《The Crown Prince's Love》


 Chapter 1

    RANDY


    "The Crown Prince has arrived!"


    These words have been echoing in my ears since I turned ten years old. I''ve grown ustomed to hearing them, and as I was about to turn eighteen that night, they clung to me even tighter.


    Being the Crown Prince came with its perks, or so they said. Everyone expected me to be wless, including my parents.


    Tonight held special significance for me. It marked my eighteenth birthday, celebrated with Noah and Sonnia.


    As princes and a princess, it was expected that we would have discovered our partners by that night. As the crown prince, that would be my queen.


    With the moon shining brightly in the sky, I walked to the front of the royal garden to join my siblings. On my right, I saw my best friend, Desmond, waving at me. We have been friends since we were nine. Our friendship was said to be fated by my parents. They believed that it was destined for us to be best friends forever, and they weren''t wrong.


    But what if I wanted more?


    What if I''ve been harboring a crush on my best friend since we turned thirteen?


    At first, I thought I was different because I had grown up in a world where partners were of opposite sexes. But why was my situation different? That was the question that gued me as I grew older.


    Why did I like Desmond?


    Was it because he was my friend, or was it because we were always together?


    I couldn''t figure it out until we turned sixteen, and Desmond got a girlfriend. That''s when I realized that I was truly different.


    Desmond and I would never be together. We were destined to find our partners, and the infatuation I had for him would fade away.


    "Happy birthday, my friend," He winked at me.


    His wink always made my heart flutter, but I didn''t let it affect me. Tonight was the night I would have to choose my girlfriend, and lusting after someone else''s boyfriend, someone different from me was not my intention. I had to remind myself that I was the Crown Prince, tasked with carrying on the Akuffo Family legacy.


    "Ugh!" Sonnia snorted, and I turned to face her. "My boyfriend isn''t here yet, and it''s almost midnight!"


    She clenched her fists in frustration.


    "Ugh, can you please stopining?" Noah chimed in, rolling his eyes. "We''re about to celebrate a birthday here, and we don''t want to hear about your stupid boyfriend."


    Sonnia kicked his leg.


    "Ouch." He groaned and pointed a finger at her. "Why do you have to get so violent tonight?"


    "Because you called Samuel stupid."


    She rolled her eyes and folded her arms. "We''re all going to choose our partners tonight, and Samuel is going to ask me to be his girlfriend. I can already sense it."


    "Really?" Noahughed. "You''re still fixated on being with him?" He asked, and Sonnia nodded in response. Then he turned to me. "What about you, Randy? Who are you hoping to choose as your girlfriend tonight?" "Isn''t that what everyone here is hoping for tonight? To find out who I''ll choose to be my partner?" I replied, my eyesnding on Desmond, who wasughing with his girlfriend.


    "Choosing one''s partner is one of the most special things that can happen."


    Noahughed. "Hell no." He stated and sighed. "As for me, I''ll have all the girls in the world. I don''t care about having a partner."


    "But Mom said that partners are special, and they are..." I began, but Noah raised his hand to stop me from talking.


    "That''s Mom''s belief, but I don''t believe true love truly exists. True love doesn''t exist!" He said and scoffed.


    "Coming from a yboy who has slept with all the girls in school." Sonnia retorted. "I don''t care what you think, Noah, but Samuel is my true love."


    "Good for you, my baby sister." Noah said and tried to touch her hair, but Sonnia pped his hand away.


    "Stop being so violent, little sister. By the end of the night, you two will have your love, and I... I''ll be with Mel." Heughed.


    Sonnia tutted. "How did we even share the same womb?"


    "Ask Mum and Dad." Noah retorted, narrowly avoiding being hit on the head as an announcement was made.


    "Wee the Queen and the King!"


    Everyone seated stood up from their chairs as my parents walked through until they reached us.


    "Hey, children." My mum said, standing by my side while my father stood by Sonnia''s side. "Are you having fun on your eighteenth birthday?"


    I smiled and nodded, even though I knew I was far from having fun.


    I just wanted the birthday party to end so I could leave. I couldn''t bring myself to have someone of the opposite sex as my mate.


    "Hey, are you okay?" My mum asked, as if she noticed that I had a lot going through my mind. "If this is about choosing your partner, then you don''t have to worry too much. For all I know, the one you want might not even be here." She said, rubbing my shoulder gently.


    I looked at her and wanted to tell her what was on my mind, but I felt she might see me as someone different.


    My mother is a wonderful woman who loves her children deeply, but I doubted she would be happy to find out that I love boys.


    "Everything is fine Mum." I replied.


    She rubbed my hand gently and then moved forward to address everyone.


    "I wee you all to the celebration of the princes'' and princesses'' birthday. Thank you all foring here."


    She said, then turned around to point towards us. "It is almost time, and now, everyone gathered here will sing the birthday song for the princes and princess''."


    I rubbed my hands together, feeling my heart start to race as I looked up at the sky.


    A few minutes left until midnight. I couldn''t believe that it was happening, and as I continued to think about it, my heart pounded in my chest.


    Who should I choose from all the maidens?


    "10"


    "9"


    I rubbed my hands again, looking towards my siblings who were smiling at the crowd as they continued to count down.


    They both looked happy, but I was dreading on who to choose.


    Sonnia kept checking her phone, probably waiting for a call from her boyfriend, while Noah kept smiling at Mel, the girl he wanted to sleep with.

 Chapter 2

    "5"


    "4"


    "3"


    This was it. I sighed and closed my eyes.


    "2"


    "1"


    Happy birthday to me.


    I opened my eyes and listened to everyone''s voices as they started singing the birthday song. "Happy birthday to you!"


    We blew out our candles after making our wishes, and mine was to have Desmond feel the same way as I did some time soon. "Happy birthday to you, my dear children." Our mother pulled us into a tight hug, squeezing all three of us together.


    As if that wasn''t enough, my father hugged us too.


    "Ugh!" Sonnia groaned. "We''re not four anymore, Mum, Dad!"


    Our fatherughed and ruffled her hair.


    "You will always be my baby, Sonnia." He said, pinching her cheek.


    Sonnia rolled her eyes and excused herself to call her boyfriend, while Noah walked to Mel.


    I was left alone with our parents. "Found anyone you like?" My father asked.


    "Newman!" My mother shouted at him. "Leave the boy alone. We can''t force him to start looking around for his partner."


    My father chuckled. "Forgive me, dear son, but it seems you are the serious one among my children. So, I know that you are already looking for her, right?" "Right, Dad." I replied, even though my heart was set on Desmond.


    "Newman." My mother pulled my father''s hand. "He is not a little boy anymore. Let him have fun."


    She grabbed his hand and pulled him away, leaving me alone.


    My gaze swept across the crowd, faces masked in happiness as they danced to the rhythm of the music. Then, my eyes locked with Desmonds.


    There he was,ughing alongside his girlfriend, the moon shining brightly on his blonde hair.


    He headed towards me, hand in hand with his girlfriend, their smiles radiant against the moonlight.


    As he approached, I inhaled, and his scent enveloped me. It was akin to the earthy perfume that arises when rain kisses the soil.


    My heart raced in my chest.


    Desmond, my best friend since childhood, is the only one able to make my heart flutter.


    Time seemed to freeze as our eyes met. The world around us blurred into nothing, and there was only Desmond, hisughter, and the way his hand ran through his hair. "Randy!" The sound of my name, a distant call, pierced through the surreal moment.


    Desmond tapped me on the shoulder, breaking the spell. The touch sent a surge of electricity through me, a jolt that made me shiver.


    I turned to face him, my breath caught in the intensity of the moment.


    Desmond''s obsidian eyes met mine, and he waved his hand in my face. "Randy, are you okay?"


    "Yeah," I stammered, my mind struggling to catch up with the whirlwind of emotions.


    "Just lost in the moment." I lied.


    I can''t ruin his rtionship with his girlfriend.


    Desmond grinned, unaware that I wanted him so badly to be mine.


    "Happy birthday, my partner in crime." He pulled me into his embrace, triggering the electric shock again.


    I forced myself to smile at him, fighting the urge to hold onto him a bit tighter.


    "Happy birthday, Prince Randy." His girlfriend Ana bowed her head as she greeted me.


    I smiled at her and then almost grumbled when she intertwined her hands with Desmond''s.


    "Found anyone of your choice yet?" Desmond asked, diverting my mind from thoughts of grumbling at his girlfriend.


    I wanted to say, yes I found who I wanted and he was standing right in front of me, but I couldn''t. I didn''t want to break their rtionship, and I was not sure I would be epted by everyone.


    "Randy!" he called my name again, and just as I was about to reply, his girlfriend whispered something in his ear, and heughed. "Sorry, Randy, my girlfriend and I are going to talk." He winked at me and walked away. "Des...." I wanted to call his name, but I stopped myself and heaved a deep sigh.


    "I...." I lowered my head and walked to the front of the Mansion, where I saw Sonnia crying, and then I rushed towards her.


    "What is happening to you?" I asked her.


    "Samuel broke up with me." She announced and burst into another round of tears. "He said that we were not.." She stuttered and continued crying.


    I pulled her into my arms and rubbed her hair. "Sorry, sister. You will surely find someone better. I hope you do." I kissed her forehead.


    "Have you found anyone?" She asked, but I heaved a deep sigh.


    Instead of replying, I walked to the front of the mansion and sat down on the steps. She sat down beside me and grabbed my hand. "Is everything alright, Randy?"


    I forced a chuckle out of my mouth and nodded.


    There was no use telling her that Desmond was who I wanted. Even though she was my sister, I believed that she might start to see me as a different person.


    So, I shook my head. "I believe my fatedpanion is not around here." I chuckled and heaved a deep sigh. "Who cares about partners anyway?" You do.


    Desmond is who you want. Tell everyone and stop acting like...


    No!


    I blocked myself from such thoughts and thenughed. "Maybe Noah was right when he said that having apanion is a waste of time." Sonnia let out a breathy sigh and then stood up. "Forget this, let''s go to the party and have fun."


    She grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the royal garden. "Let''s go have fun!"


    Fun?


    What fun would I have when I can''t even im who I want?


    Regardless, I followed her to the garden.

 Chapter 3

    Once we got there, I looked around and pointed to Noah, who was dancing with girls flocking around him.


    I continued looking around until my eyesnded on Desmond, and this time, he was alone. His girlfriend was nowhere in sight, and he was heading towards me with that smile that made me fall for him the first time. "Hey, my dear friend." Desmond ced his hands on my shoulders, and the familiar rush of emotions returned.


    It was like an electric shock coursing through my body.


    I forced a smile, trying my best to hide the feelings I had for him.


    My heart raced like an incessant drum, and to make matters worse, he wasughing and refused to let go of my shoulder.


    "Desmond." I muttered, removing his hand from my shoulder.


    "Where''s your girlfriend?" I asked, hoping my question would divert his attention.


    Desmond sighed and folded his arms.


    I sighed in relief that he was keeping his hands to himself, sparing me from the overwhelming effect of this sensation.


    It was agonizing being so close to him and not being able to ask him to be mine.


    "She left to babysit her siblings." He replied, cing his hand on my shoulder again and gently squeezing it.


    I couldn''t contain it, and a low moan escaped my lips.


    "Why the heck are you moaning?" He chuckled and patted my back.


    Because you''re making it hard for me to think, I wanted to say, but I bit my lips andughed.


    "Eighteen is a great age." I said, trying to engage in a conversation with him, something to distract me from staring at his lips and the sensation of his hand on my shoulder.


    "What are you trying to say?" Desmond yfully rolled his eyes at me. "In two months, I''ll be turning that age, so don''t think that you..."


    Sonnia joined the conversation and pped Desmond''s back. "Stopining, Desmond. We''re older than you."


    "With two months." Desmond retorted, scoffing. "Stop acting as if we''re years apart!"


    Sonnia and Iughed at him.


    "What? Is it funny?" He asked, and we both shrugged our shoulders, as if in perfect synchronization.


    "Whatever."


    "Hey, children!" Noah appeared among us, pping his hands. "What are you three doing here, chatting like grown-ups? We have a party going on!"


    "You mean the party where you''re dancing with five girls?" Sonnia retorted.


    "Of course. I''m having fun dancing while you three are standing here like idiots."


    "You''re the idiot. Where''s Mel?" Sonnia asked, scanning the area.


    There was no sign of Mel anywhere.


    "Well.." Noah cleared his throat, looking around. "Where''s your, uh, less than intelligent boyfriend? Isn''t he supposed to be somewhere around here?"


    I nudged him on the shoulder, shaking my head at him, hoping he''d realize it was not an appropriate topic. But he persisted, evenughing. "I guess the less-than-intelligent one didn''t show up. And you," he pointed at me. "Have you found who you want yet?"


    Just as I was about to reply, Sonnia grabbed his ear and pulled him down to her level.


    "Never mention that jackass'' name in front of me again!" She warned, her voice carrying a loud annoyance, and then she pushed Noah away.


    Noah groaned and rubbed his ear. "I don''t know why I have a baby sister who hates me so much."


    He scoffed and turned to leave. But then he stopped and faced us with his arms folded. "Since none of us have found anyone, why don''t we have fun tonight?"


    He suggested, inviting us to a game after the party.


    "I..." I started, intending to decline, but Desmond, cing his hand on my shoulder, answered on our behalf.


    "We''re interested!" He shouted.


    This is a dangerous game


    I don''t think I can hold it in anymore.


    But he has a girlfriend, and I can''t even seem to have the courage to ask him because he doesn''t...


    I heaved a deep sigh as all these thoughts ran through my head, and I looked up at Desmond, who was running his hands through his hair andughing. This was torture, I thought as I continued to look at him.


    When our eyes met, he gave me a bright smile that lit up the whole room, and soon, my stupid heart started beating so fast that it felt like I was about to have a heart attack. "Desmond." I muttered, lost in a trance, and raised my hand to touch his face. "You look..." I had almost said that he looked beautiful when Noah shouted that the party was over.


    "Thank you foring, old folks, but now it''s time for the teenagers'' party!" He announced, pping his hands before leading a group of teenagers out of the garden in the direction of our building. "We should follow him." Desmond said, pulling me towards them before I could say anything.


    When I turned to see where Sonnia was, she was also following behind, engaged in a conversation with a boy I didn''t even recognize.


    I frowned. I had wanted to go meet her, so not to do anything irrational, but Desmond''s hold on me made it impossible.


    It was messing with my head.


    He had no idea what his touch was doing to me, and no matter how hard I tried to pretend that I was unaffected, it was there, and only I was suffering.


    I closed my eyes throughout the walk to the mansion, blocking his scent from my head and the fantasies I pictured myself indulging in with him.


    It wasn''t until we got to the living room that I fluttered my eyes open.

 Chapter 4

    The light in the room was much brighter than the moonlight in the garden, revealing Desmond''s beautifully chiseled face and his captivating obsidian eyes.


    The way he stared at me made it seem as if he felt something for me, or perhaps I was imagining things that might nevere true.


    I wanted to scream at that moment, tired of the torture I was going through, but then he nudged me on the shoulder, breaking my train of thought.


    He pointed towards Noah andughed. "Your brother outdid himself for this birthday."


    I frowned as I looked around and sighed.


    There was a mini bar in the living room with a bartender, and as if that wasn''t enough, our baby pictures adorned every corner of the walls, with ribbons bearing our names hanging everywhere. "Hello, everyone! Drink and have fun tonight! Being eighteen is the best thing ever!" Noah yelled into the microphone,ughing.


    "Mind you, I already got permission from the King and Queen about the party, so my dear sister Sonnia, stop ring at me." Heughed pointing towards Sonnia, who indeed was ring at him. "Your siblings are chaotic." Desmondmented,ughing.


    "And that is why I am the only sensible one amongst them." I replied, joining in theughter.


    "So, this thing about choosing your partner, no one caught your eye yet?" He asked, and it piqued my interest as to why he was suddenly interested in my partner.


    "Why are you asking about my partner?"


    Desmondughed and grabbed my hand, pulling me towards the bartender. "Give us something strong, dear bartender."


    The bartender nodded in response, bowing his head at me.


    I acknowledged him with a wave and then faced Desmond. "What did you mean when you were asking about my partner?"


    He suddenly leaned in, and I blinked as I felt his breath on my neck when he opened his mouth to speak. "You have something on your forehead." He said, his fingers making contact with my forehead, making me gasp and close my eyes in the process.


    "Easy there." He muttered, his voice sounding like a melody in my ear.


    Was this the power of having a crush on him, or was it because I had always wanted him to be mine?


    I couldn''t figure it out.


    I hated that I was feeling like this and still unable to express my mind.


    My eyes fluttered open, and I saw him smiling at me.


    "There was something on your forehead." He said, pointing to our drinks. "Here, cheers to being eighteen."


    He handed the drink to me and clinked his ss with mine. "You don''t have to say anything about who you want if you''re notfortable with it." He said and gulped down his drink. "It is..."


    "No." I cut him off before he could finish talking. "It''s just that the person might..."


    I gulped down the drink, feeling its warmth down my throat, but it didn''t stop me from speaking. "The person might not be someone who wants me."


    "Hey," he said, cing his hand on my shoulder. "Don''t say that. You''re a perfect person, Randy. You are the crown prince, selfless and kind to everyone. I don''t think whoever you want wouldn''t want you." He said, bursting intoughter.


    I joined in, though I knew deep down that if he knew he was the one, he wouldn''t like it.


    "I want another drink!" I shouted to the bartender, and the night continued in a haze of drinks.


    For once, I wanted to shed my perfect attitude, knowing this might be the only time I got to spend with him.


    "Game time!" Noah announced, stopping the music. "We''re going to y a game amongst ourselves. It''s called Truth or Dare!" He dered.


    "I''m sure you''re all familiar with the Truth or Dare game, right?" He asked, and they all chorused with a yes.


    Truth or Dare was a popr game where whoever asks Truth or Dare orders the one who has to answer whether a question for a truth or give the person a dare.


    It was a game I usually hated, but that night, I decided to forget my perfect self.


    "Let''s go," I said, dragging Desmond''s hand and pulling him towards the rest.


    We all sat down on the ground, and Noah exined the rules of the game.


    Whoever refused to do the dare or answer truthfully would be tasked to taking a round of tequ.


    After he listed out the rules, the game started.


    There were ten of us ying, and each of us picked a card to get who would be questioned first.


    I sighed when I realized I was not the first starting. I looked at Desmond, who also shook his head, indicating he was not starting either.


    One girl announced that she was asking, and another guy announced that he was the first.


    The girl asked, "Truth or Dare?"


    "Dare." He responded.


    The girl issued her order to the guy, instructing him to dance with the girl he liked the most at the party.


    He picked another girl and danced with her, fulfilling the dare.


    This continued into the night, and we all drank alongside.


    Everything went well until Noah picked the question card and Desmond picked the answer card.


    "Who is asking?"


    Noah shouted, raising his card. "I am!"


    "Who is answering?" Desmond sighed as he lifted his card. Just as he was about to stand up, he almost lost his bnce, but I held his waist and helped him stand upright.


    He rubbed my hair in return andughed.


    Damn, hisughter was much more beautiful when he was drunk, and it made me smile like an idiot.


    "Your..." He belched and then chuckled. "I meant to say my king. I choose Dare!"


    Noah looked around and then smiled mischievously.


    He also seemed drunk, though not as much as Desmond, who was staggering while standing. "Desmond," he cleared his throat and pointed at Desmond. "I want you to, um..." he ced his hand on his chin and then snapped his fingers when an idea came to his head. "I need you to pick someone of the same sex in this room and kiss him."


    Everyone gasped and wowed at what he had said. "Ooooooooou...."


    They all started murmuring amongst themselves, but I was shaking terribly where I was.


    I looked at my brother and saw himughing, unaware of what he had caused me.


    He wasughing while my heart raced at the thought of Desmond kissing another man.


    I will kill anyone who dares to kiss Desmond!


    I was annoyed at the stupid game my brother had started. I clenched my fists while waiting patiently for who Desmond would pick.


    If he dares pick anyone, I will...


    Desmond pointed towards me.

 Chapter 5

    Was this a dream?


    I looked around and noticed that all eyes were on me.


    Before I figured out what was happening, he grabbed my hand and pulled me up from the ground. "You''re my best friend, Randy, and so, I am picking you!" He chuckled and cupped my face, pulling me closer to himself.


    "Desmond..." I muttered his name to make sure I was not dreaming. "Are you sure about this?" I asked, cing my hands on his shoulders. "You can..." "My time is limited." Noah shouted and then started pping, joined by others.


    "Kiss him, kiss him, kiss him, kiss him!" they all chanted.


    Their voices slowly disappeared from my head as I focused on Desmond alone.


    The room grew smaller, and it was just us, staring at each other, waiting for who would lean in first.


    He did, but instead of kissing me, he rubbed his fingers on my lips. "Randy," He muttered my name.


    I blinked repeatedly and trembled as he pulled my head forward. "Randy," he muttered my name again and then leaned in to kiss me on the lips.


    My hands dropped from his shoulders and I felt a rush of emotions, happy, confused, I couldn''t exin it.


    The warmth of his lips on mine was what I had always imagined.


    Soft and gentle.


    I couldn''t help but kiss him back when his lips moved slowly against mine.


    Blood rushed to my ears as I felt more of the emotions. My breath quickened, and I felt butterflies. I couldn''t help but smile. Baby steps.


    Iughed in my head, satisfied with the kiss.


    The party ended after the kiss with Desmond, and everyone started leaving, including Sonnia.


    I had thought she would still be crying from the rejection by Samuel, but instead, she returned to her room after saying goodbye.


    Now, left alone with Desmond, it was hell. We were both drunk, but he was much worse than I was.


    He started singing while I pulled him from the ground to lead him into my room.


    "Connected to your soul..." He huped and pointed towards me. "Sing along with me!" He shouted at me.


    I rolled my eyes at his foolishness, heaved a deep sigh, and started dragging him towards my room.


    "No." He shouted and fell to the ground.


    "I don''t want to go home. I want to stay with you." He suddenly grabbed my legs and pulled me down.


    Inded on the ground, and then hey atop me.


    What was this temptation? I thought as his face leaned towards mine.


    The memory of the kiss returned to my head, and Desmond was making it worse.


    "What are you doing, Desmond?" I tried to push him away, but he grabbed my hands and pinned them above my head.


    "Randy," He muttered my name and chuckled. "You look beautiful."


    He kissed the side of my lips.


    "You are so beautiful." He repeated.


    Beautiful?


    Did he just call me beautiful?


    I refused to believe that was what he had said.


    Was he saying that because he had always wanted to say it or because he was drunk? I had no idea.


    It was hard to figure out what was happening in his mind.


    "I want to kiss you so badly." He cupped my face and gave me a sloppy kiss on the forehead, and then he rolled over my body and sighed as hey on the ground.


    "Randy." He called my name, but I didn''t respond to him and ced my hand on my head.


    I blinked repeatedly as I stared at the ceilings, trying to calm my body from acting from the outburst of my emotions.


    My heart thumped as I turned to face him on the ground.


    "Desmond," I called out his name as I leaned closer until our face was so close enough that we would kiss if I leaned closer again.


    I ced my hand on the left side of his face and sighed. "You are..." I paused, finding the right words to say. "I want to kiss you again." I muttered.


    Desmond blinked at me without saying anything, and then he ced his arms around my waist and leaned forward, letting our lips touch again.


    The kiss was much more passionate this time as our lips moved in a slow rhythm, and then he started kissing his way across my shoulder and down my waist. "Desmond," I muttered his name when I felt his mouth on my neck again. "What are you doing...."


    "Randy." He murmured. "You smell so good"


    I felt his mouth on my neck again.


    "Goodness." I moaned out as he sucked on my neck.


    We were both lying on the ground, drunk and making out, forgetting anyone could walk in on us.


    "Desmond." I gently pushed him away and stood up. "We should go to my room."


    My voice came out like a whisper. I was unable to control it again. Desmond had seeded in seducing me, and I couldn''t keep it in again.


    I wanted him so f*cking badly.


    I grabbed his hands and pulled him from the ground.


    He hugged me and burst intoughter.


    I sighed as I ced my hand around his waist. "Do you remember my name?" I asked him to ensure I didn''t do something I probably regretted. Desmond yfully shook his head in response and started singing again. "Connected to your soul..." Heughed and pped his hands.


    I never knew that I would see this side of Desmond.


    Iughed.


    He is so cute.


    "Very cute." Not realizing that I had said that out loud.


    I cleared my throat when his eyes met mine, and heughed.


    "Cutie cutie." He pinched my cheek.


    When we entered my room, Desmond pushed me against the door. Heughed against my skin even though I was still recovering from our make out.


    My heart raced, and I gasped when he raised my hands above my head.


    "Desmond, what are you...."


    "Shush." He ced a finger on my lips.


    "Stop talking." And then he kissed my jawline, then he trailed down across my shoulder and down my waist.


    By now, I could feel the bulge in my trousers.


    My lower member twitched, and my heart jolted in my chest when I heard his low voice again. "You smell good, Randy."


    I was d that he remembered my name.


    At least, it was his way of telling me that he also wanted this.


    He suddenly pulled me and headed towards the bed. "Desmond..."


    "Shush." He ced his fingers on my lips again, leaned against my body, and whispered into my ears. "I fucking love your scent." He stated, and I felt his nose nudge mine and then the barest brush of his soft lips against mine. Oh goodness.


    I never imagined that my eighteenth birthday night would be like this.


    I clenched the bed sheets by my sides on the bed.


    I panted against his mouth, desperate and aching, waiting for more.

 Chapter 6

    "Randy, I have been watching you from afar, and I must say that you are...."


    Desmond didn''t finish what he wanted to say, what I wanted to hear before our lips connected again.


