Kai was pissed. He still couldn't believe Kaiden let her go. Now he was suffering, because he missed her so damn much. This past week, he missed her bright smile, her stern and stubborn but teasing attitude, her soft lips...
Instead, he was dealing with Charlotte's verification. Kaiden had wrote letters to Lenore's and Charlotte's alibis, to bring them in. For Charlotte, he wrote to her father, the inventor. For Lenore, he wrote the the viscount, Luther Hollingsworth. Both had a credible reputation.
Today, the inventor was going to come. If Charlotte was proven to be who she claimed to be, she would be allowed to return home. After all, she was in love with Sebastian and would no longer be any use to Kaiden, even if he didn't like Belle more.
And today, Belle was supposed to return. He didn't know when, but she had promised it would be today. He wasn't sure how long her journey was but she would probably get back to the castle in the afternoon. Even perhaps at night.
All day, while he was supposed to be getting ready to greet the inventor, he had been thinking of what he'd do once Belle came back. Kaiden had stolen the goodbye so he would take the welcome back.
Kai was going to kiss her crazy before admitting how much he missed her. He would whine to her, no matter how unmanly that would make him, about how he barely interacted with the other three girls, consequently making him bored without her company.
Charlotte and Lenore held no interest to him and Kaiden. Valencia, however, was still a vixen and was too alluring for comfort. But neither him nor Kaiden fell for her trap.
Not that he was going to tell Belle about any of that.
A knock on the door made Kai open his eyes.
"Dearie? There's a visitor," Mary's voice sounded from the other side if the door. The inventor must be here.
Kai sighed. He would have to temporarily relinquish control to Kaiden now. Mary was still a little uncomfortable around him, although she was getting better. However, there was no need to be around the inventor. After all, he had terrified him the first time.
Kai remembered that when he took Charlotte, he had done it by bargaining with her father. He had threatened the inventor to allow his daughter to stay with him until the end if the year, in exchange for keeping his family's life. The inventor had been sworn to secrecy and had been forced to tell Charlotte that the duke had offered her a stay at his castle.
It was a wonder that the inventor agreed to see him again. Even though he didn't know about the difference between him and Kaiden. But in the letter, Kaiden did explain that he could take back his daughter.
Kai transitioned and let Kaiden take control. His eyes blurred from a blazing gold to a bright green.
"I'll be right there. Can you go get Charlotte for me?" Kaiden called, getting up to his feet. He tugged on his thin jacket, straightening it up so that he was more presentable.
He made his way out of the room and down to the waiting room, where Charlotte's father was waiting. The only reason he knew that he was there was because Mary usually told people to wait there.
Kaiden put on his calm and controlled persona, convincing himself that things will go his way. It was highly unlikely that something could go wrong but it was always nice to have a pep talk.
He already had a little chest full of valuables, for the inconvenience of taking Charlotte away for a few months. It was bribery, and he knew it, but the man should be happy: he gets a sum of money and his daughter back.
It was there when he realized a small, stupid detail.
He silently groaned to himself. Charlotte already proved herself to be who she claimed to be. Kai had threatened her father, in her house. Not Agatha's little cottage in the dark of the woods. And he definitely didn't threaten a witch's family either.
At least he wouldn't need to interrogate the old man.
With that realization, came another one. There were now two suspects left: Lenore and Valencia. But who was more likely to be Agatha in disguise?
"Your Grace," the inventor started, interrupting his thoughts about Agatha. "For what reason have I been summoned for?"
"I've called you here so that you can take back your daughter and so that you can be compensated for her temporary loss," Kaiden replied, gesturing to the small chest on the side of the room.
And just as if it was planned, Charlotte entered the room as he finished speaking. Her eyes widened when she saw her father.
"Papa!" she ran over and hugged him.
"Charlotte," her father replied, almost like a sob. "My darling daughter."
As her father chittered to her, Kaiden wondered if this was the reaction Annabelle's family had when they saw her. If it was, and Annabelle's reaction was just as happy as Charlotte's, it was worth it to let her go, at the expense of missing her.
After they exchange their small words, Charlotte turned to him and walked over, giving him a hug. "Thank you," she whispered.
"You're welcome," Kaiden replied. "It's the first thing I should have done, considering that you've been here for a long time. I hope the stay here wasn't too miserable for you," he finished awkwardly.
He didn't do this farewell speech with Elise and Elizabeth. In fact, he just lied and had told them that the marquis wanted them back. Then, he had gave them a simple farewell.
"There were more good moments than bad. I have you to thank for meeting Seb," Charlotte replied, smiling. "I did like you very much at first, but I couldn't handle Kai - I'm sorry for that - and Seb came into the picture."
It was strange. Kaiden never thought he'd see the day where he was completely fine hearing a woman he had courted saying that she chose Sebastian over him. If it had been at the start of the whole competition, he would have been furious. But, the only thing that was making it fine was that it wasn't Annabelle.
Annabelle was his and he wasn't going to let her go, especially to the likes of his brother. Luckily, Sebastian was equally enamoured with Charlotte. But his predicament was going to be a problem between them...
"Good luck, with Sebastian," Kaiden said.
"The same goes to you with Belle," she replied, surprising him. Was he that obvious? "I know you really like her and she returns your affections."
He blinked, thinking about her, once again. Everything that Charlotte said was correct, but it reminded him of what Sebastian had said. Those two minds were awfully similar; they matched pretty well.
"Just know that if you break her heart, I will come back here and break your face," Charlotte threatened sweetly.
Kaiden fought the urge to laugh. "You don't need to worry about that. I don't plan to break her heart. And if I do, there will already be a line of people to come hurt me," he admitted.
"I hope you don't. Otherwise I'll budge in front of everyone," Charlotte sounded serious and light at the same time. "Goodbye Kaiden. Take care of yourself. And Belle."
