?Chapter 348:


    Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps approached from outside. The door creaked open, and in walked Leonardo with his usualmanding presence.


    He surveyed the room quickly before making a beeline for the doctor. His tone was sharp as he asked, “How is she?”


    The doctor immediately straightened up, his face lighting up as though he bore nothing but good news. “Your Majesty, Miss Dunn is over a month pregnant. Both she and the child are in good health.”


    Leonardo gave a nod of approval before turning his gaze to me, his voice full of authority. “Makenna, now that you are carrying a child, I will not hold your past mistakes against you. You will remain in the pce and prepare for the birth. You’ll live infort and privilege from now on.”


    Though his words promised a life of luxury, I could feel the weight of the invisible chains tightening around me. This pregnancy wasn’t a blessing—it was a trap.


    I frowned, the gravity of the situation sinking in. The child growing inside me was dangerous for me.


    Leonardo’s sharp eyes didn’t miss my troubled expression. A sh of irritation crossed his face, and he seemed on the verge of reprimanding me when another knock came at the door.


    A servant rushed into the ward, bowing deeply before speaking in a low, urgent tone. “Your Majesty, there is a pressing matter that needs your immediate attention.”


    Leonardo cast a brief nce in my direction but chose not to scold me. Instead, his voice took on a stern edge as he said, “Remember, you must rest and take care of the child throughout the pregnancy.”


    With a wave of his hand, he signaled for everyone to leave, ensuring that no one would disrupt my rest.


    One by one, they filed out, and the door slowly clicked shut behind them, plunging the room back into an oppressive silence.


    Your next chapter awaits g?lnσν??ls?c?m


    Iy there, motionless, my eyes fixed on the ceiling as if searching for answers in its nkness. My fingers grazed my still-t stomach, and without a sound, tears began to slip down my cheeks.


    Why now, of all times, did I have to be pregnant?


    Did this mean my dreams of leaving the pce were slipping further out of reach?


    What path was left for me now?


    Makenna’s POV:


    These past few days, I had been confined to the hospital ward, tending to my unborn child. My world had shrunk to the narrow frame of a window, and all I could do was watch the sky stretch out, endless and blue, beyond my reach.


    Thankfully, Alice and Lily had been my lifelines, their visits like small pockets of relief. In theirpany, I found some measure offort, their conversations keeping me tethered to something beyond these four walls.


    Today, Alice arrived, practically bubbling with excitement as she sat beside my bed. There was a brightness in her eyes as she leaned in to share thetest piece of news.


    “Makenna,” she began, her voice carrying a certain weight. “His Majesty has ordered your father and stepmother to be exiled to some remote prison. It’s for falsely using you that day.”


    The words hit me like a whirlwind, sending my thoughts spiraling.


    I knew deep in my bones that my mother’s death had been tangled in their hands somehow. But now, if they were banished, would the truth of how my mother died remain forever locked away?


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