    We were both impatient to wait as we peeled each other''s clothes from our bodies.


    A desperate moan escaped my mouth when his tongue slid into my mouth to y with mine.


    Desmond made a low sound in response and ced one of my hands above my head, and his other hand cupped my chin. I also reached my hand against his muscr back and rubbed it. I was burning up, my entire body shivering under him, anticipating what he had to do next.


    This was my first time, and I could feel my length throbbing in my pants. I wanted him badly and hugged his waist to bring him closer. Desmond responded by moving, straddling my hips, his weight pushing into my aching erection and making a moan as he moved up and down.


    He repeatedly pressed his lips to mine, conquering my mouth with his tongue. My hips arched up, pushing my d*ck into Desmond''s, and I moaned.


    His hand left mine and ran through my hair to my face and mouth. His lips trailed down my chest until I felt him yanking on the button of my pants. "Randy, I don''t know when I started feeling this way towards us, but I want to f*ck you right now." He confessed.


    "Des....mond," I muttered his name excitedly, d that he also felt something for me.


    "Randy, do you... want to f*ck?" He asked, making me want him more.


    My lower member reacted hard against his hands, giving him my answer, and I could feel the fabric of my briefs sticking to the tip.


    "Yes... f*ck," I nodded repeatedly.


    Desmond kissed me again, and then he ripped my underwear off.


    His weight left me for a brief moment, and I watched as he removed his pants and removed his underwear. Then he was back, straddling my hips, naked skin meeting mine. "Desmond," I called out his name.


    Desmond sucked on my bottom lip as he asked the question again. "Are you sure?" His voice was calm as he spoke, and I nodded immediately. This was what I had always wanted.


    "You have beautiful blue eyes, Randy." He winked at me and leaned in to kiss me again.


    The kiss went on while Desmond continued to straddle me. I was desperate for more. I wanted him so badly that it made me feel he was wasting time. "Are you sure?" He asked again, his voice breathless.


    "F*ck it! Yes, Desmond!" I shouted. "But... I have never done this before."


    "Very well." He ced a kiss on my forehead. "I promise that I will be gentle." He added, and he parted my legs, and I felt his fingers, cold, against my stomach. He held on firm to my hand, and I felt his leg brush my hip and then...


    "Oh goodness!" I shivered as I cried out. I panted shakily into his mouth.


    His breath mingled with mine. I cried out again, and then my hands stretched out to grab his hips and a** as he slowly entered my hole in and out.


    It felt painful until it turned to pleasure as my body yielded to Desmond.


    "Keep going," I whispered and continued clutching his hips.


    I let out a sound from my throat, not caring if my voice echoed throughout the room or outside the walls.


    "Randy." He kissed my neck.


    I panted and moaned out his name, letting my hips move underneath him to meet his thrusts. "more," I pleaded. "Faster."


    Desmond obeyed.


    "Yes, yes." I cried out, and I felt my limbs shaking tension.


    "F*ck Randy."


    He went faster and grabbed my neck, pinning it to the bed.


    He was choking the life out of me, but I was enjoying it.


    He finally let go of me as he groaned out for thest time, reaching a climax at the same time as me, and I copsed with tension as all the strength was drained out of my body. He rolled beside me and grabbed my hand.


    "Did I hurt you?" Desmond asked.


    I shook my head and scooted closer to him, thenid my head on his chest. "It was amazing, Desmond." I looked up to kiss him again, and then I sighed as I closed my eyes. I was d I got him to ept me and we had each other the same night.


    The first thing I did the following day was reach out to touch him and smile when he fluttered his eyes open.


    "Desmond." I leaned in closer to kiss, but he let out a scream and jumped out of the bed.


    I was shocked by his attitude, wondering why he was suddenly acting like that when he had been the one who was straddling mest night. "What is happening?"


    "I should be asking you! I am naked in bed with you." He shouted at me.


    That was the first time I heard him shout so loud and sounding serious. "What the hell did we do?"


    I jumped out of bed and tried to move closer to him, but he moved away as if I was going to stain him with my hands.


    "How the hell did I end up on the bed with you?" He looked around until he found his clothes and then he wore them right in front of me. "Randy, what the hell happened?!"


    I scoffed and ran a hand through my hair.


    "We had sexst night," I told him, and he screamed.


    "How the hell did that happen? What am I going to tell Ana? We haven''t even had sex, but here I am already...."


    I heaved a deep sigh and sat on the bed.


    "Look, you were the one confessing to mest night. When Noah asked you to pick someone of the same sex, you picked me, and then from there, the tension came from nowhere, and we had sex." I exined in detail to him about what happened.


    "You could have stopped me, Randy!" He yelled. "What will your ''girlfriend'' say once she finds out you slept with your best friend? I am not gay, Randy, and I am sure that you are not gay, so how the hell did that happen?"


    "I didn''t mean for this to happen. It just happened!" I stood up again.


    He started pacing around, murmuring as he clenched his fists. "You betrayed me! I can''t believe that I trusted you to be my friend, yet you let me have sex with you, knowing that I was drunk...."

 Chapter 7

    "Stop acting as if I am the only one who caused this. I..." I wanted to tell him then that I liked him, but his words cut me short.


    "You made me wish that I had notest night. ... I dont even know how I am supposed to face Ana. You broke the bro code and....." He lowered his head. "I am going home now. Let''s not see each other until I am ready to see you." He said, then headed towards the door.


    I tried to stop him by grabbing his hand, but he yanked it off mine. "Desmond, I thought that this was what you wantedst night. You were all over me."


    "And you could have prevented it since you were still sober!" He pushed me on the shoulder. "You let this happen because you were overwhelmed by the kiss that meant nothing to me!"


    He yelled and dropped his hands. "Like I have said Randy, let''s not talk to one another until I am ready to face you again." He stated and rushed out of the room mming the door on my face. Go after him..


    No, no, stop acting like an idiot. Didn''t you see the look of disgust on his face?


    He doesn''t want you, and he doesn''t want this!


    My thoughts were in a mess. I had to control myself from going after him.


    I headed into the bathroom, turned on the shower, and sighed as the warm water cascaded down my naked body.


    I felt used, neglected, rejected. Telling Desmond that I like him will be a waste of time.


    He didn''t want me for what he had done, and I had been a fool to believe thatst night meant something to him.


    "Oh, Randy." I sat on the bathroom floor and lowered my head, letting my tears flow alongside the water. Some things are not meant to be. That was how it was with Desmond and I.


    Two yearster...


    I mmed my hands against the counter, facing the woman who stood before me, enforcing the rules of the dormitory.


    I had just arrived at the royal college, expecting to be treated like the crown prince that I was. Instead, I was greeted with disrespect, courtesy of my parents, who had set the rules when the Royal College was founded.


    "The King and Queen set the rule that two students should be per dormitory, Your Highness. I am not doing anything wrong." The woman replied.


    Frustrated, I repeatedly mmed my hands on the counter and nced at her name tag on her left chest before taking a deep breath. "You have no idea where I aming from. I have just returned from two years of prince training, and my parents hastily sent me here to continue my never ending education. And now, I am expected to share a room with someone, Hilda!" I shouted her name and sighed deeply.


    I couldn''t believe it when my parents told me I had toplete college immediately upon returning from two years of prince training.


    "You are the crown prince, and you have to finish your education." My mother said as soon as I arrived.


    It made me question why I was born as the crown prince, and when I got to the college, expecting to be treated ordingly, everyone treated me differently.


    "There is nothing I can do, Your Highness." The woman bowed her head. "I apologize if this offends you, but in the royal college, apart from the honorifics used to address royals, everyone is treated equally ording to the rules."


    "Frustrating." I muttered to myself and sighed. "Can I please get my schedule, keys, and other important information about my school activities?"


    Hilda nodded in response. "Since it''s alreadyte, Your Highness, the only thing I can provide right now are the keys to your room." She informed me, and I kicked my leg in anger.


    I dislike schools so much.


    With a blue keycard in her hand. "This is the keycard to your room, Your Highness." She said.


    I took the keycard from her and stared at the name inscribed on the cardholder: The Royal Blue.


    That was the name of the dormitory where I would be residing. "I just hope I won''t be sharing with someone too loud." I said, grabbing my luggage and dragging it toward the elevator. Thankfully, I hadn''t overpacked, as no one could help me.


    "Frustrating school." I muttered as I entered the elevator and kicked the door.


    Just then, someone else entered, too engrossed in her phone to notice me or acknowledge my presence. I ignored her and closed my eyes, trying to cool down from all the stress I had endured. A lot had happened.


    After the morning Desmond and I fought, I cut off all contact with him. I had taken the opportunity of prince training to leave the kingdom where I wouldn''t have to deal with liking someone who didn''t like me. I had spent two years trying to heal from his rejection, but the pain persisted.


    No matter how hard I tried to pretend, I couldn''t stop thinking about him. Now that I was back, I dreaded the possibility of running into him because I had no idea how to face him.


    The elevator''s ding brought me back to reality as it opened on the eighth floor, where I was headed.


    As soon as I stepped out of the elevator, the girl who had entered with me raised her head to look at me. When our eyes met, she gasped and quickly bowed her head. Before I could say anything, the elevator door closed.


    I sighed and walked down the quiet hallway, passing different doors.


    I expected to hear the bustling noise of others, but there was nothing. It was eerily silent, a pin drop would make a sound on the ground. Strange, I thought.


    When I reached the door, I closed my eyes and silently prayed that my roommate would be someone I could rte to or even befriend.


    With a positive mindset, I swiped the card on the reader, and it beeped. cing my hand on the doorknob, I stepped into the room. The room was shrouded in darkness but filled with the scent of Desmond.


    It either smelled like him or maybe I was overthinking it because I hadn''t seen him in a long time or missed him.


    The smell sent shivers down my spine and made my body''s hair stand on end with each step I took into the room.


    I found it intriguing and was eager to discover who my roommate would be.

 Chapter 8

    "Hey..." I began to say something but was suddenly knocked down by someone surprisingly lurking in the darkness.


    I was caught off guard, not expecting someone to be in the total darkness with no hint of light.


    I groaned in pain as my luggage crashed onto my legs, followed by the weight of the person in the room.


    The moment our bodies touched, I gasped as the electric shock returned.


    No, no.


    This can''t be!


    I thought, struggling to process everything.


    The one person I had tried so hard to avoid was lying on top of me, causing my heart to race and giving me goosebumps.


    "Who the hell are you, and what are you doing here?" He demanded, confirming my suspicion.


    It was him, even though his voice sounded more profound and mature.


    His arms had be muscr, and his grip on my throat could render an average person unconscious.


    I had hoped he would recognize me by my scent. I have been using the same perfume, but to my disappointment, he didn''t.


    He continued to question me.


    "Desmond!" I shouted his name, unable to keep up with the pretense that I didn''t know it was him.


    "You even know my name!" He shouted, tightening his grip on me.


    I pushed his hand away, and then shoved him over so I was on top of him.


    "Are you insane?" I screamed. "You don''t even recognize my voice anymore."


    "


    The disappointment in my voice was evident because I couldn''t believe that I had been thinking about him for two years while he couldn''t even remember me by my voice or my scents. He tried to struggle against me, but I grabbed his hands and pinned them above him. "It''s me, Randy!" I yelled while he continued to struggle.


    "Randy," He stuttered my name, and I let go of his hand, only for him to grab mine and push me over so that he was on top of me again.


    He pped his hands, and a bright light reflected on my face.


    The light was so intense that not even Desmond''s muscr frame could block it from entering my eyes.


    I closed my eyes briefly until I felt Desmond hugging me tightly.


    "Oh, goddess!" He eximed. "You''re here!"


    I fluttered my eyes open, and our eyes met.


    For a brief moment, I couldn''t stop staring at his beautiful eyes.


    His eyes were no longer obsidian, instead, one side was green, and the other was a much darker green. Even his hair was different. It was now silver ombre and long, reaching his shoulder length.


    He looked entirely different, and if I had not recognized him by his scent and had only seen him, I would have thought he was another person.


    "Randy. You''re truly back." He shouted my name and tried to hug me again, but I pushed him off me.


    "You''re the one in this room?" I asked with total disgust, sounding the same way he had the day he walked out of my room.


    "How am I supposed to share a room with you?" I shouted and stood up from the ground, looking around the room.


    It wasrger than I thought, with enough space for two people.


    I was expecting a bunk bed, but instead, there were two separate beds on each side, a long shelf divided into two, and two desks on each side of the room. Desmond had already upied the left side, which meant I was supposed to upy the right side, but there was no way in hell I would share a room with him. "This must be a joke." I said, rubbing my face.


    "Randy." He called out my name and stood up from the ground. "We are roommates, and..."


    "No!" I shouted, shaking my head aggressively.


    "There is no way I am going to share a room with you." I told him, then headed towards the door, walking out and heading towards the elevator.


    Thest person I wanted to share a room with was with him, who rejected me and didn''t even recognize me by my scent.


    How the hell was I supposed to cope when it was going to be a one sided thing?


    For two years, I tried to move on, hoping that I could deal with getting rejected by him. I didn''t tell anyone about it, even though my mother noticed that I was acting weird after Desmond left, and as if that wasn''t enough, my father wouldn''t stop bothering me about finding my queen.


    Everyone expected I would appear with a woman who would be the crown princess, but no one knew what I was going through.


    No one.


    "Randy, wait." Desmond shouted after me as I entered the elevator.


    He ced one of his feet between the door before it could close, allowing him to join me. "Where are you going? Don''t you feel tired from your travels?"


    Now he cares. I scoffed, folding my arms as I ignored him.


    I want to punch him so bad for everything and then, I want to kiss him. It is so good to see him again.


    As if fighting against my heart that was yearning for him, I rolled my eyes at the thought.


    He doesn''t like me so what''s the essence of thinking about all that.


    "Randy," Desmond called my name again, and I have to admit that his low voice was the coolest glow up that he had.


    They sounded like magic sounds in my ears.


    Perfect and magical.


    "Don''t speak to him." I muttered repeatedly and closed my eyes, blocking his voice until the door opened.


    I rushed out of the elevator and walked towards Hilda, who was still in the lobby.


    When she saw me, she stood up from where she sat and bowed her head.


    "Is there any problem, Your Highness?"


    "Yes." I said, pointing towards Desmond. "There is no way I am sharing a room with him. I want another roommate!"

 Chapter 9

    DESMOND


    "I don''t want to share a room with him." His words resounded as he repeated it to the dormitorydy.


    His words sent a dagger to my chest. I had never expected him to say something like that.


    I knew I had been wrong for walking out on him after what happened the night after his birthday two years ago, but I couldn''t stop thinking that I had broken Ana''s trust.


    I had always felt something for Randy, but I had no idea if it was my brain speaking or just me specting things in my head. After that night, I realized that I felt something for Randy, which ruined my rtionship with Ana, and we ended up breaking up.


    When I turned eighteen, I involved myself in tedious training with my father, hoping to serve Randy as his guard. But he suddenly disappeared, and I had lost connection with him for two years.


    When he showed up again, the feelings returned.


    There was some connection between us that I couldn''t figure out, no matter how hard I tried.


    Why was he affecting me so much?


    Why did my heart beat when I saw him, and why was he in my head for the two years we were apart?


    So many questions that I needed answers to.


    "Are you alright?" I asked the dormitorydy when she suddenly copsed on the ground.


    I thought something had happened to her until she pointed towards Randy, who wouldn''t stop talking.


    "There is no way I am sharing a room with him." He repeated the words. "Find me another room."


    "Randy." I called out his name as I approached him.


    He quickly moved away from me when he realized I was near him.


    "It is Your Highness to you, Desmond. I didn''t permit someone like you to address me by my name. Do you think that because we used to be friends, I will let you do as you wish?" He scoffed. "Call me by my name again, and I shall punish you ording to the rules of the kingdom." He threatened and faced the dormitorydy.


    The tone. Everything about him had changed. His blue eyes, which used to be filled with emotions, were now emotionless, and he looked cold, frowning with every chance he got.


    What happened to him all those years apart, and why did he change so fast?


    "I..." I tried to speak and argue like we usually did, but instead, he turned back to face me with a re as if he dared me to go against him.


    "Forgive me, Your Highness," I lowered my head.


    That was the first time I had called him Your Highness..


    "I apologize for my disrespect," I added, still lowering my head.


    "Your Highness, there are no room for you anymore, and what I am doing is the orders given to me by the king. He wants you to share a room with Desmond. He is your new bodyguard, and..."


    I palmed my forehead and sighed. There was no need to hide it anymore now that he already knew.


    "He is going to be my bodyguard?!" Randy shouted and then pointed towards me. "Who says that I can''t protect myself? I had thought this was supposed to be..." He paused and rubbed his forehead. "I hate this." He groaned and headed towards the elevator.


    "Thank you, Miss Hilda." I told the dormitorydy and ran after Randy.


    Once we were alone in the elevator, I stared at his back and sighed. I wished that I could know what he smelled like now.


    Because I trained nonstop with my dad, I broke my nose one time and it''s hard to catch on scents now. That was one of the reasons I could not recognize him by his scent when he entered the room. "Randy, I mean your highness." I tried to engage him in a conversation, but he stopped me with his hands.


    "You are not to speak unless spoken to!"


    His tone sounded harsh, making me wonder if he had turned into apletely different person or if he was acting this way because of what had happened years ago.


    "I am sorry about what happened between us." I told him, not caring about his new rules. "I know I misbehaved that day, and nothing I say or do will change it. But please, give me a chance to exin it and..." "Hello, Father." He said into the phone, and as the elevator dinged open, he walked out, ignoring me as if he hadn''t heard a word.


    I ruffled my hair and sighed as I walked out of the elevator.


    I deserved everything happening to me because it was all my fault. If I had acted differently that morning, things may have ended differently, but I couldn''t figure out why I was attracted to my friend.


    I kept telling myself that he was the crown prince and his queen was waiting for him somewhere while I continued to have this little crush on him.


    "I am going insane." I muttered as I headed toward the room.


    Once I got to the door, I noticed it was slightly open, and I stopped when I heard him arguing with his father over the phone.


    "Why should I share a room with Desmond, Dad?" He shouted, upset. "I don''t need a bodyguard. I don''t know why you and Mother would do that without informing me. I need you to know that I am not a baby anymore. There are things I can do myself, and I don''t think I need someone to tell me what to do!"


    I leaned against the door and sighed.


    He hated me now, and no matter how many times I apologize, it was all my fault.


    If I hadn''t walked out on him that morning, maybe we would still be friends.


    "Fine, I will agree to this stupid agreement for a while. Until then, I will keep up with all of this, but if he dares to... Okay, Mum. I have heard you."


    He ended the call and then groaned.


    I took that as a cue and entered the room, closing the door behind me.

 Chapter 10

    I found him on the empty bed with his arms spread wide.


    I watched him for a few seconds until he suddenly stood up and looked at me.


    When our eyes met, I quickly averted mine and headed towards my bed.


    "If I am going to live with you for a while, then we need to set some rules. You are my bodyguard, so by now, you should know your duties." He said and started walking around. "Your job is basically to act as my ve, which you are." He


    chuckled.


    I clenched my fists at the way he mentioned ''ve''.


    He was right about that, but he sounded mean and condescending.


    "Yes, Your Highness." I replied, even though I was burning with fury.


    How dare he reduce me to a ve?


    "You are to make sure that I am protected all the time. Never leave my side for anything. If you have any rtionship, you are not fit to be my bodyguard."


    I frowned at his words. "What does my rtionship have to do with this?" I asked.


    Randy chuckled and walked towards me.


    When he reached me, he leaned in until I could feel his warm breath on my face, and then he whispered, "As long as you are my bodyguard, you are mine." ''You are mine.''


    Those words echoed in my heart as I still felt his breath on my neck.


    I shifted on the bed, feeling a heat spreading in my stomach.


    He was too close and seemed not to know he was affecting me.


    He was torturing me, and I liked it, even though I should hate it.


    "I....." My voice failed me as I tried to argue with him but couldn''t.


    "If you have any problem with that," He brought his face close to mine. "If you have a problem with that, then I ask you to give up and leave this room all for me!"


    "Your Highness, what are you saying? I am your bodyguard not your property, and I know that you might hate me for what I had done in the past, but..." Before I could finish speaking, he ced his finger on my lips. "Stop talking and listen to me, Desmond," His finger trailed my lips, and he smirked at me, then removed his face from mine.


    "Since you are mine, here are the do''s and don''t''s. If you are in a rtionship, break it off because you should be dedicated to me alone. Being in a rtionship would ruin your work as a bodyguard." "But I don''t even have..."


    "Allow me to finish."


    I sighed and nodded in response.


    He didn''t even allow me to speak and let him know I was not in any rtionship.


    I lowered my head as I watched him continue listing his rules.


    "You must take permission from me if you are going out." He stated, and I nodded in response.


    "As my bodyguard, you should never disrespect me. If I give an order, you will do it without arguing, and also make sure that you always listen to me. Do you understand?" I nodded.


    "Speak with words, Desmond." He demanded.


    "Yes, Your Highness."


    "Very well." He said, and then he continued to give out his rules, including getting him meals, waking him up, and taking him to his sses.


    "Do you have anything you wish to say?" He asked, but I shook my head in response.


    "Great." He yawned, then pointed to my bed. "I shall sleep on your bed tonight since that empty bed is not wellid, and I am too tired to do anything, and..."


    He paused when he noticed I was not looking at him. "Are you even listening to me, Desmond?"


    I raised my head to face him and forced a smile. "Yes, Your Highness." I stood up from the bed. "Take a rest, I''ll sleep on the bed like that."


    Randy didn''t say anything andy on the bed while I walked to the empty bed and sat down on it.


    This was not going to be easy, I knew. With the way he was acting, our friendship was never going to be restored.


    "Goodnight, Your Highness." I said to him and stood up, heading towards the switch to turn off the light. But his loud voice stopped me.


    "I can''t sleep with the light off."


    "And I can''t sleep with the light on." I retorted with gritted teeth.


    I was already fed up with his irrational attitude. "No one sleeps with the light on, Your Highness, and..."


    "I am the crown prince, and you are my bodyguard. I give the rules here, not you."


    I groaned and palmed my forehead. "Your Highness, please, I..."


    "Sleep beside me tonight then." He offered, and I swear my eyes almost popped out of my sockets, and my jaw dropped. "Don''t worry, nothing like thest time will happen. I am only doing this because you can''t sleep with the light on."


    It''s great to know that at least he still cared.


    "If you have other thoughts, Desmond, then you are free to sleep on the empty bed and keep the lights on." He said and closed his eyes, turning to face the other side of the bed.


    Having no other option, I switched off the light and walked to my bed, using my hands as a guide.


    While searching for space, my hand mistakenly touched his leg, and I felt him murmur.


    I quickly apologized and got on the bed, facing the other side.


    It was hard to close my eyes beside him.


    Thirty minutester, I still couldn''t sleep, tossing around on the bed with a pounding heart and trembling body. He was affecting me so much, and I had no idea why.


    "Can you stop moving, Desmond." Randy''s voice came out like a whisper, and then I felt his arms around my waist.


    "What are you doing?" I murmured, shocked by his action.


    What was all the talk about not touching me when he was going to break the rules?


    "You are my bodyguard, so I can do this too to ensure I will be safe if anything happens."


    That was such a flimsy excuse for hugging me from behind. "Your Highness, I..."


    "Let''s sleep, Desmond. I have had a long day."


    I sighed and didn''t say anything else.


    Just for tonight, I believed.


    It was going to be only for tonight, and even though my body disagreed with me having him around me, I had to control the temptation of having him around me. So, I closed my eyes, imagining the nasty things I wanted to do to him on the


    bed.

 Chapter 11

    RANDY


    I awoke to Desmond''s chest''s gentle rise and fall, my head resting on him.


    Blinking my eyes open to the soft morning light filtering into the room, I stifled a light yawn, careful not to disturb Desmond''s peaceful slumber.


    My gaze naturally drifted upward to Desmond''s face, and a smile yed on my lips as my fingertips traced the contours of his features, starting at his perfect eyebrow and trailing down to the bridge of his nose. As my hand reached the tip of his nose, a gentle grip enveloped my fingers, and Desmond fluttered his beautiful eyes open.


    He is so beautiful. That was all that was going through my mind...


    "Good morning, Your Highness." Desmond''s voice, more profound than usual, greeted me like a soothing melody.


    His perfect, longshes, followed by a warm smile, blinked at me.


    My heart, and indeed my entire body, trembled as our eyes locked.


    Why did he have to smile? I pondered, the connection between us unbroken.


    "Your..." I started to say, but my eyes widened as the previous night''s events flooded back.


    I had set the rules, and now he was addressing me with honorifics. I wouldn''t say I liked how it sounded, but insisting he call me Randy would only make me seem erratic.


    "Your Highness." He called again, still holding my hand. Instead of releasing it, he ced it on his chest, rubbing it gently.


    I feel like kissing him.


    I found my gaze drawn to Desmond''s lips.


    He noticed and gently licked them, sending a shiver through my body.


    This time, a more intense reaction urred, and I felt a certain twitch that signaled an awakening desire.


    No, no.


    I mentally protested.


    Raising my leg, I kicked Desmond off the bed, and he thudded to the ground with a groan.


    Jumping out of bed, I headed towards my luggage, feigning interest in my clothes while pointedly ignoring Desmond on the floor.


    There was no way I''d let him control my emotions unless he wanted me too.


    "Your Highness." Desmond shouted through gritted teeth as he stood up. "Since we''re both studying history, I must inform you that we have ss this morning and..."


    "I need a bath." I cut him off, ignoring his attempt to act like I hadn''t heard. "Prepare me a bath, Desmond." I ordered.


