A SHOCKING ANNOUNCEMENT

The day was fast to end and the Crown Prince hadn't found the time to talk alone to Felicia without Alexander backing her. In the end, he only has Felicia's time when she escorted him back to his carriage, along with his companions at their back. 

"Tell me, Felicia. Is what Helena claimed that you forced her to extort her ability to you is true?" He opened up as they were on the way towards his carriage.

Felicia couldn't help but let out a chuckle, confusing Constantine as to why he suddenly laughed. It's as if she was confirming Helena's tale earlier about it. Meanwhile, Felicia couldn't help but laugh as well. 

She already figured out that she would do that to the Crown Prince, and she did. Felicia has already expected it, as expected of Helena who craves attention from everyone, trying to ruin her. 

"Why are you laughing?" Constantine asked as he entangled his arm around Felicia and turned to face her, his brows furrowed and bewildered at her laughing. She couldn't help it.

"Well, I am just amused at how she managed to bewitch everyone with a lie that even the servants in the manor had seen her. But it is within your scope, your Highness. To whether her words or not. I really don't care anyway." Felicia replied, smiling ever so sweetly at Constantine's dumbfounded expression. 

"You... You are confusing me." Constantine said, rubbing his temples while his face crumpled. "Are you that vile to force her to use her strength? She's weak—"

"Your Highness." 

A sudden cold chill ran down Constantine's spine, flinching at how her voice suddenly changed its tone, from a cocky tone down to a cold shivering tone. His heart even froze at that line she mumbled, enough for him to shut his mouth.

"Please keep your opinion to yourself. It's not my part to explain and I am tired of defending myself. What you hear is what you treat as right. So, I do not need your opinion on whatever Helena whispered in your ear." She stood clear, firm and straight, looking directly into his eyes with an expressionless face.

She's done with defending herself towards the haters. So why not let them bark at her? They don't even know how to bite back. 

"It's not my problem, it's your inability to discern credibility and gather points of view that makes the problem." She added, sighing in disappointment while Constantine just stood there, feeling like his damn pride had exploded from her words. 

Silence filled the air as Constantine just stared at him in disbelief, feeding him with shame through her vicious and cruel words, making him paint as the villain in this tale. This makes no sense to him. 

He was just giving her a proper nag to stop attacking the Saintess or she might face some serious consequences in the church. But in the end, she just called him a fool, insulting him. 

"You don't get to talk like that to me..." Constantine mumbled, his hands balled into fists as he stared at the ground. Meanwhile, Felicia just let out a sigh and rolled her eyes. There he goes again, using his position. 

"That will only happen if you decide to break off our engagement, your Highness. So please pull up the haste and end this thing between us." She replied, folding her arms. 

He was getting bullied a lot by Felicia yet he still didn't want to break up the engagement between the two of them. What in the hell is he thinking anyway?

"I don't want to." He mumbled, making Felicia's ear deafen at what he replied. He doesn't want to? Again? Is he secretly a masochist who loves pleasure in this kind of setup? That's creepy.

"What?"

"I said I don't want to!" He yelled, glaring at her for pushing him to the edge of anger. "No matter if you bleed or not, beg or cry, I will never break out this engagement of ours! Get that? Because you are mine! No one else can have you but me!" He continued, turning his back against her and stormed off towards her carriage. 

Him? Turning the marriage down? How will he be able to return the abuse he received from Felicia? Not only will this marriage bind the two of them, but he will get to return tenfold the harsh words she uttered to him.

A payback for hurting his ego. 

Felicia was quite taken aback by his shout. She turned around, hoping no one except for the companions heard him but alas, Helena who stood far from them must have heard his loud voice.

This made her smirk and turned around to face Constantine and smiled, waving her hand until the carriage disappeared in her eyes. The Crown Prince didn't even look in her way so she went back to the manor, passing through Helena who remained frozen in her seat.

She smirked as she approached the starstruck woman, eyes dilated and her mouth twisted in pain. She was staring in the carriage's direction, in disbelief after hearing such a confession.

So why not push her further?

