Chapter 75: Selfish like him
"Now that you are awake, we can no longer delay the mating ceremony. Are you fine with it? A new blessed date has been chosen, and luckily, you are awake just in time," Maddie relayed, her tone gentle yet firm.
"Oh..." Belle muttered, the realization dawning on her. She had completely forgotten about the mating ceremony. They were now seated in Maddie’s chambers, having left the dining hall earlier to discuss this matter privately.
"Please go ahead and make the necessary preparations. I am sorry it took so long," Belle said apologetically, gesturing to convey her regret. She couldn’t help but blame herself for the delay. If she hadn’t agreed to sneak out with Mia that day, she wouldn’t have ended up unconscious for days.
"Thank you for understanding," Maddie said with a warm smile. "The King insists that you be in perfect health before the ceremony, so the physician will tend to you daily. You will also have sessions with Aurora’s governor maid to help prepare you."
"I am fine with that," Belle replied, earning a satisfied nod from Maddie. However, beneath Maddie’s calm demeanor, her heart was heavy. She felt terrible bringing this up so soon after Belle had awakened, but how else could she speed things along? The ominous message from the fortune teller weighed on her, and she was determined to prevent it from coming to pass.
After leaving Maddie’s chambers, Belle went to the garden in her quarters. She sat quietly, her gaze fixed on the sky as her mind spiraled with endless thoughts. So much had happened since Quinn’s sudden reappearance in her life, and she hated to admit that her resolve was wavering.
The same man she had surrendered her dignity for in the name of revenge was now trying to correct his mistakes. How could she possibly stay focused on her original goal when he kept chipping away at her determination? If he were still the man he had been a year ago, her path of vengeance would have been straightforward, free from doubt. But now...how could she bring herself to ruin his life when he seemed so intent on fixing hers?
Though she could never forgive him for letting her miscarry, she wasn’t sure she still had it in her to destroy him.
If only she could take Mia’s advice and be selfish. But wouldn’t that make her no different from the very people she despised, the ones who had pushed her this far in the first place? Hezekiah didn’t deserve to be used as a pawn in her revenge, and that was why she hesitated to accept his feelings. She feared she wouldn’t be able to love him the way he deserved to be loved. After all, she had only approached him with revenge in mind and had never envisioned him as a lover or a life partner.