"Goodbye Charlotte, it was a pleasure meeting you," Kaiden said, feeling her arms release him from the hug.
Charlotte smiled and returned to her father, helping carry the small chest of valuables so that her father wouldn't have to carry it. Then, they both left.
Kaiden walked towards the window, watching it snow outside. The fluffy white powder spread across his entire view. White, and an occasional brown, was the only colors outside. And the heavy grey of the clouds and sky.
There was only a month left until the end if the year. A month before the curse was either broken or permanently kept. A month at which Agatha was still there, and could possibly ruin his life.
But there were questions that came to his head at those thoughts. The first regarded the curse. Kai had certainly dampened when Annabelle gifted him with her company. He wasn't the destructive, chaotic beast he was months ago. Kaiden also grew to like the sarcastic banter between them, in their head.
As strange as all of that sound, what was stranger was the conclusion: he wasn't sure if he wanted to break the curse anymore. Kaiden probably would've laughed if someone told him even a month ago that he'd feel that way.
The next question regarded Agatha. She had been there for months, yet the only thing she did was leave a note. Nothing magically destructive happened in the last four and a half months happened.
Yes, the letter had been taunting, but was it truly harmful? Did Agatha even want to harm him anymore? Was it possible that she backed off? Was it truly necessary to find out who she was disguising as?
But he needed to know. It would tantalize him if he didn't. But when he found her, what would he say? An apology, and maybe even a thank you. For teaching him humility, for giving him a chance to meet Annabelle, who saw past his flaws.
Coincidentally, as he thought of Annabelle, he saw a figure in light red on the road. A figure that was on a horse, nearing the castle.
Annabelle.
Excuse me while I take back control, Kai muttered from inside. Kaiden protested but Kai said, You owe me.
Kaiden sighed and reluctantly transitioned, letting Kai take back control.
As soon as Kai took control, he used his speed to rush to the door. He realized that Annabelle still had to lead the horse to the barn and put her stuff if her room.
But he needed her now.
So he rushed to find Lucy and Mary. It probably took him less than a minute to find them both and give them instructions. He told Lucy to accommodate the horse and Mary to pick up Belle's stuff.
As soon as he gave his orders, he sped back to the door. But not before he saw the exchange of looks between Mary and Lucy, as if they were proud of something. Or someone.
He didn't even bother to put on a coat as he went outside into the snow. The flakes melted as soon as they reached him, making his hair damp.
When he saw her, she was already leading the horse back into the stables. Her familiar brown curls tumbled over her coat. The gentleness in the way she treated the horse struck him. The side of her face, her nose, her lips was in his view. He missed her so much.
He breezed behind her and slid his arms around her waist. She jumped in surprise. Kai gently pressed his lips to the back of her neck.
"Welcome back, luv," he murmured, his nose in her hair. "You don't know how much I've missed you."
"Kai," she whispered, turning around within his embrace. She hooked her arms around his neck. He missed her touch.
"Come back inside. You must be cold and exhausted," Kai said, leading her back to the castle.
"What about the horse and my things?" she asked, although not resisting. Belle did look tired. Probably from the long journey.
"I've already got that solved, don't worry about it," Kai insisted. "You can go rest."
Her eyes blinked sleepily as he dragged her along. So he reached over and picked her up by the feet so that her entire body was in his arms.
"What are you doing?" she asked, surprised that she wasn't touching the ground anymore.
"Carrying you," he said in a matter-of-fact voice. Like a princess, he didn't add.
"Kai, I can walk myself," she insisted, squirming a little.
"Hush," Kai said. "Just let me hold you." He decided against complaining to her and kissing her senseless. At least, for now.
Belle relaxed and clung to him, her hands gripping his shoulders. Her head nestled against his chest, her eyes closing in comfort.
Kai passed Lucy and Mary on the way indoors. They both smiled at the sight of Belle in his arms.
He carried her all the way to his bedroom. Kai didn't want her to know that Charlotte left yet. Also, he wanted her to be close by, rather than in the other hallway.
Gently, he set her on the bed. But Belle didn't want to let him go, she clung to him, dragging him down with her. Slightly surprised, Kai found himself joining her on the bed. He had to lower himself slowly so that he didn't squash her.
When he settled on his side, Belle turned to her side and buried herself against his chest. Her nearness made his heart stutter and his breath catch. If he stayed there, he wouldn't know if he'd be able to control himself.
"Don't leave me," she murmured into his chest. Kai obeyed and wrapped one of his arms around her, holding her against him. He, in turn, buried his face in her hair again.
Every time she breathed, her body moved against him, rubbing him painfully. He stiffened and held his breath. Damn it. She was torturing him. He had already decided that he would let her rest, but she was making it hard for him.
Her hands, that had been resting on his chest, slid down. Kai drew his breath. Was she awake? He tilted his head and saw that her eyes were closed. He looked at her eyelashes, which appeared to be resting on her cheek. Her breathing was even, which he felt.
She was so beautiful.
"I love you Belle," he felt his mouth move without his permission. His eyes widened automatically.
What did he just whisper? Did he just admit his feelings for her? His heart stopped for a moment and he looked at her again. She still looked peacefully asleep.
He was silently thankful that she didn't hear him. It wasn't that he didn't love her, which he now realized he did, it was just that he wasn't sure if she was ready to hear it.
But he loved her. Every single part of her, even the occasionally irritating stubbornness of hers. Her faith and trust in him, the way she smiled at him, kissed him. The way she was kind and passionate, loving and caring. Selfless and dedicated, observant and intelligent.
"Kai," she sighed in her sleep. His control shattered when she said that, making his hand slip so that it was now resting at her hip.
All he wanted to do right now was kiss her senseless so that all she could say was his name. And as much as he wanted to be selfless and let her rest, he couldn't. She was too irresistible.
Don't give in. Don't give in.
