Sacrificial Bride to the Feared Lord Hastings-Chapter 168: Reunion (3)

"This is your chamber. I hope you find it to your liking," Ophelia said as she opened the door of Giselle’s bedchamber.

"Why are there guards at my door as if I am a prisoner? I am here by order of the king to escort Theo here, not to be some prisoner. These conditions will be spoken of," Giselle said, excited to ruin the Hastings’ name.

"It is for everyone’s safety that you have guards assigned to you. Theo will have guards assigned to him as well, so it will be fair. While my marriage started a truce, we can both agree that there is still tension between the two families. We must all be protected," Ophelia explained.

"I am your mother-"

"Yet you don’t think of me as your daughter. If we were close, I would consider trusting you, but unfortunately, this is the state of our relationship. The guards won’t bother you. They will simply follow and guard you. If you aren’t planning to do wrong, you have nothing to fear," said Ophelia.

"I never abandoned you, Ophelia. You were healthy, so you could have fit in amongst his daughters, but you wouldn’t leave Theo alone. You placed yourself in the servant quarters with Theo. You have hated me for what you did to yourself," Giselle said, hoping the misunderstanding would end.

"I did it to myself? I suppose you might have hoped that since I was so young, I would forget, but I remember how you thought of ways to get rid of us. How you wondered if to take us to an orphanage, but the even better idea was to drown us," Ophelia revealed Giselle’s darkest secret.

Giselle’s eyes widened. She didn’t know the children were aware of it.

Giselle laughed, brushing it off as a made-up story. "Drown you? You mustn’t make up such lies."

"I remember it. How it was an innocent game to us, but your way of getting rid of us. I know just how much you were willing to give up to become Lady Valthorn. I know that right now you would flip it to say I should be thankful for going to the castle," Ophelia said, predicting Giselle’s argument.

"I truly hate that it is true that Theo wouldn’t have gotten the medicine he needed if we were in the orphanage. I still hate you and the position you placed me in, so please, don’t think I should thank you," said Ophelia.

"I did what I could. I was left alone with two children I needed help to raise. Why don’t you have a sick child and see how hard it is to raise them? Do you think money was the only issue? Take into account the emotions behind it!" Giselle yelled, angry that no one saw her side.

"I don’t have to consider your side. After you abandoned him, I became more than his sister. I know how hard it is to care for someone who is ill. You made it harder by not helping us when you were in the position to do so," Ophelia said, refusing to let Giselle get away with her actions.

"Theo and I are well, but it is hardly thanks to you. I would appreciate it if you would stop thinking that you placed us in a better position. Must I remind you of the times you withheld his medicine or our food? How would you allow me to be the target of their anger so you could be safe? All that sacrifice, yet you’re only a servant to them."

Ophelia used to wonder if it was all worth it for Giselle since she was nothing more than a servant with a fancy title, but she grew to realise Giselle would accept any treatment as long as she could wear fancy dresses.

"I wish I could pretend to enjoy this talk with you to stay longer, but one of us must help Theo. I will allow you to rest, and we shall meet for dinner. I hope this time goes smoothly," Ophelia said, taking one last look at the chamber before turning around.

"You will not be able to keep him here. You have cared for him, but in the eyes of everyone around us, he is my son. I can do whatever I want with him, so I shall take him back to the Valthorn castle where he belongs," Giselle said, her lips curving upward.

Just as Ophelia hurt her, Giselle intended to hurt Ophelia.

Ophelia reached for the doorknob. "It is so interesting when you decide to claim him. Before I visited the palace, there weren’t many who knew you had other children. I advise you to let go of Theo and return to your family when this is over. I won’t fear the consequences of keeping him."

"I have been starting to think of looking into my father’s family. Should I pry deeper into your past and expose it?" Ophelia questioned and closed the door before Giselle responded.

Ophelia took a deep breath. She needed to calm herself before seeing Theo.

"There will be paths marked for where she can walk. Do not allow her to go outside of them. Keep an eye on what she touches and who she speaks to. This concerns Lord Hastings’ life," Ophelia informed the guards.

Ophelia walked away from Giselle’s chamber and made her way to Theo.

When Ophelia entered Theo’s chamber, she found him sitting on the bed.

"Is it to your liking?" Ophelia asked, closing the door behind her. "There are gifts I have to show you. I picked some of them, and so did my husband."

"Your husband? You seem to be quite comfortable with him, but where is he? Was what you said back then the truth?"

"Lord Hastings is ill at the moment, so he must rest in bed. I don’t want it to be shared that I have been the one overseeing the castle. I promise you, my marriage is fine. It worked out for the best," Ophelia promised, knowing Theo was worried.

"Your happiness is all I care about. I must meet your husband to decide if he is good for you. I might be your little brother, but I can still be protective like an older brother. Had I been invited to the wedding, I would have given him a good scolding," Theo said, showing his fist.

Ophelia laughed. "I’m sure somehow you could have scared one of the most feared heroes in the kingdom. I assure you that man is the least of my concerns. I am happy here, and you shall be too since I am not letting you return to be harmed."

"You said you wanted to speak to me," Ophelia remembered. "What did you want to say?"

Theo stared at Ophelia, noticing how happy she was. He couldn’t ruin her happiness on the first day.

"Nothing important," Theo said, deciding to wait for another day. "I only want to ask about your husband."