Betrayed

☾Chapter Thirty-Eight☽

Vladimira's P.O.V

Soft, classical music plays in the background from the live orchestra in the restaurant.

From all around me, I can hear Spanish and English intermingling with one another, a beautiful mix in my opinion.

My father's blue eyes survey everyone around us before he looks me in the eyes. "How is Greer doing? She hasn't been let out for about five months," He asks.

I shrug. "Just fine. She'd rather risk her health before she risks our child's," I answer honestly.

Nodding, he cuts into his steak but he doesn't eat it. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm ready to get this baby out of me," I reply, my hands caressing my stomach slowly.

A small smile graces my father's face. "Your due date is very close! Are you ready?" He questions.

Without hesitating, I nod. "Yes. This baby's being born to a royal family, so I've got to be on my A game," I remind him.

I assess him while he chews over my reply.

He's dressed up in a black suit that's accompanied by a silver-colored watch, a dark blue tie, and black dress shoes.

Occasionally, when he moves his arms about, his tattoos peak out from the sleeves of his suit.

His muscles strain against the suit in certain places, but nothing that you would notice unless you're up close.

Out of the corners of my eyes, I see women glancing over before looking away, their cheeks tinting with red as lust singes their eyes.

My father's aware of their glances, but he's practically impervious to them. Even though my mother is dead, his bond with her isn't completely broken, and that alone is enough to turn off all sexual and romantic attraction to all women.

Sometimes I wonder if he misses being able to fall in love or feel true, undeniable lust.

"If you're referring to security," My father begins, his hands adjusting his tie, "stop worrying because guards will be protecting him and you at all times," He reassures.

As if on cue, Strawberry kicks restlessly. I rest my hands on the spot he's kicking to calm him. "No, I just mean in general. I'll hardly get any sleep for the next few months."

I push my salad around on my plate as I wait for his reply, but it never comes.

Looking up, I see him staring at me with those blue eyes, and resist the urge to cringe. "What?"

He shakes his head, almost like he's waking up from a hypnosis. "You'll have people there to support you, Mira. You won't have to do it all on your own."

My mind flickers to when my grandmother told me about how he couldn't bear to be around me for some time after my birth.

Will I be like that with my child? Will I get so sick of taking care of him that I just... give up?

"I know that, but I have to learn how to take care of my son without anyone else's help," I tell him, my hand rubbing my leg. "I can't just abandon my child for the first part of his life." My mouth clamps shut after I say that.