✓ | NOT AGAIN, NOT THIS TIME

28: Not Again

28: Not Again

"Antionette, is this true?" the King asked his wife. A bolt of unbearable pain crossed his eyes as it diverted to the Queen who was two meters away from him. "How long have you been fooling me, Antionette?!"

"Would you rather believe them rather than me, Henry?!" Queen Antionette fumed to her husband who doubted her. "I don't know what they are saying. Pinagkakaisahan ako ng anak mo, Henry. Hindi ko kayang gawin ang pinaparatang niya. The late Queen Jane was my friend!"

"Really?" Hendrix said as he scoffed afterwards. "Would you call yourself her friend if you backstabbed her multiple times? You snaked her position, and you killed my mother who was defenseless!"

"Shut your mouth!" the Queen fumed.

"Look how obvious you are: a guilty face and bothered eyes. You can't even hide your trembling," my husband said.

"Stop accusing my mother, Hendrix!" Harriot suddenly intervenes after a while. "How could you do this to the King? Hanggang ngayon nahihibang ka pa rin!"

"Hindi ako, kundi ikaw ang nahihibang, Harriot. Kasama mo ang iyong ina sa gabing 'yon, alam mong nasa closet ako nagtatago dahil sinabi mong magtaguan tayo!"

The receiving hall has been filled with revelations no one ever thought they could witness. Something that was kept hidden for fifteen years has now shown itself. Kung may nakakagulat pa sa lahat ng sinabi ng bawat isa, ang panghuli ang pinakanagpadurog sa puso ng asawa ko.

"I kept my silence because I was weak," he said towards everyone who stood around him. "I mourned alone while the Kingdom celebrated the new Queen, and the new hier. I suffered silently, that is why I had pledged on my mother's tomb that she will get the justice she deserves." Hendrix raised his right hand and pointed his forefinger at the Queen. "It was you, I clearly saw you force her to sip something in that chalice. You poisoned my mother with the same poison you keep on sending to my personal assistant!"

My heart sank into sadness when Hendrix's voice broke. Humigpit ang hawak ko sa kanyang kamay para pasanin ang sakit na kanyang dinadama. My entire focus went to my husband's suffering expression. His eyelids watered but he held his firmness tightly.

"You want the Crown to your son, and by achieving that you must wipe the people that hinders you at attaining that goal. You're a selfish bitch and a murderer!" he added.

I feel proud that he didn't result to violence and use his voice to express his anger. Hendrix is in too much pain but he followed what I said, he didn't even have a weapon with him. I want to reward my husband for his effort, but at the same time I'm feeling heavy bearing his pain.

Wala na akong matinong naririnig pagkatapos non. I heard the rage of the King as he choked his wife, and Harriot immediately aided his mother. Lord Hector tried to stop his brother and the North People just stood watching the show. Narinig ko pa ang pagsipol ng Duke na parang naeenganyo siya sa nakikita.

"I truly hate the behaviors of the people in the Capital," he said as he shook his head. "I would rather go back to my land and savor the aroma of jasmine tea. Isn't it your preferred type of life, Hendrix?"

Hendrix looked at me and his face quickly softened that made me smile creeped out of my lips. "I will let my wife decide where she wants to stay."

Napamaang ako. "You don't want the throne?"

"I want justice for my mother's death, but owning the throne could be a preferable aspect for a new life, it's not my cup of tea," he replied as he combed a few strands of my hair. "Ang gusto ko lang gawin ngayon ay mahalin ka, hanggang magsawa ka sa pagmamahal ko."

Nangingilid agad ang aking mga luha sa sinabi niya. How can this man be so fragile yet he is so sweet? He deserves so much from this world and even if I'm reluctant, I can give that to him.

Naibalik ang aming atensyon sa paligid. We all heard a loud thud when the Queen fell off from the four step stairs that made the throne elevated from the floor. Agad siyang sinaluhan ng kanyang anak.

"Father, you can't hurt my mother like that! Listen to her, she's framed!" Harriot exclaimed as he defended his mother. "I am your son, makinig ka sa akin-"

"You are not mine," the King said. All mouths in the hall gape after hearing another revelation. "I love your mother more than my own Queen, but she slept with another man to ensure her position in this Kingdom. You did not come from me, but that asshole I exiled!"

Napatakip ako sa aking bibig. "What the hell..."

"You didn't know?" Hendrix suddenly whispered. I slowly nodded even when I wasn't looking at him. "Well, my family is full of crap, that's why I don't want to inherit anything from it."

"If he is not the King's son, that makes you the only heir," hindi makapaniwala na sabi ko. "We cannot return to Azalea, Hendrix. You are needed for the Kingdom's future."

"Would you want to be my Queen if I were to ascend the throne?" he asked, and I immediately frowned.

"Malamang, asawa mo 'ko. Papatayin ko lahat ng aangkin sa 'yo maliban sa akin, tandaan mo 'yan!" asik ko.

"Yes, Madame. Tatandaan ko," nakangisi niyang sab, bago niya hinalikan muli ang aking noo. "We can work on that part after this. I don't want to decide now."

I agreed with what he said.

"If you truly love me, you should believe me!" It was the Queen who suddenly screamed that made us look at them again. Kailan ba sila matatapos d'yan?

"You tainted yourself to get what you want, and let me ask you Antionette. Minahal mo ba ako o ang trono lang ang gusto mong makuha sa akin?!" asik ng Hari sa kanya.

She let out a scorn. "I love you, your Majesty. My love for you has led me to this. I know I'm just a commoner with no proper education not equipped with social etiquettes but I came first in your heart! Ako ang nauna pero siya ang unang umupo sa trono. Tell me, if my desperation is love, then do you love me like how I love you?"

"You're delusional," he fumed. "Tinanggap ko ang anak mo dahil mahal kita. Inangkin ko kahit walang ni-isang patak ng dugo ko ang nananalaytay sa kanya dahil mahal kita, at ito ang isusukli mo sa akin? You killed the Late Queen just so you could take my kingdom into your hands?!"

"Harriot is your son! He is the only heir, and not that firstborn you have for he is infertile! He can't bore an heir for the Kingdom's sake!"

That painful word struck us both. My grasp to his hand tightened. I looked at Hendrix before my eyes went to the Queen. "It is not true. Hendrix is no longer infertile."

Isa na namang rebelasyon ang sumanib sa buong Palasyo. What I said made Hendrix stiffened looking at me, and to assure his confusion, I just smiled. "If Joaquin didn't tell you, he has been putting an antitoxin in your tea even when you stopped drinking that poison. It's a cleansing potion that will help your body regain its health. And since you've been consuming that for over a year, you are no longer infertile...because I am now conceiving your child."

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