章 14: Your cheeks flushed red because...
Charlotte abruptly woke up from her sleep and found she was in a completely different place. She recollected her memories and realized that she was in the palace of Wexnon.
With the support of her elbows, she tried to sit up when her eyes fell on the person before her. She lifted her eyelids and found Édouard in front of her.
"You?" She frowned and slightly moved back. Her head hit the headboard behind her, and she asked him what he was doing in her bedroom.
"I wanted to make sure that you would not do anything stupid," Édouard replied, and stepped up to her. She glanced at him with skepticism and wondered why he moved forward. She asked him to stop, which he did.
"What happened?" Édouard asked.
"Prince Édouard isn't supposed to come to my bedroom for no reason," she said and pulled the blanket up. She was in a sleeping gown, so she covered herself well with the blanket.
"You have given me the reason already," Édouard said, and rested his palm above her forehead. He wanted to make sure that she would no longer have a fever. He sat back and asked her if he should ask to bring for evening tea for her.
"No," Charlotte refused. "Thank you for asking." She didn't want to be impolite to him, but some of his acts used to make her. She looked away and asked him if his time wasn't important to him anymore.
"What do you mean?" Édouard was slightly confused.
"Nothing," Charlotte realised she shouldn't talk to him too much.
"My time is indeed precious to me, but not more than you," Édouard answered to her question. She tilted her head to gaze at him. "I have promised your father that I will take good care of you," he stated.
"That's strange. The Prince indeed needs something from me in return." Charlotte wasn't ready to believe his words. Why would she be precious to him?
"You already know what I want from you," Édouard stated.
"What?" Charlotte raised her eyebrows.
"Guess," Édouard said, keeping a tiny smile on his lips.
"I cannot fulfil a wife's duties for Prince Édouard," Charlotte said, "he could have married a woman who would not be a widow. He would have taken over the territory of Beromont without even agreeing to this marriage."
"The King has given strict orders. I have to marry you to take over Beromont," he affirmed.
"Mathieu will never forgive me," Charlotte said, and she downcast her gaze. "I have promised him to remain loyal to him. Prince Édouard shall reconsider his decision once again," she opined.
"If he truly loved you, then he would like to see you moving ahead in life," Édouard stated. "I do not need to reconsider it," he stated. His voice seemed firm to her.
"Even if I will never give him what he wants," Charlotte said.
"Yes." As long as she was with him, he was happy. He could not let her be away from his sight. Even if she kept despising him, he would still love her.
Charlotte fell silent. She had no words left. Édouard was adamant about marrying her. However, he was the Prince of Escana, the next King. After some time, everyone would demand an heir. Then, what would she do?
"Prince Édouard, we will not have any conjugal relationship, and after sometime, everyone will expect a child from us. You should think from that perspective as well," she said, after much hesitation. She didn't look at him because it would make the situation awkward between them while she continued to fiddle with the edge of the blanket.
Édouard traced the side of her face, which made her breath hitch. He lifted her chin and made her look into his eyes.
"I can make you fall in love with me. Then, we can willingly have kids. No one will force you as long as you don't want to, especially in my presence," Édouard said. She gulped, and a hue of red appeared on her cheeks.
"You are blushing," he whispered and pulled his hand back when Charlotte covered her cheeks with her palms.
"I am not blushing. Prince Édouard must not lie." She promptly refuted his remark. Édouard smiled at her and turned to the bedside table. He pulled out the drawer and took out the hand mirror from it.
He closed the door and put it in front of her face. Charlotte glanced at him in confusion. "Lower your hands and witness yourself," he said. That tone seemed challenging to her. She promptly put her hands down and felt the slight redness on her cheeks. She bit her bottom lip and found the amusing smirk on Édouard's lips.
She yanked his hand away and said, "I had taken a fever reducing pill. That's why my cheeks got hotter. Why would I blush?" She chuckled. "Prince Édouard must not make such groundless remarks," she stated.
"You took the pill in the morning. It's evening now. Your cheeks flushed red because of me," Édouard said, and smiled again. He put the hand mirror above the table and turned to her. "Charlotte, the wedding dress has arrived. You must come with me and check it yourself," he said.
"I will check tomorrow," Charlotte said.
"It may get loose. I didn't know your exact measurements," Édouard said.
Charlotte furrowed her brows together. "My measurements?"
"Hmm. I told the tailor only my estimated measurements. I don't want it to get loose on you. So, you must check it once," he opined.
"Send the dress here. I will tell you about it from my personal attendant," Charlotte said and asked him to leave.
Édouard found out that she was not interested, which was understandable. He stood up to leave when Charlotte stopped him.
"Did Prince Édouard tell my brothers that he would demote them?"
Édouard turned to look at her. "How do you know?" He asked.
"Is that important?" She questioned him back.
"Your sister-in-law might have told you," Édouard replied. He recalled how Fleuretta followed Charlotte to the kitchen.
"Yes, I have decided to demote them," he accepted. When she opened her mouth, he pressed his finger on them. "I will not agree to it. They must not have defied my orders," he asserted and stood straight, pulling his hand back. "I will send the wedding dress with Charles' hands."
Before Charlotte could stop him, he had already left the bedroom.
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