Divorce The Duke, Marry The King!
Chapter 67: Gold-digger

Chapter 67: Gold-digger

On the day of the fair, the snow fell heavier than usual, a strong cold covering the kingdom. The biting cold could have frozen anyone bold enough to venture outside, but that didn’t deter Belle and Mia, nor the many inhabitants of the werewolf kingdom, who seemed just as determined to enjoy the festivities.

"The fresh air of liveliness!" Mia exclaimed, inhaling deeply as they walked.

Belle rolled her eyes, tugging her coat tighter around herself. "More like the fresh air of freezing to death. I will be an icicle before I even get to eat my rice cake," she grumbled.

Mia stepped in front of her, fussing with Belle’s head warmer until it sat snugly. She finished with a dramatic pat on Belle’s cheeks before dropping her hands.

"The clown show has started!" A pair of children squealed as they ran past, their small hands clasped tightly together. Mia’s eyes lit up, and before Belle could protest, Mia grabbed her hand and dragged her toward the crowd gathered around the performance.

Despite the harsh weather, the fair buzzed with life. Families milled about, their cheeks rosy but their spirits unbothered by the cold. It was as if the joy and warmth of the occasion rendered the chill powerless. Belle’s thoughts wandered to her mother and how much she loved the rice cakes from the fair’s most famous baker.

A voice pulled her from her thoughts.

"Your Majesty, I am Belle, and I need your love and attention," one of the clowns declared theatrically, eliciting laughter from the crowd.

Belle’s brows furrowed as she edged closer, intrigued. The performance appeared to be a parody of her and Hezekiah’s life.

"Oh, my love, I will become a useless king for you and sacrifice my kingdom’s safety to love you," the clown portraying the king said, clasping the hand of the fake Belle.

"Those clueless clowns!" Mia hissed, ready to storm forward when Belle placed a hand on her arm to stop her.

"Let them be. Whatever the people think is never entirely baseless. I want to understand their perspective," Belle said calmly.

Mia sighed but nodded. She understood Belle’s reasoning. After all, she had once been a fervent admirer of these clown shows, believing every exaggerated portrayal they offered. It had taken being on the other side to realize how shallow and misleading such performances could be.

"Really? Then banish your sister from the castle for me. I hate her," the clown playing Belle whined dramatically, drawing gasps and chuckles from the audience.

Mia’s frown deepened. "That didn’t even happen. Where are they getting this nonsense?" She muttered.

"I will do so immediately, my love. Will you trust me now?" The king-clown replied in an exaggerated tone of devotion, bowing low.

Mia cringed. "If only it were that simple," she mumbled under her breath.

"My love, I must protect my people from the terror of the vampires. Can I leave for just a day?" The king-clown pleaded, his expression overly dramatic.

"No!" The Belle-clown wailed, falling to the ground in mock despair. "I will die if you leave me here! I cannot protect myself. I need to be protected! Let the general handle the people, he will do justice!"

"But they are my people!" The king-clown retorted, looking helpless and utterly lost, much to the crowd’s amusement.

Belle stood quietly, watching the scene unfold with an unreadable expression, while Mia clenched her fists in frustration.

"If I die, no one will bear you an heir. Do you truly want to leave me to fend for myself?" The Belle clown cried out dramatically, her voice carrying over the laughter of the crowd.

"You will not die! I have changed my mind, let the people fight for themselves!!" The king clown announced, raising his arms theatrically as the audience erupted into cheers and laughter.

Belle turned away from the performance, her thoughts heavy. Two steps forward, she paused, the weight of the show’s mockery pressing on her. Who would have thought she would be the one receiving such hatred for a situation she had no information about? Quinn’s refusal to explain anything was infuriating, but this little performance had revealed more than he ever had.

It was all making sense now, why Hezekiah had suddenly insisted she begin training, why people seemed to regard her with veiled contempt. The kingdom saw her as a gold-digger, someone exploiting the king’s love for her gain. And that was exactly why she couldn’t accept Hezekiah’s affections. Being associated with her would only harm his reputation further.

What they didn’t know—what they hadn’t yet discovered—was her past as the Duke’s ex-wife. If that ever became public, she shuddered to think of the rumors. They would brand her as a schemer, a woman who bedded powerful men to climb the social ladder.

"Ah!" Belle cried out as she was shoved to the ground, her train of thought interrupted. She looked around, startled, trying to identify who had pushed her. That’s when she noticed the chaos erupting around her, people running, screaming, panic in their eyes. But from what?

"Belle, we need to go!!" Mia’s voice rang out. She was running toward Belle, panic etched on her face. Grabbing her arm, Mia pulled Belle to her feet, ready to guide her away.

But then Belle noticed something, a small boy crying amidst the chaos, tears streaming down his face as he called for his parents.

"Wait, Mia, the child!" Belle shouted, yanking her hand free from Mia’s grip and rushing toward the boy.

"Belle!" Mia screamed after her, but the surging crowd separated them, pushing Mia further away.

"Shh, don’t cry. We will find your mummy," Belle said softly, crouching down to comfort the boy. His sobs quieted as she picked him up and held him securely.

Turning back to look for Mia, Belle’s heart sank when she couldn’t see her friend anywhere.

"Mia!" She shouted, her voice lost amidst the chaos. She scanned the crowd, holding the boy tightly, but it was no use. She needed to find a safe spot for the child, then go back to search for Mia.

Taking a step forward, Belle froze, her blood running cold. A pale, menacing figure stood before her, and recognition struck her like lightning. A vampire! They were the cause of the panic.

Belle glared at him and instinctively began to back away. Her foot caught on a stone, sending her tumbling to the ground, the boy still clutched in her arms.

"Stay away from us! How can you harm a child?!" She shouted, raising a trembling hand in a futile attempt to shield herself and the boy.

"Haven’t you heard?" The vampire sneered, his voice dripping with malice. "Children have the freshest, sweetest blood. But yours would pair nicely with his." His lips curled in a revolting grin as he licked them, his eyes glinting with sinister intent.

Belle’s heart raced, terror gripping her as the vampire inched closer. Just as he bent toward them, a sudden, sickening sound filled the air. A sword pierced through his head and out of his mouth, causing blood to splatter everywhere.

Belle froze, her eyes wide in shock as the vampire collapsed in front of her. Blood splattered across her face and the boy in her arms, leaving her stunned and trembling.

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