Pyramids: The Gateway to Stars

Chapter XLVIII

She tried to withdraw but his hold was far too strong for her. She grumbled. “Sargon… m-my hand.”

Yet he still didn't let her go. Instead, he squeezed it a bit more, making her gaze at him with a trace of fear. I also felt alarmed from his sudden change of mood.

Why did his genetic madness have to act up now?

He eyed her directly. “Divorce him, Habibah.”

“What?”

“I can treat you better. Babylon can treat you way better.”

She stared at him, utterly confused and frightened. Her lips paled. Despite his kind words, the aura that exuded around him made her knees tremble. Plus the fact, his hand around her wrist as becoming too tight, probably leaving a mark in her.

“Sargon… please let me go.”

She shook her hand to get away but he just pulled her closer, wrapping his arm around her waist possessively.

Their faces became inches away from each other. He then whispered. “You're a nice girl, aren't you, Habibah? Be my Queen.”

He leaned down.

But before he could even press his lips to hers, she found the strength to push him away.

“I… I need to go.” She hurriedly passed by him and marched through the aisle of shelves, planning to leave.

“Habibah!” he shouted across the room. “You're coming back, right?”

She halted; she was already a few meters away from him.

“I haven't fulfilled my promise yet,” he continued, smirk creeping his lips. “The antidote is almost finished,” he sang that statement as if teasing her.

She shut her eyes and clasped her chest. “I,” she said loudy, “I no longer need it.”

With that, she continued walking and left the library completely. But it didn't escape from me the smug smile plastered on Sargon's face while staring at the aisle where she dashed off.

He pulled out a stick of cigarette and put it in his lips as he smirked. “You'll come back, you'll see,” he mumbled. He sounded so sure, it made me annoyed.

Yet dang him, he was right.

Queen Meritites I, the first royal wife, eventually gave birth to a boy. Then it followed the marriage of King Khufu and Queen Henutsen who was later hailed as the third queen. With everything that had been happening, it seemed that nothing went according to Habibah's plan; those days turned into a living hell for her.

The series of events were as if a painful slap to her face that: with her infertile body, she can never belong to the palace, to the royal family… or even to him.

Queen Henutsen was also very well aware of that.

In front of Queen Habibah stood the other queen who seemed to be the same person who'd slowly take away everything she worked hard for.

She leaned down her body toward her, a mocking smirk creeping in her lips. Her gaze was as if she was looking down at a mere slave.

Offended and hurt, Habibah bit her lip, tilting her head to avoid her eyes.

She then whispered. “You can never bear a child, Habibah.” Her voice was filled with grit as though trying to engrave such words to her mind.

People like her… really have the hobby of pointing out things that someone already knows.

This memory seemed familiar to me.

To add more salt, she caressed her stomach. Habibah noticed this gesture and a flicker of pain again crossed her face. They already did it? She wanted to be in denial but Henutsen continued.