The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 119: A Heartfelt Confession

Chapter 119: A Heartfelt Confession

"My lady! My lady!"

Rafe burst into the elegant parlour, his usually composed demeanour replaced by a palpable sense of panic. His footsteps echoed through the opulent room as he frantically searched for the princess.

Meanwhile, Anna sat gracefully in an exquisite armchair, her delicate fingers manoeuvring the knitting needles as she focused intently on her current project.

The soft click-clack of the needles created a soothing rhythm that echoed through the tranquil parlour. The princess was now on her own as Rosalie had left to attend to another task assigned by the steward.

As Rafe’s gaze fell upon the princess, he hurried towards her, his steps quick and urgent. His breath came in short, uneven gasps as he finally reached her side. With a quivering voice, he began, "My lady, please hear me!"

Attempting to ignore him, the princess feigned indifference, pretending he wasn’t even there. But Rafe persisted. His voice was urgent.

"My lady, I understand you may not wish to speak to me, but please, trust me! Something terrible has befallen His Highness," he exclaimed, his words laced with concern.

Anna’s emerald eyes snapped towards the healer, her heart pounding in her chest at his words. Rafe’s demeanour was unlike anything she had witnessed before, stirring a sense of unease within her.

"What happened?" Anna’s voice trembled. She forgot her silent treatment as she fixed her gaze on Rafe, her anxiety clearly visible.

"You need to come to the master suite now! It’s dire! His Highness... He has fainted!" exclaimed the healer. The back of his hand slammed his forehead dramatically.

"Oh, no!" Anna shouted in panic and ran swiftly to the master suite without further thinking. The unfinished knitted garment was thrown onto the floor unconsciously.

As she hurriedly ascended the grand staircase, the other servants’ perplexed gazes followed the lady’s rapid movements. Although they dutifully bowed in respect as she passed by, they couldn’t help but notice the stark contrast to her usual friendly demeanour as she ignored their greetings without a second glance.

Rafe, who trailed behind her, was intercepted by Anryr, a look of curiosity etched across his face.

"What’s happening?" he inquired to the healer.

"I’ll explain later!" Rafe replied, his voice filled with urgency as he struggled, but the steward didn’t let go. His long, pale hand landed on the healer’s chest, preventing Rafe from proceeding with his move.

"Not so fast! If it concerns His Highness, you need to tell me now!" the steward insisted, determined to know the truth.

Reluctantly, the healer paused in his tracks, a frustrated grunt escaping his lips. Anna had hastily ascended the stairs, her mind consumed by her own thoughts, utterly oblivious to the other surroundings as her focus was to get to Kyren as fast as possible.

Sensing the situation, Rafe swiftly grabbed the steward’s shoulder. Leaning in closer, his voice lowered to a mere whisper, laden with a sense of urgency and determination.

"This is Sir Navin’s plan, orchestrated to reconcile Hish Highness and his wife," Rafe revealed, his words careful and deliberate. "If you want to salvage the fragile peace and preserve the integrity of your precious vases and plates, I must go after her and resolve this situation as I am part of the plan."

The steward’s eyebrows curved in surprise, his face reflecting a mix of relief and anticipation. In the end, a glimmer of hope emerged amidst the chaos.

"Oh, finally!" the steward exclaimed, unable to contain his delight. "Thank goodness you’ve come up with something! It’s about time you take action to mend this rift."

A genuine smile etched its way across the steward’s lips, a flicker of optimism illuminating his features.

"Yeah... yeah! Now, please let me go!" Rafe’s voice grew more assertive as Anna’s silhouette disappeared from sight, his urgency palpable.

Anryr, quick to grasp the gravity of the situation, swiftly released his grip, realising that time was of the essence.

"Go ahead!" Anryr urged, his voice filled with encouragement. "We’re counting on you, Mr Amares!"

With a show of solidarity, he raised his hand, forming a clenched fist, and pumped it in the air, a gesture of unwavering support for the determined healer.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Rafe lunged forward, his footsteps echoing through the grand staircase.

Anna arrived at the entrance of the main suite, her heart pounding in her chest. However, to her dismay, she discovered that the handle was missing, remnants of a destructive outburst by the grand duke himself in a fit of distress. Determined, she pushed against the door with all her strength, forcing it open to reveal the scene that awaited her inside.

Stepping into the room, the princess’s eyes immediately fell upon the sight that filled her with worry and despair. There, lying motionless on the bed, was Kyren, his usually vibrant presence replaced by an unnerving stillness.

A surge of fear coursed through Anna’s veins as she rushed to his side, her hands trembling with a mix of anxiety and tenderness.

Beside the bed stood Eric, the trusted second-in-command knight of the grand duke, his countenance clouded with gloom. His eyes met Anna’s briefly, conveying a shared concern for Kyren’s well-being.

The weight of the situation hung heavily in the air, casting a sombre pall over the room.

"Sir Navin, what happened?" Anna asked, her voice tinged with anxiety as she hurried to Kyren’s side.

