Luciana," I countered, my voice firm and unwavering.

Feeling Edward's grip loosen, I seized the opportunity to knock the sword from his grasp, my swift action catching him off guard. With him disarmed, I balled my fist and aimed a punch at his face, but he managed to block it. Undeterred, I swiftly switched tactics, twisting the hand he used to block my punch before shoving him away.

Without hesitation, I gestured to the knights, silently instructing them to restrain him. Which they quickly did so before he could even do something else.

"Let go of me! I am your Prince, I order you" He yelled angrily.