Chapter 157: APPEASING HIM
Lumina could not stop smiling as they walked back to their chamber. Her hand was tucked into Ashen’s arm, her head lifted slightly as if she could see the stars beyond the roof.
She kept hearing Serena’s voice in her head, over and over again. I am carrying the Crown Prince’s heir.
The words should have made her furious since it is ruining her sister’s image. Instead, she almost laughed.
Who would have believed that her little sister, the oh-so-perfect Crown Princess, would have her perfect night shattered so completely?
Ashen glanced down at her, the corner of his mouth curving. "You look very pleased with yourself," he said, his tone amused.
"Pleased? I am happy," she replied, her voice holding no shame. "All my life she has reminded me that she is the Crown Princess, that I should always stand behind her, respect her. Tonight the tables turned, and it was her turn to kneel and hear something she could not stop. Why should I not be happy? It is my joy in a way."
Ashen chuckled softly as they reached the chamber. He pushed the door open, letting her inside first before shutting it firmly.
Lumina turned toward the servants standing by the wall. "How is Stella?"
One of them bowed quickly. "My lady, she has taken some medicine and is resting."
Lumina nodded thoughtfully. "Good. Do not disturb her tonight. Tomorrow morning, when she wakes, I will tell her everything she will want to know." she let out excitedly.
Ashen’s lips softened as he watched her smile.
Lumina turned toward Aria. "And you brought great joy to me tonight. You stood by me and by my husband. I am grateful."
Aria smirked. "I knew my lord would make a mistake if he had accepted anyone but you," she teased, earning a little laugh from Lumina.
"Whatever!" Ashen said with a playful snort.
Ashen gave Aria a look, and Aria bowed understanding this, and left them alone.
When the chamber door closed, Ashen crossed the room to his wife and gently helped her sit on the edge of the bed.
"Finally," she breathed, exhaling loudly. "I am so tired. Oh no... Stella is not here to help me remove my robe. How am I supposed to sleep like this?" She let out a dramatic groan. "I should not have sent Aria away."
Ashen sat down beside her, his silver eyes gleaming faintly in the candlelight. Slowly, he reached for the knot of her robe.
But Lumina’s hands shot up, catching him. "What are you doing?"
He arched his brow. "Helping you undress. Unless you plan to sleep sitting up?"
Her lips parted. "You... you cannot just remove my clothes like that! You are a man"
"Yeah... a man who is your husband," he said simply, leaning closer. His voice was lower now, teasing. "For how long will you keep pushing me away, Lumina? I have my own needs, you know."
Ashen’s shadow loomed over her as he stood beside the bed, his silver eyes fixed on her face.
Lumina sat with her hands pressed against her knees, her breath shallow.
"Ashen..." her voice was almost a whisper. "Do not forget the plan. We agreed for two years to be together and without sharing a bed."
Her words were meant to sound firm, but they wavered at the end, like a bowstring pulled too tight.
Ashen lowered himself onto one knee in front of her. The firelight flickered across his features, making the sharp angles of his face look darker, almost dangerous. Slowly, he reached up and pressed a single finger against her lips, stilling her words.
"You do not have to repeat the deal," he said quietly. His voice had lost its teasing tone and held something far more solemn now. "I know what we agreed to. But must we keep pretending that we do not want to be a family?"
His words struck like a stone in her chest. Lumina’s breath caught, her fingers curling into the fabric of her robe.
She had wanted to deny it, to look away, to remind him of every reason why she had built her walls so carefully. But her heart betrayed her with its frantic beating, as if it too longed to be free of all the rules she had chained it with.
"Ashen..." She hesitated, her lips parting. "No."
His gaze darkened, though he did not raise his voice. "You never answered my confession," he said, his tone almost too calm. "You never said whether we could end this contract marriage and truly be husband and wife."
The weight of his words settled on her shoulders, heavier than her ceremonial robe.
Her hands twisted together in her lap, her throat tightening until no sound would come out.
Ashen waited a bit longer, then exhaled slowly and stood. He turned toward the door. "Very well," he said, his voice distant now, stripped of warmth. "I will sleep in the guest chambers tonight, and for your dress, I will be a servant to change your clothes."
He reached for the door.
Lumina’s chest constricted painfully. She did not want him to leave like this, they were supposed to cheer together not fight.
"Ashen," she called softly, her voice almost breaking, and stopped immediately.
For a moment, the room was utterly silent except for the low hiss of the fire. Slowly, he turned his head, just enough for her to see the side of his face. His silver hair caught the light like moonlit silk.
"What is it?"
"You can..." she swallowed, her fingers clutching the edge of the bed. "You can help me."
His head tilted slightly. "Help you?"
Her cheeks warmed. "You know what I mean. Just help me change. Do not look so smug."
This time, the faintest curve appeared at the corner of his mouth. "How can I stay angry with you?" he murmured.
He crossed the room in slow steps. When he reached her, he knelt again, his hands steady as he reached for the sash of her robe. His fingers brushed against her side, feather-light, as he loosened the knot. Lumina’s breath grew shaky.
The robe slipped slightly from her shoulder, and the air in the room suddenly felt warmer.
Ashen’s face was close enough that she could feel his breath, faint and even, and it sent a strange shiver through her.
He moved slowly, carefully, unfastening each clasp, each button, as though she were made of glass. And yet his touch makes her pulse quicken.
When the robe finally fell loose, she turned her head slightly toward him, as if she could see him.
Ashen did not speak, but his silver eyes lingered on her face, not her body, as if trying to read her thoughts.
When he was done, he started to rise, his hand slipping away from her shoulder.
But something inside her tightened at the thought of him walking away again.
Before she could second-guess herself, Lumina’s hand shot out and caught his wrist. He looked down at her, startled.
"Stay," she whispered.
And then, without thinking, she pulled him toward her. Her lips pressed against his.
It was not a gentle kiss. It was desperate, unpracticed, her way of stopping him from leaving not just the room, but her.
Ashen froze, as though caught off guard. Then his hand moved, sliding to the back of her neck.
When they finally broke apart, both were breathing hard. "Lumina..." His voice was low, almost hoarse.
She pressed her forehead against his chest, her heart pounding. "I do not know what I am doing," she admitted, her voice barely audible. "But I don’t like it when you are mad at me."