But Kai couldn't hold himself back anymore. He moved his head so that his lips touched her cheek. It was something small, something that could give some sort of release from his pent up tension. But the small, light kisses lasted for a few minutes before they started going towards the more sensitive parts of her head.
Belle stirred a little, tilting her face towards him. She made a small noise as he continued to kiss her along the side of her face, her jaw, her ear.
Her eyelashes fluttered open. "What are you doing? You woke me up," she asked, slightly groggily.
"I'm being selfish and greedy," Kai responded honestly, before shifting his body so that he was hovering over her. His limbs encaged her, although she wasn't alert enough to process it. His mouth returned to her skin, this time on her neck.
Belle stiffened under him, before arching into him, holding him closer. Her body seemed to be more awake now as he sucked on her neck. He was careful to avoid breaking her skin with his slightly sharpened teeth. Her skin was so soft and she tasted heavenly.
Her hands moved so that they grabbed his face and pulled him up so that his lips met hers. He kissed her back, before nipping her bottom lip. His hand slipped under her knee, lifting it up so that it could wrap around him.
Kai moved down to her collarbone, unbuttoning her coat and removing it so that he could kiss the curve of her shoulder. She squirmed underneath him, letting out a gasp when he ripped her shirt open.
Belle panted and her face turned to a deep shade of red as her hands went to grab the ripped shirt, in effort to cover herself. Kai held her hands, and gently coaxed them to let go, telling her that she was beautiful.
"I want to memorize every inch of you," Kai whispered huskily. She relaxed, letting him know that he could return to what he had been doing. He moved down, grabbing the side of her legs.
His lips brushed against her stomach, his nose tracing along her skin. Her breathing grew louder as he slowly traveled up her body with his lips. He could feel her heart racing. His own was erratic.
"Kai," she moaned, gripping his back tightly and fidgeting. His own hands were resting on her bare waist, trembling because he didn't want to hurt her.
But when Belle sensed that he was slightly pulling back, she pressed herself against him, repaying the favor as she unbuttoned his shirt. Her fingers kept brushing against his skin, making his breath ragged and irregular.
Her touch was killing him.
When she finished with all the buttons, he took the shirt off and threw it on the floor. Kai groaned as their skin touched. It was the first time they had been skin to skin.
Lucky bastard, Kaiden muttered from within. But Kai tuned him out.
Belle rolled him over so that she was straddling him. She splayed her fingers across his abs as she kissed the area near his heart. His breath hitched and he clenched the sheet in his hand, leaning his head back.
Her hands slid down, sending a trail of heat and pleasure where she touched his skin. He felt like he was drifting away. Or about to break and lose control. She was like a dream, a fantasy really.
When she tugged on top of his pants, he growled and flipped her over.
"You are walking a very dangerous and thin line, luv," he growled again, after catching his breath. His self control was nearly undone, and it would be shattered if any more clothing came off.
He looked straight into her heavy-lidded jade eyes, which were dark with desire. His own must've been more wild. And one of them was starting to turn green.
"I want you," she breathed, sending a little thrill through him. He would give her the world if she asked it of him. But he didn't want to force her or misunderstand anything.
"Are you sure?" Kai asked after a few heartbeats. "I don't want to pressure you."
"I want you to be my first and only," she replied seriously. Another heartbeat.
Her first, Kaiden echoed within. You will definitely owe me after this. You better be happy that I'm giving you most of the control. Most.
Kai ignored him and focused on what Belle said. She was giving herself to him, like she had done with no other man. And she wanted him, and only him. Well, along with Kaiden.
"If it's your wish luv," Kai said, leaning down to kiss her more passionately. She returned it with an equal amount of electricity.
He bared his soul to her and she did the same. And for the rest of the night, his only thoughts were of Belle and his love for her.
❤~~~❤~~~❤~~~❤~~~❤~~~
❤~~~❤~~~❤~~~❤~~~❤~~~
Belle smiled when she woke up and noticed that her gorgeous, magnificent man was lying right next to her.
She shifted a little closer, placing her hand on his bare chest and pressing her body against his side. He was so warm and comfortable. His breathing was even, his heart beat was normal, and she could feel them both.
He, well, both of them, had been...amazing. Belle blushed slightly as she remembered. When she had woken up to his kisses, she had thought that she was still in a dream. But it had been too intense to be one.
She wondered if she was dreaming now. Belle pressed her lips against his skin, feeling him twitch. His eyes drowsily started to open, revealing an emerald color.
"Annabelle?" his voice was deep and rough, sounding like he just woke up, which he did.
"Kaiden," she whispered back, watching him grow more alert. He turned to his side, facing her and wrapping his arm around the side of her bare waist. The brush of his arm tickled her.
He buried his nose on the curve where her neck met her shoulder, his lips rested on her collarbone. The fluttering sensation returned in her stomach.
Her arms automatically went to wrap around him, clutching him.
"You feel so good," he murmured, his voice vibrated against her skin. He was the one that felt good.
She closed her eyes, focusing so intently that when she heard a gasp, she thought it was her own.
But when Kaiden stiffened and cursed, pulling up the covers and turning around, Belle opened her eyes. What had Kaiden stopped for?
Her face flamed when she saw Mary at the door, whose eyes were widened as she took in the scene before her. Mary's face turned into a dark shade of pink that must've matched her own. Their eyes met and Belle wanted to die of embarrassment.
"Uh...sorry...I thought, when you didn't answer, that you were just too lazy to answer or still...sleeping," Mary stuttered. "I just wanted to notify you that the other visitor is here."
The old maid whirled around and all but ran out of the room.
Kaiden groaned and rolled away from her so that he was on his back and his hands were covering his face. Belle planted her face in a pillow, trying to convince herself that she didn't humiliate herself.
Oh, that was so embarrassing. How was she going to face Mary ever again? Especially after she caught them in an...indecent situation.