    At first, Desmond remained motionless, then he chuckled and nodded in response. "Yes, Your Highness." He bowed his head before murmuring as he walked to the bathroom. Once he had left, I ced my hand on my racing chest and sighed deeply.


    What the hell are you doing, Randy? I hate Desmond too for what he did, but you can''t treat him like...


    Staring at the bathroom, I waited for Desmond to leave, but he didn''t. Curious, I stood up and headed toward the bathroom.


    "Desmond." I called out, standing at the entrance.


    When the door didn''t open, I ced my hand on the doorknob and turned it.


    The door swung open, and as I walked in, preparing to ask Desmond what was taking him so long, he suddenly grabbed me and pulled me toward the jacuzzi.


    "What are you..." I began, but he ced a hand over my mouth.


    "Your Highness," He said in a sultry tone. "I must say that I have prepared..." Pausing, his hand gently grabbed my chin, tilting my face, and then he pulled me closer, leading me away from the jacuzzi, toward the shower. "What the hell are you doing, Desmond?" I frowned at his strange behavior.


    Being apart for two years made me realize he was a different person now. "Desmond... what..." My words were caught in my throat as he mmed both hands against the wall.


    "Your Highness.." His voice sounded more profound and more dangerous as he leaned closer, his breath on my face.


    He smelled just like always, the only thing that hadn''t changed about him.


    "Desmond," I tried to say his name, but it sounded more like a moan.


    He was making it difficult to be around him. "If you try to..."


    "Your Highness, I advise that you use the shower to bathe because we''re runningte." He said, clearing his throat before removing his hands beside me. That was his reason for pushing me against the wall?


    I couldn''t believe I had anticipated something more.


    A kiss would have been more inviting, but he made a foolish announcement instead.


    "Please take your bath, your highness. I shall be waiting for you outside, and also, we have to reach there on time because this is your first ss, and....." "Get out so that I can take my bath!" I shouted, not ready to hear more. "Just go!" I yelled.


    "Very well then." He turned to leave.


    Wanting to pay him back for what he said and did, I extended my foot, causing him to stumble.


    He grabbed my hand before he hit the ground and pulled me on top of him.


    I stood at the door''s entrance, waiting for him to finish picking up our books.


    The bathroom incident lingered, and I couldn''t shake the memory.


    It had happened suddenly, catching me by surprise as we both stumbled, lips meeting.


    The mental rey of it left me wanting more.


    Now you''re thinking about it again when you promised to stop. I reminded myself.


    I sighed, recalling that I''d made that promise ten minutes ago, yet the memory still consumed my mind.


    This crush was bing aggravating, making me feel a relentless, uncontroble desire to be with Desmond, which was frustrating.


    "Your Highness." Desmond announced his presence as he stood before me, waving his hand.


    Frowning, I wondered what he was doing and walked away towards the elevator.

 Chapter 12

    Once inside the elevator, the enclosed space heightened my inner turmoil.


    One voice urged me to kiss Desmond, while another told me to ignore him. I groaned audibly, unable to bear it any longer.


    I leaned against the elevator frame, took a deep breath, and then the doors dinged. I rushed out of it and headed toward the lobby where Hilda was.


    "Your Highness." She greeted me as soon as she saw me. "Your schedules have been sent to your email, and Desmond here will be your guide." She informed me. I frowned briefly before nodding in acknowledgment.


    After checking my email and seeing that I had a ss soon, as Desmond had informed me earlier, we both left the lobby.


    As we stepped outside, I noticed the surrounding buildings, each constructed like skyscrapers with almost 32 floors, making me wonder about the school''s size.


    Each building had a distinct color and a name engraved in the center.


    Ours was blue, with others in red, green, and white surrounding it.


    "Randy!" Some one shouted from behind me. I turned, ready to reprimand the caller, when I realized it was my brother, Noah.


    His obsidian eyes red at me, and he smirked as he approached.


    I thought he might hug me, but he punched me in the face instead.


    I knew I deserved it, considering I''d distanced myself from not just Desmond but also my siblings, Noah and Sonnia, over the past two years. Our interactions were rare, urring once every three months, if at all. I tasted blood in my mouth as my face turned to the other side.


    Faking a smile, I looked at Noah. His expression had softened, and a bright smile adorned his face. He grabbed my hand and pulled me into his arms.


    "My dear brother." He chuckled, patting my back. "I have to admit that I never expected to see you this year, but then." He paused, clearing his throat. "Mother and father announced to me and Sonniast night. I would havee to your room but had no idea where it was, so I stayed back." "Noah." I called his name and slowly pushed him away.


    His hug was suffocating, leaving me no space to breathe. "I must say it''s great to see you again." I chuckled.


    He nodded in response and waved at Desmond.


    "Hey, Desmond," He said and then pointed towards me. "Why are you both together? Did..."


    I raised my brows, wondering what he was about to ask, but my sister''s voice resounded from beside me before he could continue.


    As I looked towards her, I noticed that she wasing out of the white dormitory, apanied by Ana.


    At the sight of her, I nced towards Desmond, and as expected, he was staring at her with eyes full of love.


    Whether it was my overthinking or reluctance to see them together, a pit formed in my stomach as they gazed at each other as if anticipating to undress each other with their eyes. Frowning at the thought, I clenched my fist tightly.


    "Randy!" Sonnia jumped into my arms. "I''m so happy to see you again," She said, and if Noah''s hug felt suffocating, this was worse.


    She held me so tightly, as if afraid I would disappear.


    "Sonnia," I managed to say, pping her hands around my neck. "You''re too... tight."


    Sonnia chuckled and released me. "Forgive my manners, dear brother. I''ve missed you so much because I expected I would be the first you''d call, but you didn''t," She said, kicking my legs and flipping her hair. I bit my lower lip, groaning in pain. "Sonnia, I''m sorry. I never knew that..."


    "Save it," She interrupted, raising her hand to stop me. "All that matters is that now you are back, and we''re all together again."


    "Except for the jackass." Noah added,ughing.


    Sonnia lunged at him, and they began running around.


    I smiled, wondering when their childish antics would end, but I couldn''t ignore the exchanged nces between Desmond and Ana.


    "Your Highness," Ana bowed her head in respect. "Wee back," She added.


    Arms folded, I initially hesitated to reply until Desmond nudged me on the shoulder.


    Turning to face him, I scoffed before turning back to Ana. "Thank you, Ana." I told her.


    "Let''s all go to ss, dear people. We all have history together now!" Noah announced, and we headed towards the blocks of ssrooms.


    The structure resembled a ss skyscraper but not exceeding ten floors.


    As we entered, I noticed all eyes on me. Those on their phones raised their heads, and those walking stopped to look at me.


    They must have recognized me, I thought, waving at them. Strangely, when they saw me waving, they continued with what they were doing, which struck me as odd.


    When we finally reached the ssroom, the professor was already inside. As we walked in, he suddenly stopped and bowed his head, and the students followed suit.


    "Your Highnesses," He said, pointing towards me. "You may be the crown prince, but this is the royal college, and you are not allowed to act like this, especially in my ss." "Forgive my manners, Professor..."


    "It is Professor Adams, Your Highness."


    "Professor Adams, I apologize for my tardiness, but this is due to..."


    "Please find your way to your seat, Your Highness," He stated, cutting me off.


    I smiled, agreeing with him without saying anything else, and made my way with the others to an empty row at the back of the ss.


    Desmond didn''t sit with me, instead, he sat beside Ana, seated two rows away from Noah and me.


    Throughout the ss, I didn''t listen to what they were teaching, instead focusing on Desmond and Ana as they talked.


    I burned with anger, feeling as if I was about to explode. The heat radiated through me, and I shook my legs tirelessly, clenching and unclenching my fists to suppress the anger that threatened to burst.


    I should just go take over her seat and get her away from him. I thought in my head. I want to be by his side instead.


    But moving to Ana would draw attention, and everyone would wonder why I suddenly asked to switch seats, exposing my feelings.


    Desmond was supposed to be by my side as my guard, but he was with her instead. It made meugh as if he was doing it intentionally.


    Just staring at Ana beside him made me think about ripping her head off. She was not supposed to be close to my body guard. I should be the one there beside him.


    Unable to take it any longer, I jumped to my feet, and just then, Professor Adams announced that the ss was over and left.


    I hurriedly walked out of the ss after him, ignoring Noah''s call and Desmond, who was rushing to meet me.

 Chapter 13

    ~Desmond~


    It was happening again.


    Throughout the history ss, I could feel his intense res directed at me, even though I avoided eye contact.


    If looks could kill, Randy would have already taken my life.


    Ana shared details about her uing birthday party, and we reminisced about our history while sheughed it off. When I turned around, his once bright blue eyes, now darker, were fixed on me. I visibly gulped, forcing myself to focus on the professor and ignore the erratic beating of my heart.


    The overwhelming feeling persisted, one moment, he ignited my emotions and the next, he made me regret encountering him after two long years. Throughout the ss, I nervously rubbed my sweaty hands together, concealing them from Ana, who was still immersed in her birthday party discussion.


    As the ss concluded and Randy exited the room, I hastily rose and caught up with him.


    Finding him alone, as Noah had abandoned him to flirt with others, I attempted to speak as I approached him. However, he abruptly halted, causing me to stop in my tracks. Turning around, he casually brushed a strand of hair from his forehead.


    "Desmond!" He called out, drawing attention from everyone in the hallways.


    Murmurs circted as my name echoed through the crowd. Disregarding the onlookers, I concentrated on Randy. With each step toward him, my body yearned to get closer. "Kneel," He ordered.


    Initially, I struggled toprehend his words until he repeated themand. "Kneel, Desmond," He insisted, shocking me with his behavior.


    Despite my confusion, I lowered my head and bowed to the ground. A crowd had gathered to witness the spectacle, leaving me perplexed about Randy''s demeaning orders.


    "I need you to tie my shoce," He stated, extending his sneakers.


    Shakingly, I reached out, but he stopped me with his hand. "Any problem?" I inquired, only to be met withughter as he stepped back and walked away.


    "Meet me at the school cafeteria," He said, leaving me on the ground.


    I wouldn''t say I liked this new facet of him, mean spirited, seeking revenge without reason. He behaved like a spoiled prince, starkly contrasting with the sweet and weing Randy I once knew. His sudden transformation stemmed from an incident two years ago, and now, he reappeared as someone unrecognizable.


    Remaining on the ground, I felt a hand on my back. Finally, someone was offering help.


    When I turned, it was Ana. "What''s happening here?" She asked.


    Groaning, I stood up and faced her. "Thank you," I muttered, relieved she rescued me from embarrassment. "I should go guard the prince in the cafeteria. Right now, I believe he needs me."


    "You are the prince''s guard?" Ana asked, shocked by the newest discovery. "I see." She sighed, and then we started walking down the hallways of our faculty, heading towards the cafeteria. "Have you found a new girl yet?" She asked.


    I shook my head in response. "I don''t fancy anyone."


    "Great," She responded. "I..." She paused as we reached the entrance of the cafeteria.


    "What about you?"


    She shrugged her shoulders andughed.


    "I haven''t found one." She muttered.


    Just as I was about to reply, someone appeared out of nowhere and rushed towards us, knocking me off bnce.


    Ana and I lost our bnce as we stood close to each other at the entrance. As I tried to stand up, somebody else kicked my legs, and this time, I identallynded a kiss on Ana''s lips. "Oh no!" I thought.


    ~Randy~


    Describing the intensity of my anger as a mere understatement would be an injustice. I yearned to unleash a primal scream.


    I had never felt such overwhelming fury before. I seethed with anger over the unfolding events. If I had the opportunity, I would have seized control and rushed to im Desmond as my own. "Desmond, you foolish guard." I muttered as I strode into the cafeteria.


    The room, previously abuzz with conversation, fell eerily silent upon my entrance. Hushed whispers and sidelong nces filled the void like a harbinger of doom had just crossed the threshold. They must fear me. I observed.


    I, however, doubted that fear was the sole reason. After all, I was the crown prince, there was no logical cause for them to be afraid.


    "Your Highness," A server bowed from behind their counter. "Wee. Please let us know your preferences, and we will promptly fulfill them." Maybe I was right, for as soon as the server spoke, another escorted me to an isted table, separate from the rest, bearing our names.


    Noah and Sonnia were already there, having lunch with their friends.


    As usual, Noah was surrounded by many girls while Sonnia chatted with her friends.


    I took my seat, ncing at my siblings, who paid me no mind, engrossed in their activities.


    With arms crossed, I ced my orders with the servers and waited patiently for Desmond''s arrival.


    Minutes passed, and the table filled with Desmonds favorite dishes, particrly spaghetti, yet he was conspicuously absent. I refrained from touching my food, anticipating his arrival based on the orders I had given him.


    After nearly five minutes of waiting, he finally appeared with Ana by his side,ughing as they strolled in.


    I shifted ufortably in my chair, displeasure resonating in my mind.


    Beneath the table, my fists clenched, my knuckles turning white as I observed them entering the cafeteria.


    Unexpectedly, a hurried person bumped into Desmond and Ana, causing them to tumble into each other.


    My fists tightened to the point of drawing blood. I anticipated they would quickly untangle themselves, but another individual rushed in, identally kicking Desmond''s foot, causing their lips to meet briefly.


    My patience reached its limit. Unable to bear it any longer, I screamed and mmed my hand on the table, creating a loud noise that drew everyone''s attention, including my siblings.

 Chapter 14

    I lowered my head, aware that I had let my emotions show. I walked towards them to shield my face and hide my reasons.


    "Desmond," I gently called his name, swallowing the heavy, invisible lump in my throat.


    "Your Highness..." He quickly stood up, lowering his head.


    "..." He paused when our eyes met.


    "What kind of guard are you!" I shouted at him. "I have been waiting for you here to..." I heaved a deep sigh, clenching my fists. By now, I could feel the liquid trailing down my hand and knew I was bleeding. Was this what it meant to be possessive?


    Acting like an obsessed demon unable to cope with seeing the one person I want with another person, especially an ex who stared at him with all the love in the world. If that was an obsession, it genuinely messed with my head, and I hated it. "Your Highness," Ana spoke up, bowing her head. "I apologize on his behalf."


    I wanted tough at that statement. She was even apologizing on his behalf, which only fueled my anger. I was on the verge of bursting into mes as I could feel my entire body turning red. I had to close my eyes and started chanting Desmond''s name in my head to conceal the anger I was exploding.


    "I apologize too, Your Highness," Desmond''s voice sounded, and I felt his hand on my shoulder.


    My eyes fluttered open, and a soothing feeling reced the heat in my stomach with a cool sensation.


    Was this the power of wanting him?


    He could make me feel things and change my mind about certain things. Desmond could stop me from exploding with anger with just a simple touch. Ironic.


    "Why is the crown prince so mad at his guard?"


    "I thought they said the crown prince is brilliant, so why is he acting like a jealous lover now?"


    "Maybe this is his real face, and that is how he usually is."


    Their voices echoed in the cafeteria, and they all had something to say about me.


    It was unpleasant to hear, and I wouldn''t say I liked that they perceived me this way because I couldn''t control my emotions and the bond.


    "Don''t ever touch me like that again." I warned Desmond, pping his hand away, then walked back to the table and sat down.


    "Are you alright?" Sonnia asked, but I ignored her, staring nkly at nothing.


    Desmond came to stand beside me, but I pointed to the chair before me. "Have a seat," I told him.


    "I''ve already heard enough tonight. I don''t want to hear bad news about the royal family again because of you." I spat angrily.


    "I apologize, Your Highness," He said, bowing his head before sitting opposite me.


    He made no move to do anything and kept his head lowered.


    "Well, aren''t you going to eat lunch? I ordered the spaghetti..." I stopped talking when I realized I was starting to sound weird. "Just eat so you will have the strength to protect me." I told him. "Yes, Your Highness."


    I had intended for us to have something else.


    The atmosphere between us could have been more rxed. I was acting like an obsessed, jealous lover, and Desmond was not being his usual self. Maybeing back was a bad idea for me. "Mind if I sit here, Your Highness?" Ana asked.


    I looked up to face her, studying her for a few seconds, wondering why she seemed everywhere. It felt like Desmond and I had drifted apart because of her, and her presence suggested the possibility of us bing more than just friends. "I don''t mind." I told her, although I had wanted to ask her to go to hell.


    "Do have a seat." I smiled while saying this.


    "Thank you, Your Highness," She said, sitting beside Desmond.


    "Once again, I apologize for what happened earlier. I never intended that..."


    I chuckled. "It is nothing, Ana. I expected him to arrive earlier since I instructed him."


    Anaughed. "Thank you, your highness. You both are such great friends that I would hate to see you always against each other." Sheughed again, cing her hand on Desmond''s shoulder while looking into my eyes.


    I removed my hand from the table, ced it under it, and clenched my fists again.


    What is her motive this time? I questioned myself as I looked from her to Desmond.


    Desmond shifted in his seat as if he wanted to escape her, but he remained there.


    "Your Highness, if it''s not too much, I would love to invite Desmond to my birthday party this weekend, and you too," She said, smiling.


    "Yes, you both cane." Sonnia joined the conversation, dragging her chair towards mine. "It is going to be the first party I will be attending this semester," She sighed, cing her hand around my arms. "It would be the best party ever!" She squealed, attracting the attention of everyone in the cafeteria again.


    I frowned and rolled my eyes at her. "Stop screaming, dear sister,"


    Noah joined in the conversation and sighed. "It will be an amazing party with lots of pretty girls that I am looking forward to seeing." He chuckled.


    Sonnia scoffed. "That is why they are all breaking up with your ass."


    "At least I have the girls around and don''t care about dating. What about you and Randy, who haven''t found their choice of partner after two years?"


    "Shut up, Noah!" I shouted at him. "We are just not in a rush, and I am sure we will appear with them soon. At least we are better than you, who is sleeping around instead of staying faithful to just one partner!"


    Noahughed and shrugged his shoulders. "What''s the fun in that?" He scoffed.


    I remained silent, staring at Ana''s hand on Desmond''s shoulder. On the other hand, Desmond looked as if he was enjoying having her hand on his shoulder.


    "Your Highness," Ana drew my attention towards her and finally removed her hand from Desmond''s shoulder. "Since you haven''t found your partner, I can set you up with one of my friends, right?"


    Immediately she said that I raised my head to look at Desmond, but he was not looking at me. Instead, he was staring at the ground.


    "Randy," Sonnia nudged me on the shoulder, and I faced her. "She is talking to you, so say something."

 Chapter 15

    "... I don''t know what to say. I..." I stuttered, having no idea what to say.


    "Don''t worry, Your Highness. I am sure that you will like my friend," She stated, and I smiled at her, returning my gaze to Desmond.


    "So, Ana," Noah cleared his throat as he spoke. "Are you going to get back with Desmond?"


    Anaughed and nodded in response.


    She grabbed Desmond''s hand and ced it on the table.


    Desmond raised his head and looked at her. "I let him go two years ago, but now, I will get him back."


    "What..." Desmond stammered, too stunned to speak, like I was at that moment.


    "I..." He suddenly looked at me, and when our eyes met, I felt my heart beating so hard and going thump thump.


    Ana chuckled. "I know that you still have feeling for me," she raised their hands together and ced them on her chest. "That is my heart beating for you, Desmond."


    Unable to endure it any longer, I stood up and mmed my hands on the table. The turmoil in my mind had reached its breaking point, and I could no longer feignposure.


    The hushed conversations of students in the cafeteria resumed, and even my siblings shot me strange looks in response to my outburst.


    I couldn''t hide my emotions any longer, so I walked away.


    "Excuse me," I announced to the others at the table. "Continue your meal." With that, I left the cafeteria.


    Returning to the student walkway, I found a secluded spot and sighed deeply, cing my hand over my pounding chest.


    "Why do I have to act like this in front of everyone?" I questioned myself, feeling the weight of my emotions.


    Lost in my thoughts, I failed to notice someone approaching from behind until they spoke. "You like Desmond don''t you?" Startled, I turned around, and my eyes widened as I discovered the unexpected identity of the speaker.


    It wasn''t who I had anticipated.


    "How were you able to..." I was lost for words, having no idea how quickly she discovered it. "How did you find out about this?" I questioned again, hoping to understand how she had uncovered the truth.


    Ana smiled at me. "I know about love, your highness, and even before that, I had already seen the way you looked at Desmond. You are in love with him, which is okay on your side, but have you ever thought if Desmond likes you?" I stared at her, lost for words and unable to say anything.


    This was not how I had wanted anyone to find out, especially not her. I tried to tell Desmond myself, but the fact that he doesn''t seem to feel the same way made me wonder everything could go wrong.


    I never thought Ana would see through me to the extent of realizing that I have a crush on Desmond.


    "How did you find out about this?" I questioned again, hoping to discover how she discovered it.


    "Because I came back to the party that night, and then I saw you two kissing," She said and chuckled. "It was there that I realized my assumptions about you were right. Prince Randy, you don''t like girls, do you?" "What... I..."


    Ana chuckled yet again. "You are the reason why Desmond and I broke up. It''s all because you wanted him to yourself, which was why we broke up."


    "No," I argued. "Look, you are right about everything. I like Desmond, and you are correct about him being my crush, but I never wanted the both of you to break up. You may not believe me right now, but that is true."


    Ana sighed and moved closer to me but ensured a space between us. "I love Desmond, and I am nning on getting him back because he was mine from the beginning. I know you love him, Your Highness, but I feel the same way. Aside from that, you are the Crown Prince of Bourne. Do you think you will be epted when they all discover you love men?" She scoffed and shook her head. "You will only bring shame and rebuke to your family. Because of you, the royal family would have their names tarnished, which would be bad, right?" She tutted.


    I felt my hands shake beside me, and my heart raced quickly.


    I could feel the world going in circles in front of me. The fear that I had wasing to pass. I did not want anyone to find out about my secret for fear that I would be rejected.


    I had watched my parents love each other as a child, and as the Crown Prince, I was supposed to carry on their legacy, but now, I was about to bring disgrace to their names. "I.. I..." I stuttered like a fool.


    I should be strong and face Ana to let her know that being different wasn''t so bad, but I couldn''t deal with societal stigma. Everyone would hate me, and I couldn''t say the same about my parents. They would be disappointed because, ording to them, I was supposed to continue the bloodline, but that wouldn''t be happening because I was different.


    "Is being different a bad thing? Why are you trying to make me feel bad?"


    Ana slightly bowed her head, and when she raised it, a smirk appeared. "Forgive my manners, Your Highness, but do I need to remind you about your duties as the Crown Prince? No one will ept a gay prince who can''t continue the generation of the royal family. I am trying to save you from yourself and let you know that you can still make amends and try to love girls as much as you do with guys."


    No way that could happen. I had never pictured myself loving girls. It was not something that I could ever do. "I am different!" I shouted at her. "I know you are disgusted by me being different, but that is how I am born. I am..." Anaughed. "I apologize, Your Highness, but no one is born gay. You choose to be like this because it is what you want. You may be different, but have you ever thought about Desmond?" She asked, folding her arms as she stared at me.

 Chapter 16

    "Your Highness, please answer my question."


    I clenched my fists and sighed deeply, trying hard not to tear her head off.


    She was disrespecting me in every way while using my weakness against me, knowing that I couldn''t do anything about it.


    "Desmond is..." I paused and closed my eyes while reminiscing about what happened two years ago. "I am not gay!" his words resounded in my head, and when I fluttered my eyes open, I saw Ana waving her hands in my face.


    "Are you alright, Your Highness?" she asked, and that was when I smelled him. I knew that Desmond was around, and when I looked forward, I realized he was standing at the cafeteria entrance.


    He waved at Ana and headed towards us.


    "Desmond is different from you, Your Highness. Please let him be with the one person he wants, and that is me, Your Highness," she smiled. "I will keep your secrets safe because there is no reason to reveal them, but then again, you must help me with Desmond as I want to get him back. This birthday ceremony is when I will confess my love to him, please, I need you to y a major role in supporting us," she said and smiled at me. Then she bowed her head yet again. "Hey, Ana!" Desmond called her name as he walked up to meet us. "Your Highness, we have another ss now,'' he announced, not sparing me a nce while his eyes were on Ana.


    You stupid fool! My inner voice rang out in my ears.


    Will you let her dictate to you when you are the crown prince? Desmond is your crush, no matter what you do, it won''t change.


    I frowned at these words, and even when they started walking away, I remained where I stood until Ana turned back and called me. "Your Highness, we have to get to ss now," she announced.


    At this time, Desmond''s eyes met with mine, but not for long as I stared down to realize that they were holding hands.


    I felt a knot tied in my stomach, a form of rejection.


    Maybe Ana was right when she said that Desmond was different from me because he had not shown any sign of letting go of her and instead continued to hold hands with her. "..." I forced a smile on my face and walked up to meet them.


    I believed I could pretend to be happy because I had done it two years ago when I had disappeared.


    If it were too much for me to bear, then maybe I would disappear again, and this time, I wouldn''t do it without telling him about how I feel about him.


    You are a big fool! My inner voice shouted in my head.


    Stop acting like an Idiot and do something about your crush!


    Fight for him!


    Maybe that is not what he wants. I don''t want him to be forced to be with me. I don''t want a one sided love!


    Giving up so quickly?! It taunted.


    You are pathetic! It added.


    "Your Highness," Desmond called for my attention again, and I faced him with a smile.


    "Let us go," I told him.


    The three of us walked silently to the next ss, and even when they started talking about Ana''s birthday party, I ignored them and instead thought about what Ana had said.


    It was all I could think of throughout the ss, and as if that was not enough, the lecturer in charge gave us a teamwork pairing, all three of us together.


    "Prince Randy Anderson is paired with Desmond Baile and Ana Kudra for the project."


