Divorce The Duke, Marry The King!
Chapter 64: Saw everything

Chapter 64: Saw everything

"You are only making it more awkward this way," Quinn said, now comfortably seated in the carriage. But Belle didn’t respond, her body language frozen and her gaze steadfastly fixed out the window.

"I know you saw everything," he added after a moment of silence. Belle’s head whipped around as she snapped defensively, "I didn’t see anything! I left the moment your eyes met mine."

A slow smirk crept onto his lips. "Ah, now you want to talk."

Belle’s eyes widened, realizing her mistake. That devil! He baited her on purpose, knowing her instinct to defend herself would draw her out.

"Don’t talk to me again!" She warned, huffing in anger as she turned back to the window.

Why was he acting so shameless after being caught in such a scandalous act? Had he no sense of decency? What kind of man was he? It seemed like a curse, always cheating on his wives once they were married. How would Sofia have felt if she had been the one to catch him? Then again, Belle thought bitterly, perhaps Sofia deserved it. After all, she had slept with a married man herself. Everyone in the kingdom had known the Duke was married, so ignorance couldn’t have been an excuse. She had likely seduced him, and this was simply karma at work. What goes around comes around. A woman who snatched another’s husband couldn’t reasonably expect a happily ever after.

"Since we still have a few hours until evening, I will let you rest before we begin training," Quinn announced, but Belle stayed silent. Amused by her stubbornness, he smiled and knocked on the carriage wall, signaling for it to stop.

"See you later," he said with a smirk before stepping out of the carriage and leaving her alone.

Belle exhaled deeply, finally allowing herself to relax now that he was gone. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could have endured sharing the confined space with him.

When the carriage reached the castle, Belle wasted no time finding Mia, and the two quickly delved into their usual chatter. Belle recounted the wedding and everything that had happened, except for the humiliating scene of catching her ex-husband with the maid.

"Hmm. I have a feeling your wedding is next, truly," Mia said thoughtfully, rubbing her chin. She seemed to be mulling over Penelope’s comment but hesitated to say more.

"It doesn’t matter," Mia replied dismissively. "Focus on your mating with the King. You have a week left. Have you even kept that in mind?" Mia pressed, her tone exasperated.

Belle shook her head in response, and Mia sighed in frustration.

"Really? Aren’t you even excited? Or anticipating it? Or wanting it? This is the day you might conceive...hopefully, for goodness’ sake. Belle! Try to stay in sync with us," Mia scolded, clearly annoyed by Belle’s nonchalant attitude toward something so important.

"I know, I know," Belle said with a shrug. "I am excited, but, Mia, this isn’t my first time with a man. I don’t feel the anticipation because I have already experienced it—twice."

Her honest response softened Mia’s frustration, and she grew quiet, nodding in understanding. Belle had a point as this wasn’t her first time being with a man, so there wasn’t much mystery or anticipation in the act itself. Still, she should be excited. It was her first time in over a year, and the significance of that alone should have stirred some emotion in her.

"Fine," Mia said, leaning in eagerly. "Have you thought of names for your child?"

"I have always had one name in mind," Belle replied with a soft smile. "It’s a unisex name, and I thought of it when I was still carrying his child." Her smile faltered as she reflected on her loss. If the child had survived, it would have been around seven months old by now.

"Tell me!" Mia urged, her excitement palpable.

Belle, however, flicked Mia’s forehead playfully and shook her head. "No, it’s a secret." Rising from her seat, she walked away with Mia chasing after hers , begging for an answer.

The afternoon passed in lighthearted banter, playful chases, and discussions of the future. It was a rare moment of joy until a maid arrived, summoning Belle on the Duke’s command.

Following the maid, Belle was led to a secluded section of the castle. The quarter was eerily quiet and looked abandoned. Stopping at the entrance, the maid instructed her to wait for the Duke and then departed, leaving Belle alone.

The air felt heavy as Belle glanced around. Everyone in the castle had heard whispers about this quarter, rumors of hidden corpses and ghostly sightings. While there were no official warnings against entering, few dared venture inside.

"Do you also think there’s a dead body in there?" A familiar voice asked behind her. Belle turned sharply to find Quinn approaching, his hands casually tucked in his pockets. His relaxed demeanor, paired with his roguish charm, only added to his infuriatingly attractive aura.

