Both Elda and Ashley stared at each other.
For a moment, neither woman seemed capable of processing Noel's ridiculous advice.
Noel: "Don't look at me—GO! Run! Sprint! Teleport! The faster you apologize, the better!" 😤
Elda: "You make it sound like we're racing for our lives."
Noel: "You might be! Have you seen his face lately?!"
Ashley: "You were the one who told us to kiss the floor!"
Noel: "And I stand by my advice!"
The two women exchanged one last confused glance.
Then, as if they had suddenly remembered something important, they dashed out of the room.
Noel watched them disappear.
She waited a few seconds.
Then she sighed dramatically and slumped against the nearest chair.
Noel's thoughts:
(Oh my God… ME? TRAINING?)
(Nooooo! I'm not that strong! Who even trains here? A swordmaster? A beast? A demon disguised as a human?!) 😭
She imagined herself standing in the training grounds while a gigantic warrior threw her across the field.
Then she imagined herself lying in a hospital bed, unable to move a single muscle.
Then she imagined the palace servants carrying her funeral portrait.
Noel: "Absolutely not."
She straightened up.
(Noel, girl, THINK! This is the perfect chance to escape.)
Her eyes narrowed.
(If I stay here a few more days, I'll be dead for sure. And I haven't even enjoyed my life properly! I still have bills to avoid, food to eat, and sleep to catch up on!)
She clenched her fist like a villain preparing to conquer the world.
Noel: "So… run away." 😎
She nodded firmly.
Noel: "Operation Escape begins NOW!"
Unfortunately, she had absolutely no idea where the palace gates were.
Or how to get past the guards.
Or whether the kingdom had an actual map.
But those were minor details.
After all, she was thirty-two years old.
She had experience.
Probably.
---
On the Other Side
Aaron sat behind his desk, flipping through a stack of documents.
His expression was calm and unreadable.
A king who looked completely unbothered by the world.
A king who had faced countless political disputes without blinking.
A king who currently had two terrified women standing outside his office, trying to gather enough courage to enter.
Elda glanced at Ashley.
Ashley glanced at Elda.
Elda: "You go first."
Ashley: "Why me?!"
Elda: "You're older."
Ashley: "BY ONE YEAR!"
Elda: "And yet, somehow, you're still acting like a child."
Ashley: "YOU—"
The office door suddenly opened.
Both women straightened immediately.
Elda: "Aaron…"
Aaron: "Hmm."
He didn't even look up.
Ashley swallowed.
Ashley: "We know we were wrong… back then." 😤
She clenched her hands.
Ashley: "But I swear, I'm not someone who chases other Omegas. Trust me." 😤
Elda took a breath before speaking.
Elda: "And I care for you. That doesn't mean I'd torture you out of obsession. I've never even thought of doing something like that."
Her voice softened.
Elda: "Please, Aaron…"
For a moment, the only sound in the room was the quiet rustling of papers.
Then Aaron finally lifted his head.
His expression was gentle.
Too gentle.
Aaron: "I'm not angry at you both. Trust me."
Both women: "Huh?" 😶
They had expected anger.
Perhaps accusations.
Maybe even another argument.
They hadn't expected this.
Aaron placed his papers aside.
Aaron: "I know you, Elda. And Ashley, I know you too."
He gave them a small smile.
Aaron: "I'll try my best to find a solution to everything. So don't worry."
Elda's shoulders relaxed slightly.
Ashley stared at him, her lips parting.
Ashley: "I… Aaron—"
But before she could finish, his expression changed.
The gentle warmth disappeared from his eyes.
His voice turned cold, sharp enough to silence the air itself.
Aaron: "Be prepared, Ashley."
He looked at Elda.
Aaron: "You too."
Both women froze.
Aaron: "Within a week, this marriage will end."
His fingers rested against the documents on his desk.
Aaron: "And I will break the mate bond as well." 😐
Silence.
Elda's eyes widened.
Ashley forgot how to breathe.
For years, they had known Aaron as someone who could forgive, someone who would endure pain without letting others see it.
But this time, there was no hesitation in his voice.
No uncertainty.
No sign that he might change his mind.
Elda: "Aaron… you can't be serious."
Aaron: "I am."
Ashley took a step forward.
Ashley: "But we can explain—"
Aaron: "You've already explained."
He looked away.
Aaron: "I heard you."
That hurt more than if he had shouted.
Because he wasn't refusing to listen.
He had listened.
And he had still made his decision.
Elda's fingers curled into her palms.
Ashley lowered her head, struggling to find words that would make him reconsider.
Neither woman knew what to say.
Their hearts trembled because, for the first time, they understood something terrifying.
Aaron wasn't threatening to leave them.
He was preparing to let them go.
And this time, his resolve felt unbreakable.
Yo be continued..