    Hearing that alone disappointed me, but for Desmond and Ana, it felt like it was the best thing as they both expressed their happiness.


    When I returned to the dormitory that night, I didn''t say anything to Desmond and justy on my bed, hoping to sleep, but I couldn''t. Ana''s conversation with me was not ordinary, it was a threat. ~ Desmond~


    I stretched and blinked my eyes open to the morning light flooding the room.


    ncing around, I noticed Randy wasn''t in his bed, instead, he emerged from the bathroom, fully dressed. I was surprised he was already prepared for ss and hadn''t bothered waking me. If it was in the past, he would have called my name or even asked me to wake me up, but I was surprised to see that he was already up and dressed.


    It was strange, unexpected of Randy. He would never do something like that.


    Standing up, I greeted him with a lowered head, "Your Highness." He didn''t reply, as if I didn''t exist. I couldn''t me him for following the rules, but I couldn''t figure out why he was treating me with silence. He had been acting differently since the previous day, and I was worried, unable to understand the cause.


    Randy was never the type of person to give the silent treatment.


    When we were younger, he always apologized even when he was right, but now, it was different.


    "Morning, ready for ss?" I asked.


    Randy''s gaze briefly flicked in my direction, but there was no response.


    Confused, I tried again, "Everything okay?" Silence hung between us,den with unspoken words.


    He continued to get ready, tension thick in the air. "Did I do something wrong yesterday, Your Highness?" I queried, yet again ignored as he walked out.


    I sighed deeply, rubbing the ache forming on my forehead. It was too early for suchplications, and I didn''t want my morning ruined. Heading to the bathroom, I pushed open the door, the hinges whispering. Steam billowed from the shower, creating a warm, hazy atmosphere.


    Droplets clung to the mirror, distorting my reflection as I stepped inside.


    Standing under the water, confusion swirled in my mind, wondering if something had changed.


    Thoughts of Ana crossed my mind.


    Was Randy''s attitude rted to her?


    What did they say when they were alone?


    With a determined exhale, I turned off the shower, wrapped a towel around my body, and dried off before leaving the bathroom.


    Returning to the room, I quickly selected a pair of blue ripped jeans and a brown hoodie, then rushed out in search of Randy.


    Opting for the stairs to avoid a crowded elevator, I hoped to catch up with him.


    I wanted to halt him and inquire why he was ignoring me, the rhythmic thud of my shoes on the steps synchronized with my heart pounding. Questions and doubts about what could be wrong with Randy clouded my mind. When I reached thest stage, I heaved a deep sigh and ced my hand on my chest.


    My heart pounded so fast that it felt like I could have a heart attack at any moment.


    Upon entering the lobby, I found Randy conversing with Hilda. A sigh of relief escaped me, at least he was there.


    However, his words made me stop in my tracks.


    "I need a change of room as soon as possible. I no longer think I can share a room with him."


    Frowning, I watched them continue to speak, and then my legs carried me forward towards them. "Your Highness," I called, and they both turned towards me.


    When Randy saw me, he quickly averted his eyes and started to walk away. I ran after him until I caught up with him.

 Chapter 17

    "Randy," I shouted, removing the honorifics.


    It felt more natural to speak that way because I was fed up with saying, "Your Highness."


    "Desmond," He acknowledged, facing me with a stoic look. "Any problem?"


    "Why are you changing rooms? Is there something going on?" I asked.


    Randy''s response was abrupt, his eyes meeting mine with uncharacteristic firmness. "It''s none of your business, Desmond."


    My eyes widened at his sharp response, and I struggled to find my voice. "None of my business?" I repeated. "I am your bodyguard, Randy. I am supposed to protect you."


    "A role I never wanted you to have. It was my parents who made you my guard, not me. So what are you trying to say?"


    "I..." I stuttered, but he cut me off.


    "I don''t need you to be my guard any longer. Once I change my room, you won''t have to bother about anything anymore," He stated and turned to leave. However, I grabbed his hand. Time stood still, and it felt like it was just us. A surge of electricity coursed through my body as our eyes met, and beneath his stoic look, I sensed a feeling of want.


    We stared at each other until Randy broke the silence.


    "Let me go right now!" He yelled at me.


    I tightened my grip slightly, the magical sensation intensifying.


    "Afraid, Randy?" I questioned the words hanging in the air like a challenge. "Afraid of the things I could do to you?" I muttered in a lone tone, hoping he could understand what I meant. Randy''s eyes widened, and I watched him visibly gulp as he yanked his hand from mine. "What the hell are you saying? Are you insane?" He shouted.


    "Yes, I am going crazy because you are giving me the silent treatment," I admitted.


    "Why have you refused to talk to me? Stop giving me the silent treatment, please!"


    Randy chuckled. "Then deal with it. You also gave me a silent treatment years ago," He stated, then paused momentarily. "By Saturday, after Ana''s birthday party, I will be moving out," He announced and turned to leave. "You are relieved of your duties.''


    "Randy!" I shouted his name, and he stopped.


    Just as I was about to talk to him, I heard Ana''s voice at the dormitory entrance.


    "Your Highness," She greeted Randy and then walked towards me to hug me.


    "Desmond," She wrapped her arms around me. When she finally let go of me, I looked toward Randy and realized that he was gone, losing my chance to speak to him about changing his mind.


    ~Randy~


    It had been two days since Ist spoke with Desmond. It was a decision I had to make for my happiness, freeing myself from thoughts of my crush on him and him being with someone else. Desmond had made every effort tomunicate, but I ignored him. In the worst cases, I would wake up early and leave the house before he even woke up.


    Was I happy?


    No.


    Did I want it to continue?


    No, but I felt I had no choice. For my well being, I needed to ept that one day, I would have to reject the fact that Desmond was the one I loved and wanted.


    Today was the day I was supposed to move out of our shared room and be alone. It was also Ana''s birthday ceremony.


    Desmond had left five minutes earlier, and I pretended not to hear him even when he announced his departure. I intended to continue the silent treatment once I left the room. It was the best option.


    My secret would be safe, and Desmond, who didn''t even look at me the same way, wouldn''t have to worry about anything.


    Standing in front of the mirror, I admired my reflection.


    I wore ck pants, a snug fitting ck turtleneck highlighting my muscles, and a burgundy zer with white sneakers. After checking myself for about five minutes, I took mirror pictures I never intended to post. Once done, I headed out of the room.


    Exiting the dormitory, I found my siblings standing beside a ck limousine. Ana said the party was in a hall close to the school. Despite my reluctance to attend parties, I had no option but to go because I had promised to be there. Noah waved at me, and Sonnia pped her hands.


    Noah wore a blue tuxedo, while Sonnia wore a glittering short red dress. From afar, they looked like the celebrants with their sophisticated outfits.


    "You look dashing, Randy!" Sonnia squealed as I approached them. "If you weren''t my brother, I would date you," she added.


    "E," Noah remarked, cing his hands on my shoulders. "Our sister is starting to act like this because she is single," He tutted.


    Sonnia frowned at him and pointed a finger towards me. "You and Desmond are both matching except for the colors."


    Just as she finished saying this, I saw Desmond walking towards us, hand entwined with Ana''s. Our eyes met briefly, but I quickly looked away, pretending not to see him, and turned to face Ana with a smile. "Happy birthday, dear." I said to her.


    She returned the smile and hugged me without removing her hands from Desmond''s.


    "Thank you foring, Crown Prince. I never expected you to attend the party," She added.


    What did she mean by that?


    I wondered as I let go of her.


    She had invited me, and now she was pretending she hadn''t.


    Iughed shortly and shrugged my shoulders. "You came for my birthday two years ago, so I should return the favor." I replied.


    "Of course, you should. See, Desmond, and I are matching as a couple." She announced, and I took my eyes off hers, looking towards Desmond.


    Like me, he wore a ck burgundy zer, a white turtleneck, ck pants, and, surprisingly, white sneakers. I had no idea he was dressed like that because I pretended to be asleep when he left.


    Our eyes met again, but he was the first to look away this time.


    "You are wrong, Ana," Sonnia said, pointing towards me and Desmond. "They are the ones who are matching, not you both."


    Anaughed out loud, almost sounding manic. "Right. They must have nned it since they are both roommates," She said.


    I wanted to reply, but Noah interrupted, standing before us while holding his phone up. "Let''s take selfies," He shouted and started taking pictures of us.


    "Stop looking so stiff, Randy, and pose for the camera!"


    Sonnia ced her arms around my neck and made silly faces. "You do the same, Randy," She implored.


    I rolled my eyes at her, and Noah took a picture of that, ending the photoshoot.


    Soon, we were on our way to the hall.

 Chapter 18

    Once the limousine drove out of the school grounds, I took out my phone and muted Ana''s conversation with Desmond. I checked Noah''s status and noticed that he had posted. When I clicked on it, it was the picture where I had rolled my eyes.


    "That was the only picture where you didn''t look stiff." Sonnia, seated beside me, remarked. "You look more natural, as if you''re enjoying yourself. It''s the best picture to post." "Right," I responded, cing my phone back into my pocket.


    I closed my eyes, trying to ignore the sight of Desmond and Ana seated together, making my anger boil.


    For a few minutes, the ride continued until it stopped, and Sonnia announced that we had reached the hall.


    Exiting the limousine, we were surrounded by camera shes from every angle, and reporters rushed towards us to ask questions. Out of nowhere, ten hefty men in ck appeared, blocking them away from us and giving us the chance to walk into the hall.


    The hall was beautifully decorated in brown and gold. As we entered, hundreds of eyes turned towards us.


    There were familiar faces from high school and more unfamiliar faces from the royal college. At least hundreds were present for the party.


    I never expected that Ana could draw such arge crowd.


    We walked down a long red carpet until we reached our tables. I sat beside Sonnia while Noah sat beside Desmond and Ana.


    Once seated, I brought out my phone and started using it again. Then, I noticed someone''s burning gaze on me. Slowly raising my eyes, I saw that Desmond was staring at me, and even when our eyes met, he didn''t try to look away. The stare was intense and captivating. I could not avert my eyes from him, it felt like we were the only ones present at the party.


    My heart started racing against my wishes, and then he smiled at me, making my heart thump grow louder.


    I frowned at him, raising my brows, and he did the same.


    We were having our little moment until Ana turned his face towards her. They both stood up from their chairs and headed towards the stage where Ana''s birthday cake was.


    "Happy birthday to myself!" Ana shouted excitedly, and everyone apuded her. "Thank you so much foring, and also, I must appreciate the prince''s and princess for attending my birthday," She said, pointing towards us.


    We all waved at her and stood up to wave at everyone else. After that, everyone stood up to sing the happy birthday song for her, and she cut her cake.


    "Thank you all, and also, I have an announcement to make tonight. I have decided to get back with my ex boyfriend Desmond," She said, turning towards Desmond, standing on her tiptoes, and then she leaned in and kissed him. Time stood still, and the voices in my head became whispers. The only thing I could hear was the thumping of my heart.


    I had no idea how long the kissing went on, but I fought the urge to walk up the stage and pull them away from each other.


    I sat there, boiling with anger.


    I scratched my palm with my fingers to stop myself from going over.


    "Desmond and I are getting back together!"


    Ana announced, and everyone pped and cheered for them.


    Sonnia, seated beside me, nudged me on the shoulder and pointed towards them.


    "They look so good together," She said.


    I hissed at her, but it wasn''t intentional.


    I viewed everyone supporting Ana and Desmond as enemies.


    "Randy!" she shouted my name and frowned at me after my hiss. "What the hell?"


    I muttered an apology and stood up from the chair, trying to hide my bleeding palm from them.


    Noah was the first to notice, pointing towards my palm.


    "Why are you bleeding?" He asked.


    I stared at my palm, clenched it tightly, and without saying a word to him, I turned to leave the hall.


    "Prince Randy!" Ana shouted my name before I could reach the entrance. "Please do us the honor of alsoing to the stage to take pictures with us." Why?


    I wanted to scream at her.


    She knew what she was doing, yet she pretended not to know anything. I had no idea if she was trying to spite me or show me she was meant for Desmond.


    Her intentions were unclear, and no matter how I tried to understand it, I couldn''t figure out why she didn''t want me to be together with Desmond.


    You can just ignore her or climb that stage and make your feelings for Desmond known!


    I thought about these options.


    Even though the second option sounded tempting and was what I wanted to do, I knew it would give the royal family a bad reputation, and in the worst case, Desmond wouldn''t feel the same way. "I..." I tried to say something, but I lost the words as all eyes turned towards me, eyeing me.


    Among all those eyes staring at me, the one I was more focused on was Desmond''s. He, too, was staring back at me with mixed emotions as if he was trying to read me.


    I averted my eyes from his and heaved a deep sigh. I knew that my next decision would determine how everyone would see me, but I didn''t care. So, I opened my mouth and made the decision.


    "I have to turn that down because I just got a call from my father." At the mention of the king, they all jumped to their feet and bowed their heads.


    "Right," Ana said, lowering her head.


    "Maybe you can join us when you finish the phone call, Your Highness?"


    I nodded in response.


    "Of course," I replied, then walked out of the hall.


    Once out, I bit my lower lip to stop myself from screaming out loud and stared at the sky with thunder shing.

 Chapter 19

    "I knew you were lying when you said you were getting a call from Father," Noah''s voice sounded behind me. "That was why I said we shoulde out and see why," Sonnia''s voice joined the conversation.


    I didn''t participate in their discussion and instead stared at the sky, pretending they were not there. "Randy, what''s wrong?" Sonnia sounded concerned, and I heard her footsteps heading towards me. "Hey," I felt her cold hands on my shoulder. "Is something bothering you? We are your siblings, and it is..."


    Noah''sughter cut her short. "I know what his problem is. He hasn''t gottenid since he joined that prince school two years ago, and I believe that''s why he''s acting like this. If you want," He ced his hand on my back, "I can hook you up with the girls that I have, or perhaps you are gay?" He teased and then burst intoughter.


    "Anything wrong with being gay?" I retorted.


    Noahughed again. "Of course not, brother, but there''s no way you''re gay. I was teasing you, right?" He asked, and when I didn''t respond, he exchanged looks with Sonnia. "Wait... you are..."


    "Stop talking," Sonnia nudged him on the shoulder. "Randy, if there''s anything wrong, you can tell us! Is this about finding your girlfriend? Have you found someone, or is it Ana? Are you in love with Ana? Is that why you disappeared two years ago?"


    I closed my eyes briefly, clenching my fists tightly as I tried to block her voice from my head.


    I had never expected that she would make such assumptions.


    "Randy!" She shouted my name, snapping her fingers.


    "What!" I yelled at her and fluttered my eyes open, my anger getting the best of me, "What the hell is your problem?" I asked her.


    "Easy there. We were just worried about you as your siblings," Noah answered on her behalf.


    Iughed and then ruffled my hair. "That''s the problem with you both. You act as if everything is alright when it''s not. Do you think that I am happy being like this?" I screamed yet again and ruffled my hair again. "Why do you all think I want a girlfriend?" I questioned them, and I cut him off when Noah tried to say something.


    "And what do you have against gay people?" I pointed towards him. "You go all about disgracing the royal family with your promiscuous attitude! Have you no shame!" "Randy, that''s too much. You are..."


    I cut Sonnia off before she could finish. "And you always acting as if the whole world revolves around you!? Do you even care about others other than yourself, or are you acting like this because you want me to believe you care?" I said to her and then sighed. "Stop acting as if you care about me. You two didn''t care two years ago, and I''m not ming you, but stop assuming the worst about me!" I said this in a softer tone. "Do you even care about how I''m feeling? Have you ever asked me why I agreed to leave two years ago? Have you?!" I scoffed. "After all, you both think I am perfect because I should be," I chuckled and then hit my chest.


    "I am..." I paused as I felt the tears welling up in my eyes. "My siblings, whom I shared the womb with, don''t even know me that well, and instead, one is against me being gay, and the other kept mentioning things that I don''t want to hear." "Randy... I..." Sonnia tried to speak to me, but I stopped her.


    "Please don''t act as if you care now," I said to her and started walking away, not bothering to turn back even when Noah shouted my name.


    I stopped and turned to face him when he attempted to follow me.


    "Please, don''t follow me," I muttered and continued walking.


    I could hear Sonnia burst into tears as I walked away, but it was not like the aching in my heart.


    It felt as if someone was tearing my heart apart.


    I continued walking, apologizing to those I bumped into while not knowing where I was headed.


    The thunder rumbled loudly in the sky, this time, the heavens opened, and the rain fell heavily. People around me started running for cover, but I stood still and looked at the sky, letting the rain pour down on me. "Desmond," I muttered, raising my hand to shield my face.


    "Why?" I screamed at the sky.


    "Why is Desmond hurting me?" Iughed uncontrobly. "This rain is pouring heavily on me, and another is hurting me repeatedly!" I screamed and held my chest as tears flowed freely alongside the rain. I wanted everyone to see me for who I was. I didn''t want anyone to judge me solely because I was the crown prince. I longed to be epted by my crush.


    "Why is Desmond so cruel to me?" I shouted, almost falling to my knees. Then, I felt a hand around my waist.


    Despite the smell of the rain, this smell was distinct and unique. My body trembled as he rested his head on my chest.


    "Desmond..." I muttered his name, looking up to face him.


    "Randy, what are you..."


    Before he could finish speaking, I punched him across the face and pushed him away.


    "What the hell are you doing here?" I yelled andughed bitterly. "Have youe here to mock me after kissing your girlfriend?"


    He tried to approach me, stretching his hand out to touch me, but I pped his hand away.


    The raindrops felt like icy needles against my skin, but the chill within me ran deeper.


    I stood there, drenched and defeated, screaming my frustration into the stormy night.


    "Why, Desmond? Are you happy now, seeing me like this?" I yelled.


    "It''s not what you think," Desmond replied, moving toward me and trying to touch me, but I screamed at him and pushed his hand away.


    I stumbled, and the ground seemed to give way beneath me, echoing the instability of my heart.


    Desmond''s strong arms wrapped around me just before I hit the cold ground.


    "Let me go," I tried to push him away, but he held onto my hands, refusing to release me.


    "No," He said, hugging me tighter. "I should have known sooner that I wanted you, but the silent treatment between us prevented me from saying anything. Now I''ve realized it, and I''m sorry." I had no idea what he was apologizing for, and he was right. He needed to apologize to me repeatedly for what he had done to me.


    The rain intensified as he lifted my head to face me.


    We gazed into each other''s eyes, with the streetlight casting a dim glow.


    Even though we were soaking wet, we didn''t care and continued staring at each other.


    Desmond cupped my face, leaned in, and his lips met mine.

 Chapter 20

    "What are you..." I tried to say, but he held me tighter, pulled me into his arms, and kissed me again.


    This time, I found myself kissing him back. Each touch of his lips sent a warm, electrifying current through me, making me forget that I had vowed to let him go just a few hours ago.


    In that moment, the world faded away, and all that remained was the enchantment of the kiss.


    I couldn''t hear the raindrops any longer, the only thing I focused on was him.


    ~ Desmond~


    I chuckled as I pulled away from the kiss, and we panted into each other''s mouths.


    Neither of us said a word, even though we were standing under the heavy rain, shivering against each other.


    I had left Ana''s side after I saw him walk out of the party. I could feel his eyes on me all night, and despite not exchanging words for the past few days, I knew there was something he wanted to say to me, and I felt the same way. Spending a few days apart from him made me realize that there was no reason for us to be apart. Even when Ana announced that we were back together as a couple, I didn''t expect it because I didn''t want to get back with her. Following Randy outside was the best decision I ever made. It was there that I discovered he was hurting and learned his biggest secret.


    I should have known all along, but I couldn''t figure it out, and I had judged him that night.


    When the rain started, I didn''t stop following him until I heard him scream my name.


    "Desmond..." He panted and rubbed his eyes as the rain gradually subsided. "What are you doing?" His voice was no longer as painful as it had been a moment ago, it was softer, which made me relieved, knowing that he was ready to talk. "I''m sorry," I told him.


    He suddenly pushed me away andughed. "You''re sorry?!" He shouted, though not as loudly as before. "What do you want from me, Desmond? Are you happy that Im going through so much pain? Are you d that my heart is breaking, knowing I can''t be with you?"


    I clenched my fists and yelled back at him, "Who says you can''t be with me?"


    "What.." his voice rang through the night as the rain tapered off, bing gentler and less intense. "You can''t say things like that," He said.


    I moved closer to him, grabbing his hand and pulling him into my arms.


    He gasped and ced his hands on my chest. "I''ll say it again, this time, Randy. Who says you can''t be with me?"


    Heughed in response, and I wondered why he found it funny when I was trying to express my feelings. "Is this funny to you?"


    "Yes," he replied. "It''s funny to me because you were just kissing Ana earlier."


    "And you didn''t tell me that you liked me!" I retorted.


    Although he hadn''t told me before, I had figured it out after he came out to his siblings.


    I should have realized it, but I couldn''t because I had judged him differently two years ago.


    For all those years, he had been alone, hiding the fact that he was in love with me. "Why didn''t you tell me? You could have told me instead of pretending..." "Because, like everyone else, I thought you''d judge me, so I kept it to myself."


    "You''re worse than I am because you could have told me something."


    He scoffed. "And you didn''t realize that I was in love with you, or were you pretending as well..."


    "Shush," I ced a finger on his lips. "I had no idea you were in love with me, and you have no idea what I''ve been through. If we could just talk it out." Randy sighed and removed his hands from my chest, but I ced them back.


    "I''m sorry I didn''t realize it sooner, and now that I know, I''m ready to make up for it."


    "You," He stuttered. "You''re not disgusted by me being different, and even though you can''t feel a bond between us, you''re not..."


    I silenced him with a kiss. "If you keep talking, I''ll make sure to kiss you after every sentence," I told him and wrapped my arms around his waist, leaning closer to his ear.


    I felt his body trembling against mine, not sure if it was from the cold or our closeness. "Let''s get out of here, Randy," I whispered.


    He let out a loud sigh and nodded without saying a word.


    I grabbed his wet hand tightly, and we turned to the road. Luckily, a taxi was passing by, and I hailed it.


    We both entered and as the driver started the car, I turned to Randy, who was also looking back at me.


    I ced my hands behind his ears and captured his lips in a swift kiss.


    At first, he didn''t respond, but I felt his fingers in my hair as he started kissing me back.


    Our mouths moved in a slow, rhythmic dance, each kiss more intense than thest.


    At that moment, the world outside the car seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of us and the exquisite connection we shared. Even the driver became invisible to us.


    It was just us.


    "I enjoyed this," I whispered as we pulled away from the kiss. Instead of replying, Randy chuckled and rested his head on my shoulder. I sighed deeply, relieved that we had resolved a part of our problems.

 Chapter 21

    When we reached our room, our room?


    I hadn''t expected to get used to that phrase so quickly, not knowing if he would stay with me.


    "Desmond, I''ve been wanting to do this," Randy mmed the door behind us with a loud bang, pushed me against the wall, and nuzzled my face, his lips brushing mine.


    "I''ve been waiting to do this for a long time." He said as he kissed me, deeper this time, pressing our wet bodies together.


    "I should have realized this sooner that I also wanted you." I told him and turned him around pinning him against the wall. "I should have realized that and I did tonight. I told Ana that I couldn''t be the boyfriend that she wanted because I like you, Randy."


    "You do?" He asked wrapping his hand around my neck.


    "Yes," I replied and kissed the side of his lips. "I lied to myself that I didn''t feel anything for you but this past few days," I chuckled. "It was hell for me. Randy,"


    I gently rubbed my hand on the left side of his face." I want you more than I have ever wanted anything. I can feel that what I have for you is real and that will never change."


    Randy grabbed the front of my shirt and chuckled catching me unnoticed. "You are so infuriating and at the same time sweet," He said and ced his hand on my beating chest and we both looked into each other''s eyes.


    In the next instance, our lips meet.


    His arms were wrapped tight around my back pulling me hard into his body.


    Our tongues fighting for dominance and I used that to deepen the kiss.


    Randy reached down and fumbled to open my pants, his fingers shaking and I lifted my hips letting him gain entrance I pulled away from the kiss and yanked off my shirt as Randy pulled down my pantspletely and then I reached out to do the same to him, removing every piece of his clothe and then when we were both naked.


    I was back to kissing him.


    He ran his hand through every inch of me that he could reach, panting into my mouth as I continued to kiss him.


    He reached down and grabbed my d*ck and I let out a moan.


    He stroked me from base to the tip making a moan escape from my throat.


    I groaned and couldn''t stop pressing my hips forward. Without wasting another moment, I carried him off the ground and headed towards his bed.


    I gently ced him on the bed and spread his legs.


    I ced both hands beside him and kissed him again. "Randy.....do you want me to..."


    "Yes," he responded fast as if he had been waiting for that moment his whole life.


    I pressed my hips forward tunneling my length inside of him in one thrust.


    "Oh goddess!" He moaned and bit my neck.


    I knew by the next morning, I was waking up with an hickey.


    I moaned as I felt his hand on my ass giving me more ess to him.


    The bed bounced back and forth as I pounded inside of him showing no mercy.


    I knew I should have realized that I have always wanted to have him. I should have realized that I like men. It was why Ana and I never had sex.


    Randy had no idea that he was my first and I knew that I was his first because I had never seen him with anyone before.


    "Randy," I moaned helplessly as my d*ck slid in and out of him while he let out moans that echoed through the walls of the room.


    "Desmond..."


    I leaned in and kissed him and we both stared into each other''s eyes as we panted for breath.


    Randy bites his lower lips before letting out a moan as I thrust in harder. I slid my hand on his chest down until I grabbed his slippery d*ck, holding it tight and jacking it as fast as I thrust inside of him. "This is amazing.." Randy moaned as my thrust became faster.