"Where's your dog, Helena?" Felicia asked as she approached her with a smile. Yet Helena ignored her as if she didn't exist at all, didn't even try to call her out for calling the Baron her dog. 

Anyhoo, that's not Felicia's concern right now. So she sighed, shaking her head. "It's a rare sight to see you without your dog wagging his tail behind you. Perhaps, he found another master to worship?" She added, earning a glare from Helena.

"Leave me alone, Felicia." With stinky eyes, she looked at her with despise, trailing her eyes on the fleeing carriage once again. Felicia chuckled, it'll be hard not to leave her alone though.

"But I don't think it's appropriate to leave you alone thought? You are my one and only sweet sister above all. No sister would want to leave their sister outside." She replied, edging her thin patience.

"Hear that, Helena? The Crown Prince doesn't want anyone but me." She whispered, stopping next to her while staring at the grand entrance of the manor. She refused to walk inside, to torment the dying heart of Helena. 

"No... You've put a spell on him, right? You witch..." Helena muttered, panting in confusion and tension as she stared in Felicia's direction. Hate was visible in her eyes, as well as the pain circulating in her irises.

"Is it not your job to bewitch her, Helena? Or did you simply fail in making him fall for you? Either way, he really wants me, doesn't he? Imagine, claiming me right in front of his companion... It felt, right." Felicia replied, slowly turning her face in her direction and smirking, enjoying the woman's aching expression. 

"You...! How dare you—"

"Helena, Helena... The man is smitten with me. This proves that I am not alone, right? You should've done your job well, you're good at stealing someone else's toys after all." Felicia mocked and walked like a damn badass, smirking while leaving Helena who was fumbling and enraged with her words, her nails digging into her palm as she stared towards Felicia, glaring at her back.

That fucking bitch.

—

Dinner came and everyone was silent. Felicia was sitting beside Alexander, eating while Alexander was constantly giving her attention by either cutting off her meat or serving her more food, like a big brother. 

While the Duke plainly sat in front of them, eating in silence. However, Helena on the other hand was staring at Felicia filled with contempt. Felicia could tell that Helena wished nothing more than her dying right here, right now. 

"Felicia." The Duke suddenly called, making Felicia look in his way, eyes sunken with her facial muscles relaxed. Her relaxed face looks like she's scowling, like a natural frown.

"Yes, Your Grace?" She asked, looking at him dead in the eye. What does he want now? 

"The engagement party is being held two days from now on. It's best for you to stay here and stop whatever the thing you're doing right now. The Emperor issues the decree to officially engage the two of you, the Crown Prince and both do you will tie the knot in this upcoming autumn." He informed.

Alexander suddenly dropped his utensils, in disbelief as he stared at the Duke with a frown on his face. Felicia too was shocked upon hearing this. What the hell? Why is the marriage suddenly happening so fast?

Even Helena had looked at the Duke with her expression distorting once again in that painful gaze towards the Duke. As if she was stupified with his words. 

However, it doesn't change the fact that this marriage is in a damn rush.

"Your Grace, Felicia is still at the age where she should enjoy the world more rather than tie her immediately." Alexander threw his opposition, rejecting the idea that Felicia will be wed in this upcoming autumn. 

It is currently summer, the month of Marso when summer is at its peak. This is so sudden! "I agree with my brother, Daddy. Sister still needs a lot of time before she... She o-officially ties the knot with the Crown Prince..." She agreed, biting her lip while trying to sound soft. 

Oh, dear Helena, your mask is leaking off. Seems hearing the marriage makes your facade torn.

"We cannot do anything about it. It is already issued and it's final." The Duke replied sternly, looking at Alexander and Helena who were stupefied with the decision. "Be useful, Felicia. I gave this opportunity to you. Do not waste my efforts and be good towards the Crown Prince and the Royale Family." He commented, giving Felicia a side glance before focusing on his meal. 

Helena was left frozen, biting her lips anxiously. Alexander remained rigid, and couldn't accept the news of Felicia getting married. 

While Felicia on the other hand was left dumbfounded because of how fast fate is controlling her damn life, pushing her into self-destruction.

'I'm damn doomed.'