Kaiden seemed to recover quickly though because he hopped out of bed and walked to his closet. Belle's face was still warm when she sat up, clutching the blanket to her body.
She was still mortified.
~~~
Kaiden put on his pants and buttoned up his shirt, cringing at what just happened. Mary was basically his surrogate mother.
And she had caught him in bed with Annabelle.
He tried to erase that thought by focusing on the second part of Mary's announcement. He had completely forgotten that the viscount was going to come in the morning today.
And the fact that Luther Hollingsworth was already here, waiting for him was a problem. What kind of duke, or person anyhow, was late to a meeting that was in their own home?
Kaiden rushed out of his closet and glanced at the beautiful woman who was still in his bed, pausing.
"I have to go see someone in my office. Why don't you go dress up, m'Belle?" he said. "Also, could you possibly bring Lenore to my office? I don't think I can face Mary at the moment."
Belle nodded. "I'll just wear some of your clothes. I don't have to wear a dress every day," she said, mumbling to herself.
As soon as he decided that she was fine, he rushed out and made his way to the office. The only reason why Viscount Hollingsworth was waiting in the office instead of the waiting room was because he had a title and expected a nicer area.
Kaiden hadn't done business with the younger Hollingsworth before. In fact, the last time he dealt with a Hollingsworth was a little over three years ago, but that was when the elder one had the title.
When he entered his office, he saw a blond man facing the bookshelf, with his back towards him.
"Viscount," Kaiden announced his presence. Luther Hollingsworth turned around and walked towards him.
"Pleasure to meet you as well Your Grace, finally," Luther greeted formally, holding out his hand for him to shake. "What business did you call me here for?"
Did he forget to write the purpose of the meeting in the letter he sent him? That's too bad. And Lenore wasn't there yet, so he could engage in small chat for a time being.
"There's a young woman here that claims to be one of your maids. I just wanted to make sure that she is who she claims to be. Furthermore, if she is, I apologize for keeping her away," Kaiden explained.
Luther blinked. "I'm afraid I'm not the best at remembering who is on my staff, as they are always in the background. I'll see if I recognize the woman. And if I do, it is of no problem that she has been here. It's a small service I can offer to the Duke of Wysteria."
That was terrific. Not. Even if Lenore was who she claimed to be, there might be a chance that Luther wouldn't recognize her.
Thinking of Lenore, she still wasn't here. Rather than wait around in silence, Kaiden started to make small talk. But Luther beat him to the punch.
"Are those...love bites on your neck?" he asked, almost smirking.
Kaiden's eyes widened and his hand flew to his neck. Damn it. Last night had been rough. And yet another person had witnessed personal matters.
"I had a long night," he found himself saying. There was no point in denying it.
Luther let out a forced laugh. "You're a lucky man then. The woman I love plays hard to get," he muttered, sounding disappointed.
Kaiden felt bad for the man. Love could ruin someone. And that's something he personally knew.
"Sorry, that's a shame. I wish you luck," Kaiden wasn't exactly sure what to say. He was just killing time.
Luther regained his composure at the sound of pity. "I don't need luck. I know she is just playing with me. And I'm fine with that because she will be my wife," he stated confidently.
Kaiden was taken aback. Luther's fiancée liked to play hard to get? Why on earth would she do that if they're already engaged?
"She sounds...strange," Kaiden remarked.
"Oh, she is an odd one, I'll give you that. Her nose is either stuck in a book or in a flower. And when it's neither, she's either surrounded by small obnoxious children or her equally annoying sisters," Luther ranted.
Kaiden thought about how he described his fiancée. She reminded him an awful lot like Annabelle. Although he didn't think she was odd.
They both liked to read, they both had sisters. Annabelle had been in charge of gardening so she must have some sort of affinity for flowers. And whenever she talked about her young nephews, she always sounded fond and caring.
And while he was thinking about her, he wondered what was taking her so long to get Lenore.
"I'm sorry for the delay," Kaiden said, switching topics. "The young woman should be here any second."
It probably wasn't even a minute after he said that when he heard them coming. Kaiden straightened up a little.
"That should be them," Kaiden announced. The footsteps grew louder and closer.
"Them? I thought there was one young woman," Luther questioned, looking at the door.
"Yes, but she's being escorted by someone," Kaiden answered as Lenore walked.
Lenore looked slightly confused, especially once she saw Luther. Annabelle trailed in after, staring and smiling at Kaiden.
Kaiden stared and smiled back at her, holding her gaze, but still presented Lenore. "This is the woman that I was talking about. You might know her as-"
"Anna," Luther whispered, interrupting him. Kaiden froze. Anna? Annabelle stiffened as well.
Kaiden quickly glanced back at the viscount, wondering who he was staring at. That was quickly answered when Luther strode across the room to embrace Annabelle, who looked shocked.
As surprised as Kaiden was, he was more angry. His blood boiled as he saw another man embrace his Annabelle. Why the hell was he touching her? How did he know her?
"Anna, love, is this where you've been hiding? I already told you, as my wife, you wouldn't need to work. Especially for another man," Luther said out loud to her, making Kaiden freeze.
Wife? Love? This almost seemed like déjà vu, but worse.
Annabelle's widened eyes darted to Kaiden, as if she was trying to communicate her confusion. She looked back at Luther and pushed him away.
"Kaiden, this isn't what you think," she spoke in a rushed speed, striking dread into him. He stayed still.
"Kaiden?" Luther raised his voice. "Why are you referring him by his name? Are you his lover? Were you the one that gave him all of those love bites?" he shouted, looking furious.
Annabelle looked at Kaiden, pleading with her eyes. "It truly doesn't mean anything," she said, ignoring Luther.
"The hell it doesn't!" Luther yelled again, making both women flinch. "My future wife can't have a lover on the side!"