    "Don''t stop!" He begged and panted against my mouth as I leaned in to kiss him.


    "Cum for me Randy," I gritted.


    "Fuck," Randy rolled his head backward and I felt his body shaking against mine.


    He gripped the edge of the bed so tight that I thought he would tear the bed cover.


    "Oh goddess Desmond!" He groaned and his hands let go of the edge of the bed.


    He looked into my eyes with his deep blue ocean eyes and let out a moan as he finally reached his climax.


    I also let out a groan as I was about to cum.


    My legs shook terribly and then it was over.


    I rolled over to the other side of the bed and let out a sigh.


    A cool hand reached out to my chest and I turned to face Randy.


    He leaned in and kissed me briefly.


    "This was amazing!" He murmured against my mouth. "I am d that you and I have cum together."


    "Yes Randy," I replied and ced his head on my chest and I lowered mine to kiss the top of his head. "Desmond."


    "Hmm."


    "I don''t want this to end." He confessed.


    "Me too my dear love" I kissed the top of his head again. "Sleep now." ~Randy~


    Rise and shine.


    I fluttered my eyes open and felt my hand on his warm chest.


    I gently rubbed it and then smiled as I raised my head to face him.


    He was peacefully asleep, looking calm, and even though I didn''t want to disturb his slumber, I reached out my finger to touch his perfectly shaped brows.


    I trailed my finger on them andughed when he arched his brows.


    "Funny?" His deep voice sounded, and I gasped as I felt his hands on my waist and his erection pressing against my back. "Prince Randy, you''re being naughty this morning," He muttered. "Didn''t you have enoughst night?"


    I chuckled and cupped his face, then leaned in to kiss him on the lips, not caring about morning breath. I was just happy to be so close to him. "Desmond," I whispered between kisses. He grabbed my hands andy on top of me, pinning my hands above my head.


    "Since you want another round of our lovemaking like yesterday, I''d be happy to..."


    A knock sounded at the door.


    We exchanged looks and turned our attention to the door.

 Chapter 22

    I wasn''t expecting anyone, and I was sure he wasn''t either unless Ana was here.


    Just the thought of her made me frown.


    "Let''s ignore the knocking. Today is Saturday, and we don''t have sses, right?"


    Desmond nodded in agreement and leaned in to kiss me again, but the knock sounded once more.


    He hissed and stood up, picking up his pants from the floor and heading towards the door. "Put something on, babe." He said, winking at me.


    I wanted to squeal at the mention of "babe."


    My heart raced with excitement as I stood up from the bed, put on my pants, and walked over to stand behind him. If it was Ana, I didn''t care, I wanted to show off Desmond as my man. Desmond opened the door and gasped when he saw who was there.


    My curiosity got the best of me as I peered over his shoulder and saw a blue haired guy bowing his head when our eyes met.


    "Your Highness," He began, "My name is Henrich, and I am the captain of the Blue Dormitory." I nodded in response, staring at him and wondering why he was there.


    "Oh," he continued when he realized I hadn''t said anything. "Today is thepetition warm up day."


    "Competition? What''s thispetition, Desmond?" I asked, cing my hand on his butt and squeezing it gently. "May I know what he''s referring to?"


    Desmond grunted as I circled my hand around his butt, nearly chuckling at how he struggled to act with Henrich in front of him.


    "It''s apetition that takes ce between dormitories every second Saturday. It''s a tradition known as the warm up day before the realpetitions begin." he informed me. "Oh," I replied, removing my hand from his butt. "That''s great. Is the warm up happening now?"


    Henrich nodded. "Yes, Your Highness. The warm up is taking ce right now, and I''vee to inform you because it seems Desmond has forgotten about it."


    "Right," Desmond smacked his lips together.


    "We''ll be there," he told Henrich and attempted to close the door, but Henrich ced his hand between the door.


    "Is there a problem?" Desmond asked.


    "I just want to get a better look at the prince''s face," Henrich replied and tried to enter the room, but Desmond stopped him. "What''s the matter?"


    "You''re looking at him now. Why do you need to see his face?" Desmond demanded, his voice rising slightly.


    Henrichughed and ced a hand on Desmond''s shoulder. It took all my self control not to break his hand on his shoulder. "Everyone is talking about how the Crown Prince is beautiful, and I wanted to see that."


    Beautiful?


    I never thought that anyone would refer to me as beautiful.


    "You won''t get to see the prince''s full face,"


    Desmond told him and pushed the door closed in his face.


    "Hey," Henrich''s voice came from outside the room as he knocked repeatedly but received no response.


    "It''s okay for him to see my face," I told Desmond.


    Desmond frowned at me, and in the blink of an eye, he was right in front of me, passionately kissing me, not giving me a chance to dominate our lips.


    "You''re mine," He said between kisses. "No one is going to gaze at your beautiful face," He dered as he carried me.


    "What are you doing?" I chuckled as he headed toward the bathroom.


    "I''m going to wash you right now and remove the beauty from your face," He replied and kicked the bathroom door open.


    Once inside, he gently ced me in the bathtub, opposite the shower. "You should be beautiful for my eyes only, not for any other man because you''re mine alone, and no man is allowed to stare at you."


    I bit my lower lip and nodded as he pulled down his trousers until he was naked, and then he climbed into the bathtub with me. I stood up and removed my pants, tossing them aside. "You''re mine too, and I''m not going to share you with anyone at all."


    Desmond smiled and pinched my cheek, and then he moved closer, wrapping my legs around his waist. "No matter what anyone says, I belong with you."


    I kissed his neck and trailed down to his chest while he moaned and gripped my hair. "You smell so nice that I want to im you right now in front of everyone, but I can''t."


    "Why?" He asked.


    "Because I don''t even know what you really feel for me." I said.


    He hesitated for a moment and then shook his head. "I have no idea but I know," He paused and rubbed my hair. "I''m not about to let you go." He kissed my forehead. "I want everyone to know that you and I are together. Inform everyone that we have..."


    "No," I refused, lowering my head and not meeting Desmonds eyes. I didn''t know if he would like or dislike my decision.


    "Tell me, Randy," He gently ced his hand on my face and lifted my chin to face him.


    "Is there a reason?"


    I stared into his beautiful green eyes and heaved a deep sigh. "No one knows that I''m gay. Not everyone will ept me as you did, and if Ie out and I am hated, it would be a scandal for the royal family, and..."


    I paused, lowering my head again until I felt his hand on my shoulder, and he pulled me into his arms.


    "I understand why you''re like this, Randy, and whatever decision you''ve made, it''s okay. I don''t want you to do something you''re not sure of."


    "Thank you so much, Desmond," I sighed, relieved that he had agreed.


    "So now, what are we if you''re not making our rtionship visible?"


    "Desmond," I rested my head on his shoulder and exhaled. "I wish that you and I hade into a world that would support us if we came out. But for now, we should keep our rtionship a secret." Desmondughed and nodded in response.


    "Right," He kissed the top of my head. "I''ll be your secret until you''re ready toe out. Just know that I''ll always support you," He promised.


    "Thank you."


    "Now that it''s confirmed that we''re dating, let me do this," He let go of me and entered the water.


    I wondered what he was about to do until I felt his mouth around my length.


    "Desmond," I moaned as he took me by surprise.


    "Oh my god, help.." I eximed.

 Chapter 23

    "Are you ready?" Desmond asked as we exited our dorm room, both of us dressed in the dormitory''s blue tracksuits with our names boldly printed on the back. We exchanged nces and held hands as we left the dormitory.


    Inside the elevator, our connection remained unbroken, even as others joined us. We reluctantly let go as the crowd filled the space, but our eyes continued to meet. I felt a surge of happiness knowing that he had finally acknowledged me, and we were now together.


    When the elevator doors opened, we hurriedly stepped out, and Desmond led me to arge pitch where many others had gathered.


    The blue dormitories were on one side, while the other four dormitories upied the opposite side.


    The red dormitories, including ours, stood beside the yellow ones.


    As I walked past Sonnia, she called my name.


    "Randy." I turned to face her, offering a smile.


    She mouthed three words to me, "I am sorry."


    I nodded in response and then joined the blue dormitory with Desmond. "Your Highness,"


    Henrich greeted me, bowing his head.


    "Wee. Pleasee to the front." He reached for my hand and started pulling me forward, but Desmond pped his hand away.


    "How dare you touch the Crown prince!"


    Desmond shouted, drawing everyone''s attention to us.


    Henrichughed and yfully pushed Desmond''s chest. "What are you doing? Are you the prince''s bodyguard?"


    "I dare you to touch me again." Desmond threatened.


    I nced around and noticed that everyone had started murmuring, giving me judgmental looks.


    They assumed the fight had started because of me.


    "Is the Blue Dormitory implying they''re going to give up?" Someone from the Yellow Team shouted.


    I red in their direction, and upon seeing my gaze, he quickly lowered his head in apology. At least, my position as the Crown Prince allowed me to prevent furtherments. "Stop acting like the prince''s bodyguard just because you share a room with him. I heard he''s supposed to move out, so you..."


    "Stop talking!" I shouted when I saw Desmond clenching his fists, giving Henrich a murderous look.


    It looked like a physical confrontation was imminent, and I couldn''t allow that to happen.


    I grabbed Desmond''s hand and rubbed it. "Desmond," I whispered his name, and he turned to me. "Please, for me."


    Desmond hissed in anger but nodded. "You''re lucky the prince stopped me, otherwise, you''d be missing teeth right now," He threatened Henrich and pulled me away from him. "Desmond," I said softly as he led me away from Henrich.


    I almost chuckled at how jealous Desmond was acting.


    I gently ced a hand on his back and rubbed it, and when he turned to me, I smiled.


    "Shall we begin now that this is over?"


    Noah shouted as he walked to the center of the pitch, representing the Red Dormitory.


    Henrich did the same, and leaders from the other dormitories also moved to the main pitch. They spoke among themselves until Noah blew the whistle.


    The crowd erupted in cheers, leaving me feeling utterly bewildered as I had no clue about the cause of their enthusiasm.


    "Why are they cheering?" I couldn''t help but ask Desmond.


    He seemed to ignore me.


    "Desmond," I called his name again but still received no response. Just then, everyone started moving to take their seats above the pitch.


    I walked alongside them and noticed Desmond standing still, not attempting to join me.


    I couldn''t help but wonder why he was acting this way.


    Did I do something wrong?


    I rubbed my hands together and looked toward Desmond, noticing that he was deep in conversation with Ana.


    I frowned and stood up from my seat only to realize that Ana was standing by his side, and they were locked in an intense gaze.


    "Is this payback to me?" I muttered the words only I could hear.


    "Your Highness," Henrich approached me and extended his hand.


    I stared at his hand for a moment but made no move to take it.


    "Your Highness," He chuckled and sat down beside me. "I apologize for not exining why I needed your hand," He said, still chuckling. "We''re about to have the firstpetition, and its called the survival game. It''s usually yed with members from different dormitories, but I''d like to partner with you."


    I frowned. "And why is that?" I asked.


    "Because," He paused and chuckled, "You are incredibly handsome, Your Highness, and I truly admire you."


    I widened my eyes when I noticed the way he batted his eyshes at me, making me wonder if he was just like me.


    For a few seconds, I looked away from him and saw Desmond, who had his eyes on me.


    When our eyes met, he quickly averted his gaze and locked eyes with Ana.


    "Your Highness," Henrich called for my attention again, extending his hand for me to take. "Will you please do this survival game with me?"


    I rubbed my hands together and nced toward Desmond, who was not looking my way this time. After some consideration, I decided and ced my hand in Henrich''s, walking back down to the pitch with him. We took our positions, lining up beside Desmond and Ana as the third pair.


    "Your Highness," Henrich called, leaning closer to me.


    As he was about two inches taller than me, he lowered his head to speak directly into my ear. "I''m going to take the lead since you''re not familiar with any of this. Let me teach you."


    I raised my eyebrows in confusion, not entirely sure what he meant. Then, I felt his hands around my waist.


    A gasp escaped my lips, my eyes widening, and I quickly turned to look at Desmond.


    Desmond was ring intensely at me and then at Henrich.


    His look conveyed a clear message to me, one I deciphered in my mind.


    ''How dare you?''


    I imagined him saying that to me.


    I sighed deeply as I turned away from him.


    It hadn''t even been a full day in our rtionship, and we were already acting this way.


    He had started it by ignoring me, and as jealous as he was, I didn''t expect it to escte to this extent.

 Chapter 24

    "I don''t think I can do this." I heard him mutter as he let go of Ana and began walking off the pitch.


    "Desmond!" I called his name, and he stopped, turning back to face me. "Are you alright?"


    "Do you care, Your Highness?" He retorted and turned to continue walking, not bothering to look back at me.


    A knot formed in my stomach, and the voice in my head urged me to follow him, so I did. "I apologize, Henrich, but you should partner with Ana. I have something I need to take care of."


    I told him before running after Desmond, who was heading toward another building near the pitch.


    "Your Highness, wait..." Henrich''s shouts repeated in the distance but I ignored him and pursued Desmond.


    Desmond was my priority now, and I wasn''t prepared to engage in arguments or fights so early in our rtionship.


    "This is it." I said to myself as I rubbed my hands together and entered the building where Desmond had disappeared.


    Once inside, it was pitch ck, and I couldn''t see a thing. I considered calling his name, but I held back to avoid drawing attention. I had almost thought he wasn''t in the building until I caught his scent.


    Like a professional sneak, I inched closer to the scent, and as it grew stronger, I felt a presence in front of me.


    "Are you Randy Akuffo messing with me?" Desmond''s voice brushed against my ear as he whispered.


    I shivered and reached out to touch his chest, and he took my hand, pulling me into his embrace.


    "Desmond." I whispered his name.


    "Randy, do you have any idea what you are doing to me?"


    "And what is that?" I inquired.


    "Goodness, why do you act so clueless? How dare youugh with another man!" He eximed.


    I sighed. "Well, at least I''m not talking to my ex."


    "I told her that she and I couldn''t work because I don''t love her anymore." Desmond replied.


    I smiled. "Desmond."


    "I don''t want you getting too close to another man, and..."


    "Henrich just wanted me to join the game with him, and...."


    Desmond ced a finger on my lips. "And I don''t like it." He said, his voice tinged with possessiveness. "I don''t want him talking to you or looking at you. He keeps saying that you''re handsome, and I''m afraid that he might take you away from me, and I don''t like how he is..." He paused and groaned.


    "Why am I acting like this?" He added in frustration.


    "I think it''s because your emotions are all over the ce." I replied to him.


    He suddenly pulled me into his chest again and sighed. "Was this how you''ve always felt while we were apart, and..."


    "Yes, but I can control mine..."


    "Randy, I''m sorry. I don''t want us to fight on our first date." He muttered and ced his hands on my shoulders.


    "Desmond, I understand you,..." I wrapped my arms around his waist. "I''m not going to be with another man because you''re mine. Only mine."


    "Only yours." He replied. "What do you say we go on our first date tomorrow?"


    "Really?"


    "Yes, Randy."


    "Of course. Let''s go on that date." I agreed.


    Desmond sighed in relief and neither of us spoke for a moment until he broke the silence. "We should probably go back now before they start searching for us." He said.


    "Alright." I agreed. "Desmond," I called his name as I pulled away from him. "We shouldn''t fight anymore because it''s not a good thing."


    "Yes," He said, and then I felt his lips on mine. Even in the darkness, it amused me how he could find my lips.


    When we returned to the pitch, we joined the games, momentarily forgetting our earlier jealousy.


    After the game finally ended and the yellow dormitory was announced as the winner, I took a break to get some water from a nearby shop. On my way back, I encountered Ana standing in my path.


    "I never knew you were this greedy, Your Highness." She remarked, clicking her tongue. "Aren''t you afraid that everyone will find out that you''re gay?"


    I clenched the bottle in my hand, at a loss for words and unable to respond.


    She knew my vulnerability and the potential consequences it could have. I wasn''t ready for anyone to discover this about me, given the negative effects it could have on my family and the reputation my father have spent years building. "What''s happening here?" Desmond''s voice sounded from behind, and I released the breath I had been holding. My heart began to race as he stood by my side and ced his hand on my shoulder.


    "Do you have a problem with the Crown Prince, Ana?" He demanded.


    ~Desmond~


    He was finally mine. Who would have thought that the prince would belong to me?


    Not in my wildest dreams.


    During the arena games, I couldn''t resist stealing nces at him, making it obvious to everyone that we were together. He didn''t want that, and I respected his wishes, but I yearned to hold his hand without fearing judgment from others. I didn''t care what anyone else said. I wanted to be with him constantly, without worrying about what others thought.


    It was none of their business, we were together, and I loved him.


    But, did he love me, or was it just a crush? He hadn''t confessed yet, and I respected his decision not to rush things, though I''d already fallen for him.


    As the game concluded, I followed him as he left the pitch. Was it insecurity, our bond, or possessiveness?


    I couldn''t pinpoint my true feelings, but I couldn''t stand being apart from him.


    When he encountered Ana on the way, I couldn''t remain silent any longer, and I walked toward them.


    "What''s happening here?" I asked. When I received no response, I pressed on, "Do you have a problem with the Crown Prince, Ana?"


    Ana scoffed and pointed at both of us.


    "Are you two dating now?"


    I exchanged nces with Randy, searching his eyes for answers, but he remained silent. So, I took it upon myself to respond, "You''re mistaken, Ana. If you continue to use the prince, I might need to report this to the king." I warned, hoping she would back off. Instead, sheughed.


    "I know you''re hiding the fact that you''re together."


    "But you have no proof." I retorted. "I already told you on the pitch that the Crown Prince and I are just friends. Yet, you keep spreading false rumors."


    Randy cleared his throat, and I turned to him. "Desmond is..." He paused as if searching for the right words, so I gently pressed my hand on his shoulder. "He''s my bodyguard, and you''re jumping to conclusions."


    I couldn''t deny the tight knot in my stomach. It felt like I was being rejected, but I realized I had done the same just moments ago. So, Iughed it off. "The Crown Prince and I have been friends since childhood. using us is disrespectful. I don''t want you spreading baseless rumors."


    Ana scoffed, flipped her hair, and then offered an apology. "I''m sorry for saying things that aren''t true, Your Highness, but I''ll find a way to prove you''re dating." She dered before leaving.

 Chapter 25

    I sighed deeply as I watched her go. Then, I took Randy''s hand and headed for the dormitory.


    Neither of us spoke until we reached our room.


    Once alone, I guided him to sit on the bed.


    "Are you okay?" I asked.


    He shook his head.


    I ced his head on my shoulder and gently stroked his hair.


    "We''ll be okay, and don''t worry about Ana finding out about us. That''s not going to happen." I assured him.


    "I..," He let out a sigh. "I just don''t want anything to affect the royal family. That''s why I''ve been trying so hard to keep us a secret."


    "Randy," I murmured, continuing to stroke his hair. "Everything will be fine. We won''t let Ana ruin what we have, and I''ll always be here to support you."


    Randy nodded and stood up. "We have many ss projects together, so we have to make sure we stay hidden from her and not show our true feelings. The moment she finds out, she''ll expose us to the world."


    I also stood up and took his hands. "That won''t happen unless..." I paused and scratched my head. "Unless you n on leaving the room."


    Randy''s eyes widened as he realized what I had said, and he burst intoughter. "Oh, Desmond," He cupped my face and rubbed his nose against mine. "That''s not going to happen."


    A bright smile lit up my face. "Really?" I asked, just to make sure I hadn''t misunderstood, and he nodded in response. "Great. But what are you nning to tell Hilda?"


    "Well," He chuckled and ced his hands around my waist, ensuring our eyes locked, then leaned in and kissed me on the lips. It was brief, but it left me wanting more. I tried to kiss him back, but then there was a knock at our door, and we both sighed.


    "I swear if that''s Henrich, I''m going to rip his head off." I said, clenching my fists as I walked to the door. "I don''t want him to see your face."


    Randyughed and headed to the bathroom. When he entered, I opened the door, and to my surprise, it wasn''t who I expected.


    "Hey, Des!"


    I frowned at Sonnia''s nickname for me, which made it sound like she was talking to a child. "My name is Desmond, spoilt princess." I retorted, and sheughed.


    "So," She entered the room and sat on Randy''s bed, "Please don''t tell me this is the bed where you and Randy are sleeping, and I haven''t touched anything I shouldn''t have?"


    I frowned at her. "What do you mean?"


    "Where is Randy?" She stood up and looked around. "Is he hiding from me?"


    The bathroom door opened, and Randy walked out, wearing only a towel around his waist. "Is he gone, Desmond? We should take a bath together." He suggested, not realizing that Sonnia was in the room with us. "A bath, huh?" Sonnia asked, and Randy''s eyes widened when he noticed her.


    He let out a loud shriek while Sonnia burst intoughter.


    "What the hell are you doing here?"


    Sonnia stood up, pointed to Desmond, and said, "I came to confirm if my assumptions were right." Then, she pointed to Randy. "I saw you both kissing in the rain on Ana''s birthday." "Uh," Randy cleared his throat and scratched the back of his head.


    Sonnia moved closer to him, cing a hand on his shoulder. "My dear brother, you don''t have to hide your true identity from me." She said, smiling at him. "I know that you like Desmond." Randy sighed. "How?"


    "Because you''ve always avoided the word ''girlfriend'', even though you''re the only one who cherished it. And on Ana''s birthday, when you came out to us, I saw Desmond following you, and then..." "You''re disappointed that I''m different from all of you?"


    Sonnia shook her head and pped his shoulder. "No, why would I be disappointed that you''re different? You''re my brother, and I came to wish you both well." "Really?"


    "Desmond," She walked toward me, grabbed my hand, and pulled me toward Randy, cing my hand into his. "You''ve been good friends since childhood, and I must say that I''m proud that you''re dating. Who would have thought!" Sheughed and pped her hands. "Randy, you should tell our parents. I''m sure Mom will be thrilled." She shouted and hurried out of the room before either of us could respond.


    Randy sighed and gently let go of my hand.


    "What do you say we go have that bath now?"


    "Are you okay?"


    He nodded. "At least Sonnia is supporting us. Maybe when Ie out to my parents, they might support me." He said, though his tone carried a hint of sadness.


    I held his hand and headed toward the bathroom. "I hope so."


    ~Randy~


    I slowly stirred from my slumber, my eyes still heavy with sleep as if I had been deprived of rest for days.


    Stretching my arms out, I let out a satisfying yawn. My hand reached out, hoping to touch Desmond''s body on the bed, but instead, I was met with the cold emptiness of the bed. "Desmond," I muttered his name as I fluttered my eyes open.


    He was nowhere to be found, and I gazed around in confusion, wondering where he had disappeared to. My eyes fell upon a neatly folded piece of paper on the nightstand. I picked it up, my fingers trembling slightly as I unfolded it. Fearing the worst, I smiled when I saw Desmond''s elegant handwriting.


    ''Rise and shine, Randy. Take your morning bath and get prepared, for I have a surprise for you.''


    "Oh, right!" A smile tugged at my face as I remembered that today was Sunday, and we had a date nned.


    I hadpletely forgotten about it, but Desmond remembered and had a surprise for me. My heart raced with excitement, and I couldn''t help but wonder what Desmond had in store for me. Interesting.


    I never expected Desmond to make so much effort. Has he fallen in love with me?


    I stood up from the bed and stretched as I thought.


    I headed into the bathroom, and my eyes caught another note by the bathtub. I picked it up and chuckled.


    ''Use the strawberry shampoo since it''s the only smell I can use to recognize you, and also, I love your perfume.''


    A smile spread across my face as I reached for the strawberry shampoo.


    The fragrance filled the air as Ithered it into my hair, and I closed my eyes, imagining Desmond''s soft touch, grinning from ear to ear.


    I was in love with Desmond and couldn''t wait to tell him, even though he hadn''t said anything about it yet.


    After finishing in the bathroom, I went to the wardrobe to choose an outfit.


    The wardrobe swung open, revealing my clothes, but my eyes caught another note.

 Chapter 26

    There, hanging on a hanger, was a crisp white shirt with bold ck lettering that read "He is mine." Beneath ity a pair of ck pants. I couldn''t help but chuckle at Desmond''s sense of humor and affectionate possessiveness. "Desmond, you are so silly." I said as I picked the outfit and smiled throughout as I put it on.


    After dressing in the outfit Desmond had chosen for me, I couldn''t help but check my phone, hoping to see a missed call or message from Desmond, but there was nothing.


    It made me wonder if he had more surprises in store.


    Before leaving the room, I went back to my wardrobe, took a ck case, and ced it in my pocket. It was my gift for Desmond, a small token of my appreciation for all he had done.


    As I walked out of the room, antana flower was ced at the entrance with a note on it.


    I hope you love the flowers.


    I chuckled affectionately, wiped away a lone tear that threatened to escape from my eyes, picked up the flower, and sniffed it. "Thank you, Desmond," I muttered, heading towards the elevator with a bright smile on my face. I couldn''t wait for Desmond''s surprises. My heart beat with anticipation as I realized I would see him in a moment.


    Just then, my phone beeped, and a message from him popped up on the screen.


    ''Meet me at the car park.''


    When the elevator reached the lobby and its doors slid open, I stepped out into the weing space, greeted by the familiar sight of Hilda.


    She lowered her head to me, and when she raised her head, I noticed her curiosity. I had guessed it was about the room, and my assumptions were confirmed when she spoke up.


    "Your Highness," Hilda inquired, "I noticed you haven''t checked out yet. Is everything alright?"


    I smiled and looked at the flower. "Hilda, I decided to stay in the room with Desmond."


    Hilda raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise in her expression. "Oh? Is everything okay? Any specific reason?"


    With a yful grin, I replied, "Desmond''s protecting me in there." If only she knew that he was doing more than just protecting me.


