The Bleeding Heart

Chapter 18

Pic of Chelsea Staub as Richelle Chalot! =)))

The Bleeding Heart

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Chapter 18

“I love you,” he said, holding both of her hands.  “I love you.  You and I have grown up together and I know that although it took me so long to realize, the person whom I want to spend the rest of my life with is you.  It will always be you…”

She was speechless, her mouth hanging in shock.  It wasn’t possible that he…there is absolutely no way that he’d be in love with her!  No way!  100 percent negative!

The other man in the room widened his eyes, also speechless.  Rage and fear erupted in his body.  He had always been an unreasonable man but confessing one’s undying love to a betrothed woman with her fiancé in the same room, surely, what he will do will be more than justified.

Suddenly, he felt himself lunging at the confessor, his fist connecting the latter’s cheek.

“Theodore!” The woman who was confessed to, Riza Lyle, gasped.  “What are you doing?!  Theodore!”

“How dare you!” Theodore held the man by the collar.  “How dare you confess to her?!”

“Theodore!” Riza shrieked.  “Llionel!  Theodore, put him down!  Put him down!”

“Why are you so bothered?” Llionel arched an eyebrow.  “You don’t even like her.  You always complain about why you have to be engaged to her, of all people.”

“I – I,” Theodore stuttered, loosening his grip.

“Is it wrong for me to confess my feelings to her?” Llionel asked challengingly. 

“You – ” Theodore clenched his fist.

“Theodore!  Stop it!”

“Riza!” A woman waved a hand in front of the dazed queen.

Riza’s head snapped up and she blinked a few times, “Oh, I’m sorry Thalia, I was…distracted.”

“Well, obviously,” Thalia said, sipping her tea.  “What were you thinking?”

“Um…about the time when Llionel confessed,” Riza bit her lip, smiling sheepishly.

“Ah,” Thalia nodded.  “”You liked the fact that two men were fighting over you, no?”

“Come on,” Riza dismissed.  “One claimed he hates my guts and the other was fake-confessing.”

“Fake-confessing?” Thalia arched an eyebrow, chuckling.  “Is that even a word?  I should check my dictionary…”

“Shut up!” Riza laughed.  “You and Llionel planned that confession!  Don’t act all innocent!”

“Planned it?” Thalia feigned innocence.  “Why would I plan to bring Theo and Riza together?  Their relationship is none of my business!  And for you to imply that I actually forced my own fiancé to confess to a betrothed woman, especially the woman betrothed to the future king, I am insulted!”

“Stop it!” Riza covered her mouth with a hand, trying hard not to laugh out loud.  “You were satisfied with the result then?”

“Of course,” Thalia giggled.  “I mean, finally!  You both were so in denial, I had to step up.  And convincing Llionel to take part in my plan wasn’t really that much of a problem.”