A furious look came onto Annabelle's face. She whirled around, yelling, "I'm not your wife, Luther. Not will I ever be. How many times do I have to reject you and your proposal before you get the message? I. Don't. Want. To. Marry. You. Ever! I don't love you, I don't even remotely like you."
It took Kaiden a few seconds to process the information.
Luther claimed that she was his future wife, but Annabelle said that she rejected his proposal. He didn't know who was telling the truth. However, he knew Annabelle better. She had yet to lie to him. And she hadn't reacted well to Luther's presence.
"Tell me Anna, what has he done to you?" Luther demanded reaching forward, grabbing her arm.
Kaiden instantly became pissed off at the way he grabbed her. "Excuse me? I haven't done anything to her that she didn't want me to do," his voice was low and deadly, aimed towards the other man. "Now, take your hands off her," he ordered.
If Luther didn't remove his hand from her arm, Kaiden would go over and forcibly do it for him. And break his wrist while he was at it.
The viscount glared at him but dropped her arm from his grip. "Fine. Just know that I don't appreciate how you are her lover," he snarled, "She's my woman."
Kaiden moved toward him, noticing that he was taller than the viscount by a few inches. That was good, because he needed to flaunt his power and higher status.
"Annabelle is not your woman. She is free to be herself and she belongs to herself," he growled back at him.
As much as he wanted to make his claim on Annabelle, he didn't want to be a hypocrite. Besides, he really did think she belonged to herself.
"Now why don't you excuse yourself. This meeting is over," Kaiden's voice was cold and punctual.
"You will regret this. She will be mine," Luther hissed back, quietly so only he could hear.
Then, he turned around and stormed out of the room.
The tense atmosphere relaxed a little bit. Lenore looked confused and unsure of what to do. Annabelle looked torn between elation and anger.
Kaiden himself was glad that the viscount left. But his question never got answered. All Luther gave him was doubts: doubt about Lenore and temporary doubt about Annabelle. But he needed to figure out the situation with Annabelle first.
"Lenore, you're excused," Kaiden said gently, forcing himself to calm down.
"Of course, Your Grace." Lenore made her way out of the room, although she gave a quick glance towards Annabelle before she left.
It was silent for a few moments after Lenore left, which must've made Annabelle nervous.
"Come here," he ordered, somewhat stoically. She looked even more unsure.
"Kaiden," her voice was pleading again.
"Just come here." She looked down and reluctantly went to him.
As soon as she was in front of him, he wrapped his arms around her and clutched her to him, closing his eyes. She stiffened in surprise and her eyes must've been widened.
"I believe you," he whispered to her. "I trust you."
Annabelle let out a sob and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face into his chest. "I was so worried that you would believe him."
Kaiden let go of her so that he could cup her face. He used his thumbs to wipe away the few tears that snuck out of her eyes.
"I know you," he said simply, his face next to hers. He gently kissed her eyelids and her forehead.
❤~~~❤~~~❤~~~❤~~~❤~~~
❤~~~❤~~~❤~~~❤~~~❤~~~
Belle started spending a lot more time with Lenore and Valencia now that Charlotte was gone. She remembered when she found out that Charlotte had gone home, she was a little sad but understood that her friend was probably happier with her family. Because Belle herself had enjoyed going back home.
Belle was reminded of her week stay with her family. Besides that mysterious conversation with Catherine, it had gone smoothly. She spent as much time as she could with her sisters, their family, and her father.
But even in her family's company, she had found herself missing something. Or, rather, someone.
When her father had pleaded her not to leave again, Belle had insisted that she was going to keep her end of the bargain. After all, her father had been allowed to keep the gold that he had gambled for.
Secretly, it just gave her another reason to return. Return to her friends, the library full of books, the castle, and most of all, Kaiden and Kai.
"Are you happy here, Belle?" Lenore asked, bringing her out of her memories.
The corner of her lips lifted in response. "Yes, I really do enjoy your company," she said to both the other ladies.
Valencia rolled her eyes. "No silly, Ms. Shy and Polite here meant to ask if you love Kaiden," she clarified.
Belle's cheeks turned pink. "Yes, I do," she replied, a little nervously. It was the first time she had admitted it out loud to them.
"That's what I thought," Valencia stated, leaning back on the sofa. "You lucky, lucky girl."
"What do you mean?" Belle was confused by why Valencia said that she was lucky.
"Because you're his favorite. My affections are never returned anymore, which is a pity," Valencia drawled, looking at her nails. Belle could sense some sadness behind her nonchalant tone.
In a way, she had forgotten that there were two other people who had feelings for Kaiden as well. She looked at Lenore, trying to figure out her feelings.
Lenore noticed her stare and looked away, but she reluctantly answered her silent question.
"I thought I loved him at one point. But I realize now that I only liked him. Also, now you're the center of his attention," she admitted.
Belle was happy and sad to hear that. Happy that both Lenore and Valencia claimed that Kaiden's attention was focused on her. Sad that their hearts were broken, or at least slightly fractured.
"I'm sorry," Belle said awkwardly, trying to voice out her inner conflict.
"What do you have to be sorry for?" Valencia narrowed her eyes. "You can't stop what you feel for someone. And you definitely can't control other people's actions. I chose to love him. He chose you."
And although her voice was a rough and blunt, Belle received the accepting message. Valencia wasn't mad at her. Yes, she was disappointed, but not angry. Maybe a little jealous, but understanding.
"I'm fine with it. You're a good person for him," Lenore added. Then, she stammered, "Not that Valencia isn't also a good person but-"
"Lenore," Valencia interrupted. "I know you didn't mean it that way."
She sighed in relief, glad that what she had said didn't offend her.
A knock on the door halted their conversation.
"Belle, dearie? Are you in there?" Mary's familiar voice came from the other side.
Even though the older woman had caught her and Kaiden in a delicate situation, she had eventually treated her like normal. That wasn't to say that it took a few days to get used to the fact and try to ignore the image. During that time, all three of them had felt awkward or embarrassed.
