Chapter 64: Chapter 64

Inside Theo Palace

“Congratulations, the Queen is blessed with the future heir of the Theo Dynasty.”

Reina exclaimed and rushed to Ernest who engulfed her in his arms, his eyes sparkling with tears of joy.

“Finally, the time came when we will be getting our future king, the ultimate ruler of Heaven. Reina, before we share this good news with the whole of Heaven, Theodore and Diana need to be tied with the sacred bond. So, better fasten up the wedding preparations.” He said and looked at the morose Christian who was standing beside Theodore.

Ernest walked towards him and held his shoulder, “Christian, what’s your call? Should we hold the wedding this week as there’s no use in dallying it any longer?”

While the royal family was busy celebrating the news, Diana who was sitting on the bed with the doctors checking up on her was watching them with shock-filled eyes.

‘Why do they seem so happy with this news when they are well aware that he or she is Zachary’s blood? Aren’t they repulsed by this fact?’

She was bewildered by their reactions. The Theo family was rejoicing over her pregnancy and were delighted to welcome the child which didn’t belong to their family.

Moreover, what do they mean by rightful owner? She had no idea.

Diana peeked at Theodore who was standing at the end of the bed, wearing an impassive look. His hands were crossed over his chest while he stared into her blue eyes blankly. Neither did he look elated nor depressed, he was still as a statue.

Reina jogged to Diana and cupped her right cheek earning a flinch from her, “Don’t stress yourself anymore, Princess. You are now saddled with the most important responsibility; you’re carrying the future of the Theo Dynasty. You need to be meticulous and patient from now on.” She spoke softly but her words made the Princess queasy. Diana couldn’t understand the reason behind their indulgence.

“What are you up to? You do know that this is Zachary’s child and he or she is not the future of Heaven but of Hell.” Diana snapped and then shifted her eyes towards Theodore who was staring at her coldly.

“At least now use your brain and let me go. I am pregnant and married. Do your morals allow you to hold a pregnant woman captive? For Lord’s sake, stop this madness. I believe you can do this Theo.” She spoke and looked at him with hope. Diana knew that only he holds the power to phase out this fiasco.

But her words incensed Reina and Ernest who immediately pounced on her, “How could you even say something like this Diana? Didn’t we make it clear to you that from now on you’re the pride of our family? Forget about that demon and better enshrine your future with the apparent heir of the Universe.” Reina chided her.

Diana glared at the sick couple, “I said that before and I am saying it again. Zachary was, is, and will remain my husband till eternity. You don’t get to make decisions in life. I would never marry Theodore and you can’t force me to do this.”

“ENOUGH!!!!”

Theodore suddenly growled stunning everyone to silence.

Diana jolted in fear when she found the blood streaks that had nearly covered his sclera which clearly showed how mad he was. But what she didn’t know was that the reason behind his rage wasn’t directed at her but at the duo whom he had encountered an hour before. The scene of them cuddling and flirting with each other had printed in his mind.

Diana was confused by his protean personality, one moment he’ll treat her gently and the other, he’ll be back to his dominating self. She kept staring at him, gauging his reaction when all of a sudden, Theodore marched in her direction. Diana scooted back in the bed but Theodore was quick enough as he extended his hand and gripped her chin tightly.

“Ahh!! What are you doing?” She hissed in pain and tried to remove his hands but Theodore was being brutal. He clasped her other hand and wrung it which made her scream.

“Theo, what are you doing?“, Christina who was standing beside Diana berated him and rushed to help her but she was pulled back by Reina.

“Don’t interfere in their matters.” Reina gritted which made Christina look at her in disbelief.

“Didn’t I tell you that from now on you belong to me Doll? Didn’t I make myself clear that from now I am your owner then why do you always keep forgetting this?” Theodore gritted near her lips.

Diana lost her cool. She had enough of him. “How many people belong to you, Theodore? How many lives will have to take your consent to breathe, sleep, eat, and even choose their partners?” She shot back.

Theodore stiffened by her taunt. His hold eventually turned loose and Diana immediately slapped his hands away and smirked at him.

“I know you’re still not over Jasmine but you are deliberately being ignorant. And you know the reason behind it, it is because you can’t accept denial. You may be the King but you don’t have the heart nor the courage to bear rejections. I know you want to embrace her but you won’t. Because you’re scared of losing your family who always thinks of her as a nobody. You are a spineless jerk who couldn’t protect her woman, your sky-high ego ruined your happiness and now like a lovesick puppy, you’re searching for happiness by encroaching on others’ emotions and by snatching them from their loved ones. Why? Because you can’t see them happy. You left Jasmine when she kept begging you not to. I was always in front of your eyes but you didn’t have the guts to propose to me because you were scared that I would turn you down. Now when I was well settled with my loved one, you took me away to satisfy your stubbornness and raise your pride. You turned blind to the feelings of the girl who kept swallowing the bitter pill, choking back the pain of humiliation only to gain your love. Wishing for a day when you’ll look in her way only to end up getting hurt.”

