Chapter 47

In the car, Xandar drove a bit before starting the conversation, “Lucy, Christian asked me to thank you.”

Lucianne blinked in confusion, “For what?”

Xandar explained sadly, “For not asking Annie why they don’t have kids.”

Lucianne then shrugged and said, “There’s no need to thank me for something like that. The absence of kids is only for two reasons. One is because they don’t want them, in which case, who am I to question their decision? Or two, it’s because…unfortunately, they can’t have them. If that’s the case, then why bring it up to hurt them even more?” 15

Xandar laced his fingers with hers and kissed the back of her hand as he uttered, “You’re amazing.”

Xandar drove a bit more before he said, “I was supposed to let you know about the…delicate subject of kids for Annie before you met her but…Christian and I forgot to brief you beforehand. We only remembered when Russell came up to you when we arrived. By then, we thought it was too late. But when you didn’t ask them about not having their own children at all, even when Annie herself started talking about kids, Christian was more assured that you weren’t going to bring it up throughout our stay. And he really appreciates it. It’s not something that he and Annie… are comfortable talking about. What surprised us though is today was the first time in a long time that we saw Annie talk about kids with zero strain. She spoke about your interaction with Russell like she was just explaining what she saw. There wasn’t any sorrow in Annie like there was in the past whenever the subject of children came up. Neither Christian nor I know how you encouraged Annie to talk about your interaction with children without her breaking down but, sweetheart, keep doing it.”

Lucianne frowned as she whispered, “What happened…to Annie?”

Xandar took a breath before he said, “In the first year of their marriage, when they both visited a cafe one day, someone laced Annie’s coffee with a drug that suppressed pregnancy indefinitely.”

Lucianne was shocked. She thought that even if it were infertility, the cause would be a natural one. Xandar’s explanation had shocked her to the bone.

Xandar gave her a moment before he continued, “We worked around the CCTV footages and caught the culprit but before the interrogation could start, he committed suicide. It was a dead end from there. Christian and Annie visited every doctor and healer we know but they all said there was no cure.”

Lucianne digested the information before she asked cautiously, “Is that why Annie never attends government events with Christian?”  

up to you. Greg and his supporters, especially, tried to make Annie feel uncomfortable when we weren’t around to defend her. Even with them gone, Annie still doesn’t feel safe being there so Christian never tried to persuade her to go to these things with him. If anything, he and I encouraged Annie to steer clear of events with

he stroked her

like this happen to them? “Yeah, I just…” she sighed, “I just feel helpless that I can’t do

and said, “Sweetheart, by not bringing up

“No, I mean really

up to Greg. In front of everyone, no less. The second time you

me a

caught off guard. You made him uncomfortable in a way that I’ve never seen before myself. No one has ever been able to put Greg in his place, not even Christian or m e. But you did it. You rendered him speechless on your very first encounter with him. It’s like you used his own

used to put people down. He takes the most painful parts of someone’s

how did you know he didn’t feel worthy though? I’ve known him forever but even I couldn’t guess

lack the same thing. Greg saw the need to make Annie and I feel unworthy. It’s only because he doesn’t feel worthy himself. He wants to make himself feel better by making us feel worse. He could’ve flaunted his wealth, power or strength to make us feel lack in those aspects but he didn’t. Because those aren’t his insecurities. It’s his worth. He didn’t get the throne despite his efforts to overthrow you; the Moon Goddess never gave him a mate; and truth be told, I don’t think he has someone he

person with him before.”

internalize her words and gather his thoughts, before asking, “How do you

had their own insecurities that they were never able to make

experience. The sad thing was that she couldn’t see the full extent of what she

listen to the way you speak to know that. Most people would be embarrassed to be rejected once, but when you spoke against Greg and even Cummings’s daughter the other day, you talked about your rejections with so much grace. You were so composed. It’s not that you downplayed the severity of it all but you sort of…showed everyone that rejections…do not define you as a person.

the fullest. It’s not just me. But we have to choose to do that. Making that choice… is often the most difficult and painful phase to get through. But once you get through it, you’ll be fine. Not instantly, of course. But gradually, you’ll learn to make peace with it. I’m grateful to have something to live

her when she went through the worst phases of her life. She had Juan, Hale, Toby, Raden and a long list of other people whom he met in the past few days. But he wasn’t there for her. He wished he could have been. Now that he had met her, he vowed to make sure that she would never have to go

“I know.” She stroked his hand with her thumb before saying,” Thank you, Xandar. And

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255