Belle rose up from the the ground beside the fireplace and excused herself. She walked over to the door and closed it behind her, now in the hallway, facing the head maid.
"Hello Mary, how are you doing?" Belle greeted. The other woman smiled.
"Just fine, although a tad bit busy," she answered. "I was just going to start preparing dinner and I realized I forgot to pick up the mail. I was just passing through here and I wondered if you could get it and bring it to Kaiden's study."
It was common for Mary to ask little favors of her, so Belle immediately accepted. "I know where his study is but where are the letters dropped off?"
"That's easy. They're right at the front door. Usually the mail carrier shoves the mail through a slot on the right side of the door," Mary informed, before excusing herself to head down to the kitchen. "Thank you, dearie, you're always such wonderful help."
Belle nodded and went down to the front doors.
Maybe there was a letter from Sebastian, like he had promised to write. After all, he should be settled in at the royal court by now. Or at least, physically settled in because she knew that he would have a hard time adjusting socially, based on how he had sounded harsh when he talked about court.
When she got to the area by the front door, she quickly scanned to see where the slot was. Just as Mary had said, it was to the right of the doors. Underneath the slot was a little box that caught all of the mail.
Belle walked forward and grabbed the mail in the box. She quickly skimmed through the pile to see if there was something from Sebastian. When she didn't find any, she turned around and started to leave.
But a loud knock on the front door stopped her. Someone was outside.
Belle walked back to the front door and opened it. When she did, she saw a beautiful woman. Her blonde hair was covered in snow, since her hood wasn't up. Her light blue eyes were shadowed by dark eyelashes. Her entire essence seemed dainty, even though she was a little taller than her.
"Wow, that was awfully fast. I don't think anyone has ever answered the door that quickly," the woman said, smiling at her.
"Um, come in," Belle said, a little hesitant. She wasn't sure what to do if a stranger knocked on the door. Although, if she thought about it, she helped Sebastian, who was a stranger at one point, into the castle.
The woman walked in and Belle closed the door behind her, glad that the winter air wasn't blowing into the castle anymore.
"Do you know where the duke is?" she asked, looking at her and noticing the stack of letters in her arms. "Also, I was told to return this," she continued, holding out a silver hand-held mirror to Belle.
Belle took it and place it on top of the pile of letters. Maybe the woman thought she was one of the maids.
"I think he is in his study right now. I can go check and you can wait down here," Belle answered.
"That's fine, I can go with you," the woman offered, smiling.
Belle turned around and headed toward Kaiden's study, hearing footsteps behind her. That was where she was going anyway to deliver the letters.
Then, she wondered about the silver mirror. Why would anyone want a mirror returned? What was so special about this silver hand-held mirror? Maybe it had magical powers or something, her adventurous mind thought up.
Sort of like the mirror of truth Kaiden had mentioned when he had talked about his past.
Belle's eyes widened. Was she holding the mirror of truth? What kinds of truth could it see, besides the future?
But before she could ponder about it anymore, they arrived at the study. Belle stopped and turned around, telling the other woman to wait outside.
When the woman agreed, Belle turned back around and walked into the study. Just as she had predicted, Kaiden was sitting there, answering letters.
She felt bad as she carried even more letters. It certainly was a duty to be a duke. So many letters and visitors. Maybe one day, she could help him out with the tasks.
"Hey," Belle said softly, grabbing his attention.
Kaiden looked up and smiled at her, but pursed his lips at the stack of letters. "I hope that's not for me," he sighed, knowing well enough that it was.
Belle walked over and set the letters down, with the mirror still on top of it. She noticed his eyes widen and his smile drop when he saw the mirror.
"The mirror of truth," he whispered, confirming her suspicions. Then he looked back up at her. "Where did you get this?"
"Oh yeah, there's a visitor. She brought it and wanted to talk to you," Belle remembered about the woman outside.
Kaiden looked down, thinking. "Can you go put the mirror in that room? I'll give you the key," he said, taking the chain with the key off of his neck and giving it to her, along with the mirror.
Guess she was running errands now.
"Also, you can show the guest up," Kaiden added, standing up to give her a quick kiss. Belle smiled and kissed him back.
"She's actually outside. I'll send her in," she said, taking the mirror and going back into the hallway.
The woman straightened up and looked at her. "You can go in," Belle informed.
"Thank you," the woman replied, going in.
Belle walked away, towards the secret hall. She briefly wondered who the woman was.
But her thoughts wandered to the mirror in her hands. If it could show the truth, does it mean the past as well? And could she only see her own truth? Or ones that others had hidden, like Catherine's cryptic message?
Would she be able to find out what her sister meant?
Belle decided to give it a test. "Show me my mother's face," she ordered, looking at the mirror.
The mirror rippled, making Belle's eyes widen. And then, a familiar face peered at her. It almost looked like her own, but simply older.
Her mother.
She sucked in her breath. It worked. Now it was time to find out what Catherine meant. Time to find out the truth.
"What did Catherine mean? What's the story behind her words?"
The mirror rippled again and started showing her the truth.
~~~
Kaiden stared at Annabelle's back, watching her walk away. It made him wish he could drop all of his work and go make love to her. But alas, there was a visitor there.
He wondered why the witch, or at least, that's who he thought the visitor was, brought back the mirror. He also wondered what else she wanted to discuss.
Footsteps sounded as a woman walked in and she slowly came into view.
His eyes widened. His heart stopped. His breathing slowed.
No. It can't be.
The woman was not who he was expecting. She wasn't the witch.
Her face looked as unchanged and beautiful as the day she broke his heart.
"Genevieve," he whispered.
~~~
Belle watched the truth unfold in front of her.
The mirror rippled, showing an image of a younger Belle, probably around the age of seven. Younger Belle was wandering around in a garden when she saw her mother appear on the edge of the scene.
