Chapter 9

“You’re pregnant, Ana, stop being so stubborn.”

Anastacia looks at her stomach in awe. “What am I going to do?” she asks and falls onto her bed.

“When we were on the mountain a few weeks ago… you said I should breathe life into the new me, and each moment that passes should be captured into my memory box like a precious jewel. This is your chance to breathe life into that small little foetus that’s growing inside of you and capture each moment because he or she is your precious jewel.”

Ana smiles, “You’re getting better at this.”

“I know, I keep surprising myself.” Apple says, feeling proud of herself.

“How am I supposed to tell Amadeo?”

“You just tell him, Ana.”

“I can’t! He— we’ve been trying to conceive for so long and I can see that every time we come far enough, something happens, and I lose the baby. I don’t want to deprive him from being a father.”

“And you won’t, why don’t you have faith in yourself?”

“Because I— I don’t know, I guess I just lost myself when I worked in that stupid brothel.”

“I doubt it.” Apple’s head snaps in Dario’s direction and she rolls her eyes.

“Why do you always come in here like a ghost? Are you purposely trying to give me a heart attack?”

“We need to talk, Apple. Ana, you’re dismissed.” Anastacia nods and quickly leaves. She shuts the door behind her.

“Why are you always so rude? You don’t greet nor spare her a single royal glance. Thanks for spoiling my afternoon, Alpha King.”

“Call me Alpha King again, I dare you.”

Apple smirks, “Alpha King,” she says and, in an instance, she’s pinned onto her bed with Dario on top of her. Apple shivers and wraps her legs around Dario’s waist. “Alpha King,” she says again and Dario violently rips his shirt from her body.

“You enjoy testing me, right? Let’s see how you like being tested.”

“D-Dario, I was only joking.” Apple pants when she feels Dario’s harsh kisses on her neck.

“If I catch you with another man again, I will kill you. Se non posso averti—” he trails off. Apple tries pushing him off but he remains rooted above her. (If I can’t have you)

“Get off!” she shouts and manages to push him off her. Dario’s eyes are stormy as he looks at Apple.

“Apple,” he says and goes to touch her but Apple moves away.

“Get out,” she says and covers her body with the blankets that are sprawled on her bed.

“I thought- I’m sorry… I didn’t- I just—”

“Just leave! Leave, okay,”

.

“How are you feeling?” Anastacia asks as she gives Apple a cup of steaming, hot coffee. Apple wraps her hands around the cup and looks at the milky contents.

“I-I don’t know. I don’t know if I’m supposed to be crying or confused. What do you think?”

“Well, for starters, I think you need answers. And I need answers from you too, Apple.”

“I answered everything you’ve asked, Ana, what more should I say?”

“Why would you provoke him?”

“It wasn’t my intention, okay? I wanted to joke, but apparently he doesn’t do jokes.”

“Explain to me what happened.”

“Again?”

“A queen never complains,”

“I am not a—”

“Complete that sentence and I promise I’ll have an abortion.”

“Woah, Ana, you’re considering getting an abortion?” Anastacia knots her fingers.

“Yes… but it’s only because Amadeo and I have been fighting a lot lately.”

“That doesn’t give you a reason to abort your baby, Ana!”

“I know, Apple, can we—”

“No! You’re telling him now.”

“Is everything okay, My Queen?” Cecilia asks as she quickly comes into the room. “Miss Anastacia,” she says with a bitter look on her face when she sees Anastacia wearing one of the king’s shirts. “Do I need to call someone?”

“It’s you, isn’t it?” Apple suddenly stalks towards Cecilia. “It’s you,”

“What have I done, My Queen?”

“You let all these strange things happen around the castle.”

“Before you point fingers, ask your dearest mate for answers.” Apple grabs onto Cecilia’s wrist. “Let go of me.” Cecilia bites out.

“What have I done to you?”

“Cecilia, I think it’s best if you leave.” Anastacia murmurs but Apple doesn’t back down. “Apple, please,”

Cecilia scoffs and leaves, her footsteps disappearing in the halls. “What was that about?” Apple asks with a frown. “Why did you react like that? What do you know that I don’t?”

“Apple,”

“Answer me! Or I swear I’ll do something that’ll make you hate me forever.”

“Apple, you need to calm down.”

“Why? Why do I need to calm down, Anastacia?” Apple asks hysterically, her arms flailing as she speaks. “Why do I need to calm down, huh?”

“You need to ask Alpha King for answers, My Queen,” Anastacia bows her head in submission as she stood under Apple’s scrutinizing gaze.

“I’m asking you!”

“A queen never raises her voice,”

“Yeah, only when needed, right? I think it’s needed!”

“What the hell is going on in here?” Amadeo asks as he suddenly bursts through the door his sword in his hands. He looks at the two fuming females. “I asked you a question? It is quarter twelve at night! You have Alpha King screaming at me at the noise you two are making.” Amadeo puts his sword away and looks back up. “Explain to me what happened in here, Ana.”

