✓ | REBIRTH OF THE REBEL [Book Two]

CHAPTER 17

"You won't lose me, your grace. I will not go anywhere anymore," I said while showing nothing but truth in my eyes. "I don't want to lose our child, that's why I will stop being a bad cat and listen to my husband's request."

He let out a chuckle before he removed his head from my legs. "I did not wish for you to get hurt, but I'm glad that it made an accord between us."

Napasimangot ako. "But you have to tell me every step of your plan. Kailangan alam ko lahat, dahil kapag hindi...hindi mo talaga magugustuhan ang gagawin ko."

"Alright, it's the Duchess' orders."

My eyes shrunken when his voice sounded untrue. Imbis na patulan ko ang sinabi niya ay napapikit na lamang ako. "What happened to me?"

Roshan wet his lips before his eyes moved away. He clasped his hands together while lowering his head. I began to feel his heavy aura and I tried to move my hand to reach for his arm.

"Roshan..."

"I failed, I came back late."

"What happened?" pag-aalala na tanong ko.

"Someone tried to assassinate you," he replied. Hinawakan niya ang kamay ko na nakahawak sa braso niya. "Wince said they must have come from the Capital. I sent an investigator to gather the intel if it's true. If it turned out as we expected, I..."

"Don't," I immediately said. "I know it's not the Emperor."

He looked at me. "Are you certain?"

"Are you doubting his Majesty? Above everything else, the Emperor can do much better than that. He can summon us by force if he wishes but he doesn't, and assassination is a dumb act to kill an assassin." Lumapit ako sa kanya at inilapat ang aking baba sa kanyang balikat. "The Emperor is the least person on our list that can turn out to be our enemy."

"How certain are you?" he asked.

Lumayo ang ulo ko. "In the past, he listened to you. He didn't order the Phoenixes because you wished to handle me on your own, which caused the Imperial Palace to crumble in fire."

"He didn't?" he said, trying to grasp the idea of my revelation.

"I am sorry for killing everyone you love in the past, your grace. This is the reason why I can't be with you, because of guilt. I killed the Emperor in front of the Empress without remorse. I allowed the death of Annika without faltering and I even cursed her to death because you almost killed me when she died. I'm so sorry," mahabang salaysay ko habang tumutulo ang aking mga luha. "I don't deserve you because I hurt you more than you hurt me. I took everything from you, and I don't want that to happen in this life. That's why I asked for divorce. Your life will be better if I'm not with —"

I was stopped by the traditional way of stopping a woman from her speech; a kiss. It was short, but it was enough for me to long for more. However, he eventually leaned back from my face. "You are my everything now, wife. Don't take my everything away," he said between our kisses.

Our kiss went deep. Napaikot ang mga kamay ko sa kanyang leeg at itinaas niya ako para pumatong sa kanyang mga hita. I can taste longing in his mouth and the familiar affection that sometimes baffles me. I give in, in the same way he craves for me.

His lips latched away, but our body didn't.

"It's the past, wife. You knew the consequences of that action and now you wish to avoid it. In our past life, you were forced to act against your own will. It's not something to feel guilty for since you are now atoning for it."

"Are you truly not mad?" I asked.

"I am mad at myself," he replied. Pinagtagpo niya ang aming mga noo at agad itong napapikit. "I hurted you in our past lives, and I hurted you even in this life. I am mad that I l-laid my hands on you m-multiple times. I feel ashamed that every time I remember holding you, a thought always lingers that I hurt this hand; I hurt this cheeks; I hurt these shoulders; this skin...I hurt you..."