Belle remembered this scene. In fact, she thought of it the night that Sebastian had arrived.
However, this scene was a little different.
When younger Belle walked over to her mother, the snake in her path wasn't still. It slithered across her way. But younger Belle didn't notice the snake and stepped on it.
The snake, forgetting what it had been doing, assessed the threat and acted according. It's head turned around, hissing before striking the little girl.
The girl, Belle, shrieked in pain. Her mother rushed over to take her child away from the snake, which had slithered away for cover. Her mother scolded her for not paying attention, but there were tears of fear in her eye. Fear for her child.
Present-day Belle was confused. She didn't remember any of this. Or, at least, this version of it. Even the age of the event was off; she looked seven in the vision, not four like she remembered. But she continued watching intently.
The scene changed. Little Belle lay feverishly in her bed, while her mother, her sisters, and a healer surrounded her. Her family had hired the best healer they could find, after all, they could afford it. Pierce's merchant business had made a fortune for the family.
"I can take out the venom, but her fever has to go away by itself," said the healer. The healer placed her hand on younger Belle's forehead, and then pried her eyelids open so that she could examine it.
Younger Belle's eyes flashed between green and violet, flickering different shades of colors. The healer drew in a sharp breath.
"What is it? What's wrong with my Annabelle?" her mother, Sophia Harper, asked.
"This isn't an ordinary snake bite. That snake was enchanted. What is in her now is not venom, but magic. A curse," the healer claimed, stepping away. "This is out of my realm."
"What do I do then?" her mother asked.
"The only way to know what to do is to find the witch or sorcerer who casted the spell," the healer answered. "Even I don't know what this spell will do."
The scene changed once again, fast forwarding to when younger Belle was awake. Or rather, the younger Anna.
Anna, with her violet eyes, sprinted into town in the heat of a tantrum. She scowled as she used her strength to rip a tree out of the ground. The worst side of her was brought out. The other villagers either yelped in fear or ran into their houses.
She had already shattered the windows of some houses, and tore down the siding of some other sheds. A small path of destruction trailed behind her.
Meanwhile, back in her large house, her mother frantically wondered how to tame her daughter's cursed side. It had only been a few weeks since her awakening.
But Belle's personality had completely changed. She was awfully cold and cynical for a child. She had heightened senses and a mood for destruction. Even her sisters were afraid of her.
When Sophia heard a knock on the door, she hurried to it. When she opened the door, she saw a woman her age, with hazel eyes and blonde hair.
"Do you know how to help my daughter?" Sophia asked, wondering who the woman was. Earlier, Pierce had gone out to see if he could find other help.
A solemn look was on the other woman's face. "Unfortunately, I do. I'm the one who put the spell on the snake and let the it loose," she said.
Sophia froze. This was the witch that had cursed her child. "Why would you do that to my daughter? She's just a child!"
"It was an accident," the witch said. "I sent the snake to target someone else. It was supposed to bite someone else. But your daughter startled the animal and its instincts kicked in. I would never purposely harm a child, as I have one myself. My own darling Agatha."
Present-Belle's eyes widened. Agatha? As in the one Kai had wanted her to find? But the question went away as the they continued talking.
"Can you cure her?" Sophia asked, excitedly, even though she just met the woman who had, in a sense, cursed her daughter. The witch cringed.
"Here's where it gets worse. The original curse I casted cannot be revoked. I cannot undo what happened to your daughter," the witch admitted sadly.
A look of devastation came across Sophia's face. "Then, what do we do?"
"I can't reverse it, but I can make it better. I can help control her actions and teach her, so that both of them understand the situation," the witch said.
Sophia paused, hesitating. She just wanted what was best for her daughter. "Fine," she agreed.
The mirror rippled into a different image.
This time, the witch was sitting next to the younger version of Belle. She explained to her about her heightened abilities, especially her healing.
"Wounds heal quickly for you, much quicker than others. But you can still be killed if the wound is severe enough. As for poisons, they will still work, but your body will fight it off quicker. But like with wounds, if it's strong enough, you can die. I hope you can avoid both of those," the witch lectured.
Anna and Belle listened intently as she further explained her physical abilities: her strength, speed, sight, and hearing.
"If I have such great abilities, why is this a curse?" young Belle asked.
The witch hesitated before answering. "Because the cursed person learns to hate themselves. Their other personality represents their darkest self. And sometimes, people get hurt, people they love. If they try to stop themselves, they fail and become despaired. And all they have to blame is themselves."
Anna and Belle both looked shocked. "Will I be like that?"
The witch looked away, avoiding her eyes. "No," she said before looking back at her. "That's why I'm here, to teach you."
The mirror switched scenes again.
Eight-year-old Belle was finally allowed to step foot in the village. She had been kept away from the rest of society for nearly a year. The only people she saw was her family and the witch.
She had forgotten how everyone looked like and she was excited to see everything again. The ocean view was nice, but seeing only that for months and months was lonely.
Hidden behind a tree, she decided to get past her shyness and greet the first person she saw. There was an adult coming her way, so she took a deep breath and walked toward the man.
As soon as their eyes met, the man jumped back and yelled out, "Demon! Monster!"
She shrank back at his loud voice. Her eyes watered as he called her a monster. When the man raised his voice louder to call for help, Belle turned around and ran back home, crying.
The scene changed again.
"Are you sure?" the witch asked Sophia. "Taking her memories away is a complicated process. It requires making up new ones to fill up empty space. And it also requires everyone else to stay quiet. A part of her is lost."
"That's why I want you to store it in something, maybe a box or a bottle. She's too young to handle this knowledge. When she's ready, we can return it to her," Sophia acknowledged.
"That won't solve anything if Anna comes takes control. They will have questions," the witch pointed out.
