Chapter 56: Revelations and Redemption
The room was awash with emotion, as my tears flowed freely, staining the atmosphere with my anguish. The wall I had Alex pinned against seemed to bear witness to the torrent of emotions that surged within me.
"Tell me! What are you hiding? I’m sure that behavior is not normal. And why would you cage someone who should be playing, having fun as they wish? Is it because you like her? I don’t think that is the case. Tell me! I demand an answer!" I shouted, my voice echoing with desperation, my tears and anger intermingling.
"Madam! You’re crying?" Alex’s voice wavered, panic etching his features.
"Madam! Please don’t cry! I didn’t mean to hurt you like this. I ask for your forgiveness. This was never my intention. I only wanted to say that..." He paused, as if grappling with his own turmoil.
"What are you trying to say? Is this what you wanted to say, that I’m blaming you for liking her? Is that what you’ve been holding back? How on earth could you think I would take her with me just to make you feel guilty when I only wanted to see her happy? I just wanted her to see the outside world instead of being locked in this mansion," I said through my tears, my words imbued with both frustration and sorrow.
"I understand. Please stop crying. It’s my mistake. I know I made this mistake. I should have been aware of this long ago, but I wasn’t," he admitted, his voice weighted with regret.
His hand reached out to wipe away my tears, but they continued to flow, even more than before. Was it because the love of my life was gently wiping my tears away, or was it because it was the first time we were this close since our marriage? I couldn’t tell, but my heart ached intensely.
"Tell me! What is the reason she is locked up in this mansion? And who is the person who brought her here?" I demanded, my voice quivering.
"Yes, I will explain everything. Please, sit down here and listen to me calmly," he said, his voice soothing as he guided me to the edge of the bed, where he sat beside me.
"The thing is, she is someone’s treasure, entrusted to our care," he began, his words laden with an air of mystery that hung in the room like a shroud.
"Treasure? What do you mean?" I asked, my head tilting in confusion.
"Yes, treasure. The elderly lady who brought her here is the former empress’s personal maid," he explained, and I gasped in astonishment.
"Yes, you understood correctly. The previous empress is no longer alive, and the other wives of the emperor have taken her place as empress. That’s why she was secretly sent here," he continued, unraveling a web of intrigue that I had never fathomed.