Chapter 159

How to Tame My Beastly Husband — Chapter 159. It Was Always You (3)

She would protect Raphael, even if she had to face the King.

Though she wept, Annette steeled herself for everything she would have to do to protect Raphael, no matter how hard it might be. Later, she might think again about leaving him. Annette always understood her priorities.

Though Raphael could not know the details of her intentions, he sensed that at least he had bought himself some time. His relief was great.

It was her fault he had become like this. She was not only beautiful, but kind. She had given him a warmth he had never known before. No matter what, she was always by his side. When he wandered in nightmares, she drew him into the safety of her own bed. In spite of his miserable birth, she called him her family.

How could he help falling in love with her?

“Sometimes children are better than their parents,” Hamilton had said, laughing. And then he had told Raphael everything, just as he had promised. The King had wanted the Bavaria family under control from the beginning. Framing Annette to remove her from contention for Crown Princess was only the beginning. He was just waiting for the opportunity to eliminate the Bavarias.

“And don’t forget,” Hamilton had said. “There can only be one sun in Deltium. But what happens if the moon shines brighter? Someone might want to get rid of a moon, if it eclipses the sun.”

Raphael wasn’t too stupid to understand what he meant. Now, at last, he understood why King Selgratis had wanted him to marry Annette. And why the King had so often praised him in that strange way, even while belittling his legitimate son.

The King had only intended to use him. Listening to Hamilton, Raphael was convinced. He had made the right decision, choosing Annette.

Poor girl.

For the first time, Raphael had learned what love was, but it was a love born in filth and corruption. His uncle and his father had ruined Annette’s life. Bad enough that she had been forced to marry a man like him, and even now, she was still in danger.

It made him sick with guilt. Even if he had to turn his back on the King, even if he lost everything he had, Raphael had to protect her. It was the only way to atone for what had been done to her.

Raphael’s dark blue eyes gleamed like deep wells. They were the eyes of a man who, for the first time in his life, had something worth protecting.

He would do it if it cost him his life.

* * *

Huddled in the corner of the dark cell, the woman looked like a sewer rat.

By her features, she looked young, but was so unremarkable that she left little impression, except maybe a sense that she was trustworthy.

Now, she was constantly rolling her eyes, chewing her fingernails with anxious eyes. Until a few hours ago, her day had been very uneventful. Then employees of the Marquis Carnesis had broken into her home and dragged her away to this prison, presumably on their master’s orders.

Maybe…they found out?

She couldn’t believe it. Her formula had been perfect. Eucaly had studied medicine intensively at the most prominent medical academy in the kingdom, and in the early stages of poisoning, the symptoms should be so subtle, there was little chance of detection.

Eucaly repeated this to herself, trying to calm down. But before she could, more people appeared, one of whom was a dazzling beauty.

Her face was as perfectly shaped as a doll’s. Pink eyes shone under her eyelashes, her face framed with shining blonde hair. In this dimly lit place, she glowed like the sun.

Turning, she waved a hand to dismiss her attendants.

“Go on. I would like a private word with my doctor.”

They left at once. Clinging automatically to the bars of her cell, Eucaly gazed at Annette de Carnesis anxiously as she pulled up a chair and sat down in front of the bars, looking at her with her usual calm.

“Why did you do this to me?” Eucaly pleaded. “Have I done something wrong? Please, just tell me why…”

“Why?” Annette repeated. There was something frightening in that beautiful smile.