Chapter 99: Follow your heart
The following morning, Quinn woke to the most beautiful sight he had seen in a long time. Stroking Belle’s hair, he watched as she slept, blissfully unaware of his gaze.
’If only I had believed her...’ he thought.
If he had trusted her back then, things wouldn’t have turned out this way. She wouldn’t have had to carry their child alone, wouldn’t have had to endure the suffering that came with it. Their child would be over a year old by now, if not for him.
Reaching out, he traced his fingers gently along her cheek, fully aware that he did not deserve her. None of them did. But he was too selfish to let her go.
Just then, a mind-link interrupted his thoughts, forcing his hand to still.
’Duke, the twelve elders have arrived at the palace gates. Should we stall them?’ Ray’s voice echoed in his mind.
Quinn’s expression darkened. Why were they in a hurry? Those annoying things always chose the worst timing to do things, if only they could be gotten rid of.
With a frustrated sigh, he turned his gaze back to Belle. He leaned in and placed a lingering kiss on her forehead before silently slipping out of bed.
Carefully, he pulled the duvet over her, making sure she was properly covered. Then, with one last glance at her sleeping form, he made his way to the window.
A final look. A silent hesitation. Then he was gone.
The moment he left, Belle opened her eyes. Sitting up, she ran her fingers through her hair, exhaling heavily. Doubt clouded her thoughts. She had been awake before him but had kept her eyes shut, pretending to sleep. She wasn’t ready to face him, not after everything that had happened.