She spoke, her eyes turned glossy which even turned Theodore maudlin. Diana was though oblivious to Jasmine’s ordeals; she could still feel the pain of being abandoned by the person whom you love the most. Both the girls were in the same boat. She also loved Zachary more than herself but he failed to understand her. And now when she is beleaguered and trapped between such cruel and selfish people, he wasn’t even putting an effort to save her.

Where was he? Why he didn’t come yet? He has the power to save her, he was the Demon King after all. What could become an impediment in his way? What was stopping him from helping her?

On the other hand, her words threw Theodore into a whirlpool of emotions. He harked back to the days when Jasmine used to die for his one glance. There were many incidents in the past where he had rebuffed that poor soul heartlessly but one of them was still fresh in his mind.

Flashback

Holding the tray in her trembling hands, Jasmine quietly entered the room. The four walls were draped with sheer and ominous darkness. Blinking her hazel hues, she scanned the room when her eyes caught a manly figure that was standing beside the window, resting his hands on the sill as he gazed at the stars scattered in the dark sky.

The man was none other than her husband, her love, and unfortunately, the one who despised her to his core. A doleful look appeared on her face as she knew what was bugging him.

It was the time when Theodore’s deceptive parents were forcing him to accept Jasmine as his wife. Infuriated and desperate, he expedited his efforts to get Diana but failed every time. So many failed attempts eventually broke his confidence and perseverance. The only option left in front of him was to accept Jasmine but the King was not at all ready to bite the bullet.

Jasmine knew that she had wronged him by tying him into this unwanted marriage but she was willing to make it up to him. Blinking her tears away, she raised her chin and padded to him with a smile playing on her lips.

“Theo?”

She called him softly. Theodore turned stiff at her voice but didn’t bother to acknowledge her.

His act disheartened the poor girl.

Nevertheless, Jasmine took a step forward and again pushed her luck, “Theo, you didn’t have your dinner so I brought food for you. Please eat.” She spoke softly but what happened next crashed her hopes.

Theodore turned around and slapped her hands harshly which caused the tray to slam into the wall. Jasmine looked at him in shock but her heart sank when she found pure unadulterated rage and disgust for her shining in his eyes.

“YOU LOVE PISSING ME OFF, DON’T YOU? I LOST MY APPETITE BECAUSE YOUR MERE PRESENCE REVOLTS ME!! YOUR FACE, YOUR SMELL DISGUSTS ME!! I HATE BREATHING IN THE SAME AIR AS YOURS AND MY PARENTS WANT ME TO SHARE THE ROOF WITH YOU!! Despite knowing that you’re the reason behind my misery, YOU ARE STILL TRYING TO WIN ME WITH YOUR PATHETIC, ORNERY WAYS? HOW COULD YOU EVEN FUCKING THINK OF COMFORTING ME WHEN YOU’RE THE CAUSE OF MY RUINATION!!!” He scalded her. Tears pricked in his eyes but he refused to cry. He couldn’t give her the satisfaction that she had finally broken him.

But Jasmine couldn’t control her tears and burst out in loud sobs. She fell to her knees and looked at Theodore helplessly.

“Please forgive me, Theo. I really love you. Why can’t you give me a chance? Why can’t you give me a small place in your heart? Just one chance Theo and I promise I would never let you down. I will do anything, you say. I mean it. Please be mine and I will make you forgive Diana. She doesn’t love you, Theo, she loves Zachary. I am your wife now; I agree I forced this marriage on you but I will do anything to make it up to you. I am ready to wait for your love but stop pushing me away from you. It hurts.” She cried and grabbed his hands in her small ones.

But her words didn’t thaw his stone-cold heart. He remained indifferent to her genuine feelings. Theodore tried pulling his hands away but Jasmine shook her head and hugged them to her chest.

“Please just one chance and I will prove how much I love you. You can hate me, can call me desperate but I can swear on my life that no one can love you more than me.” She said and coiled her arms around his waist.

Theodore was speechless. She was crazy for him. Somewhere he felt a bit happy but what if she was again tricking him? That thought immediately wiped the smile off his lips.

Grabbing her shoulders, he harshly peeled her away from him and pushed her to the floor. Jasmine looked at him in shock as she hadn’t expected him to be this violent.

Shooting her a resentful glare, Theodore spat on her face, “You are only a cheap, gold-digger and a profligate woman in my eyes who could go to any length to succeed in her plans. You can’t compare yourself with Diana because you have no self-respect, no self-love. Despite knowing that I hate you, you keep seducing me. That itself shows what a slut you are.”

