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The Unofficial Empress - Chapter 14
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Marco didn’t speak but went straight to get a change of clothes from the trunk. He went to take a cold shower as well.
When they arrived in Luntian, Agatha immediately got off the carriage and happily assisted Alexandra down. Agatha wondered why her lady is alone but did not dare to ask. The kind yet gloomy smile from her lady is enough to make her keep quiet. The prince got off from the coachman’s seat. Agatha asked him through eye contact but the coachman just shrugged not knowing what really is going on.
He was also startled when the prince suddenly climbed to his place and sat beside him. He almost lost his life holding his breath while carefully driving the carriage. He’d rather hear the prince yelling than be tortured in deafening silence. Although the prince seems to be out of his mind during the bumpy ride, the coachman’s heart could not rest easy. It could jump out any moment every time the carriage runs over an unstable ground or a rock.
He felt so relieved when the prince left his side to accompany his wife. Agatha approached him immediately. “What is going on between them?” he asked.
“I thought you knew so I was going to ask,” Agatha shot back. “They were fine just yesterday.”
“They didn’t fight while we were fixing the carriage, did they?”
“How could they when they were not together?”
“Then maybe they fought after dinner,” the coachman shrugged. “Young couples are susceptible to it. I hope they make up sooner. I don’t want to die yet, you now,” he said and got down to carry the heavy luggage while Agatha carried the light ones.
Five young boys about seven to ten years old came happily greeting Agatha. They entered the rundown house. Even though it was partially made up of concrete, part of the wall is patched up with a wooden plank which is already disintegrating. The roof also has several holes that sunlight can pass through. “Kids, say your greetings. They are…”
Marco raised a palm to stop her from exposing their identities. “You go and pick some ripe fruits outside,” Agatha told the children so they raced outside to see whoever is the fastest among them. When the kids were gone, Marco spoke in a low but cold tone. “You can’t just say our names and identities so casually to anyone especially outside the capital. These children have no clear background. They could have been sent by terrorists. Better be careful than sorry,” he said bluntly nit meaning any harm.
Alexandra remained silent. Marco has a point so she didn’t say anything. “I’m very sorry, your highness. I…I…” Agatha trembled and she knelt down unable to make up some excuses. “Please punish me…”
“Am I only capable of punishing? Do you look down on me that much?” Marco asked trying to contain his irritation.
The children are looking at them with awe. “Why are you staring at us?” Alexandra asked with a gentle smile.
“You look like an angel.”
“Thank you. What’s your name?”
The youngest but the biggest child replied with a sheepish grin. “Brent.”
He is so cute that his pinkish cheeks are bulging. She wanted to pinch them and she could not restrain her hands. “May I?” she asked and held the innocent boy’s cheeks. The boys cheered her to pinch him but she didn’t when she saw that he was about to cry.
“You’re like a sissy! Look, it does not hurt at all!” the boy with a missing front tooth pinched his own cheeks making the other laugh. Even Alexandra laughed. She missed the children in the orphanage she worked at in Kalayaan. She ruffled the noisy boy’s hair.
“What are your names?” she asked them. The noisy boy is named Nick. The chubby one is Macky. The smallest one is Kyanu. The aloof one is Shane.
Alexandra and Marco have to pretend to be Agatha’s distant relatives. Anyway, none of their remaining neighbors knew where her family came from before settling in the village. For the sake of the pretense, they have to stay in that rundown house for three days while waiting for the village festival. Marco needs to personally talk with his informant.
In their room at the second floor, Marco and Alexandra sat silently on the bed with their backs facing each other. No one is talking about what transpired yesterday night.
Marco felt ashamed of how he acted. He felt so frustrated that night upon hearing Arnold’s story regarding the brutality of the Hongs. How Alexandra treats him matches well with how the Hongs treated Arnold and his family. They appear to be sweet harmless individuals but deep inside, they are as notorious as novel villains.
Among the Angenas princes, Marco is the calmest and clear-headed, not letting a single emotion mess up his pace or ruin his plans. He stiffly sat on the edge with clasped fingers and elbows resting on his knees while trying to compose his apologies.
