Vulnerable

*Chapter 97*

Truth to his words, he was the one who helped me get dressed. He never insisted on taking male servants to help me to do that.

I even dined with him for a morning meal. All he did was talk and talk like the talkative person he was. That was his routine every time we would dine together while I would remain silent the whole time.

"Do you like them? Red peony is your favorite flower. I remember it you said before so... I ordered Caspian to hire some gardeners to change all the flowers planted here."

I sighed softly. I had never been this suffocated right now. He brought me to the garden full of peonies to show me how devoted he was to me even if I severed our mate bond.

My wolf was getting touched by that. She was slowly blooming like a flower even though we had been with him for three days. She couldn't say no to him even if I rejected him as my mate. My wolf would always look for his presence.

I had been treating him with a cold shoulder for three days already but when he showed me this garden today, I couldn't help admiring it and even knelt to the ground so I could have a close look at the peonies.

I even got to smell it. Oh my... This scent was really something. It was purely ecstatic.

"Frederick," I called.

I knew I was supposed to call him Atticus but I couldn't find myself calling him that. I already got used to calling him Frederick.

"Yes, my goddess?" He knelt next to me and picked one of the flowers. I looked at him and blinked when he tucked the peony behind my ear. My stomach somersaulted when I saw his expression softened, looking at me intently. "Now, my movements are not restricted anymore..." he said, not talking to me but to himself. "I wouldn't get to receive a punishment for making you displeased." He smiled.

"You are making me uncomfortable," I stated and jerked his hand away from me. I stood up and distanced myself away from him. I stretched out my hand and let my fingers feel the peonies as I took strides to roam around the garden.

"You are just not used to having a man like me. It was a good thing that I am not a slave anymore," he said as he followed me behind.

That made me smile bitterly.

"How long have you been stalking me?" I asked. I remembered the paintings that were all about me when we took a stroll in his villa house.

It would always let me feel chills down my spine every time I would see the paintings he made.

Yes, he made it.

Frederick could paint and draw.

That surprised me at how good he was. He could capture a moment just at first glance. That was what he told me.

He painted me even from the time I was engaged with him and even the moment he broke it. He had been secretly following me from a distance and would paint me. That was what he said.

"You already have your answers in your mind. You are smart and I do not need to elaborate on it."

I halted and turned around to look at him. "If you cherish me that much, why did you not let my father stop my engagement with Reginald?" I asked as I could feel my chest tighten.

Frederick silenced and did not answer my question.

"It took you ten years to finally make a move." I smiled bitterly. "Is that how you say that you cherish me when you haven't done anything to make me divorce my marriage with him?"

He heaved out a sigh. "I don't think you will ever be ready about it, Novalie. I have so many reasons why it took me so long to decide to be with you..." he said in his dejected tone.

I don't intend to listen to them anyway. I wanted to say but that was so dumb of me if I say that. I was even curious to know the things he did before he pretended to be a male slave.

I didn't say anything now. It was useless to ask some things from him because he intended to keep everything a secret.

"Come. Let's go inside." He took my hand but I jerked it and slapped him so hard.

"You are a cowardly person... You even hid your scent just so I couldn't find you the moment I reached my coming of age. You made me believe that I must not wait for my mate to save me so I have to do this on my own! Do you realize how your actions hurt me?!" I couldn't help raising my voice.

Tears started to fall from my eyes. I harshly wiped them away as I did not want to unleash this dark feeling I felt towards him.

I moved past him but I was halted from my movement when Frederick hugged me from behind. My eyes widened as my breath was shaky.

"I know how much you hate me when I should have saved you from the very start..." Frederick's voice croaked. His breath was fanning on my exposed shoulder as he hugged me so tight. It was as if he was indicating he did not want to let go of me ever again. "Novalie... I have prepared for this day... to be with you again. Fine. If you do not wish to get married, then so be it. I am not forcing you... All I want is for you to be happy."

"You wish for my happiness? Then release me now, you idiot! You cannot put me here forever!" I demanded and tried to remove his arms but he wouldn't budge.

"Anything but leaving!" He started to get angry. "Ask for anything but not leaving..." I closed my eyes when he started crying. "I have waited for so long... Please allow me to express how important you are to me. Give me a chance... Allow me to love you this time."

"Love?" I croaked as tears were streaming down my face. "I do not believe in love anymore... I do not even want to believe I ever had a mate if it weren't for you. And now... You want me to let you hurt me again? You should have killed yourself!"

This time he released me. I took that as a chance to dash away from him and went straight to the villa house. I choked a sob, not liking that the more I stayed here, the anger and abomination I felt toward him slowly released from me.

He kept showing affection toward me. And I felt bitterness seeing how he exerted that effort. I couldn't appreciate it.

I would never appreciate it.

I locked myself to the chamber where I was staying. I even knocked down the table because I was so mad at myself.

This was not me... I looked vulnerable right now.

Ever since I got to know that Frederick and Atticus were the same person, I had never been the same. I became more vulnerable than before. And it was making me sick right now.

I hated it. This was not really me.

Has I always been like this? Did I really look like this sensitive after all and I was just masking it with the new attitude I honed for years to hide the humiliation I felt that time?

I don't know anymore.

I stayed at that chamber for hours until I heard a knock. "Lady Novalie, His Highness wishes to see you. He wishes to take a stroll with you in the Saint Claire Lake." I did not answer the maidservant's words. "He is outside, my lady. He will barge in if you won't decide to go with him and forcibly take you."

I gritted my teeth in annoyance. This man did not know when to give up, did he?

I got up and opened the door to reveal Frederick who had a beaming smile on his face. "What do you want? Can't you see that I do not wish to see you?" I asked coldly.

I knew that no matter if I kept this hostile attitude, Frederick wouldn't give up to coax me. That was for certain.

Frederick offered his hand, ignoring my statement. "Shall we, my goddess? I shall take you to Saint Claire Lake. We can have a picnic there."

I only looked at the hand he was offering. I wanted to say no but I knew that Frederick would do anything to annoy me. I walked past him and did not take his hand.

"Lead the way," I said in a hostile tone.

He looked hurt for a moment before he beamed a smile again which was so annoying on my part. How could he endure having that kind of smile whenever he was facing me?

"Alright. Ladies first then." He gestured his hand.

I arched my eyebrow. He acted like he did not make me cry earlier and did not cry as well. I looked away, judging his movement again.

Sighing, I hope I could endure having him around before I decided to abscond from here. I would make sure that I would let his guard down.

I am not afraid of his warning. I had been in a dangerous moment for me to let myself be frightened at a valueless warning to get the better of me.