But Sophia had already prepared for that question. "Surely you can make some sort of talisman that can repress Anna. Like with her memories, we can let her free once Annabelle is mature enough."
The witch closed her eyes. "If that's what you all want. It will be my last gift to you because I'm leaving. I don't think we will ever meet again."
Present-day Belle watched as the mirror flipped through images. Images where Belle wore the necklace. Scenes where her mother told her to always wear the necklace. Visions of Belle secluded in her house, with only her sisters to play with because she wasn't allowed back in the village. The looks of confusion when she was told that she couldn't go back.
Belle remembered that part, the part where she stayed at home. But she always thought it was because her parents were overprotective. Not because she could have terrorized the people.
So far, what the mirror had shown, some of her questions had been answered. This would explain why Catherine knew about Anna and the necklace. It would explain why her mother, and now sisters, told her to always wear it. It would explain the brief look of fear when Catherine had realized she wasn't wearing the necklace. Why she refused to tell her anything.
But there was one question left. She still didn't know what Catherine had meant by her mother's sacrifice.
And as if the mirror could sense her question, it showed her one last scene.
The setting was a dark and stormy night. It was terribly familiar to Belle. This was the night her family's life changed. The night they lost their house, their wealth. And Sophia Harper.
The waters were rising, coming from the ocean near their house. People had announced to everyone to evacuate the area and look for higher grounds, or at least go further inland.
Belle's family did as they were asked. They grabbed some valuables, but only what they could carry. Her father, Pierce looked devastated as he had to leave some things behind.
The water was rising and there was nothing they could do to stop it. The rain was only making it worse.
But as they were minutes away from the house, at a high altitude, Sophia realized something. She had forgotten the box with Belle's memories.
"Pierce, I left the box," Sophia said all of a sudden. "We have to go get it."
Pierce stopped in his tracks. Ten-year-old Belle looked confused as to what her mother meant.
"It's fine. Leave it," he responded.
"We need it. There's no other way Annabelle can get back her memories now that the witch has gone. I'll be quick," Sophia insisted, before dropping the things that she had been carrying and running back.
"Sophia!" Pierce called out, wanting to run after her. But he had his three daughters to look after. He clenched his fist as he watched his wife run back, towards the ocean.
The mirror followed Sophia as she ran back to the house. There was water up to her knees, slowing her down. The water didn't have a strong current, which was good news. At least, for the time being.
Sophia quickly ran up the stairs to her room, finding the box. As soon as she had it in her hands, she ran back down and out the door.
The water was up to her thighs as she tried to catch up to the rest of her family. The water current grew stronger, but at least it was in the direction she was going.
But what she failed to notice was the surge from the ocean behind her.
A giant wave raised the water level and enveloped Sophia. Her body was powerless against the strength of the water.
Present-day Belle watched as her mother struggled to get oxygen, to swim up, and ultimately, drown.
And then the images stopped.
Tears leaked out of Belle's eyes as she realized what the memory meant: her mother died because of her.
A sob was stuck in her throat. Her mother died because of her. And that was unforgivable. She felt a thick and heavy feeling wash over her, making her want to choke. She felt like she was suffocating.
Her mother died because she wanted to retrieve her memories, the lost part of her, the knowledge of how to protect herself, everything she learned from the witch.
And her efforts had been in vain. The irony was that she now had some of her memories back thanks to the mirror.
But it didn't change the fact that she was the cause of her mother's death.
Belle tried to calm herself down, avoiding any thoughts about what she just found out. She dropped the mirror on the ground and closed her eyes. Her knees wobbled but she kept herself standing.
But she didn't know how much longer she could stand it. She just needed someone to hold her while she cried and mourned.
She slowly stumbled her way out of the secret hall, mirroring the speed of the tears sneaking out of her eye. A weak feeling came over her.
Belle, Anna's voice called from inside. Let me give you some strength. I can take you, us, to someone, anyone.
Belle hollowly nodded and let Anna take over, her eyes turning violet and less shiny as the tears stopped threatening to fall out.
Anna felt the pain too. But she had better control of it. It was Belle who would need the comfort. Probably from someone who wasn't her, considering how much she was involved in the past.
Anna decided Kaiden would be the person to turn to. Both her and Belle loved him; he would be able to calm her down a little.
Even her normal confident stride was diminished. But it was stronger than what Belle had just been doing. However, that didn't mean that she was weak. Her emotions were just stronger and more powerful.
It was right before she arrived at the study when she remembered that Kaiden had a visitor. Even if he was still talking to the woman, he would make time for her. She knew he would, especially once he saw her face.
The door was open, which would save her the trouble of knocking.
Anna walked into the door frame, positioning herself so that she could look in.
But when she did, even her heart crumbled. Her eyes widened, blinking a few times. She pinched herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming, bringing tears into her eyes.
The woman from earlier was standing right in front of Kaiden, too close for comfort. She was pressed against him, her hands resting on his chest.
Maybe she was just misunderstanding, she tried to convince herself.
"Genevieve," she heard Kaiden say.
Anna's heart stuttered. Genevieve? As in the girl Kaiden had loved and wanted to propose to? His ex? The one that was really quite beautiful?
The one that was pressed up against him?
"You still love me," Genevieve said, making Anna hold her breath.
And then she tiptoed up to kiss Kaiden on the lips.
Anna waited, painfully, for Kaiden to deny her claim, to push her away, to stop kissing her.
But he didn't.
************************************************************************************************************
A/N
Please don't be mad at me for that ending ~.~
Also, I'm so sorry Belle's past was confusing and choppy. I'll fix that after I finish this entire story (another three more chapters!).
Wow. So many things happened. What do you think of specific parts? (the bed scene, Luther, Belle's past, Genevieve's return)
Also, last chance to guess who Agatha is; you got a fifty-fifty chance but surely you got all of those hints and are leaning more towards the right person.
Vote/Comment/Fan!!!
;D