𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐀𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 (𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐝)

22. His Life Behind the Indifferent Mask

When Arielle finally opened her eyes, she was disoriented, surprised to find herself lying in a small, dimly lit hut. Her body ached, and her limbs felt heavy as she tried to push herself up. Before she could manage, she heard a calm but stern voice saying, "Don't move yet. You're still weak."

Startled, she turned her head toward the sound and saw an old woman sitting nearby. "What... what happened?" Arielle asked, her voice raspy and dry.

"You were poisoned," the old woman replied. "Prince Aiore brought you here two days ago, asked me to save your life. He stayed by your side the entire time. I finally convinced him to fetch water when I saw you'd wake soon." She spoke with a faint smile, almost as if amused by Aiore's dedication.

Arielle's heart skipped a beat. Two days? He stayed by my side for two whole days? The thought made her pulse quicken. She could hardly believe what she was hearing. Aiore, the cold and distant prince, had stayed with her nonstop? He didn't even leave her side until forced to?

As her thoughts raced, the door creaked open, and Aiore entered, carrying a bucket of water. His usually unreadable expression softened the moment his eyes landed on her awake.

"Arielle..." he whispered, as if the words were difficult to form. He hesitated for a moment, then crossed the small room and knelt beside her on the floor. His presence was overwhelming, and Arielle's heart thudded in her chest. She searched for something to say, anything to fill the silence, but the intensity of his gaze left her speechless.

Finally, she managed to speak. "Thank you... for saving me." Her voice was quiet but sincere.

Aiore only hummed in response, nodding once. The silence that followed wasn't uncomfortable, and that surprised her. Normally, his silence felt suffocating, but now it felt... reassuring. There was something different about him, something she couldn't quite put her finger on.

After what felt like an eternity, Aiore finally broke the silence. "Why?"

Arielle blinked. "Why what?"

"Why did you save me?" His voice was soft, but the question was loaded, full of uncertainty and pain. He was staring at her like he was desperate for an answer, something that would make sense of his own confusion.

Arielle bit her lip, her heart racing. She didn't expect him to ask her that. She wasn't sure if she was ready to tell him the real reason, so she settled for something safe. "Because... you're my future husband. It's my duty to protect you."

Aiore's eyes flickered with something she couldn't name. He looked almost... disappointed. It was clear that he'd hoped for a different answer, something deeper. But still, the tension in his shoulders eased slightly. He nodded again, as if trying to convince himself that her answer was enough.

Arielle could sense the heaviness in the air. "What's wrong?" she asked softly. "I can tell something is bothering you."

Aiore shook his head, unwilling to speak, but Arielle wasn't going to let it go so easily.

"I'm not a mind reader," she pressed. "Tell me what you're thinking. How am I supposed to know if you don't say anything?"

Before he could answer, the old woman interrupted them. "The water's ready. Come, I'll help you with the bath."

Arielle was bathed in fragrant herbs, the water soothing her aching body. As she was recovering, Aiore also went to clean up at a nearby well. When they finished, they bid the old woman goodbye and left the hut, making their way toward the village.

Arielle assumed they were heading back to the palace, but after a while, she noticed they were traveling in the opposite direction. She furrowed her brows, confused. "Where are we going?" she asked, though she wasn't scared. She trusted Aiore implicitly.

"You'll see," Aiore replied cryptically, guiding her further into the quiet village.

They eventually arrived at a small, secluded yard with an old wooden house. Arielle's stomach twisted with unease as she looked at the worn structure. The place had an eerie familiarity, but she couldn't place why it unsettled her so much.

Sensing her discomfort, Aiore gently took her hand. Arielle's eyes widened at the unexpected gesture, and she looked up at him in surprise.

"I'm here," he said softly, his voice more tender than she'd ever heard it. And then, for the first time, Aiore smiled at her, so genuinely, so tenderly.

Arielle blinked, thinking she must have imagined it. Aiore? Smiling? It seemed too unreal, like something out of one of her dreams. But the warmth in his eyes was real, and it made her heart soar. She wanted to tell him to smile more often, but the words caught in her throat.

Aiore continued to hold her hand as they walked inside the wooden house. The air felt heavy with history and sorrow.

"This is the place," he began, his voice low, almost haunted. "The queen used to torture me here."

Arielle froze, her breath catching in her throat. She turned to look at him, wide-eyed, but said nothing, letting him speak.

"She locked me up for days," Aiore continued, his gaze distant as he recalled the past. "No food, no water. She told me I was a bastard. That I didn't deserve to live, much less become king." His voice trembled, and Arielle could feel the weight of his pain, the years of silent suffering he had endured.

"She didn't let me meet my father," he went on. "She said I disgusted her. That I was the reason my mother died."

Arielle's heart ached with every word he spoke. She could see now why he had built such thick walls around himself, why he wore that cold, indifferent mask. He hadn't just been hurt-he had been shattered, piece by piece, by someone who was supposed to care for him.

"She tried to kill me many times before too but I didn't care about dying however, I somehow survived maybe because of luck or something else," Aiore said, his voice softening as he glanced at her. "But now..." His words trailed off, leaving the implication hanging in the air.

Arielle's eyes filled with tears, and she reached out, cupping his cheek. "Don't say that," she whispered fiercely. "You have me now. You can tell me anything. You don't have to carry it all alone anymore."

Aiore's eyes softened as he gazed at her, and for the first time in what felt like forever, he let himself feel. Without warning, he pulled her into a tight embrace, burying his face in her shoulder. His entire body shook as he held her close, clinging to her like she was his lifeline.

Arielle hugged him back, pressing her face against his chest, feeling the steady thrum of his heartbeat beneath her cheek. "You're precious to me," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "I don't care what anyone says. You're worth more than you think."

Aiore's grip on her tightened, and for the first time in years, he allowed himself to be vulnerable. He allowed himself to believe that he wasn't alone anymore.

And for the first time in his life, he felt like he had something worth living for.

He had her.

And he wanted to live for their future.