Chapter 879: Revelation
Her throat tightened, making it difficult to breathe, and she had to swallow hard before finding the courage to speak. Her voice trembled with uncertainty. "Rafe..." she began. She inhaled deeply, gathering her resolve. "If I decide to keep the baby," she said, her words coming out slowly, as if each one had to be carefully weighed before it was spoken, "what do you see our future looking like?"
Her heart pounded as she continued, the vulnerability in her voice impossible to mask. "Will this child be your heir? The next to inherit the throne? What happens when you eventually marry? Will your wife be able to accept you having an heir out of marriage? You’re already in a position where expectations are placed on you—responsibilities, alliances, legacies..." She trailed off, her eyes searching his face for answers. "The future as you have imagined would be much different..."
Rafe sighed. Well, now that they were having this discussion, he would have to lay all the cards on the table. "Would you be open to marriage?" he asked gently, almost worried that she would faint or something at the ’M’ word. "We could try to make this work—build a relationship, see where it leads. For the sake of the child and for us."
Arabelle blinked. Did he just ask her to marry him? A marriage of convenience or something? Wow. That was not what she had imagined for sure. She was about to refuse when something stopped her and she did not outright reject as she should have. Instead she decided to try a different approach and maybe explain things to him," I like you, Rafe. I really do. And under different circumstances, I would have liked to try and build a relationship for us... However, your posiyion makes this next to impossible.But there are things about me—things you don’t know yet—that you might have a problem with, in the future. Things that could make all of this... complicated."
His gaze sharpened, his curiosity piqued, but more than anything he felt triumph and happiness. She was actually willing to consider a relationship. After her reaction from the previous time, he’d thought that she would simply reject his overture.
In his relief, he almost forgot about the last part. He might have a problem with her past. But before he could ask further, a sharp, hurried knock echoed through the room.
"Your Highness?" a muffled voice called from the other side of the door, urgent and insistent.
He frowned, standing and crossing the room in a few long strides. Opening the door, he found his assistant, Marcus, standing there, his face pale and tense.
"Apologies for the interruption, Your Highness," Marcus said, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation. "But you need to see this." He held out a tablet, the screen lit with a news broadcast.
Rafe took the device, his jaw tightening as he read the bold headline beneath the anchor’s image:
"Scandal in Petrovia’s Royal Court: Crown Prince Accused of Explosive Misconduct."
The anchor’s voice was steady, but the content was anything but. "Recent rumors surrounding Crown Prince Rafe have raised serious questions about his private life. From reports of an abandoned engagement to the daughter of a senior minister, to new allegations of coercing a woman to terminate a pregnancy, the claims paint a troubling picture." Critics are questioning whether these alleged actions tie into the Prince’s previous vocal support for progressive abortion laws in Petrovia, casting doubt on his ethics and intentions."