The Serpent's Enigma

25 | A Consolation Gift

Hours after she was done bawling her eyes out, Gigi felt too exhausted to stay awake. Her tears had dried out, and she needed some rest before making any important decisions tomorrow. She didn't want to be like her idiot husband.

Suddenly, she heard a knock on her front doors. "Dian, I'm going to change into my sleepwear myself, so please just go get some rest."

"...Gi." The baritone voice on the other side answered, and her heart clenched.

"I do not wish to see you, Sire." She sniffled, tears started pooling in her eyes again. How did he get into her chambers? Did the ladies let him in?

"I understand."

"No, you don't! You've wanted me to stay away, Sire, since the very first time. So this is me staying away from you!" Her tone was ice cold.

"I know that I've made a mistake. I hurt you—"

"You were not mistaken when you told me to stop and asked me to go to bed. Now I am going to bed. Is this still not enough for you?" she yelled, her voice shrill.

"You have every right to be upset at me. I... I am not good. I may not even deserve your forgiveness. But please understand, that I never meant to hurt you. Please let me explain."

What a pile of crap! So he figured he'd just try to win her favor again, now? Did he really think she was that stupid?

"I think you explained yourself quite clearly, Sire, on the night of our wedding. It's my mistake, I picked up the wrong signals. I should be the one to apologize!" she retorted in sarcasm.

"If only I can see you for a moment. Just a single moment..."

"If you think that I'll open this door and let you in then you're wrong, Sire."

"...Then I'll just stay here, waiting for you to come out."

Her eyes widened. "Don't be ridiculous!"

"Then please let me in."

"Never!" She shrieked, walking over to her bed. "Stay there all night if you want. I am not opening the door!"

After changing into comfortable sleepwear, she buried herself under the covers and forced her eyes to close. The pain was still drumming in her chest.

***

In the morning, she woke up not feeling any better from last night. It was like waking up to a nightmare. All the painful memories hit her all at once. Being rejected by her husband, they're fighting, and she still had one more birthday dinner to go through.

She was about to summon her handmaidens to her dressing room as she found Cal asleep in the doorway. So, he really did stay the night.

Sighing, she cursed herself for worrying even a little about his well-being and grabbed a blanket from her bed. Crouching down by his side, she wrapped the blanket lightly around him. He looked miserable. His hair that was usually perfectly coiffed was dishevelled, and he looked very troubled even in sleep.

It was hard to believe, but it looked like he really did regret what he'd done last night. Good. He deserved it.

Though her motivations were a little selfish, this time she wanted him to feel it. To know how much he had hurt her, and she wasn't going to let him off easy this time. If it wasn't for Junior—

Hold on, if he stayed here the entire night, then what happened to Junior? Did Philippe take him to bed? Was he taken to his room at all? A surge of panic ran through her mind as she thought about the boy.