    Hildaughed at my response, her eyes dancing with amusement. "Well, I suppose that''s a good enough reason. Enjoy your time together."


    I thanked her and took a moment to sniff thentana flower once more, savoring its sweet scent.


    Hilda added teasingly, "By the way, that shirt looks really good on you. Your girlfriend must be lucky."


    Iughed and nodded in response, not bothering to correct her because she had no idea.


    "See you around." I said to her and walked out of the lobby.


    When I reached the car park and didn''t see him anywhere, I eagerly dialed his number, waiting for his response. Then I heard him screaming my name from behind, realizing he was in a separate car park.


    I smiled as he waved at me, and I headed toward him, removing the phone from my ear. When I reached his side, I took a moment to admire him.


    Desmond stood there, looking incredibly handsome in a ck zer that perfectlyplemented the white shirt boldly proiming, "I belong to him." A wide, loving smile spread across my face, and I hurried over to him, noticing that we were both matching.


    I was about to wrap my arms around Desmond for a tight hug when he gently stopped me.


    "We are in public, Randy." He reminded me.


    I blushed and looked around as people passed by. "Sorry."


    Desmondughed and came by my side to open the car door.


    It was a white Corvette, which I knew Desmond didn''t own.


    "Corvette, huh?"


    "It is all part of the idea." He replied.


    I smiled at him and got into the car.


    The sleek car purred to life as Desmond slipped into the driver''s seat, his hand effortlessly guiding the steering wheel.


    As he drove us out of the school, I couldn''t contain my excitement. "Out of school!" I shouted.


    "Right," Desmond said and smiled as his eyes met mine.


    As we glided down the road, surrounded by towering trees and dappled sunlight, I couldn''t help but express my delight. "I love the surprises, Desmond," I gushed, unable to contain my happiness. "You always make every moment so special." Desmond didn''t say anything, but I noticed how he had taken his eyes off the road, gazing at me with an intensity that made my heart race.


    I turned to face him with curiosity. "Why are you staring at me like that?" I asked.


    But before I could receive an answer, Desmond abruptly hit the brakes, bringing the car to a sudden stop.


    "Fuck this! Randy, you look so handsome right now, and I want to do this." Desmond said and closed the distance between us, capturing my lips in a passionate, fiery kiss that seemed to consume the world around us. Time seemed to stand still as our lips met, and my heart thundered in my chest.


    I began to kiss him back, and the kiss intensified as I ced my hands behind his ears.


    Our lips moved in perfect harmony until he pulled away, gasping into my mouth, making our heads meet.


    "This is... I''m d you love the surprises, but that''s not all."


    "You have more?" I asked, and he nodded in response.


    "For you only, luv." He kissed my forehead and started the car again, not letting go of my hand while his other hand was on the wheel.


    "Thank you, Desmond," I said to him.


    "Anything for you, my love."


    At that moment, I wanted to tell him that I loved him, but I held back, not because of what he might say, but because I wasn''t sure if he felt the same way.


    The surprises and love he showed me should have been proof enough, but he hadn''t said it, and I didn''t want to give myself false hope.

 Chapter 27

    "You''ll be surprised by this," Desmond said as he drove us to a nearby car shop. The anticipation built up inside me as we pulled into the parking lot. What other surprise did Desmond have in store for me? "I''m going to cover your eyes now." He announced as he came out of the car, cing his hand on my face.


    "Alright," I agreed and let him guide me to whatever surprise he had for me.


    After walking for a few minutes, he stopped and removed his hand from my face.


    "Tadaaa!" He eximed and pointed to the RV in front of me. "We''re taking our date near a mountain in this RV." Desmond dered with a twinkle in his eye. "A whole adventure awaits us."


    I couldn''t contain my excitement. I shouted with joy and jumped into Desmond''s arms, my lips finding his once more in a passionate, heartfelt kiss.


    This would have been a perfect time to tell him how I felt, but I didn''t. Was I scared to reveal my true feelings, or was it the fear of rejection? I had no idea, but I was grateful for all the surprises and couldn''t wait for the date.


    "It''s time for grocery shopping!" Desmond announced as he drove to the supermarket by the side of the road. With that, Desmond reached into a bag he had prepared and handed me a brown wig and a pair of dark shades. "This is in case we run into others."


    I took the wig from him and put it on, and he also pulled out a ck wig and matching shades for himself. "Now, no one will recognize us. Time to go undercover, my love." He winked at me and got out of the RV, and I did the same. As we entered the grocery store and grabbed a cart, Iughed and took out my phone to snap a picture of myself and Desmond. Our disguises made us look like characters from a spyedy, and we couldn''t help but chuckle at the absurdity of it all.


    We took more silly pictures as we strolled down the aisles, picking out what we needed.


    We selected various products from the shelves, asionally pretending to clumsily drop them, ourughter echoing through the store. "What are you doing?" I asked Desmond, still giggling, as I took more pictures of us.


    Amid our yful acts, we managed to pick up all the items we needed, fresh juicy fruits, assorted vegetables, marinated meats for the barbecue, a bottle of wine to enjoy under the starlit sky, and a few snacks.


    Once we had everything we needed, we proceeded to the cashier to pay for our items. "You make such a sweet couple, you know." Shemented.


    "Thank you," I replied as Desmond and I exchanged nces and shared a smile.


    After paying, we waited for the cashier to pack our groceries, and while waiting, I caught a glimpse of someone familiar out of the corner of my eye.


    I nudged Desmond on the shoulder and pointed to a figure a few meters away. It was Helen, my aunt.


    "What is she doing here?" Desmond muttered, and I shrugged my shoulders. It''s not as if I had spoken to her beforeing to the supermarket.


    "It''s ready," The cashier announced, and Desmond and I swiftly grabbed our groceries and made a hasty exit from the supermarket, our disguises still intact. If Helen were to recognize me, it would undoubtedly lead to a lot of questions, and I wasn''t ready to provide answers just yet.


    Once we reached the RV, we burst intoughter. "This is so funny," Desmondmented as he removed his disguise, and I did the same.


    I took the driver''s seat, and started the engine, ready to continue our adventure into the mountains. "If Helen finds out it''s us, she''ll wonder why we weren''t in school, and I don''t want any of that to happen."


    "d I suggested we go in disguise," Desmond replied, and I nodded in agreement.


    As I drove further into nature, Desmond acted as my navigator, instructing me on where to turn, as he already knew our destination.


    He tore open a snack and, while eating from it, also fed me. Unknown to me, some crumbs remained on the side of my lips.


    With a yful smile, Desmond leaned in and gently brushed the crumbs away with their lips.


    My eyes widened, and a shiver of excitement coursed through me as I turned to face him. "You''re tempting me, you know," I said with a grin.


    Desmond chuckled and winked at me. "We could always pull over and do it here."


    I burst intoughter. "Oh, goodness! You''re silly, Desmond," I said and rolled my eyes.


    A few minutester, after making another turn, Desmond announced that it was thest turn, and I couldn''t help but smile. "Finally," I sighed as we arrived at the majestic mountain.


    The beauty that greeted us left me in awe. It was unlike anything I have ever seen before. The mountain was shrouded in vibrant greenery, with the sound of a spring nearby and birds chirping merrily, adding to the melodious sounds of the natural breeze.


    Desmond and I got out of the RV, and I breathed in the scent of the forest, eximing, "Amazing!"


    "Randy," Desmond stood beside me, cing his hand on my shoulder. "Wee to the beauty of nature." He tapped me on the shoulder and pulled out his phone. "Pose, luv," He said, and I leaned my head against his chest as he took more pictures of us. "Look, there''s something up."


    I nced upward as he suggested, only to find Desmond leaning in, stealing a quick, tender kiss, and capturing a photo in one swift, yful motion.


    "Goodness, Desmond!" I eximed but couldn''t resist the urge to kiss him back.


    Desmond''s eyes roamed over my body, and then he grabbed my hand. "Let''s go to the spring," He said, and I nodded in response as we both ran toward the spring.


    I didn''t know how long we ran, but when we reached the spring, its beauty took my breath away.


    Water gushed out of the rocks, creating a cascading waterfall that fell into a sparkling pool. The air was filled with the refreshing scent of the forest, and the gentle, melodic sound of the babbling water provided a soothing atmosphere. I closed my eyes for a few seconds and, when I opened them, Desmond was staring at me with a mischievous glint in his eyes as he began to remove his clothes.

 Chapter 28

    "Let me lead you, luv." Desmond stretched forth his and began undressing me. After I was naked as he was, without wasting a moment, he scooped me into his arms. "Desmond!" I shouted as we rushed into the spring''s cool, refreshing waters.


    The shock of the cold water and the thrill of the moment made us bothugh heartily, ourughter echoing through the mountain as we yed with the water.


    Desmond and I ventured deeper into the water, and weughed as we resurfaced, continuing to ssh each other.


    "Desmond," I rubbed my eyes as I swam towards him, water glistening on my skin as I wrapped my arms around his neck. "This is a wonderful experience." I told him.


    Desmond looked deeply into my eyes and smiled at me. "Your blue eyes are bluer here. It makes you even more beautiful, and I''m d there''s no one else here to look at your beautiful face because," he brushed my wet hair off my face, "you are really beautiful." He cupped my chin gently.


    "All mine," He said possessively and leaned in to kiss me, his fingers tracing my hair.


    "Desmond," I moaned against his mouth as one of his hands grabbed my backside. "Oh, goodness," my moan grew louder as he trailed his hand between my legs and stroked me, deepening the kiss, his tongue teasing mine. Desmond pulled away from the kiss, let go of me, and then grabbed both of my hands as we both submerged in the water, using our mouths as our oxygen source.


    It was at that moment that I wished the moment wouldst forever.


    Desmond


    "Hey, Randy, bring out the vegetables," I called out to Randy from outside the tent that we had set up beside the RV. I was in front of the barbecue set atop a small, rustic wooden table. As I flipped the meat, I turned towards the RV''s door, where Randy emerged, holding a tray of vegetables. He gently ced it on the table inside the tent and then walked over to me.


    "Hey," He muttered, standing beside me.


    "Are you almost done?"


    "Yes," I replied, but I gasped in surprise when I felt his arms wrap around my waist.


    "Randy," I moaned as his hand moved down to the waistband of my briefs. "What are you doing?"


    Randy chuckled yfully and slipped his hand into my briefs, gripping my arousal and gently stroking it.


    "Damn it, Randy, what on earth are you doing?" I moaned in ecstasy, biting my lower lip to keep from dropping the barbecue tongs I held.


    "Payback," He whispered, nting a kiss on my neck. "I''m getting even, and.."


    "Randy," I cried out as he teased my sensitive tip, moving up and down. It was maddening, trying to manage the barbecue while Randy was doing his thing. "Oh my goodness!"


    Randyughed once more and finally released me as I reached climax. "I''ve got you back," He said, giving my butt a yful p, and then strolled back to the RV.


    I stood there, unable to say anything, my legs trembling.


    He had thoroughly caught me off guard, and I struggled to control my emotions. "Don''t worry, Your Highness," I shouted to him. "I''ll ensure your legs are as shaky as mine!"


    "Is that a threat?" He shouted back.


    "It''s a promise," I replied, going back to tending the barbecue and smiling at what had just transpired.


    A few momentster, we were both seated in our chairs beneath the beautiful tent illuminated by the warm glow ofnterns.


    "It already smells delicious!" Randy eximed as he savored the scent of grilled meats.


    When he took a bite, he moaned, and I chuckled.


    "Stop moaning unless you want me to take you right here." I teased.


    Randy moaned again and winked at me. "I dare you." He said, biting his lower lip.


    I ruffled my hair and chuckled. "You''re quite daring, my lovely boy, but I''ll make sure I leave your legs shaking tonight."


    Randy spread his legs and pointed toward me. "I''ll be waiting for that." He said, winking again as he took another bite of the grilled meat. "Look forward to it." I said with a smile, pouring wine into our cups and handing one to him while keeping the other.


    I raised my ss, filled with rich, ruby red wine, and gazed at Randy with a smile. "To our happiness." "Always and forever." He responded, and we clink our sses together in a joyful toast.


    I continued to stare at Randy as I sipped from my cup, noticing how he was also gazing at me.


    I bit my lip and winked at him.


    He smiled back at me and set down his ss. "I... um," He paused, smacking his lips together, then stood up and walked into the RV, returning with a ck box in his hand. "I feel that," he said as he sat down and quickly gulped down the wine. "What is it?" I asked, anticipation building.


    "Right," He smacked his lips again and opened the box, revealing two exquisite nes, one ck and the other white, of the moon.


    He stood up and handed the white ne to me. "Desmond, you are the sun that brightens my sky," He said, sighing briefly. "I got this ne two years ago while I was at prince training, thinking of you. You''ve surprised me in so many ways, and I wanted to do something special for you too."


    I stood up and took the ne from his hand, studying the silver ne with a hint of topaz at its center. "This is beautiful. I love it." I told him, smiling. "Can you help me put it on?"


    Randy nodded, taking the ne from my hand and fastening it around my neck.


    I smiled as I felt the cold metal against my skin. "I love it, Randy. Thank you so much." I said.


    "Let me put yours on," I said, taking the moon ne from his hand, which featured a sapphire center resembling the night sky. I ced it around his neck. "I''m so d I''m the sun that brightened your morning, and you''re my moon that lights up my night. I''m truly happy to have you as mine, Randy," I whispered into his ear and wrapped my arms around his waist.


    "Randy," I inhaled his scent and kissed his neck. "Desmond," He moaned and turned to face me.

 Chapter 29

    Randy leaned closer, our noses touching, and closed his eyes, "Desmond," He said, running his hand through my hair. "I don''t know if you feel the same way, but I must tell you because that''s how I feel right now. My heart," he paused, cing my hand on his chest. "It''s pounding for you, and it''s because I''m madly in love with you."


    I didn''t say anything, but I felt my emotions welling up, knowing he loved me just as much as I loved him. "You are my sun, my light, and my warmth. I can''t imagine a single day without you by my side."


    He didn''t speak further, so I took my turn to express my feelings.


    "Randy," I whispered, tears welling in my eyes. "I love you too, more than words can express. You are the moon to my night, the calm in my storm. Every moment with you feels like a beautiful dream, and I cherish every second we spend together. Tonight," I said, cing my hands between his ears.


    "Tonight marks the beginning of our love." I kissed his forehead. "We''ll always be together forever."


    "Forever and a day." Randy finished, capturing my lips.


    Soft moans escaped my mouth as we kissed with raw emotion.


    His hand found my back, rubbing it up and down, and I ran my fingers through his hair without breaking the kiss.


    Weughed and gazed into each other''s eyes after breaking apart, turning our attention to the dark sky. I heard him whisper, "Make love to me, Desmond."


    And with that, I swiftly scooped him into my arms and headed straight for the RV. "I told you earlier, my dear, that I was going to f*ck you until your legs started shaking, and that''s precisely what..." I gentlyid him on the bed. "That''s what I''m going to do to you."


    I pinned his hands above his head. "Be good and don''t touch me." I instructed, and he nodded in response.


    "That''s my good boy." I kissed his lips and then slid down to his waistband, pulling it down to reveal his lower member. "Now, I want you to let the whole world hear you scream for nature''s sake. Scream my name, Randy."


    I winked at him, taking his erect length in my hand and gazing at him as hey obediently without moving. Then, I took him into my mouth, swallowing his entire length.


    "Desmond!" he cried out, and that marked the beginning of our passionate night.


    "F*ck, please don''t stop, please..."


    I would haveughed at him at that moment if I weren''t breathless, my hips pounding hard against Randy. "I''m not stopping, my prince," I whispered.


    "Oh, goodness!" He cried out through clenched teeth, but I ignored his plea and increased my pace.


    I felt his body trembling beneath mine, and as he arched his head back into the pillow, I leaned closer and nted a kiss on his lips.


    "Desmond," He moaned, brushing my hair with his fingers, and he began to kiss me back.


    I groaned softly, pulling away from the kiss, and traced my thumb gently across his mouth as I thrust forcefully.


    I slid my thumb into his mouth, and he sucked on it, moaning loudly, which in turn made me groan and deliver a brutal thrust.


    I had warned him about making his legs shake that night, and I wasn''t going back on my promise.


    Randy grunted, clenching and biting my thumb without breaking our intense eye contact.


    It was pure euphoria.


    "Do you want me to slow down, luv?" I asked in a low, breathless rasp.


    As much as I wanted his legs to shake for teasing me, I didn''t want to hurt him.


    "No," He responded as my thumb slipped from his mouth. "For goodness sake, don''t stop." He cried out and reached for my head, fisting my hair.


    He pulled my head down and kissed me passionately. "As your prince, I order you not to go slow!"


    I chuckled against his mouth. "You like it when I f*ck you hard, your highness?"


    His response was a thrust of his hips, and he bit his lower lip, giving me a sultry look.


    "So do you," He whispered, and we kissed again.


    "I love," I bit his lower lips. "I love fucking you any way you wish my love," I winked at him and kissed him again.


    I wrapped my arm around his neck, and he clung to my hips as our passion intensified.


    The intensity of our connection drove me to thrust harder and faster, leaving us both breathless and unable to form words. Only the symphony of our moans reverberated through the room, echoing off the walls. As we pushed the boundaries of our desire, it became increasingly difficult to catch our breath.


    Despite the breathlessness, Randy didn''t stop kissing me. Our tongues danced for dominance, even as we panted breathlessly against each other''s lips.


    Desperationced my voice as I murmured against Randy''s mouth, "Randy," sounding desperate and close to climax.


    He responded with a groan, well aware of why I had uttered his name.


    "Do you want to cum, huh?" Randy murmured, breathless and fatigued, but I didn''t stop the relentless thrusting.


    My lips found him, and I nibbled on his lower lip, groaning in sheer desire. "I want us to cum together," I whispered into his ear, my fingers trailing down his chest and stomach until I firmly gripped his erection. "I want my release to cover you in ecstasy."


    Randy shuddered under me, his legs trembling as he approached climax.


    He wrapped his arms around my waist, unable to contain his pleasure. "Oh, fuck," He gasped, his body wracked with the intensity of his orgasm.


    I growled in response, reveling in the sensation of him reaching his peak. "Fuck, that''s amazing, Randy," I moaned as I continued to thrust powerfully, my body trembling with impending release.


    Momentster, I couldn''t hold back any longer, and with a strained moan, I came, my climax surging as I filled him.


    For a few seconds, we bothy there, panting against each other, our hearts racing in unison.


    "Fuck," I said, finally raising my head and kissing his shoulder.


    "Are you sure I didn''t hurt you?"


    Randy reassured me, leaning closer and cing his head on my chest. "I''m sure," He said, teasingly. "It was incredible, and you did make my legs ''shake''." He added with a yful tone, and we both shared augh. "Revenge achieved," I whispered, kissing the top of his head. "I love you so much, Randy."


    Randy raised his head and met my lips with a short, sweet kiss. "I love you too, Desmond."


    Our love was undeniable, and we decided it was time to call it a night and drift off to sleep in each other''s arms.

 Chapter 30

    As Iy in the darkness, I didn''t know how long I had been asleep, but I soon found myself in the clutches of a haunting nightmare. It was a world of darkness, where I was running desperately from an unseen and menacing threat. My heart raced, and I gasped for breath as panic consumed me.


    In my dream, I tripped and fell to the ground, disoriented and terrified. The world seemed to spin, and I was surrounded by darkness. It was as if the very ground beneath me had be unsteady, shifting and swirling beneath my weight. Amidst the chaos, a loud, feminine voice pierced the darkness, its chilling words echoing all around me. "Wee to your doom, Desmond." It dered, emphasizing my name.


    My heart pounded as I shouted out in fear, "Where am I? How do you know my name?"


    The voice responded with a hauntingugh, "You''ve been here before, Desmond. With the prince." The words sent shivers down my spine, for they hinted at something I couldn''t quite grasp.


    The voice continued, delivering an even more unsettling message, "You will die in two months, on your 20th birthday!"


    I couldn''t fathom the meaning or purpose behind this macabre prophecy. Desperation welled up within me as I shouted into the darkness, "Who are you? Why are you telling me this when you won''t even show your face?"


    The voice''s reply sent a chill down my spine, "If you don''t stay away from Randy, he will face dangers."


    Before I could respond, the darkness transformed into blinding light, forcing me to shut my eyes tightly. When I opened them, I was confronted by a horrifying sight, Randy, his chest brutally stabbed, blood pooling around him, and his voice barely a whisper as he uttered my name.


    "Desmond!" He gasped, reaching out for me.


    My heart raced as I tried to reach him, but with a gasp, I was pulled from the nightmare, my eyes fluttering open.


    Randy''s hand was on my chest, and I immediately turned to him.


    "Are you alright?" I asked, my voice trembling, my hands checking his body for injuries.


    Randy, still disoriented from sleep, blinked in confusion. "Is everything alright?" He inquired with sleepy eyes.


    "It''s okay." I whispered, stroking his hair.


    "Just go back to sleep." I kissed his forehead.


    "Okay, luv." He responded and closed his eyes.


    Unable to sleep and determined to escape the lingering dread of the nightmare, I climbed out of bed and began to prepare for the journey back to school.


    The RV engine roared to life in the early hours of the morning, around 4 AM.


    As I drove back to school, I couldn''t stop thinking about the voice and the ominous meaning behind its warnings.


    Was I truly going to die?


    ~Randy~


    I woke up to the gentle rays of sunlight streaming onto my face, signaling that morning had arrived. I stretched and reached out for Desmond on the other side, but it was empty and unusually cold, indicating he had left a while ago. As I fluttered my eyes open and rose from my slumber, I called out, "Desmond," but there was no sign of him in our RV.


    "Where are you?" I wondered aloud as I stepped out into the bright morning sun.


    I soon realized we were no longer in the mountains but had returned to the location where Desmond had rented the RV. Spotting him engaged in a conversation with a middle aged man, I called out his name once more. When he noticed me, he waved to the man and greeted me.


    "Randy, you''re awake." Desmond said with a smile.


    Frowning, I gave him a questioning look, wondering what had transpired while I was asleep.


    Without me asking, Desmond began to exin that he had left the mountains and didn''t want to disturb my rest.


    "You should have told me instead of handling everything on your own. I would have tried to help, and keeping it from me was not the right thing to do." I admonished him, sighing deeply.


    He ruffled my hair and took my hand, leading me toward the Corvette. "We still have an hour until ss starts, so we need to head back to school now."


    I nodded. "What about our..." I began to ask about our belongings, but he gestured to the back of the car.


    "Don''t worry, I''ve stored everything in the trunk." He assured me as he opened the car door for me to enter.


    Once I was seated, he took the driver''s seat and started the car without further words.


    Something seemed to be bothering him and I need to find out what that is.


    With my attention back on Desmond, "Are you alright, Desmond?" I asked, but initially received no response. "Desmond!" I called out, and he finally looked away from the road.


    "You called me?" He inquired.


    I nodded. "What''s happening to you, Desmond? Is everything alright?"


    Desmond smiled and briefly released his grip on the wheel to kiss my hand. "I''m alright."


    "Are you sure?" I probed to ensure he meant what he said.


    His peculiar behavior made it difficult to believe he was fine.


    Could it be the nightmare? I couldn''t figure it out, but I sensed something was amiss.


    "Are you sure you are alright? Is this about the nightmare?"


    At the mention of the nightmare, I noticed his grip on the wheel tighten, causing his hand to turn red.


    "I''m fine, Randy. Everything is alright." He replied, sounding somewhat harsh, then let go of my hand and refocused on the road.


    I shifted in my seat and nced away, troubled by his distant demeanor. It was disheartening to argue after spending an entire day together. I despised it.


    For the remainder of our drive to school, neither of us spoke.


    While I kept looking away, I couldn''t help but turn periodically to observe Desmond. He made no effort to meet my gaze, and I yearned to scream at him, to force him to tell me what was bothering him. But I felt it might be best to leave him in peace.


    Upon reaching the school, I got out of the car without uttering a word to Desmond and hurried towards the dormitory.


    "Wee, Your Highness." Hilda greeted me as I entered, but I merely waved and continued toward the elevator.


    As I entered, I was greeted by the enticing scent of cinnamon, wafting from a boy inside. His fragrance was sweet and warm, piquing my curiosity as I turned to look at him.


    He was tall, even taller than me, despite my height of six feet.


    He seemed unfamiliar, despite my brief time in the dormitory, while everyone''s faces were still rtively new to me, I could tell who belonged to the blue dormitory.


    As he was about to respond to my query, Desmond''s legs extended as he caught the closing elevator doors and stepped inside.


    He shifted his gaze from me to the blonde guy and stood behind me. "Your Highness, why didn''t you wait for me?" Seriously?


    After ignoring me during the half hour drive, he acted like he cared. I didn''t look at him and pretended to be busy looking up.

 Chapter 31

    "My name is John. I just got admitted here, Your Highness." The boy introduced himself and extended his hand for a shake.


    Just as I was about to take his hand, Desmond swiftly intervened.


    "I''m Desmond, and I''m the prince''s bodyguard." He introduced himself.


    The elevator doors opened, and he seized my hand, leading me out, not allowing me to converse with the boy.


    Once in our room, I angrily pulled my hand from his grasp and frowned at him, wondering why he had acted in that manner. "What''s wrong with you, Desmond?"


    Desmond didn''t respond and instead headed to the bathroom, disregarding my question.


    I followed him, but he mmed the door in my face. "Desmond!" I shouted and banged on the door, but received no response.


    I went back to my bed, sat down, and stared at the door, waiting for him to emerge.


    Unable to contain my curiosity about what was going on with Desmond, I eventually stood up and began pacing. It didn''t take long for him toe out of the bathroom, a white towel wrapped around his waist. "Desmond!" I rushed toward him. "Why did you m the door in my face like that? I thought we..."


