Divorce The Duke, Marry The King!
Chapter 103: Believe in you

Chapter 103: Believe in you

Leaving the hall, Belle made her way to the garden in search of her father. She found him waiting, standing amidst the flowers as if he were a man of peace. She halted for a moment, silently observing the one who had made her childhood a living hell.

To the unknowing eye, he might appear gentle, even approachable, but she knew better. He was no father, he was a demon in a werewolf’s skin.

With a resolute expression, she stepped forward, stopping beside him.

"Your Grace... or should I simply call you Belle?" He said, acknowledging her presence with that same devilish smirk she had always despised. The very look that had once terrified her whenever he drew near.

She would never forget the horrors this man had subjected her to, nor how he had made her mother suffer. She could not fathom how one such as he could exist. And yet, no matter how deep her hatred ran, she was bound to him by blood.

"What is it you wish to say? I have no time for idle chatter." Her tone was void of warmth. She wished to be rid of him as soon as possible.

"Do not be so cold, child. Whether you like it or not, I am still your father."

"A truth I would erase if only I could," she retorted, her voice sharp as a blade.

Clifford chuckled and stepped toward her, prompting Belle to raise her guard. If he dared any foolish move, she would not hesitate to act.

"How did you manage to seduce the King?" He inquired, his voice dripping with disdain. "Tell me, perhaps your useless stepsisters might learn from you."

Disgust churned in Belle’s stomach. She had always thought he favored his other daughters over her, but now it was clear, he cared only for wealth and himself.

"If you have nothing more to say, I shall take my leave." She shot him a glare and turned on her heel, but before she could take a step, his hand seized her wrist in a crushing grip.

"What do you think you are doing?!" She hissed, barely restraining herself. "Do you forget where you stand? This is the royal castle!"

"Do you truly believe yourself to be someone of worth simply because you have caught the King’s eye?" His words were laced with something...something that made her uneasy.

Her expression darkened. "What are you planning this time?" She demanded, her hatred for him deepening with every second.

"Your eldest sister is quite the beauty, is she not? I am arranging a marriage between her and the Duke," he announced, relishing in her distress. "You shall have no victory, neither in war nor in love. You will die, and she will take your place."

Belle’s breath hitched. Her hand trembled as his words sank in. Could it be true? Would Quinn truly agree to wed her sister?

"You are lying," she spat. "The Duke would never stoop so low. He is not so shameless."

"Oh, but he is," Clifford sneered. "And soon, you shall hear the truth from his very lips. Your sister is quite the warrior, you see. I have ensured she will be among the army this time." His smirk widened. "Once she carries his child, you will be nothing but a forgotten memory."

Then he laughed, loud and cruel, reveling in the misery he had inflicted.

"Why are you doing this to me? What have I ever done to deserve this? I am your daughter too!" Belle’s voice rang out, raw with anguish as she demanded an explanation. How could a father take such pleasure in destroying his own child’s life?

"You are not my daughter." Clifford’s voice was cold as he divulged, "You were a bastard your mother brought into my home. I accepted you out of pity after your real father ran away, abandoning your mother."

Belle’s breath hitched. She stared at him, her entire world tilting on its axis.

"Y-you are not my father?" She stammered, the words barely escaping her lips.

"No." His tone was cruel, almost amused. "I would have taken this secret to my grave had you stayed where you belonged, in the Duke’s estate. But you chose to divorce him without my permission. You thought you could find a better place to hide? Did you really believe I wouldn’t find you?"

Her other free hand fell limply to her side. The truth unraveled everything, the reason behind his cruelty, the contempt in his eyes, the years of neglect. She had spent her entire life believing she was simply the unwanted daughter. But she had never been his daughter at all.

"I should have raped you back then," Clifford sneered, his grip tightening painfully around her wrist. "You would have been better off as one of my wives."

A strangled cry escaped Belle’s lips as pain shot up her arm, then, in an instant, Clifford was ripped away from her.

With a violent thud, he crashed to the ground.

"Ahh!" He groaned, blood trickling from the corner of his lips as he clutched his mouth.

"Who dares..." He began, but the words died in his throat when he saw the man standing over him. His eyes widened in alarm.

Quinn.

Clifford swallowed hard, knowing he could not afford to anger him. The Duke was his greatest source of wealth, and now that he had agreed to marry his eldest daughter, maintaining their alliance was paramount.

"I believe this is where you leave," Quinn said, his voice calm yet laced with warning.

Clifford hesitated only for a second before scrambling to his feet and bowing slightly. Without another word, he turned and disappeared from sight.

Once he was gone, Quinn exhaled and turned to Belle, stepping toward her.

"Why didn’t you strike him?" He asked, his brows furrowing. He knew she could defend herself, so why had she let that man lay a hand on her?

Belle, still reeling from the revelation, slowly lifted her gaze to meet his. Then, she scoffed.

"You were already betrothed to another, and yet you have the audacity to comfort me?" Her voice trembled with bitterness. "What do you take me for? A fool?"

A single tear slipped down her cheek.

"All women allow me to comfort them. There’s nothing wrong with that," Quinn replied smoothly.

Before he could react, Belle’s palm struck his cheek with a sharp crack. She raised her hand for another, but this time, she forced herself to hold back.

Quinn chuckled, rubbing his jaw as he smirked. "And what exactly did you believe yourself to be? Different from the rest?" His voice dripped with mockery. "You were once my wife. Why would I ever want you again? You still haven’t stopped being delusional."

His words cut deep, but Belle only laughed, a hollow, bitter sound.

"No, I never thought I was special," she murmured. "I thought you were. I wanted to believe in you, to give you the benefit of the doubt." Her voice hardened as she turned away. "But now I see how foolish I was."

Without sparing him another glance, she walked away.

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