Gabriel’s POV:
[FLASHBACK: 3 YEARS AGO]
“Gabriel, I…I do know that you must be terribly disappointed in us right now. You do have the right to get angry, but I suggest…please calm down a little and listen to me.”
As my sad gaze was fixated on Lilith, Marcus’s low, stiff mumble flinched me a bit. As I averted my gaze upon him, I couldn’t help but glare at his wadded eyes which didn’t show any trace of shame or guilt. He still retained his usual arrogance in them, however, his face seemed a bit anxious.
“Calm down?” I repeated his words, gritting my jowl at him. More than anger, my heart was brutally torn apart which led to the immense throbbing pain inside my chest.
No matter how hard I tried, I was still finding it hard to process the bitter truth that this day turned out to be the darkest day of my life which I had imagined will initiate our new happy life.
Marcus impatiently pushed his brown hair above his forehead and walked another step closer, gazing deep into my eyes, “Gabriel, I am sorry. We both were drinking together last night and this somehow…happened. We just had a brief fling between us but it was nothing serious. We never had anything going on between us, not even an affair! Trust me?”
“Trust you?” I repeated after him again, holding a pained smile as tears dropped down my cheeks. Each and every word sounded bitter to me as I vented, “Even after all these, you are still asking me to trust you?”
“Gabriel, listen to me—”
“Was it you who commanded those guards outside to not let anyone inside the room?” Before he could mumble any further excuse, I asked him sternly enough. As I stared at him through my teary vision, I could also notice the prompt hesitation in his gesture.
After a brief, awkward silence, he nodded his head, “Y-Yes. But, I had never imagined you would come to my room this early morning—”
“It was your birthday, Marcus! That’s why I came here to give you a surprise visit but…” My throat choked with the lump of tears that formed inside, making my words trail off. I clenched my fist and shoveled a hostile glare at both of them as I murmured, “I guess…I shouldn’t have come here.”
“Gabriel,” Marcus stared at my bereaved self making a glum face, and slowly tried to hold my hand as he uttered, “I am sorry…I had thought you won’t even remember it, that’s why I was just…”
“But now when I have seen everything with my own eyes, do you think I can ever accept what you did to me, Prince Marcus?” This time, I intently suppressed the urge of bitter tears in my heart and charged back at him, shoving my hand away from his grasp.
But my backfired interrogation startled both Marcus and Lilith a bit as they exchanged a nervous glance with each other. Gulping his saliva he commented first, “Gabriel, think of it just as a small mistake. I won’t let it happen again—”
“I am sorry…but I don’t think I can do that.” Holding a painful wide teary smile, I swallowed my tears and took out a heavy exhale. My heart had already taken the decision and my mind was resolute to act on it. “You had ordered the guards not to slide anyone in yet still I barged myself here forcibly and as a result, I have disregarded the royal command. So, I deserve punishment, isn’t it?”
Holding a baffled gaze deep into my eyes, Marcus rolled his curious eyes and nervously asked me walking a step close, “G-Gabriel? What are you t-talking about?”
“As punishment for disregarding the royalty, let’s…call off our engagement, Prince Marcus.” Tears of immense agony burning in my heart dripped down my cheeks as I retained a pained smile at him. “Let’s put an end to everything between us.”
“W-WHAT!?” Immediately Marcus shrieked in shock and disbelief, groping my shoulder tight. His eyes turned bloodshot red and I could see a flare of anger growing in them. “H-Hey, do you realize what are you talking about right now, Gabriel? Have you lost your mind?”
“No, but for the first time, I have retrieved my senses back, Prince Marcus.” I sounded calm from my tone, staring deep into his perplexed gaze.
“Gabriel!?” His sharp pitch echoed strongly inside the vast room, depicting panic and turbulence. “We have been engaged since we were 12!! Are you telling me that you are defying my mother’s wish…the Queen’s command!? What the heck is wrong with you…”
While he was lashing his vent on me, suddenly he took a few deep breaths in as if he was trying to calm his inner turmoil. “No…Wait, Calm down, Gabriel. Let’s think about this again. I told you just to take it as a small mistake that won’t happen ever again! Everyone in this kingdom and even in the neighboring territories are aware that we will be getting married soon to each other. T-This will be a huge insult to the royal family–”
“Have you ever considered once, how I must have felt?” Cutting in between his sentence, my teary voice broke a little as I shoveled a pained gaze at him. “All this time, you have either considered your own feelings or thought about the royal family. But, have you ever been worried for me? Even if this is the last time, I want to ask you…Have you ever loved me, Prince Marcus?”
Hearing my curt question, he flinched wadding his eyes around in shock as he paused for a moment. In his silence, I could feel hesitation and reluctance prominent towards me. That was more than enough for me to get my answer.
With a saddened smile on my face, I nodded my head as I commented unleashing myself from his hold, “You don’t have to give your answer anymore, Prince Marcus. I have understood everything and that’s why let’s put an end to it. I can’t do this anymore…”
“S-Sister Gabriel!” All of a sudden, Lilith walked forward and grabbed one of my hand, pleading to me in a teary voice. “I am sorry, you can give me any punishment as you want but don’t call off your marriage. I am really sorry, but please don’t do this!”
With bitter tears reflected in my eyes, I shoved my hand away from her grasp and peered a scornful glare at her, “Just fuckin’ stop putting that innocent face before me. Will you?”
“Sister–”
“GUARDS!!”
Before anyone could object anymore, I called out those guards standing outside with a loud rumble and immediately they rushed inside the room. All of them had panicked looks on their faces by then as I further declaimed, “Convey this message to my father and His Highness right now.
I am calling off my engagement with Prince Marcus right here at this moment. It’s over now.”
_______________________________________