    "ss will start soon, Randy. You don''t want others asking questions about us arrivingte, and..." Desmond started to exin.


    "I don''t care!" I shouted at him and then sighed deeply. "Is everything alright with you?" I inquired, attempting to touch his wet shoulder, but he moved away, leaving my hand hanging in the air. "Desmond." I said, but he remained silent, so I interpreted it as a yes and went into the bathroom.


    While alone in the bathroom, I heaved a deep sigh as I stood under the shower letting the cold water cascade down my body while thinking about what could have happened with Desmond for him to start acting that way.


    I remembered the previous night and how we had acted so in love and now, we were acting like enemies which shouldn''t have happened. After confessing to always be together forever and a day, something might have happened. I turned off the shower, grabbed one of the towels neatly arranged on the towel rack and wrapped it around my waist and then I walked to the mirror.


    I touched the red marks on my neck and chest remembering how Desmond had sucked on my neck and chest the previous night before.


    We were both happy and now, this was happening.


    We were back to the silent treatment.


    I didn''t know how long I had stared at the mirror until I heard Desmond knock on the door.


    "Your Highness, we have a few minutes until the ss starts!" He reminded me.


    I clenched my fists angry that he was back to calling me Your Highness and wouldn''t even talk to me.


    I heaved a deep sigh and walked out of the bathroom bumping him on the shoulder as I walked out.


    I picked a random white shirt and ck pants as the outfit for the ss and when I was done dressing up, I headed out of the room without saying anything to him and he just followed behind. When we were alone in the elevator, I looked at the other side and he didn''t even bother speaking with me.


    I tapped my foot on the ground hoping that he would say something but he continued to ignore me and when the doors finally opened, I rushed out without sparing him a nce.


    "Your highness..." Hilda greeted me as I walked out but this time, I didn''t respond to her and heard Desmond responding on my behalf.


    Outside the dormitory, I suddenly stopped walking and noticed that Desmond had done the same thing.


    "Stop the pretense alright!" I said, unable to keep up with the facade any longer with him as I hated the silent treatment between us.


    "Your highness. We shouldn''t be talking about this here."


    "Then where?" I demanded. "You won''t even talk to me anywhere and the funny thing is that I don''t even know what I have done wrong for you to act like this towards me!"


    "This is not the right ce to have this conversation, Your Highness."


    "Your highness?!" I scoffed. "Now you are back to that? Doesst night mean anything to you at all!"


    "Everyone is looking at us. We will discuss thister!" He said and tried to grab my hand but I angrily yanked it off and started walking away.


    "If you won''t talk to me then it is fine. I don''t know what I have done wrong to be treated like this but I won''t stand here and be treated like this!"


    Desmond ran after me and tried to grab my hand but I pushed his hand away.


    While walking away hurriedly, someone suddenly appeared in front of me, pointing something at me.


    At first, I frowned at the person wondering what kind of game or prank they were trying to pull at me. My eyes widened when I realized that it was a gun. The attacker was wearing a ck mask hiding his face away and before I could understand what was happening, a shot was fired at me.


    It hit me on the stomach like a tsunami and I choked on my breath as my eyes suddenly became blurry and I was falling to the ground.


    "Bullet!" I murmured as I looked down at my stomach to see that blood was pooling out.


    I turned to face Desmond and when he saw me, he ran towards me and let out a horrifying scream.

 Chapter 32

    ~Desmond~


    The thing I had dreaded the most had happened, and I was powerless to prevent it.


    My attitude towards him couldn''t save him from the danger I was trying so hard to protect him from.


    "Randy," I screamed his name as I rushed to him, catching him in my arms.


    I didn''t care about the assant, my focus was on Randy. He was bleeding profusely, and my hands holding him started trembling.


    I was afraid of what would happen next.


    The voice from my recurring dreams suddenly echoed in my ears. "I warned you, didn''t I?" The voiceughed and faded.


    Randy, his hand covered in blood, reached out to touch my face.


    A lone tear escaped my eyes as I gazed into his eyes.


    "Desmond..." He whispered my name, and then his hand went limp in my arms.


    I wanted to scream as I held him, but onlookers began shouting for me to take him to the school clinic. I lifted him from the ground, and thankfully, someone offered to drive us there.


    I ced my hand on Randy''s chest to ensure he was still breathing, even though his chest rose and fell. I was terrified about what had happened to him.


    "Randy," I whispered, stroking his hair, my heart racing so fast it felt like it might burst at any moment.


    If only I hadn''t ignored him, maybe this could have been avoided.


    "We''re here!" The kind stranger, a middle aged woman, announced as she stopped the car in front of the school clinic.


    Two nurses and a doctor rushed out with a stretcher. Randy was quickly taken inside and into the operating room.


    I tried to follow, but they stopped me.


    "Don''t worry, we''ve already informed the king and queen, and they''ve permitted us to save the crown prince. He''ll be fine." The female doctor reassured me.


    I nodded, not knowing what else to say, my fear for Randy overwhelming me.


    As she entered the operating room, I paced outside the door with clenched fists, hoping for the best.


    "Desmond!" Noah''s voice came from behind me as he approached with Sonnia and Ana. "What the hell happened to Randy?" He demanded, grabbing my shirt cor.


    "Isn''t it your job to protect him no matter what?" He used without asking for details. "I''m talking to you!" He yelled when I didn''t respond. "Are you just going to stay silent about what happened to my brother?" He tightened his grip on my cor.


    Sonnia stepped between us and pushed Noah''s hand away. "Stop it. Randy won''t like how you handle this when he wakes up."


    Noah scoffed, released my cor, and then stormed toward the door, only to return. "How did it happen? If someone hadn''t recorded the video, we wouldn''t have seen it. I thought your job was to protect him at all costs, but instead, you let him get attacked and you failed in your duties." He pped my shoulders.


    I didn''t argue or respond because I knew he was right. If I hadn''t ignored Randy or the warnings I had received, maybe this wouldn''t have happened.


    It was my fault.


    "Noah!" Sonnia shouted at him and pulled him away from me. "It''s not his fault, and I''ve told you to stop using him like this because Randy won''t be pleased when he wakes up."


    "Then he should have done his job perfectly instead ofgging and allowing this to happen!" Noah yelled at her, then answered a call on his phone and walked away, giving me res.


    Once he was gone, Sonnia came over to me and ced a hand on my shoulder. "Are you alright, Desmond?" She asked, and I shook my head in response.


    Understanding that I didn''t want to talk, she rubbed my back and joined Noah, leaving me alone with Ana.


    None of us said anything.


    I slumped to the ground, heaving a deep sigh.


    As my head rested against the wall, I allowed the tears that had welled up in my eyes to flow, all the while ming myself.


    "This is all because of me." I repeated, striking the ground until my knuckles bled, continuing to hit it as if I were fighting against my guilt and remorse.


    "Stop it," Ana shouted and grasped my hand. "You don''t have to hurt yourself like this. It won''t resolve what''s happening right now. We just have to hope that the crown prince will be fine. That''s all we can do."


    I turned to face her, tears streaming uncontrobly down my face. "It''s all my fault because I should have done something about it. He was right there, staring at me when he was shot, and I couldn''t do anything but watch, and..." I sniffled and ruffled my hair. "I should..." but before I could finish, Ana hugged me.


    "He''s going to be fine." She assured me, rubbing my back. "He''s going to be fine." She repeated those words, continuing to rub my back. "I can assure you that''s everything is going to be fine."


    I found her wordsforting, and I hugged her back, hoping that Randy would indeed be fine.


    When she pulled away from the hug, she ced her hand on my shoulder. "I know you care about the prince, but you can''t me yourself for what you didn''t do. I can assure you that the crown prince will be fine. We just have to hope for the best." She told me.


    I nodded in response, closed my eyes, and just then, the door to the operating room burst open, with the female doctor walking out.


    I jumped to my feet and rushed towards her. "Doctor, how is the crown prince? Is everything okay with him?"


    She nodded in response and ced a hand on my shoulder. "The crown prince was lucky not to be hit in any vital organs, and we were able to remove the bullet. We saved him."


    I heaved a sigh of relief and rubbed my chest, grateful that nothing serious had happened to him.


    "I''m really happy that he''s fine," I said, and then the nurses and other doctors wheeled him out of the operating room on a stretcher.

 Chapter 33

    Randyy on the stretcher with his eyes closed, looking pale as if he had lost a lot of blood.


    I bit my lower lip, trying not to cry upon seeing him in that state. "I''m d he''s fine. Thank you, Doctor."


    She smiled at me. "It might take a few hours before he wakes up, depending on him." She informed me and then walked away, leading the team and pushing Randy to the room where he would recover.


    I followed behind them but was stopped by Noah. "This is a family matter now. Even though you and Randy are best friends, I don''t think our parents would want you there since you were unable to protect him." He stated and walked after the doctor.


    I stood still and lowered my head.


    If only he knew how important I was to Randy, then he wouldn''t say things like that.


    I clenched my fists, feeling powerless that I couldn''t tell him to his face that Randy was my boyfriend. It frustrated me to be treated this way, and I wondered what the king and queen would think of me.


    They had always admired me and treated me like their own child. When they informed me that I would be Randy''s bodyguard when I turned fifteen, it was a great privilege. Now, I had failed to protect the person who meant the most to me. I held my chest, clutching it tightly as I felt the ache again and again, reying the image of Randy being shot in my mind.


    "Desmond," Ana appeared beside me and grabbed my hand. "Stop overthinking it. We should be d that Randy is alright. I believe that''s all that matters now."


    I didn''t say anything and continued to stare at the ground. Then, Ana began pulling my hand forward.


    I raised my head to look at her, wondering where she was taking me. I realized we were following the doctor.


    "What the hell are you doing?" I questioned.


    She pointed ahead. "You deserve to be there, and..." She paused when we heard footsteps approaching.


    It sounded like arge group of people were heading our way, and we turned to see the royal guardsing toward us.


    My heart started to race when I saw the king and the queen walking among them, heading in our direction.


    I tightened my grip on Ana''s hand, and she nced at me briefly before looking away.


    "The king and the queen are here!" One of the guards announced, and I felt a rush of anxiety.


    I quickly fell to my knees alongside Ana as the announcement was made.


    "Desmond," The queen''s soft voice sounded in front of me. Her words were soothing, the mostforting I had heard in a long time, aside from Randy''s voice. "Raise your head, child." She instructed me.


    I released Ana''s hand and slowly raised my head to face her.


    When my eyes met her obsidian ones, I expected to see anger, but instead, she smiled at me, crouching down to my level and rubbing my hair.


    "You did your best," She told me before standing straight.


    "Thank you, Your Highness."


    "Don''t thank her yet!" The king''s deep voice boomed in the hallway.


    My heart raced just hearing him speak, and I wished the ground would swallow me up.


    "Your...," I tried to say something, but his sharp and cold eyes shut me up.


    "Shut up!" His voice echoed through the hallway, followed by a deafening silence.


    "You don''t have a chance after failing to protect the crown prince." He informed me, and then, his hands were on my shoulders as he pulled me up from the ground.


    "Follow me, boy, and you''re going to tell me everything that happened to my son. If you''re found guilty of not protecting him, I''ll lock you up." He threatened and dragged me toward the room where Randy was taken. "Go easy on him." The queen shouted after the king, but he didn''t respond as he continued to drag me away.


    I stood in front of the king and the queen, my heart pounding like a drum in my chest. Sonnia and Noah were also present in the room.


    I wasn''t afraid of Sonnia, but I couldn''t say the same for Noah, who was ring at me. The relentless beeping of the machine beside Randy''s bed was the only sound in the room as they waited for me to speak. "Well," Noah broke the silence. "Aren''t you going to address the fact that you failed to protect the crown prince?" Noah used. "Noah, please. We can''t ce all the me on him," The queen came to my defense and asked her question softly.


    "Tell us what happened. ording to the news we heard from Hilda, you two did not return to the dormitory on Sunday, and this morning, you both appeared to be in a fight. Can you exin where you were and who you encountered?" Sonnia cleared her throat and exchanged looks with me. She was the only one who knew what Randy and I meant to each other, and I hoped she wouldn''t reveal it because it was thest thing Randy wanted.


    If he was going toe out with the truth, I wanted it to be on his terms.


    "Mum, Dad, you can''t me Desmond for this. They are both..."


    "Stop trying to change the story or fabricate lies. They both broke the rules by leaving school without permission, and I''m sure Randy would never do that because he''s the perfect prince who..."Noah countered Sonnia''s words but was silenced by her as she shouted at him.


    "Stop saying things you don''t even understand. You have no idea what they mean to each other!"


    I looked at her with pleading eyes, hoping she wouldn''t reveal the truth, but she wasn''t even looking at me.


    I bit my lower lip until I tasted blood in my mouth.


    If only Randy could wake up, that was my only wish at that moment.


    "They''re best friends!" Noah answered Sonnia''s question. "Stop acting as if there''s more to it! Desmond is Randy''s friend and bodyguard. He should know better than to take Randy out of the school premises, endangering his life. Whoever attacked Randy must have followed them from wherever they went, and who knows if Desmond is conspiring with them against... ouch!" He screamed in pain as Sonnia stomped on his foot.


    "Have you gone insane!" He yelled at her.


    "You''re the one jumping to conclusions and saying things that will upset Randy once he wakes up!"


    "I..." Noah tried to reply, but the king cleared his throat, restoring the room to its usual silence.

 Chapter 34

    No one spoke until the king stood up from the brown couch in the room. "Leave the room, you two." He ordered after a moment of silence. "Dad, what are you doing?" Sonnia asked.


    "You don''t have to me Desmond for this. He doesn''t know anything and..."


    The king''s deep blue eyes met hers, and I had expected him to shout, but instead, he walked towards her and kissed her forehead. "Don''t worry, sweetheart, I''m not going to me Desmond for what happened." He promised. Sonnia nodded in response and then grabbed Noah''s ears as he was about to speak. "I believe you forgot to put cotton in your ears when Dad spoke." She scolded him, pulling him out of the room amid his protests. Once they were out and the door closed, the king resumed the conversation.


    Once the door closed behind them, the queen sighed and pressed her hand to her forehead. "I can''t believe I''m stuck with them." She said, then pointed toward me. "So, tell me, Desmond. What happened with Randy? Where did you both go?"


    I lowered my head, almost gasping in shock when I felt the king''s hand on my shoulder, gently squeezing it.


    "Speak right now, or I will inform your father about how you failed to protect the crown prince, your responsibility. I will let him know how you were unable to do your job." He threatened, knowing how I loved my father and hoping that I continue to make him proud.


    The king removed his hand from my shoulder and joined the queen on the couch, crossing his legs. "Go on, and trust me, you wouldn''t want me to stand up again."


    "Yes, Your Highness," I replied and cleared my throat. "The thing is..." I began to exin about our trip to the mountains, leaving out the couple part. I lied to them, saying Randy wanted to see the mountains, and I surprised him with the trip to fulfill his desires.


    "And so when you both returned, you were attacked?" The king asked, but I shook my head in response. "So what happened?" He asked curiously.


    "We were both fine, and I made sure no one followed us. Someone appeared in the school and fired at the prince. I..."


    "You saw their face?"


    "No, no, your highness. I was unable to see their faces because they were wearing a ck mask, and it all happened too quickly."


    "Hmm," The king mused. "Why didn''t you go after the assant?"


    I widened my eyes at his question, wondering why he was asking that. "I had no other option but to protect the prince, Your Highness," I replied sincerely.


    "If the crown prince was your priority, then why did you take him out of school without permission? By doing that, you have drawn the attention of our enemies, and the crown prince was attacked. What do you have to say concerning that?" He asked.


    "I..." I couldn''t say anything as my voice trembled. "I..."


    "Calm down, Desmond, and don''t be afraid. Tell us," The queen urged me. "Was there anything unusual that happened during your trip?"


    The nightmare. I suddenly remembered the nightmare and contemted whether to tell them, as it was the only clue to finding the assant.


    I looked from the king''s stoic expression to the queen''s concerned face. I closed my eyes for a brief moment as I thought about what to say, and then I decided to tell the whole truth.


    "I heard a voice in my dream," I replied, capturing their attention as they shifted on the couch.


    "What did the voice sound like, and what did you hear?" The queen asked.


    "It was a female''s voice, your highness, and it warned me to stay away from the prince." I replied, leaving out the part where I was told I had to die on my birthday. I didn''t want to raise any false rms and make Randy, our parents, and them fear.


    "Oh no." The queen eximed, jumping to her feet, and the king followed suit. "She''s back," She said. "We have to tell Helen!"


    I furrowed my brow, wondering what she meant by that. Then, she walked over to Randy''s bed, held his hand, and gently rubbed it. "The voice truly returns, and now it''s after you." She sighed and turned to face me. "She''s back." She repeated, but I couldn''t figure out what she meant.


    I gave her a questioning look, waiting for her to exin further, but she didn''t say anything else.


    The king spoke up and issued his orders. "If you truly heard that voice in your dreams, then you must stay away from the prince until we figure it out."


    My world suddenly came crashing down.


    ~Randy~


    I couldn''t make sense of it all. One moment, I was getting shot in the chest, falling into Desmond''s arms, and now, I found myself in the middle of a vast, golden field, surrounded by a hostile crowd. They red at me and pointed fingers.


    "You don''t deserve to be alive!" "How dare you still act as the crown prince when you''re a disgrace!"


    "You should be deposed because you''re not fit to be the crown prince!"


    I stared back at them as they passed their judgment, but I didn''t reply. Desmond stood by my side, holding my hand and smiling at me. At least, I knew he had my back, and we could face the world together. I clung to Desmond''s hand, knowing he was my lifeline. I couldn''t care about what others thought.


    For a brief moment, we were united, until those around us started shouting and hurling insults.


    "Aren''t you ashamed of yourselves?" One of them yelled.


    "We can''t allow someone as pathetic as you to rule as the king because you don''t deserve it!" Another said, and they all agreed.


    "We don''t want your rtionship. End it or be dethroned!" They chanted, their voices deafening.


    Suddenly, Desmond yanked his hand away and walked to join the others. "I apologize, but I can''t do this anymore." He told me, pointing a finger. "I can''t be with another man."


    My eyes widened at his sudden betrayal.


    I never expected him to join in mocking me.


    The person I trusted had let me down, and it was infuriating.

 Chapter 35

    "Desmond," I tried to move closer, but him, and the people around us, started to dissolve like a fading dream.


    "Desmond!" I screamed his name as they all disappeared. Suddenly, I jolted awake, my heart racing, my body drenched in sweat.


    My eyes fluttered open, and I heard a beeping sound beside me. I wasn''t in Desmond''s arms, I was on a soft, fluffy bed.


    I tried to move my hand but groaned in pain. I couldn''t move my hands as they felt really heavy.


    "Desmond," I heard my mother''s soft voice from my left side. It felt as if I were still dreaming, so I closed my eyes briefly.


    When I opened them, my mother was walking slowly toward my bed, her eyes filled with concern and love.


    Following closely behind her was my father, wearing a worried expression. Their presence in my room was unexpected and then I remembered getting shot. The news must have traveled so fast to them, I believed.


    I looked behind them to see if Desmond was there, but he wasn''t.


    He was nowhere to be seen in the room.


    I stammered, "Mom, Dad, what are you doing here?" Before they could reply, I asked, "Where is Desmond?"


    "Don''t you dare ask about Desmond right now because he''s not here." My father shouted, then he sighed deeply. "Randy," He scolded, "You left the school premises without telling anyone. We were worried sick when we heard that you were shot. You can''t just wander off like that, especially with what''s been happening, and knowing that you''re the crown prince."


    "But, Dad," I argued, "Desmond and I just took a short trip to the mountain where no one was supposed to recognize us. We didn''t do anything wrong."


    My father scoffed, "You should be grateful you survived the gun shot. It''s dangerous out there, and there are enemies everywhere. You need to understand the risks, Randy, and not put yourself in harm''s way like that."


    "Randy, honey," My mother said, sitting on the edge of my bed, "How are you feeling? We''re doing all of this for your sake. We love you, and we want to protect you. We were so shocked when we heard that you were shot. We just want you to be fine." She rubbed my hand, giving me a warm smile.


    "And remember, Desmond could also be in danger because of his association with you. We need to be careful."


    "Mum, where is Desmond?"


    My father cleared his throat before answering. "Randy, Desmond failed in his job as your bodyguard. I''ve appointed someone else to protect you now. We can''t afford any morepses in your security."


    "Impossible!" I shouted, trying to rise from the bed but failing.


    I gritted my teeth in pain. "I can''t allow you to do that to us!"


    "Don''t hurt yourself, honey," My mother cautioned. "Desmond is just not the right person for you."


    "He couldn''t protect you like a bodyguard should and that got you in danger."


    I frowned at her. "What do you mean Desmond is not the right person? He''s the only one I trust!"


    "Don''t shout at me, son." My father warned.


    "I''m only doing what''s best for you and trying to protect you, not only as the crown prince but also as my son."


    My head shot up. "I don''t need all this protection. Desmond is the only bodyguard I want." I informed them but they didn''t say anything.


    "That''s it!" I raised my voice, not caring about my sore throat. I wanted my parents to see that it wasn''t just about them. "I hate the fact that you make decisions without informing me. Everyone sees me as the perfect prince, but no one knows what I truly want."


    "There''s no changing this, son." My father''s tone grew authoritative. "I''m the king, and I make the decisions. You have no right to change my mind."


    "That''s not fair!" My voice grew louder, tears welled up in my eyes. "I hate that you make decisions without considering what I want."


    My father''s reply was blunt. "You''re getting a new bodyguard tomorrow and a change of room."


    My eyes widened, and I couldn''t imagine my father would do something like that.


    A new room?


    Without Desmond?


    I couldn''t live with that.


    I felt my emotions welling up inside me, and without thinking, I shouted, "No! You can''t do that! Desmond is my boyfriend!"


    The room fell into an eerie silence as my outburst hung in the air.


    None of us said anything.


    I have revealed my secret to my parents, not caring if they would like it or not.


    Just to have Desmond close to me, I would do anything.


    My parents exchanged a look and then turned towards me.


    "My poor baby," My mother muttered and rubbed my hand. "Now I see why you don''t have any girlfriends."


    I nodded in response, appreciating my mother''s understanding, but my father''s reaction was not what I had expected.


    He let out a bitterugh, escaping his lips.


    "You''re sure about this, Randy?" He asked, doubting what I had said.


    ''Yes, Dad, I''m sure. Desmond is who I want." I affirmed.


    But my father''s response was anything but supportive.


    He shook his head, disappointment etched across his face.


    "You''re a fool, Randy. No one will ept you and Desmond. You have duties as the crown prince and responsibilities to our kingdom. I have nothing against your feelings, but you must understand that the kingdom of Bourne won''t ept such a union. It''s not about us, it''s about the traditions and the expectations of our people."


    I clenched my fists as I watched him speak. "This is why I hadn''te out to either of you. I knew that you would condemn me for what I am."


    "I am not against you having a boyfriend, but nobody cares about that." My father responded.


    "Father," My eyes welled up with tears, "This isn''t about anyone but me. I am in love with Desmond, and he is in love with me. I don''t care about anything else, and I am..."


    My father heaved a deep sigh and rubbed his forehead. "As your father, I am trying to protect you from what people will say about you, and you have your duties as the future king. There has been no record of a same sex king before, and..." "Now you are disgusted?" I countered.


    "Randy, please..."


    "That is what you are trying to say, Father. You are not happy that your son is different. Now I am d that you see I am not perfect. Maybe that will get you off my back. I don''t have to be the candidate for the crown prince. It can be Noah, or you can even make Sonnia the crown princess. That''s why you have three children!"


    "That is enough, you two!" My mother shouted.


    "But, Mum, I am not a baby anymore. I know what I want, and it is Desmond." I dered and sniffled as tears streamed down my face. "It''s not my fault that I am different. This is who I am, and..."

 Chapter 36

    My mother hugged me. "That is enough, Randy. Your father is just trying to protect you, and no one is against you being different, but he is right. The world will not ept you for what you are, and..." I let go of her, and she seemed to notice as she also pulled away from the hug. "This is for your good, son. We are trying to protect you from any danger that might appear close to you, and..." "No, Mum." I told her and turned my back on her. "I need to rest now, please kindly leave."


    My father sighed. "We love you, Randy, but sooner orter, you will understand why we are doing this. We are protecting you."


    "Desmond is who I want, and I don''t care about anything else." I replied to him and closed my eyes. Even when my mother said something, I didn''t reply her.


    "Very well, then, we will let you rest for now." She told me.


    I felt the weight of the bed reduce, followed by the shutting of the door as they left the room.


    Once they were out of the room, I shifted on the bed and remembered the dream that I had. It was starting toe to pass.


    "No!" I shouted and hit the bed angrily.


    Just then, a knock sounded on the door. "I thought I said that I didn''t want anyone here." I replied, but the door opened.


    I angrily faced the door, and my eyes widened, as Desmond walked in holding a sk in his hand.


    He smiled warmly and greeted me, saying, "Hey, Randy."


    A rush of relief washed over me when I saw Desmond, and I tried to sit up, wanting to greet him properly. But as I attempted to get off the bed, a wave of pain coursed through my body, causing me to groan.


    Desmond didn''t waste a moment. He hastily ced the tray of food on the nearby table and rushed to my side.


    He enveloped me in a tight, reassuring hug, and I buried my face in his shoulder, taking in his familiar scent.


    "I missed you." I whispered.


    "I missed you too."


    ~Desmond~


    "Randy is awake!" The Queen announced to me, and I couldn''t help but let out a chuckle.


