Royally Bounded

Chapter 143

 Hayden

"Where the fuck is Bertha?" Maurice gritted his teeth, his eyes threatening as I stepped down the stairs. Rage filled his eyes, but none of it terrified me. I had seen worse, and he was far from the insane ones.

"You're the Prince of Verdeniao," I stated coldly. "Shouldn't I be asking you where my sister is and not the other way around?"

It almost ridiculed me that he sounded as if he had no power to find someone. One snap was enough to have the entire country flipped if he wanted, but I made sure that no one could track Bertha down. Once she came to Nascadia, Maurice had no idea where she could be. It was my country. My control.

"Don't fucking play stupid with me," he growled, grabbing me by the collar of my shirt. I shoved him back, and he nearly lost his balance from my push. "If I can't find Bertha, I would have your entire family gone with you."

"Go ahead. Both you and I are clear that Bertha would follow right after us if anything happens. She wouldn't want to be near you a single inch," I emphasized on the last words.

He fell silent, his fists rolling at his sides. I wanted to laugh at him for once of how he used to have absolutely nothing to hurt him. He knew I had Clara and would do anything to use her against me. The game switched the moment I noticed how he was with Bertha. He had a psychotic version of love that was deep in his veins.

"Divorce with Bertha. She will take full custody of Priscilla," I bargained.

A sudden smile tilted on his lips as he shook his head. "Bertha is my wife. Priscilla is my daughter. Both of them stays with me."

"Why the fuck are you holding onto her when she doesn't even want to be near you? You held her fucking captivated, Maurice. Not once but time after time."

"Stop trying to criticize me. You think you're any better than me? You hurt your beloved wife just as much and just as worse."

"Don't you even dare to talk about Clara and me," I snarled. The nightmares of the past began to torture me at the chest. "If you didn't use your dirty tactics, do you think you can use her against me?"

"It was you who held a grudge against Clara. If you were more sensible, no one can get into your head," he spat.

I threw a punch over at him, colliding straight to his jaw. He grunted and fell to the couch, but I picked him up again and shoved him. I had enough of his shit, and I didn't care what he reported to the press. I was going to end him right on the spot.

"Punch me," Maurice challenged. "I will tell the press about what you did, and I bet it will be easier for me to take Nascadia then."

His words boiled the rage in my blood. I clenched my fist, wanting to throw a punch again, but I heard Bertha shouting at me.

"Stop," she yelled, running over to us. Thomas and a few of my men tried to grab me, but I shoved them off harshly while Bertha stood in between Maurice and me.

"You're not supposed to be here," I told her sternly. "Get home."

"No, I'm not letting you do anything stupid," she said.

Tears formed in her eyes. It was the first time since I saw Bertha turned vulnerable in front of me. She had never showed her weakness because she didn't want me to laugh or criticize her. She was fucking damaged.

Bertha turned around, staring at Maurice with the most lethal yet broken gaze. I knew that it was impossible for her not to fall for a villain like him. He was a monster who still made my sister weak.

"Don't make me hate you more," she threatened.

"Are you seriously going to stand on his side, Bertha?" Maurice questioned, pointing straight at me. "Your brother is trying to separate us."