“Nothing we couldn’t handle.”

“Nothing you couldn’t handle, Miss Apple? You were ready to claw my wife’s eyes out. Is that how you handle these kinds of situations? I think it is best if Ana moves out of your room.”

“What, so that you can make her feel like some sort of failure again?”

“Ana, come with me,”

“No, Ana, you’re not going anywhere with this douche. If you go, you’ll lose this baby, and he’ll do what he’s been doing each time you find out that you’re expecting.”

“Oh, and what do I do, Apple?” Amadeo spits out, unaware of Dario’s presence.

“You manipulate your wife; you make her believe that she’s not good enough to be a mother. What a good husband you are, right?”

“You don’t know a thing.”

“Oh, I actually do! I know you’re a dang coward!” Amadeo hisses when Apple’s palm collides with his cheek. She pants and steps back when she hears Dario’s voice booming through the room.

“Enough!” Dario says as he suddenly yanks her backward. “Both of you, enough!”

“It’s him! He started it!”

“Both of you will be punished. As for you, Anastacia, I’ll ask Liliana to prepare a room for you- a separate one.”

“Why am I being punished? I want to go home!”

“You better be quiet.” Dario warns with stormy eyes.

“Or what? You going to imagine me as one of your sex slaves again! I hate you!” Apple pushes Dario and she runs towards the bathroom. She locks herself inside and screams out in frustration. “I hate you!”

“Apple,” Anastacia whispers and softly knocks on the door.

“Go away.”

“Apple please.”

“No! I want to go home.”

Ana sighs, “Come out, please. Let us resolve this as grown-ups.”

“No! Let me go home!”

“She wont budge,” Ana whispers to Dario and he growls. Dario suddenly takes long strides towards the bathroom door and starts jiggling the knob.

“Apple, if you do not open this door right now, I’ll break it down.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” she says and takes a few steps backwards. Apple knew Dario wasn’t playing and that he would really break down the door. Now, a terrifying feeling coursed through Apple as she stood in the bathroom. Before she registered what was happening, the door flew off its hinges and Dario stood with it in his hands. He sets the door next to the doorframe and turns back to Apple. “Dario, please, I don’t have time for this. I just want to go home.”

“I cannot allow that, Apple.”

“What do you mean you cannot allow it! I’m tired of this life and I miss my mom, okay?”

“No. I’ll keep you here even if it means you hating me.”

“Please,” Apple breathes out. “I just want to go home.”

“You’re safe here with me.” Dario turns around and strides out of the bathroom. He stops near the entrance of the room and stuffs his hand in his pockets. “I wouldn’t hurt you, Apple.” He leaves Apple standing in the middle of the bathroom, tears prickling down her cheeks.

Apple couldn’t live here any longer, she needed to go home.

She loved being here, but she felt claustrophobic.

It was as though everyone needed her to be this perfect version of someone that was a queen. She didn’t need such a high ranking in the kingdom, she wanted to be her plain self again. She wanted to be the girl without makeup and a wide toothed smile in the mirror again.

.

Apple shudders when she feels an extra presence in the bathroom. She could feel her mark throbbing and groans. Apple tries searching for the towel she placed on the hook and slams her palm onto the wall when she realises Dario took the towel without her knowing. “Can I have the towel, please?” She asks and slowly opens the doors to peek her head through. “Dario?” he walks out of the bathroom with the towel in his hand, mumbling something incoherently. “Dario!” Apple sighs and slides the doors open before exiting the shower. She folds her arms in front of her chest to hide her breasts. “May I have the towel please?”

“No,” Dario says as he sat on her bed, his eyes fixed on the towel between his hands.

“No?” Apple asks, her eyebrow cocked. Dario’s eyes slowly trail up Apple’s body. They land on her face, and travel back down her body and end up falling on the towel again. “Please stop playing, Dario. Give me the towel.”

“No,” he says again. “You said you want to go home, so go.”

“Fine, I’ll put on some clothes and leave.” She says and goes to the closet. She tries opening the door but realises that it is locked. “I need clothes, Dario.”

“No, you wanted to leave, so do it. Leave.”

“You’re kidding, right?”

“No,” Dario looks at Apple. “No,”

“Can you stop saying no?” Dario gets up from the bed and slowly stalks towards her. When he is standing in front of her, he looks down, and deep into her eyes.

“Take it—” he says, gesturing towards the towel he now holds above her head. Apple looks at the towel, then into Dario’s eyes and reaches out to the towel. When she’s on her tiptoes, she uses both her hands to grasp the material, completely forgetting that she’s exposing herself to Dario’s hungry eyes.

“Please,” she pleads and when she grabs the towel from Dario’s grip, he pulls her naked body against his clothed one. The material of his cloak rubs against Apple and she uncomfortably looks at him, her face scrunched up. “I-I—”

“You won’t have clothes to wear for the next week.”

“What? Why not?”

“It serves as your punishment.” Dario lets go of Apple and leaves without sparing her another look. She wraps the towel around her body and screams out in frustration.