“I’m not a spy. You can just divorce me or nullify our marriage and send me somewhere secluded. That way I won’t get in your plans,” Alexandra uttered as she clutched the sheets. Marco is gritting his teeth unable to shot back.
“Tsk!” he sprang up and went in front of Alexandra who didn’t even dare to look at him when he told her to. He got more irritated but he just clenched his fist. He smirked and leaned on the wall in front of her as he crossed his arms. “Why do you think I colluded with the doctor to fake your pregnancy?”
“Fake? How dare you!” Alexandra stood up and grabbed his collar. To his surprise, he just gazed and blinked to see her frustrated expression. She eventually released him before she headed to the balcony with a railing about to collapse. One should be careful not to put their weights on when touching it. “You are a cunning bastard, you know?” Alexandra uttered when she felt Marco’s presence behind her.
“I don’t like how you are cursing with that gentle voice and sweet lips,” he commented.
Alexandra grinned. “Do you want to hear more? I learned several curse words during my volunteer work.”
“I suggest you should not utter even one,” Marco replied which made her turn to him. She saw his smug expression which surprisingly suits him. Marco felt her gaze so he intentionally met hers when he glanced at her. Alexandra jolted when he suddenly touched her chin. “Do you know what will happen if you did?”
“I don’t care,” she retorted and brushed his hand away. If it continues, she might end up being a loser like last night. “Bastard,” she mumbled and suddenly her face was forced to turn back when she was about to walk away. “You…” she wasn’t able to speak because he claimed her mouth into a quick kiss leaving her gaping.
“One unpleasant word costs one kiss.”
“You’re not one to decide.”
“Try me,” he said and pulled her hips towards his body. His minty breath mixed with the pine-scented breeze made her want to sniff him. His dark eyes under the dimly lit sky look like a pair of black pearls glowing in the darkness. His intense gaze has captivated her soul while his strong hand is pressing her closer to his body. The night is cold yet Marco’s body emanates a comforting warmth. Alexandra would want to lean on him closer but she sprang away from him.
“Asshole…”
“Jerk…”
“Rotten…mmmph…enough!” she scolded after the third kiss. Marco hissed upon feeling his bitten lower lip. “I’ll gladly bite them off if you insist.”
“Go ahead,” Marco smirked. “If one kiss is not enough to shut you from spouting bad words, then I shall sterilize your mouth with my kisses. But remember,” he paused and looked at her from head to toe making her feel ***** under his gaze. “I won’t stop with just kissing.”
“What? You…Je…Monst…” she couldn’t finish her words because they are all unpleasant words that may cause her to have swollen lips. She pressed her lips together and clenched her fist. She punched his diaphragm and caught him off-guard. “Serves you right,” she said and left him rubbing his stomach.
When he came back, the sheets are already on the floor and Alexandra is wrapped in a blanket like a spring roll. He shook his head and tried to talk to her calmly but she didn’t get up. “Are you asleep already?” he asked one last time before he let out a deep sigh. “I was trying to say sorry earlier but you provoked me. I don’t know why but I didn’t like how you spoke casually about throwing you somewhere as if you are something that can be discarded anytime. You may wish that I should be sorry about a lot of things but I won’t be,” he said and pulled the blanket down her head. “You’ll suffocate yourself, wild cat,” he said and kissed her forehead. “Good night.”
Alexandra was listening to every single word Marco uttered while she was wrapped in the blanket. When she felt him move, she quickly shut her eyes and pretended to be asleep as he gently pulled down the blanket from her face. She sucked her breath when his cold lips touched her forehead.
Was it always that cold? I don’t know. I can’t remember what happened that night. She remained quiet while pretending to be asleep. The bed is made up of uneven wooden planks and it is already uncomfortable for her even if there are thick mattresses. She would actually prefer to sleep on the floor because it has a flat surface. She can hear rustles on the floor caused by the tossing and turning of Marco. This may be his first time sleeping on the floor without proper beddings.