Chapter 4
On the day of the consultation, there were guards stationed every few paces in and around the Rainview Pavilion. The tension in the air was so thick that it felt like a battlefield was about to erupt.
Edward sat in the seat of honor, his fists clenched so tightly that the veins on the back of his hands stood out.
Monica sat nearby, quietly muttering prayers.
As the princess, I naturally had to be present to witness the proceedings.
Three royal physicians, all with white hair and beards, took turns checking Vivian.
Vivian reclined on the soft couch, her cheeks glowing with health, a shy and blissful smile on her face.
After the first royal physician finished, he stood up and bowed respectfully to Edward. "Congratulations, Your Royal Highness. Ms. Reed is indeed pregnant. She's been with child for over a month."
Finally, a smile broke through the tension on Edward's face.
The second royal physician finished his check and nodded in agreement. "The pregnancy is steady and lively. She's definitely expecting."
Edward's smile grew even wider.
The third royal physician was the oldest and the most cautious.
He examined her for a long time, his brow furrowing slightly.
Edward's heart leaped into his throat.
"Mr. Harrison, what's your verdict?" Edward asked, his voice tight with anticipation.
John stood up, hesitated for a moment, then spoke gravely, "Your Royal Highness, Ms. Reed's pregnancy is real. However, her health is fragile, and the pregnancy seems unsteady. She must rest and stay calm. Any mishap could put her and the baby at risk."
His words instantly turned the room from joyous to heavy with tension.
Vivian's face went ghostly pale in an instant.
Her eyes reddened, and her tears fell like rain as she clung to Edward's sleeve, sobbing her heart out.
"Prince Edward, it's all my fault. My body's just too weak. I'm so scared. I'm so afraid I won't be able to keep our baby safe..." she sobbed.
Edward couldn't stand seeing her like this. He gathered her into his embrace, speaking softly to soothe her.
"Don't be afraid. As long as I'm here, no one will lay a finger on you or our child," he promised.
After comforting her, he suddenly looked up, his gaze turning icy as it landed on me.
Vivian immediately tugged at his sleeve, her gesture gentle and knowing.
"Prince Edward, it's not Charlotte's fault. It's just that her Magnolia Court is so close to mine, and that place has been empty for ages. It just feels so cold and lonely, and I just can't sleep well at night..." Vivian said softly.
Vivian's words sounded sweet, but everyone knew exactly what she was getting at.
She was basically blaming me, the out-of-favor princess, for bringing bad luck and cold vibes that were messing with her pregnancy.
What a sly move, hurting me without leaving a mark.
Edward's roar of "Guards!" made my ears ring.
"From now on, seal off Magnolia Court. Charlotte, you're moving to the Frosted Garden at the far west of the manor. And don't even think about stepping outside without my permission," he barked.
The Frosted Garden was where the owner of Sinclair Manor dumped his disgraced servants and concubines who'd lost his favor.
It was old, damp, and utterly run-down.
Forcing me, the legitimate princess, to move there was like crushing my pride beneath their feet, grinding it to dust.
Everyone's eyes were on me, waiting to see if I'd crack or put on a show.
Some watched with pity, some with smug satisfaction, and others with complete indifference.
I didn't cry, didn't protest, and didn't make a fuss.
I simply stood up, composed, and gave Edward a silent, respectful curtsy.
"Yes, Your Highness... I will obey," I said, my voice unwavering.
I accepted the order calmly, packed my belongings without fuss, and moved into the Frosted Garden, the manor's cold, forgotten corner, under the watchful, judgmental eyes of every servant.
It felt just like tossing out an old coat I'd worn for years, not a shred of regret or nostalgia.
Because I knew the real show was only getting started.
After everything with Vivian Reed was dealt with, it was finally Edward's turn.
Edward waved everyone out, keeping only the three doctors in the room.
He held out his hand, his voice trembling.
"Once more, give me a thorough check," he said.
The three doctors exchanged glances, their expressions turning somber and heavy.
They knew this was the main event of the day.
Time crawled by, each second feeling endless.
The consultation lasted a full hour.
The three doctors used every bit of their expertise, repeatedly examining and consulting with each other.
Finally, they came to the same verdict as all the other doctors before them.
John, speaking for the group, stood before Edward, his voice weighed down with gravity.
"Your Royal Highness, your noble body has suffered old wounds and years of exhaustion. Your strength and spirit are both fading. I'm sorry, but there's no hope for an heir, not now, not ever," he declared, each word falling like a death sentence.
A buzzing filled Edward's mind, drowning out everything else.
All the excitement, hope, and nerves on Edward's face froze solid in that moment.
Then, piece by piece, it cracked apart.
The color vanished from his face, leaving him deathly pale, like all the life had been sucked right out of him.
"What... What did you just say?" Edward demanded, disbelief and anger twisting his voice.
He forced the words out through clenched teeth, every syllable tight and bitter.
"Say it again," he growled, his voice low and trembling with rage.
He shot to his feet, grabbed John by the collar, and hauled him up off the ground like he weighed nothing.
His grip was so fierce, it felt like he might snap the old doctor's bones in half.
"Please, Your Royal Highness, spare me. Have mercy," John stammered, his voice thin and desperate.
The other two doctors were scared out of their wits, bowing over and over, begging for their lives.
John was in Edward's iron grip, struggling to get the words out, repeating the grim diagnosis.
"Your Royal Highness... I swear, it's the truth... None of us would ever dare deceive you..." he choked out, his voice shaking with terror.
Edward let go.
John fell to the ground, coughing violently.
Edward looked as if all his strength had been sucked out. He staggered and slumped back into his chair.
His eyes were hollow and unfocused.
His energy was completely wasted.
He would never have a child, ever again in this life...
Those words seared into his mind and heart like red-hot brands, burning him to the core.
He thought it was impossible. If he could never have a child in this life, then what about the child Vivian was carrying?
A chilling, horrifying thought struck him, coiling through his mind like a venomous snake.
He turned his head inch by inch.
His gaze drifted through the layers of gauzy curtains, settling on the woman lying in bed, her face radiant with bliss.
Her belly, round and prominent, suddenly felt like the most offensive thing in the room. Edward could barely stand to look at it.
His gaze drifted over to the doctors, still standing in front of him, shaking like leaves.
Edward's eyes burned with shock, suspicion, and a crazed killing intent, as if he might snap at any second.
It was time.
Out in the distant Frosted Garden, I sat before my mirror, taking my sweet time as I combed through my long hair.
I summoned my loyal maid, Rose.
"Go on, just stroll past the head steward like it's no big deal," I told her quietly.
I leaned in close and murmured a few instructions in her ear.
Rose nodded and slipped out without a sound.
It was about half an hour later.
On his way to report to Monica, the head steward of Sinclair Manor happened to run into a few maids gossiping in hushed voices.
"Hey, did you hear? Ms. Reed and Lucas Ward, the Prince's chief bodyguard, seem awfully chummy these days," one maid whispered.
"Yeah, I saw it, too. Lucas is always hanging around the Rainview Pavilion, says he's just following the Prince's orders to keep her safe," another maid chimed in.
"But honestly, it doesn't look like just protection to me. The way they look at each other, there's real affection in those eyes," a third maid whispered, her voice thick with gossip.
"Keep your voice down. Do you have a death wish?" another maid hissed.
The steward froze mid-step, his face darkening with shock and unease.
He didn't say a word, just quietly filed away what he'd heard in his mind.
The seed of doubt was already planted, and I was the one who sowed it.
Now, all I had to do was wait for that seed to take root in Edward's mind, sprout, and grow into a towering tree, one that would utterly destroy him.