"Why don’t you answer that?" She retorted, crossing her arms.

Quinn smiled, unbothered by her sharp tone. "Stay close," he instructed. "We wouldn’t want you getting lost."

Belle grumbled but followed him into the quarters. The dark, narrow hallways were unsettling, and the eerie silence made her stomach tighten. She resisted the urge to grab onto him for comfort, her pride keeping her steps steady.

"We are here," Quinn announced just as she was about to swallow her pride and reach out to him. He opened a door, and light spilled into the dark corridor, illuminating their path.

Belle stepped inside and gasped, her eyes widening at the scene before her. In a large, open arena, men and women, some teenagers, others her age, were in the midst of intense training sessions. Pairs of opponents clashed head-on, their movements precise and powerful. Despite the late hour, the flames from the arena’s torches cast an enchanting glow, illuminating every corner.

Rumors about the kingdom’s elite army training had circulated for years, but no one knew where or how it happened. Seeing it unfold in the castle, hidden in plain sight, left her speechless.

"Is this the..." she began, her voice trailing off.

"Yes," Quinn confirmed before she could finish. "This is where we train the Elite Army, preparing them for enlistment."

"They train only at night so they can spend the day with their families," he added, his tone more serious as they walked further into the arena.

As they passed by, the trainees paused momentarily to greet Quinn, their respect for him evident in their postures and salutes. Belle followed him in silence, still trying to process everything she was witnessing.

"Oh," Belle murmured, finally understanding why this place remained undiscovered. Even if someone had the courage to explore the quarters, they wouldn’t dare to do so at night. And during the day, the area would be completely empty, making it the perfect alibi.

"You will train here every two nights until you get pregnant," Quinn informed her, his tone steady. Belle’s gaze shifted to him the moment he mentioned pregnancy. There was nothing peculiar in his voice, yet the casual way he spoke about her conceiving a child for another man unsettled her.

"I will train with you tonight. Afterward, you will train with the others." He added before coming to a stop.

Belle only then realized they had moved far away from the others and were now standing alone in a corner of the arena. A high wall loomed ahead, marking what she thought was the end of the training ground.

"This isn’t the end," Quinn said, as though reading her mind. "These quarters originally belonged to the first queen of our kingdom. I suggested converting them into a training ground by renovating the interiors. Since it’s located outside the castle, we expanded the area and built a wall to separate it from the forest. The trainees leave through the forest." His explanation was straightforward, yet Belle found herself scrutinizing him. How did he always know what she was thinking?

"Why can you read my mind?" She demanded, this time determined to get an answer.

Instead of replying, Quinn grabbed her waist and spun her around, pressing her back against the wall. His face was close, too close, and his warm breath brushed against her skin as he said, "A warrior asks no questions on the battlefield. You could be killed for hesitation."

Belle’s chest rose and fell rapidly as her gaze locked with his, her heartbeat pounding erratically. She hated how her body reacted to him, confusion mixed with something she couldn’t quite place.

"You are avoiding my question," she whispered, her breath shallow.

Quinn held her gaze for a moment longer before stepping back and repositioning her to face him.

"Attack me," He commanded.

Out of sheer frustration, Belle lunged at him, only for him to effortlessly dodge her. The sudden shift nearly caused her to stumble to the ground.

"Again!" He shouted, his tone sharp.

Fueled by anger, Belle charged at him once more, but he sidestepped her with ease, leaving her sprawled miserably on the ground.

"You won’t even be able to defend yourself with such pathetic skills," he mocked, arms folded across his chest.

Humiliated, Belle gritted her teeth and forced herself to stand. She lunged at him again, altering her approach this time. Her fingers grazed his clothing, a minor victory, but one that was far from impressive.

"When you attack, always remember you are vulnerable," Quinn lectured, dodging her renewed attempts with infuriating ease. "If you are careless, your opponent can seize the opportunity to counter. Don’t assume I am only defending because I can’t fight. I am doing it to exhaust you, to weaken you enough to strike."

Belle clenched her fists, her frustration mounting as each of her attacks failed, his movements effortlessly superior to hers. Yet, somewhere amidst the humiliation, she vowed not to give up.