She reached out to hold his limp hand with trembling hands, desperately seeking any sign of responsiveness. However, the grand duke remained motionless, his eyes tightly shut, his face pallid and devoid of consciousness.

"His Highness was under immense stress after the argument with you, and it severely aggravated the wound on his arm," Eric began to explain, his voice heavy with concern.

"I came back to meet him for some reports arrangement, and I found him unconscious on his private library’s floor, his wound torn open. He lost a significant amount of blood, my lady," he continued carefully with a solemn face.

"No! No! It can’t be! He was perfectly fine this morning!" Anna protested vehemently, shaking her head in denial, unable to accept the sudden occurrence.

"His Highness has been hiding his condition from all of us. He was distraught because you’ve been ignoring him for days," Eric added, revealing the ’hidden truth’.

Anna’s worry deepened, her heart breaking as she listened to the knight recounting the harrowing sequence of events. Overwhelmed by her emotions, tears began to stream down her cheeks uncontrollably.

She tightly clutched Kyren’s hand, her gaze shifting to the large new bandage enveloping his arm. It bore visible stains of crimson colour, resembling smeared blood, serving as undeniable evidence of his deteriorating wound.

Meanwhile, Rafe, who had just arrived, approached the scene cautiously, mindful not to disrupt the current drama. Standing by Eric’s side, he silently observed the princess, whose tears cascaded down her flushed, red face as she held her husband closely.

Anna lifted her tear-stained face, her eyes meeting the healer’s gaze.

Desperation filled her voice as she implored him, "Rafe, please, you must do something! Help him!"

"I’m deeply sorry, my lady," the healer responded, his voice filled with regret. "I have done everything within my power. We can only wait for him to wake up and pray for his recovery."

Anna’s eyes welled up with tears. "How could this happen? It was just a wound on his arm. It shouldn’t be fatal!"

Rafe, desperate to make a reliable answer, turned his gaze to Eric, hoping for some insight. However, the knight could only meet his stare with a stern glare, unable to offer any immediate explanation.

Breaking the tense silence, the healer spoke, his words tinged with a mix of concern and speculation, "It’s possible that a blood clot formed in the wound. During my examination, I discovered a significant amount of clotting. It could pose a serious threat if it travelled through his veins to his heart or brain."

Anna’s brows furrowed in confusion. This explanation seemed unfamiliar, contradicting her knowledge.

"But... that doesn’t make any sense," she protested. "In all my readings, I’ve never encountered a case where a blood clot from an arm wound could enter the veins back."

Feeling the weight of the situation, Eric decided to interject, crafting a story to support Rafe’s explanation.

"My lady, there may be more at play here. The truth is, His Highness sustained severe internal injuries that we have only recently discovered."

Anna’s eyes widened in shock, her heart sinking at the revelation. The gravity of the situation became more apparent, and she realised that deeper wounds were hidden from sight.

"No! Kyren, wake up! Please, wake up! Please don’t do this to me! You’re the only one I have. You promised you’d take care of me. You promised you’d never leave me!" Anna’s voice broke into desperate wails as she cradled Kyren’s face in her hands, her tears flowing relentlessly.

In anguish, she lightly bumped her head against his broad chest, further dampening his tunic with her sorrow.

At that moment, Anna felt a faint movement, Kyren’s hand slowly reaching for her hair. She swiftly lifted her tear-streaked face, her eyes widening with hope as she witnessed the grand duke slowly opening his eyes.

"An...na," Kyren’s voice sounded weak, starkly contrasting his usual strength.

"Oh, God! You’re awake!" the princess exclaimed, her relief mingled with lingering worry.

She disregarded her dishevelled appearance, no longer concerned with the aftermath of her anguished cries and uncontrollable sobs.

Kyren swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing a few times before he continued speaking.

"It hurts... a lot. I feel like I’m dying," he responded in a quiet voice.

"No! Don’t say that! Please, Kyren! Don’t leave me!" Anna pleaded, her cries filled with desperation.

Her eyes and face were red, and the toll of her emotions was apparent as she looked upon her husband with a heart-wrenching expression of helplessness.

"Forgive me... for lying to you. I never... meant to deceive you," the grand duke confessed, his voice growing faint as he struggled to speak.

"You didn’t do anything wrong! It was my fault for sulking and treating you poorly," Anna sobbed, her voice choked with remorse.

"I lied to you too... I’m so sorry, Kyren! Please, forgive me..." she pleaded, her heart heavy with guilt.

"I forgive you... and please, forgive me too," Kyren said weakly.

"Please get better. I’ll do anything for you! Anything!" the princess beseeched, tears streaming down her face as she held her husband’s hand tightly.

"Thank you..." The grand duke’s eyelids began to droop, his strength fading as he teetered on the edge of unconsciousness.

"No, Kyren, please! Please don’t leave me!" The princess shouted in desperation.

"I... I love you! With every beat of my heart, I love you, Kyren!"

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