Jasmine gasped while her eyes pooled with heavy tears. She could hear her heart tearing apart. Not only did her efforts turn down the hill but the little dream in her eyes of winning him also vanished then and there.

Theodore could see the hurt in her eyes. His anger indisposed him to understand her feelings. Merely blinking at her dampened face, he walked past her. He could still hear muffled cries but didn’t bother to comfort her and exited the room.

End of Flashback

She was right in front of him but he never respected her feelings.

But now why his heart hurts? Why did he feel aggrieved when she didn’t glance in his way and was comforting and supporting another man? She was worthless in his eyes then why his heart was today longing for her attention?

Theodore was waffled. Diana after giving him an earful clammed up and was silently observing him. But Reina who was standing behind them lost her temper. An uneasy feeling settled in her heart.

‘She’s trying to manipulate my son. I need to do something before he gets convinced.’

Reina looked at Ernest who nodded at her. She then shifted her attention to Diana and attacked her which took her as well as Theodore off guard.

“Aren’t you ashamed of your acts? You’re trying to push your husband to another woman? I guess we have been too lenient on you.” She spat and glowered at her. Diana rolled her eyes.

“Stop making decisions for everyone and let us live. You are well aware that Theo loves Jasmine but you won’t let him accept her by forcing your traditions and bigoted beliefs on him. Why are you snatching our happiness away?”, she retorted.

Reina feigned a gasp and tottered to Ernest, “Did you hear what she said? She thinks I am the enemy of my son. How could you even say something like this?” She bleated and buried her face in his chest. Ernest wrapped his hand around her protectively and shot a death glare at Diana. Diana averted her gaze down, she felt intimidated.

“The Theo Dynasty doesn’t work according to your commands but mine. You want to reunite with your lover, right? Alright, give us an heir, and then get the fuck out of my territory.”

His words shocked everyone present in the room. Reina also yanked herself away from his hold and looked at him with wide eyes.

“What are you saying? Diana and Theodore-“

She tried to speak but Ernest cut her midway, “No. I can’t brook this girl’s disobedience anymore. What do you think of yourself? Since the day you’ve been brought here, you have only shown tantrums and continued disrespecting and humiliating my son. Just because you got the back of that Demon, you think you can do anything you wish. We aren’t bound to put up with your nuisance. You should be obeying us not the other way around. You think so highly of herself, don’t you? Then let me make it clear to you that we also don’t want a girl who is this stubborn, arrogant, and gauche.”

He growled and marched towards Diana which made her crawl back into the bed, her hands automatically covered her belly.

Ernest let out a scoff at her move, “Your fate had been already decided, Princess Diana. The future king of the Theo Dynasty who will set on to become the ultimate ruler of Heaven will take birth from your womb. You are desperate for freedom, right? I give you, my words. Once you give this child to us, you are free to leave.”

“NO!!!!”

Diana shouted and jumped from the bed, “NO WAY, I WOULD LET YOU SNATCH MY CHILD FROM ME??”

She cried and hid behind Christina who was frozen on her spot, she hadn’t still overcome the shock.

‘Separating a mother from her child? How come he turn so vile?’

Christian was also gobsmacked by his decision. He clenched his fists, he would never support such an iniquity.

He came beside Diana and stood in her support, “Father, please don’t be this harsh. She is immature, forgive her.” He tried to handle the situation.

Christina also nodded in agreement, “Yes, please. I will make her understand. Don’t worry.”

Ernest glared at the duo and looked at Theodore who was lost in deep thoughts. He understood that there was no use in dragging this matter as Theodore wasn’t in the right state of his mind. Diana’s words had hit him hard so he won’t be able to take a firm decision.

Ernest was a connoisseur in gerrymandering and molding the situation in his favor. He knew his son well. Diana’s words had impacted him badly and now he will for sure try to get Jasmine.

It was crystal clear. Theodore needed Jasmine and Diana, Zachary that’s why he planned to threaten them emotionally to make them agree to his conditions.

Ernest snapped his fingers and a troop of female guards entered the room. Diana clung to Christina and looked at them with scared eyes.

“MAKE SURE THE PRINCESS DOESN’T LEAVE THIS ROOM. NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO MEET HER AND MAKE SURE SHE DOESN’T HARM HERSELF!!”

He ordered them in a peremptory tone. The guards nodded and pulled Diana away from Christina.

Christian looked at Theodore for help but he remained impassive to her pleas and cries. On the other hand, Christina tried to help Diana but she was held back by guards.

Everyone simply watched Diana being dragged and locked in another room with sealed lips because they didn’t hold the right to throw a gauntlet at Ernest’s powers.