Conquering His Cold Heart

Alexander didn’t want to look rude by agreeing to Caspian. So, he wasted no time in politely denying, “Oh, there’s no need for any privacy between the three of us.” He pointed at the sofa and asked Caspian, “Please take your seat. I would love for the three of us to continue our conversation.”

Almost as if taking the clue, Anastasia’s stomach rumbled very loudly. “Umm…” She pressed her palm over her belly and apologized to the gentlemen, “Please excuse me.”

Caspian slightly pulled the corners of his lips and said while pointing towards the door, “I will excuse myself and ask the maids to serve dinner for the two of you. The two of you may carry on your conversation over the dinner as well.”

This time, Alexander didn’t insist that Caspian stay over. He gave a slight bow and said, “If you say so, then sure.”

Caspian instantly walked out of the room so as to let the siblings talk in private.

When the door of the room was shut close, Anastasia finally asked her brother, “What are you going to do about Everard, brother? Are you going to confront him for what he did?”

Alexander’s face was instantly taken over by a look of disappointment. He sighed and then answered, “To be honest, I have no idea. A part of me wants to head to Xanmar right away and demand an explanation for his crime. But then another part of me doesn’t even want to see his face, ever. And I am torn apart in the middle. I don’t know what I am supposed to do.”

Anastasia got up and went to sit down by her brother’s side. She looked at her brother’s sad face from up close and asked him, “Brother, I don’t think going there is the right idea. What if he attacks you again?” She had fear in her eyes when she asked that to her brother.

.....

Alexander gave a sad smile and mumbled painfully, “After what happened that day, I cannot even bring myself to say that he won’t attack me.”

“Yes, that’s why you shouldn’t be taking risks by going to the very place where he can do whatever he wants.” Anastasia took a deep breath, and although she didn’t want to say it, she said it anyway, “You wanted me to cut off ties with him, right? Why don’t you also do the same? I know it will be harder for you since you have been very close with him ever since the two of you were kids, but–”

“I will do that.” Before Anastasia could even complete her sentence, Alexander clenched his fists and said with determination. “I think our friendship ended the minute he decided to send people after us. He doesn’t even think that our friendship is more important than satisfying his ego.”

He turned his head away from Anastasia and quickly wiped a drop of tear that rolled down his cheek. He sniffled and then whispered in a broken voice, “Our friendship is beyond salvation now.”

Although Alexander thought that he was successful in hiding his tears from his sister, Anastasia could tell from the way he was continuously sniffling. Just like how their mother used to console her when she used to cry during her childhood years, Anastasia stretched her hand and lightly patted her brother’s back.

Alexander instantly rested his elbows on his thighs and covered his face with his palm. He couldn’t keep his true thoughts and feelings to himself anymore.

Thus, he finally burst out, “How could he betray us like that, Anna? Why would he want us dead over such a trivial matter? He kissed a married woman in front of the crowd, and he got beaten by her husband in front of the same crowd. That matter should have settled down right there. Why would he go as far as sending such monsters after us?”

He lifted his head and tightly clutched his palms together. He grimaced as if he was in great pain, and asked the questions that were eating him up, “And since when did he turn into that monster? Was he born like that? If he was, then why did he hide it from me? I was his best friend! Why did he hide such a big secret from me?”

Anastasia’s eyes also glistened with tears, her mind desperately trying to search for any hint or any abnormal behavior that Everard could have displayed in the past. But she couldn’t find any such clues in her memory.

“Maybe he was afraid that he would lose you?” Anastasia subconsciously mumbled.

Alexander’s eyes teared up again. He felt a great discomfort in his throat and even felt a hammering pain in his head. He pinched the bridge of his nose and softly murmured as he let his warm tears roll down his cheeks, “I would have gladly accepted him if he had just confided in me. If you could accept a vampire as your husband, then I am sure I would have been able to accept what Everard truly was. Maybe I could have understood him better...”

He slightly turned his head to look at his sister’s face. His tears were continuously trickling down as he spoke in a distraught manner, “You know what’s funny, Anna? My stupid heart would still readily accept that fool if he was to come to me and apologize… even after that fool tried to have us all killed.”

Anastasia wiped her eyes and looked up at the ceiling to hold her tears. This was the first time she had seen her brother this devastated.

“Then why don’t you send a letter to him?” Anastasia looked at her brother’s face and said, “I think you should demand an explanation from him, and get closure… or do whatever feels right after reading his reply.”

She then held her brother’s shoulder and asked, “But don’t do anything reckless like challenging him to a fight or going to Xanmar. You are the Crown Prince and you know better. But as the previous Princess of Orsenia, I still want to say that your action will not only reflect upon you but upon the whole Kingdom. And that incident isn’t just about us anymore. It’s about the three Kingdoms. So, we will have to be mindful of our actions. Please keep that in mind.”