Chapter 6: A Crown, A Child, A Betrayal

Sebastian planned to stay at the mausoleum for a few days.

He made himself at home, as if nothing had changed. The air in the house grew tense, heavy with unspoken words.

He wanted me to stay with him.

He made it clear—he expected me by his side, as if the last ten years had never happened.

But when he leaned in to kiss me, I pulled away.

The gesture was instinctive. I couldn’t bring myself to pretend.

His face darkened, but he kept his cool and tried to coax me.

He smoothed his features, voice softening. He was used to getting his way.

“Autumn, what’s wrong?” He paused, his voice gentle. “Are you still mad about the past?”

His hand lingered on my shoulder, warm but unwelcome. I stared at the floor, searching for words.

I swallowed everything and looked at him. “Don’t you think you did anything wrong?”

My voice trembled, the accusation clear. I needed him to understand the pain he’d caused.

Sebastian shrugged it off. “I had no choice back then. To escape, I had to fake my death.”

He spoke as if it were the most reasonable thing in the world. My anger simmered beneath the surface.

So he really didn’t think he’d done anything wrong.

I realized then that we were strangers, separated by more than just years.

I closed my eyes, tears slipping down.

They traced cold paths down my cheeks. I let them fall, unashamed.

Sebastian wrapped his arm around my waist, his voice soft and apologetic. “Autumn, I know you love me with all your heart. But if I hadn’t fooled you, how could I have fooled everyone else?”

He tried to justify his choices, but the words rang hollow. I pulled away, heart aching.

“But…”

My throat closed up. I wanted to scream, to rage, but all that came out was a choked sob.

I sobbed in his arms, but the words wouldn’t come. I could only dig my nails into my palm.

I clenched my fists until my nails left crescent moons in my skin, desperate for something to anchor me.

“But…” Our child is gone.

The words stuck in my throat: our child is gone.

“Daddy!”

The cry shattered the silence. I looked up, startled.

A delicate little girl ran to Sebastian’s side.

Her curls bounced with every step, her eyes wide and trusting. She looked so much like him it hurt.

A woman in a blue dress followed, gentle and composed.

She moved with grace, her gaze flicking between Sebastian and me. There was a quiet strength in her posture.

Sebastian let me go and lifted the child onto his knee.

He smiled at her, all warmth and affection. The sight made my heart ache.

“Rosie, what are you doing here?”

His voice softened, full of fatherly pride.

The woman hurried forward to bow.

She dipped her head, her manners impeccable. I recognized her from old photographs—Charlotte Evans, the general’s daughter.

“Sir, I came to greet the future queen, and Rosie followed me.”

Her voice was steady, but I saw the flicker of worry in her eyes.

Sebastian let her sit as if nothing were amiss.

He acted as if nothing was amiss, as if this were all perfectly normal.

“Autumn, this is General Evans’s daughter, Charlotte Evans. And this…” He coughed, “This is my daughter, Rosie Whitmore.”

He introduced them with a practiced ease, glossing over the years I’d lost.

I looked at Rosie, my eyes blurred with tears. “How old are you?”

My voice was soft, trembling. I already knew the answer, but I needed to hear it.

She tilted her head, innocent and sweet. “I’m nine… almost ten.”

Her words hit me like a freight train. I did the math, my stomach dropping.

In that instant, my heart nearly stopped. A dull ringing filled my ears.

The world faded to gray, the edges blurring. I gripped the edge of the table to keep from falling.

A thousand hurts crowded into my chest.

Every loss, every betrayal, every lonely night—all of it crashed down at once.

I thought if I could forgive even Sebastian faking his death, nothing else could hurt me anymore.

I was wrong. Some wounds never heal.

Sebastian tried to explain, his voice low: “When I left, I found out Charlotte was pregnant. I had to take her with me. I know this hurts you…”

He reached for my hand, his eyes pleading. But I pulled away, unable to bear his touch.

At that, anger and grief surged up. I jumped to my feet.

The chair scraped against the floor. I wanted to scream, to hit him, to make him feel a fraction of what I felt.

Before I could speak, the world spun and I fainted.

Darkness closed in, merciful and complete. I let it take me.

Half-awake, I lay in bed and heard voices nearby.

They drifted through the thin walls, muffled but unmistakable.

“Don’t worry, sir. You’ve promised her the crown—she won’t stay angry with you.”

The maid’s voice was soothing, practiced. I recognized her from the old days, always loyal to the family.

Sebastian’s voice was utterly casual.

He sounded bored, as if discussing the weather. I wanted to scream.

“Of course. There were women in the east wing before—Autumn isn’t petty. She’s just mad I didn’t take her with me.”

He laughed, the sound cold and hollow. I bit my lip, fighting the urge to cry.

Charlotte teased, “Is the only woman in your heart the lady who guarded your tomb for ten years? Don’t my years of hardship count?”

Her voice was light, but I heard the edge beneath it. I wondered if she blamed me for everything.

“What hardship did I make you suffer?” His tone was playful.

He flirted with her, oblivious to my pain. I closed my eyes, willing myself to disappear.

The two of them got flirty, forgetting I was still in the next room.

Their laughter echoed through the hall, a cruel reminder of everything I’d lost.

After a while, seeing I hadn’t woken, Sebastian took Charlotte away.

Their footsteps faded, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

He told the maid, “If she wakes, tell her I’m busy. I’ll come see her tonight.”

His words stung, a final dismissal.

After a while, I got up.

The room was cold, the sheets tangled. I forced myself to stand, to move, to do anything but think.

The maid asked where I was going. I said I was just getting something, no need to follow me.

She hesitated, then nodded. I slipped out, heart pounding.