"What did you say?"

Lara’s voice barely made it past her lips.

Her eyes widened, locked onto his—those obsidian depths that seemed darker now, stirred by something she couldn’t name, couldn’t read, couldn’t survive if she tried.

For a moment, everything inside her... stopped.

Her thoughts stuttered, then collapsed into silence.

Did Ares just say he would marry me? Was that—was that his idea of a proposal? Who proposes like that?

"Ares!"

The sharp call cut through the charged stillness.

Footsteps followed—light, controlled and deliberate.

Moira.

She had come back.

Her gaze swept over them in one smooth motion—taking in everything. Ares’ hand still loosely wrapped around Lara’s wrist. The distance between them... far too close to be accidental.

She said nothing. But she saw.

Ares didn’t turn.

Didn’t even acknowledge her.

His attention remained fixed on Lara—steady, unyielding.

Waiting.

For what, Lara’s answer would be.

She felt it. The weight of it. The demand in his silence.

The air stretched thin.

"Ares," Moira said again, her tone lighter now, almost casual. "Come join me. I still have two more rounds."

Only then did he slowly move.

His hand slipped from Lara’s wrist—not abruptly, not carelessly, but with a restraint that made the absence feel louder than the touch.

He stepped back.

"You go ahead," he said. "I have something to do."

Moira’s lips curved—just barely. Not quite a smile. Something sharper. Something that knew more than it should.

"Lara," she said, her voice sweet in a way that wasn’t sweet at all, "why are you still here? Ares told you to go."

Ares’ gaze flicked to her, his brows drawing together.

A faint irritation surfaced—cold and immediate.

Does she really need everything spelled out?

"Moira," he said, more firmly this time, "I told you to go ahead. I have something else to do."

For a brief second, his eyes returned to Lara.

Then his phone rang.

The moment shattered.

He turned away, answering the call as he walked off—just like that, leaving the tension hanging, unresolved, unfinished.

Lara let out a soft, breathless chuckle.

She couldn’t help it.

Moira’s head snapped toward her.

Her glare was sharp enough to cut.

"What are you laughing at?" she snapped. "Do you think you’ve won?"

Her expression twisted, composure cracking just enough to show the anger beneath.

"Just wait."

She turned on her heel and walked off, each step tight with restrained fury.

Silence returned.

Lara stood there a moment longer, eyes lingering in the direction Ares had disappeared—like she might still catch a glimpse of him if she waited just a second more.

Then she exhaled.

And turned away.

Each step steady and controlled.

...

Back in Shay’s room, Lara went straight to the shower.

The moment the door slid shut behind her, the silence pressed in—and then shattered.

Ares’ voice.

Clear. Unyielding. Impossible to ignore.

"Lara, I’ll marry you. You can be Shay’s legal mother."

It echoed in her mind like a struck gong—deep, reverberating, relentless.

She turned the shower to full, the rush of water cascading down in a steady roar, steam quickly filling the space. It should have drowned everything out but it didn’t.

His words still cut through. Still lingered. Still demanded to be understood.

Lara squeezed her eyes shut, pressing her palm against the cool tile as water streamed over her face.

Marry me.

The phrase twisted strangely in her chest.

Familiar but unsettling.

Because this wasn’t the first time she had heard it.

And somehow... that made it worse.

Her mind drifted—pulled back to a different time, a different place.

Another man. Another proposal.

Alaric.

At that time, she was bathing in the hidden lagoon that lay quiet beneath the towering cliffs of Mount Ourea, its waters clear and still, reflecting fractured light through the canopy above. A snake coiled around her body but fortunately, Alaric was there and saved her.

[Flashback]

Lara shifted slightly where she stood at the water’s edge, testing her body.

No sharp pain. No broken ribs. Just the lingering ache of exhaustion and bruises.

She exhaled, relieved.

When she reached for Alaric’s hand, her movements were slow, deliberate. He grasped her immediately, steadying her as he helped her to her feet, his grip firm, careful, almost too careful.

Then—

Something slipped.

A soft piece of fabric loosened from her chest and fell into the water with a quiet ripple.

Alaric froze.

His entire body went rigid, as though struck by lightning. His breath caught sharply, and color rushed up his neck, spreading across his face in a deep, unmistakable flush.

"I... I’m sorry," he stammered, voice strained, uneven—nothing like the composed prince she knew. "I took advantage of you."

Lara blinked at him, still hazy from fatigue. "What?"

"You were badly hurt," he rushed on, words tumbling over each other. "I had to apply medicine. I... I removed your inner garment."

His gaze darted wildly—anywhere but at her. The tips of his ears had turned red.

Understanding dawned.

Slowly.

Then amusement followed.

A faint smirk tugged at Lara’s lips, her eyes glinting despite her exhaustion.

Ah. This era.

Where a single touch could bind two lives together.

Alaric swallowed hard, then straightened as if bracing himself. When he finally looked at her again, the hesitation was gone—replaced by something steady. Determined.

"I’ll take responsibility," he said, his voice was firm and resolute.

Lara tilted her head, one brow lifting. "Take responsibility?" she echoed, her tone light—almost teasing.

His hands clenched at his sides.

"I’ll... marry you," he declared, voice unwavering now, as if he had already accepted the weight of it. "I’ve seen your body."

Silence fell between them.

Then, Lara laughed. Loud and unrestrained.

Alaric stiffened again, clearly thrown. "What’s so funny?" he asked, flustered, his composure cracking.

She shook her head, still smiling. "You’re a prince," she said. "Your marriage was never going to be simple."

His brows drew together. "It’s the right thing to do."

Lara’s expression softened, but her voice remained easy. "It’s just the two of us. Don’t worry—I won’t tell anyone." She waved it off lightly. "You saved my life. I’m not about to take advantage of you."

[End of Flashback]

Back in the shower, Lara opened her eyes.

Water continued to pour over her, but it did nothing to steady the storm inside her.

Two proposals that were so different.

One born from duty. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

The other...

She let out a quiet breath, her fingers curling slightly against the tile.

What was Ares’? Was that just for Shay?

That was the problem.

She didn’t know.

And somehow, that uncertainty unsettled her far more than certainty ever could.