The Immortal vampire Prince

Chapter 5 I will bear the consequences

Lucian looked at his Aria with confusion. He never thought Aria would sign the divorce papers after everything they had been through together. Never in his wildest dreams had he anticipated that she would be easily fooled by her family into divorcing him.

"Lucian, I... I..." Aria swallowed hard. She wasn't able to explain to him why she had taken such a drastic step because she feared he wouldn't be able to accept it. Nevertheless, she needed to let him know why she had signed the papers.

"Actually, Lucian..." Her voice was low as she began explaining to him that her dad had made a promise. "Dad has secured our child's future. He said that if I don't divorce you, he won't assist us. He has secured our child's future."

"Are you listening to yourself, Aria? Who told you that I can't take care of our child? Have you also been seeing me as a poor, useless guy?"

"No, Lucian. You're getting it all wrong. It's not what you're thinking."

"Then make me understand!" Lucian's voice reverberated through the room. He furrowed his brows. He didn't look pleased.

Aria blinked at him owlishly, her heartbeat racing like crazy as she spoke. "I did it for our child. Don't be selfish now."

Lucian was in disbelief as he spoke. "Me? Selfish? Have I ever been selfish, even once? Tell me, Aria."

"You're getting it all wrong. You don't have anything. No properties, no investments. Nothing at all. I don't want my unborn child to suffer the same fate as you are suffering in the hands of my family."

Aria kept talking non-stop. "I'm tired of defending you every now and then. And like Dad said earlier, I'm not sure you'll be able to protect me, not to talk of our unborn child."

"So this is what you think of me? A weak man who has nothing in common with your family?" Lucian asked. He was in a daze. His wife speaking to him in such a tone was uncalled for. How dare she?

Lucian clenched his fist into a tight ball, his bones cracking from the tension.

A sardonic laugh echoed in the room. "Oh, my daughter has finally realised what I've been telling her. She has been released from your spell. I think we should celebrate." Elle burst into another fit of laughter. When her laughter died down, she asked her daughter, "Don't you think?"

"Mum, I'm just stating facts here. It's not something to call for a celebration," Aria said.

"But come on, baby. This really is good news. I think we should invite the Birla family, the monarchs." Elle laid out her suggestion as plainly as possible.

"That would be a good idea. And the monarch's son came back from the United Kingdom a few weeks ago," Mr Reign chimed in, with a wild grin plastered on his face.

Aria was so happy at the mention of the monarch's son that she didn't realise when she asked, "Really? Is Lawrence back?"

"Of course, he's back."

"That's such great news! Oh, my Lawrence is finally back. But he didn't ask after me," Aria complained.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous now, Aria. He just returned not too long ago, and he's the next in line to the throne. He's been caught up with a lot of things," Elle explained to her daughter sweetly.

"You know the both of you have been good friends since childhood. He would be very happy to see you."

"But how, Mum?" Aria questioned her mother with a burning gaze that made Elle happy.

"Seems like my daughter is thinking what is on my mind," she mumbled to herself, not saying it out loud for anyone to hear.

"Um... Let's invite him on your birthday. That would be fair, right?"

"Geez! My birthday! That would be great. He gives me lots of gifts during my birthday, remember?" Aria told Elle, jumping with excitement as she remembered how Lawrence showered her with gifts.

"Come on now. You need to take some rest. Don't stress yourself out like this."

"You also—" Elle couldn't finish her sentence.

Muna was wincing in so much pain. "My back hurts. I'm dying, Aunty... Uncle, I'm..." She trailed off, no longer having the strength to continue. She closed her eyes because of the excruciating pain she was feeling.

"Muna!" Elle shouted at the top of her voice. "Come back, Muna. Please!" Elle massaged Muna's hands gently several times, but she still wasn't responding.

"What's wrong with her? She isn't opening her eyes," Elle asked with a worried look.

"You said you would treat her. Go on, do so now." Aria was now talking to Lucian, who looked unfazed by the situation.

"I'm not a doctor. I can't help in any way."

"Seriously? I know you're lying. Please help her. I know you can."

"Oh, you know I can help her, but I can't take care of our child?"

"Don't be petty now. She's not opening her eyes. Please help her." Aria folded her hands in a pleading manner.

Lucian wasn't making any attempt to help. It seemed he had already made up his mind. He didn't expect Aria to be talking about another man while he was still alive and kicking. She had even looked happy while talking about him. That made his heart ache so much that he was now determined not to help Muna anymore.

"I will only help her on one condition," Lucian said.

"Which is?"

"You will have to burn the divorce papers you signed. That's the only way out right now."

"Fine, I will."

"Don't even dare do that. We should all wait for the doctor to come. He's already on his way here," Mr Reign sounded out, not caring about the consequences of Muna's condition.

"But, Dad, Muna isn't waking up, and she's bleeding profusely. If the doctor had wanted to come, he would have been here by now."

"Calm down. Nothing is going to happen to Muna. Let's give the doctor two minutes. If he doesn't arrive, then we will look for another alternative."

Aria sighed. She paced around the room while everyone else awaited the doctor's arrival. Beads of sweat started forming on her forehead. She was really worried about her cousin and began looking increasingly troubled.

"If you all think the doctor will come, then I'm sorry to crush your hopes. The doctor won't come, no matter what," Lucian informed them in a cold and emotionless tone.

"How did you know that he won't come? He's been our family doctor for decades," Elle said.

Lucian let out a disbelieving sigh and answered her, "Because I've made sure of that, even without him knowing."

"Sorry?"

"Yes. If you all think I'm lying, then you can wait for an extra three minutes."

Elle didn't respond to him anymore. She just stared blankly at Muna's unmoving body.

Three minutes passed, yet the doctor didn't come. Aria was already running out of patience. "Fine, I will burn the divorce papers. But if you had any hand in the doctor not coming, I will never forgive you, and whatever respect I ever had for you will fade away like dissolving mist," Aria told Lucian. She held the divorce papers and carried a candle into the room. She brought the candle close to the papers.

"I will bear the consequences," Lucian told her.

Just as Aria was about to burn the divorce papers, the door creaked open, revealing the doctor.