    "Something funny, son?" The King asked.


    I raised my head to face him and shook my head in response. "I am just happy that he is fine, and..."


    The King cleared his throat, cutting me off. "When were you going to tell us that you both are dating?" The question was unexpected.


    I frowned and nced around to ensure no one was listening, realizing we were in a separate room provided by the attending doctor.


    "Answer the question, Desmond!" The King shouted, causing me to jump in fright.


    "Newman, don''t frighten the poor boy." The Queen said, then she smiled at me. "Randy already told us."


    "He... he told you?" I stuttered, and the Queen nodded in response.


    I heaved a deep sigh and rubbed my face. "I... we are in love, and..."


    The King scoffed. "This isn''t about love anymore, Randy, and you know it. Whatever you saw in your nightmare is something that should be assessed carefully, or we mightter regret it."


    "So..." I stuttered again, rubbing my sweaty palms together. It wasn''t every day you found the King in front of you. His presence alone was intimidating, and I couldn''t stop shaking.


    "The thing now is that you and Randy can''t be together, ever." He dered.


    The Queen nudged him on the shoulder. "Newman!"


    "It is the truth, Gina. No king has ever had a male partner. They are going to be cast out by the world, and before that happens, we have to make sure they stay away from each other. That is the only way!" I clenched my fists, watching the King speak with disbelief.


    Everyone knew how partners were cherished, but here he was, opposing Randy and me.


    I knew he cherished the Queen and would do anything for her, but I never expected him to tell me to let go of Randy.


    "I love him. I..."


    "This isn''t about love, Desmond!"


    "But you''re so in love with the Queen" I retorted, not fearing that I was in front of the King. I didn''t know where my courage came from, but I was ready to protect Randy and be with him, even though I knew I wouldn''t be around after two months.


    The King stood up and walked towards me.


    He grabbed my shoulder and pinned me against the wall. "Do I have to lock you up to make you understand how the world will see both of you? Or do I need to remind you that the voice you saw in your dream is real?" "Newman, please, let go of the boy." The Queen begged, and he released me.


    "Forgive me for my disrespect, Your Highness." I apologized and bowed my head.


    When I raised my head again, tears streamed down my face. "I know that the voice might be real, but Randy can''t let me be apart from him. We... I..." I ruffled my hair and burst into tears. "I am going to die in two months!" The room fell eerily quiet after I made my announcement, and nobody spoke for a moment. The only sound was my whimpering.


    I couldn''t control myself. I had just found my love, and now, I was going to die.


    It was all too much to take in.

 Chapter 37

    "Desmond," The Queen stood up, walked towards me, and embraced me in a hug.


    "Everything is going to be alright, my boy." She took my hand and led me to the couch to sit with her. "Does Randy know about this?" She asked, but I shook my head in response.


    "Then let us keep this between us without letting him know because he will be devastated when he learns about this." She said and sighed then she turned to face the King. "I thought we got rid of her. Why is she returning after all these years?"


    The King also let out a sigh and started pacing around the room. "We have to inform Helen about this. Only she will be able to answer our questions, and if Desmond truly heard the voice, then it means it''s going to happen, and we have to be careful." He said, letting out a deep sigh.


    "No matter what happens, don''t tell Randy about this."


    "That''s why I don''t want to be separated from him for the remaining two months that I am going to be alive."


    "Don''t say that." The Queen reassured, gently rubbing my shoulders. "You are going to be fine, and nothing is going to happen to you. We will sort this out."


    I nodded, hoping for a solution. "I just want to be with him until I..."


    "Randy will be in danger too." The King reminded me.


    I looked at the Queen for help.


    She sighed and then looked at the King. "Newman, we can ensure they are always protected at all times, making sure nothing happens to them. That way, they can spend time together."


    The King shook his head. "I am still against what they are. I am not disgusted that they are partners, but the fact that they will be rebuked once the world finds out about them, and he is going to die in two months. You know how Randy is. When you were gone for five years, he couldn''t move on and kept remembering you. So that is..."


    "Newman, they are in love just like us, and nothing we do will separate them because they care about each other. We just have to make sure that they are not attacked."


    "Oh, goodness, Gina," The King sighed. "Fine. The investigation into the attack is already in progress, and whoever attacked our son will surely pay for it soon. I am going to make sure that happens, and you," He pointed at me. "Don''t tell anyone about you and Randy, and..."


    "Sonnia already knows." I interrupted.


    The King groaned. "Is she the only one?"


    I nodded. "Fine," He said. "We can deal with that. I will let you two be in secrecy, and as for your death, we will find a way to stop it because, Desmond, I don''t want you to die. Because of you in the past, we were able to get our son back." I stared in confusion, wondering what he meant by that. I had no memory of Randy being on the verge of death, so I couldn''t figure it out.


    "You can''t remember that time, but we do." The Queen said and rubbed my shoulder. "Gofort, Randy. He''s in a bad mood, and don''t tell him about what is to happen until we figure it out."


    I nodded in response, stood up from the couch, and then bowed my head to them.


    "I shall take my leave now."


    "Wait," The Queen also stood up and followed me out of the room.


    Standing by the door was one of the guards holding a sk. "Take this to Randy. I''m sure he''s starving." She said.


    I received the sk from the guard and bowed my head again. "Yes, Your Highness," I said to her and then walked away.


    I headed to Randy''s room and knocked.


    "I thought I said I don''t want anyone here." His hoarse voice sounded from inside the room.


    The queen wasn''t lying when she said he was in a bad mood. He truly was.


    I entered the room, and when he saw me, I noticed how his eyes widened. He was not expecting to see me.


    I smiled warmly at him and greeted him, "Hey, Randy."


    Randy attempted to stand up but instead, he ended up groaning in pain as he couldn''t.


    I didn''t waste time, I dropped the sk in my hand on the nearby table and rushed to his side, pulling him into a tight hug.


    "I missed you," Randy whispered.


    "I missed you too."


    I pulled away from the hug and cupped his face. "I''m sorry that I couldn''t protect you from danger. It should have been me instead." I said to him.


    "Shut up," He frowned. "Don''t say such things around me."


    I chuckled and kissed his forehead. "How are you feeling?"


    "Sore, but not as sore as when we do it." He joked.


    Iughed and kissed him gently on the lips.


    It was a short kiss, and I quickly pulled away, and we both stared into each other''s eyes. "See," I stood up and grabbed the sk from the table. "The Queen asked me to bring this to you."


    He frowned at the mention of his mother.


    "I convinced them, Randy," I announced to him.


    "About what?"


    "About us. I never knew that you would reveal the truth about yourself, but that was so good, and I must say that I''m proud of what you''ve be." I said, kissing his forehead.


    Randy frowned at me, and I could see the suspicious look on his face.


    He was too smart to be fooled, and I had to convince him that the King and the Queen had epted us being together. "If they hadn''t, then I wouldn''t be here. They said that our rtionship should be in secrecy from now until we''re ready to inform the world." I lied.


    I had to add that to make it sound convincing. I didn''t know when tears rolled down my face, but Randy noticed it.


    "Why are you crying?" He asked. "Is everything alright with you?"


    I nodded in response. "Yes, I''m just so d to have you as my boyfriend." I said and hugged him again.


    "Me too." He replied.


    I closed my eyes as I hugged him, imagining how our lives would have turned out if I didn''t have only two months to live.

 Chapter 38

    Three days had passed since Randy was attacked, and now we were both returning to ss since I had to be by his side until he was fine. I was happy, and he was happy.


    The king and queen finally left after making sure Randy was fine, and the security on campus became more stringent.


    They stationed royal guards everywhere to protect Randy and investigate the attack.


    "Hey, it''s time," Randy announced as he came from behind me and hugged me.


    "You look great, by the way." Hemented, giving me a yful pat on the backside.


    I chuckled as he walked past me to the door.


    Ever since the attack, we had grown closer. I had apologized for ignoring him on the day of the attack, but I hadn''t told him about the voice in my dream.


    "Let''s go," I said as I opened the door, and we both walked out holding hands. When we were about to reach the elevator, and as the doors opened, we entered and held hands again, as there was no one inside. However, a voice announced their presence, and we quickly let go of our hands.


    A boy entered, and I frowned when I saw him. He seemed oddly familiar, and I tried to figure out where I had seen him. Then I remembered he was the new kid who had introduced himself to Randy on the first day. "Your Highness," He bowed his head at Randy as the doors closed. "I heard about what happened. I just want to know if you''re fine?"


    I frowned, wondering why he was asking such questions and acting familiar with Randy.


    "Yes, I am fine." Randy replied. "Do I know... you?"


    I burst intoughter when I heard Randy say that. I had never expected him to say something like that. I had thought he would remember John.


    The boy alsoughed and stretched out his hand to Randy. "I already introduced myself the first time we met. I''m John, and I''m new here."


    Randy exchanged nces with me, contemting whether to take his hand.


    On his behalf, I took John''s hand, just likest time.


    "This happened thest time, right?" John chuckled.


    I tightened my grip on his hand and smirked at him. "Now we know your name." I let go of his hand, and just then, the elevator doors opened, and we walked out.


    "Good morning, Your Highness, and you too, Randy," Hilda greeted us as we walked out. "Your car is waiting outside to take you to ss." She announced.


    I exchanged looks with Randy and realized that the king was not bluffing when he said he was going to ensure Randy''s protection at all times. "Thank you, Hilda," Randy said to her as we both walked out of the dormitory.


    True to what she said, a ck van was parked in front of the dormitory, and three guards were standing by its side.


    When they saw Randy, they bowed their heads.


    "Your Highness."


    He acknowledged them and then entered the car. Just as I was about to enter the van, they stopped me. "The royal prince alone." They informed me.


    I frowned and looked at Randy, who seemed as confused as I was. "What is happening?" He asked. "Why is he not riding with me?"


    "Forgive me, Your Highness," One of the guards apologized. "This was the rule given to me by the king. Only the royals are allowed to ride inside the van."


    "But..." Randy began to argue, but I gave him a reassuring smile and nod, indicating that it was fine. "I''ll wait for you at the front of the ss, Desmond. I''m sorry." "It''s okay," I replied, and I started walking as I watched the car pull away.


    I would never be a royal, and that was not all. I was going to die soon, and it would all be over.


    I heaved a deep sigh, clenching my fists, not noticing that John was by my side until I felt his presence.


    "Hey," He tapped me on the shoulder.


    I turned to face him with a re, and he raised his hand in surrender. "I apologize for my earlier behavior. I just wanted to walk with you to the ssroom, if that''s alright with you." I didn''t respond to him and continued to walk towards the ss.


    "The campus is beautiful, right?" He questioned, but I didn''t respond.


    He continued to talk until we reached the front of the ss. Randy was waiting for me as he had promised, and when he saw me, he quickly grabbed my hand and pulled me into the ss.


    The teacher in charge had not arrived yet, and there were only a few students present. When they saw Randy, they all changed their seat positions, allowing Randy and me to sit in the front row. "May I join you?" John requested.


    I wanted to say no, but Randy invited him. "Sure," He said.


    John bowed his head in gratitude and sat down beside me.


    A few minutes passed, and more students arrived.


    I saw Ana as she walked in. She waved at me, and I waved back. She walked to the second row and sat opposite me.


    "You two are close now?" Randy asked, sounding a bit displeased.


    I turned to face him and noticed that his blue eyes had be dimmer. I smiled at him, ced my hand on his thigh, and squeezed it gently. "We''re not close, but she was there when you got hurt Randy, and..."


    "I see," He cut me off before I could finish, and just then, the teacher in charge arrived, and my eyes almost popped out of their sockets when I realized that it was someone else.


    It was the Royal sorcerer, Helen.


    "Hello, students. My name is Helen, and from now on, I will be teaching this ss history. Your other teacher is on leave so..."


    "What is Aunty Helen doing here?" Randy muttered. "And why are my parents watching me over and over again?" He asked.


    "I have no idea," I replied, but I had already figured that it had to do with the fact that I was going to die. "She might be here for some reason, I believe, and..."


    "Don''t talk in my ss!" Helen shouted and pped her hands together.


    Her voice was so loud that I felt it in my brain. She pointed towards me, and I quickly stood up because I knew how tough she was.


    Growing up with Randy made me see her other side. She was a fighter, a seer, and a funny woman.

 Chapter 39

    "Care to tell us about the history of the universe" She asked.


    I frowned, wondering why she was asking such questions.


    The only reason I took history sses was to learn about other matter and energy, not to hear about the universe as a whole, as I had known about it since I was a child. "I am waiting, Randy." She cleared her throat and pointed to me to continue. "So, can you tell me what you know about the universe?" She asked.


    I began to tell her everything I knew concerning the universe and space, and when I was done, the ss apuded me.


    "Great that you know about the universe, which is why I will be giving each of you an assignment concerning the ''dark hole''."


    "The dark hole?" One of the students asked. "What does this mean?"


    "Good." Helen walked to the center of the ss. "The dark-hole is the ce between the living and the dead." She exined and then looked toward me.


    "The dark-hole is mostly for those whose souls have refused to move on. Those who have unfinished business stay in the dark-hole because they are unable to move on."


    "I am curious to find out what the dark-hole looks like." Johnmented andughed.


    The ss grew silent at hisment, and Helen suddenly burst intoughter as she headed towards us. Her heels clicked with every step she took.


    "Trust me when I say that the dark-hole is filled with a lot of dangers. If you enter the dark-hole, your life will never be the same again. You will experience change." She looked towards me. "Your soul might be swallowed up by a goddess whose name I am not going to mention since this is all a part of your assignment. Find out who the goddess is and report back to me."


    She smiled and walked back to the front of the ss.


    I knew it. The ss, hering, the assignment was all about me.


    My hands started shaking as I remembered the voice in my dream. Was it from the dark-hole?


    I thought, and I didn''t know when I started hyperventting.


    "Desmond, Desmond, are you alright?" Randy shouted my name and shook me terribly. "Desmond!"


    I couldn''t answer because not only was I hyperventting, but I also saw a face grinning at me in front of the ss. "You will die." The voice sounded, and I screamed and jumped to my feet.


    "Desmond," Randy tried to grab my hand, but I pushed his hand away and held my beating chest.


    The voice had disappeared, but I was still scared, and I couldn''t stop fearing that it might appear at any moment.


    "That is enough!" Helen snapped her fingers, and as if under her control, I sat down in the chair and let out a sigh of relief.


    The shaking and hyperventtion all stopped, and then I felt Randy''s hand on my chest.


    "Desmond," his voice sounded desperate as he spoke. "Are you alright?" He asked me.


    I nodded in response, noticing all the eyes that were on me.


    I had shown them that something was wrong with me, including Randy, who was going to start asking questions once the ss was over.


    Why had I seen the face of the voice?


    I had no idea, and only one person could exin that, the royal sorcerer who was staring back at me.


    "Listen, ss," She shouted and pped her hands. "This assignment will only take two weeks, and I want you to do it in groups. Pick your group and join them to find out more about the dark-hole. For references, you can use the royal library as it contains a lot of information regarding the dark-hole." She informed us and then pped again.


    "The ss is over!" She announced.


    As soon as she announced that, everyone started speaking amongst themselves about who they wanted on their team, but I had my eyes focused on Helen as she walked out of the ss.


    "We should be in a group together." John suggested.


    Ana also walked towards us and announced that she wanted to join us. "Let us find out about this dark hole and..."


    I stood up and let go of Randy''s hand. "I will be back before the next ss." I told him and headed out of the ss before he could ask further questions.


    Once I was in the hallway, I didn''t see any sign of Helen, and it seemed as if she had disappeared at that moment. But then, the lights in the hallway started glitching until everything suddenly went dark.


    "Hello!" I shouted into the darkness and felt my heart pounding in my chest again.


    I didn''t want to hear the voice again, it was frightening and powerful enough to cause a heart attack.


    I heard the clicking of heels approaching me, and the pace at which my heart was racing became quicker.


    "You are going to be.." I heard the voice again, but this time, it sounded familiar.


    "Hello, Desmond," Helen''s voice sounded in the darkness, and soon, the lights in the hallway starteding on. Suddenly, I saw her in front of me, smiling at me.


    I jumped in fright and ced my hand on my beating chest as I looked up to face her. "Why are you scared, Desmond?"


    "What was that?" I asked her. "Why did that voice appear in the ss? No way could have happened when I was not dreaming."


    Helen chuckled. "I created that illusion to see how you would react. It seems that you fear that voice."


    "Why wouldn''t I fear a voice that is telling me that I am going to die in two months?"


    Helen sighed. "Which is why I am here, Desmond," She muttered and ced her hand on my shoulder. "You cheated death, and that is why you are like this. You are not the only one who cheated death, by the way. Randy also cheated death, which is why he is also in danger. Both of you had your fates written the day you met in the dark-hole."


    "What?" My eyes widened, and I gave her a questioning look, having no idea what she meant by that. "How is that even possible? There is no way we met in the..."


    Helen smiled. "Believe me, child. I was there. King Newman, Queen Gina, my partner Harold entered the dark hole to save you and Randy from the voice." "But how?" I asked her.


    She suddenly stopped talking and looked towards the entrance of the ss. "It seems one of your friends has been listening all along."


    "One of my friends?" I turned towards the ssroom door but didn''t see anyone, and then I turned back to face her, but she had disappeared.

 Chapter 40

    ~Randy~


    It didn''t make any sense. There was no reason for my aunt Helen to be on campus because she wasn''t a history teacher. I believed that something must have happened for her toe to the Royal College, but I couldn''t even figure it out. Even Desmond was acting strange.


    He had suddenly acted out in front of the whole ss, and I wondered why he was behaving like that when there was nothing wrong with him in the first ce. I couldn''t figure out what could have made him shake so terribly and stare at nothing..


    The only people who could give me answers to my questions were Aunt Helen and my parents.


    "Hey," Desmond announced his presence as he walked toward me.


    He sat down and heaved a deep sigh.


    "Are you alright?" I asked him, and he nodded in response, but I knew that he was lying. His eyes said it all, and it meant that something had truly happened, something that he didn''t want to tell me.


    "I am..." he stuttered and then chuckled. "I am fine, Randy," he replied, and then I noticed how he looked toward Ana, who was also staring back at him.


    What do these two know that they are not telling me?


    Why the hell is he acting like this?


    I felt a touch on my shoulder, bringing me back from my thoughts.


    It was Desmond, who was staring at me with a questioning look.


    "Is everything alright with you?" he asked.


    I smiled and nodded in response, but deep down, I knew that I was far from alright.


    My boyfriend was going through something, and I couldn''t figure it out. I didn''t know why he would me himself for the attack that had suddenly happened. I didn''t want him to feel like that. I wanted him to be happy that he was around


    me.


    "So, how do we meet up for this group thing?" John asked.


    "I suggest that we use the library like the teacher said," Ana joined in the conversation as she sat down beside John.


    "I am great with the library," I agreed with her. "When do we start?" I turned to face Randy, but he didn''t reply at first until I tapped him.


    "Hmm."


    "He asked you a question," John replied to him. "He asked about the assignment. Don''t tell me that you were not listening at all?"


    Desmond chuckled. "Of course. We can use the library and.."


    John cut him off. "The prettydy had already suggested that we use the library. Where did your mind disappear to? We have already agreed to that. We are just asking for time." "Oh!" Desmond eximed and chuckled again.


    "Anytime is fine with me," he stated.


    That was the cue to know that something was truly wrong with him.


    There was no way he wouldn''t have heard what we had been saying. I was worried about him because he must have been ming himself over and over again for what happened. I hated that his new behavior was all because of me.


    "We can start this night before the curfew," Ana suggested.


    "Right," John said.


    "I agree," Desmond responded this time, and I just nodded in response.


    The next teacher came in after five minutes and, just like Helen, he suggested that we group ourselves and gave us an assignment.


    "I want you all to learn about yourselves for two weeks. Find out about dislikes and likes. This will be your CA, so I suggest that you don''t joke with it," he stated before walking out of the ss. John let out a sigh and stretched. "What is with the teachers and giving us these assignments?"


    "Does it matter?" Ana retorted. "We should probably start working towards it since we have two assignments now, and who knows if there are other things that we have to know about in the other sses."


    "You are right," John said and rubbed his hair. "I believe that while working on the history assignment, we should do the same with the literature assignment."


    "That is what I had just said," Ana replied to him and scoffed. "Were you even listening to a word I said?" She frowned at him and then stood up. "I believe that is lunchtime. Since we are a group now, let us go for lunch together," she suggested.


    I frowned at her, angry about the fact that she had suddenly joined us when I had not wanted her to be there.


    The assignment had brought us together, and I couldn''t even figure out her closeness with Desmond, making me wonder the kind of deal they had agreed to while I was fast asleep.


    "Right. We should go," Desmond stood up and looked at me. "Your Highness. We should go."


    I frowned at him as he mentioned the honorifics.


    As much as I wanted us to pretend in front of others, I hated that he had toe to that.


    "We should go," I muttered and also stood up.


    I headed out of the ss, and they followed behind me.


    "How are you feeling now, Desmond?" I heard Ana ask him. "Still ming yourself for what happened?"


    "I..." Desmond stuttered. "Ana now is not the time to ask that question," he told her.


    "Why?" I chuckled. "Because I am here?" I turned back to face them.


    "That is not the problem. I think that..."


    I suddenly stopped walking, and they also did the same. "I want to speak with Desmond alone," I grabbed Desmond''s hand and pulled him away, ignoring the side talks between Ana and John.


    I dragged Desmond into the elevator that took us up to the rooftop. It was the only ce that I could think of, knowing that no one was going to see us there.


    I grabbed his hand and sat down on the ground, and he also did the same.


    "Care to tell me what is bothering you and why everyone is asking if you are fine?" I asked him.


    "What?" he chuckled. "Randy, I already told you that I am fine. You don''t have to worry about anything because I am alright."


    "Lies," I said to him. "Something is bothering you, and you are not even telling me about it, which is bad since we are partners and we are in love. If anything was bothering you, you should have told me first." Desmond shook his head in response. "I am perfectly fine like I have told you. There is nothing wrong with me."


    I sighed, still not believing him. "I know that you said that you are fine, Desmond, but I am your boyfriend, and I can read your energy. I know something is bothering you, and even if you are not telling me, I am going to make sure that you are fine if you just promise me," I assured him.


    "I said I am fine, Randy. I truly am."


    "But... if this is about what happened to me, then you don''t have to me yourself for it because..."


    "I said that you should drop it, Randy!" he shouted at me and stood up from the ground. "There is nothing wrong with me. I am fine, and you should stop worrying yourself about anything."

 Chapter 41

    "That''s it Desmond." I also stood up from the ground. "This just confirms that something big is going on with you, something big, and you''re not telling me. If this is about our parents, then you can tell me. I can figure a way to..." Desmond turned to face me with a re on his face, shutting me up. "Are you even listening to me at all? I told you to drop it, and still, you''re going on about how you''re going to find a way!" he yelled and rubbed his forehead. "I already told you that there is nothing wrong with me, but you seem not to understand it. Even if something were wrong with me, there''s no way you would be able to do anything about it."


    "Then tell me!" I urged him. "Tell me what''s going on with you and see if I can truly do something about it or not," I challenged him.


    I watched him sigh, and then he walked towards me, engulfing me in a tight hug.


    "Randy," he muttered and sniffed my neck. "I don''t want to keep arguing with you, please," he begged. "There is nothing wrong with me, and if this is about what Ana said, then you don''t have to worry yourself about it." He rubbed my hair and then cupped my face. "I am fine," he told me and kissed me on the lips.


    It was a short kiss as he grabbed my hand, pulling me towards the door that leads to the stairs. "I am truly fine, and I can assure you that nothing is wrong," He repeated his words.


    I nodded in response, but that gave me a clue that something was truly happening to him.


    ~Desmond~


    I couldn''t keep track of how many times I had scanned the library while sitting across from Ana that evening.


    We had gathered for the dark hole project, but my thoughts were consumed by what Helen had told me. The possibility of finding a solution to my birthday curse filled me with joy, yet the knowledge that I had only two months left to live cast a dark shadow over me.


    "Her name is Hecate," Randy''s voice interrupted my thoughts as he tapped me on the shoulder. "The goddess of the dark hole is called Hecate,. He repeated.


    "That''s a strange name," Johnmented, opening the book in front of him. "I found information here about those who enter the dark hole, especially if they make a deal with Hecate, they face dire consequences."


    The mention of the dark hole sent shivers down my spine, as I had already heard from Helen about the true nature of this ce.


    "It doesn''t sound like a pleasant destination," John remarked. "I wouldn''t want to end up making a deal with a goddess and suffering the consequences. She''s almost like a goddess of death, isn''t she?"


    John''s question hung in the air, but no one responded as his words were as perplexing to the rest of us as they were to me.


    "Now that we know who Hecate is, what about the dark hole itself?" He added.


    I cleared my throat and ced my hand over my racing heart. Just hearing the word "dark hole" repeatedly made my heart beat faster.


    I was curious to learn more about it and what Helen had told me about meeting Randy there. I looked at him and noticed his intense gaze.


    I knew he suspected something was wrong with me, given how much I was showing.


    There was no way to hide the fact that I might die in two months. I smiled at him, but he returned it with a questioning look.


    "I think we should temporarily put the dark hole aside and find something else to discuss. What do you think?" Randy suggested.


    "Your Highness..." John tried to argue but received a yful hit on the shoulder from Ana. "What''s wrong? This is our assignment, and we have less than two weeks to gather information about the dark hole. Why can''t we discuss it?" My hands felt sweaty, even in the air conditioned room.


    Unable to bear it any longer, I stood up from my chair, catching their attention. "What''s happening, Desmond?" Randy asked, rising beside me.


    He ced a reassuring hand on my shoulder, but I removed it with a bright smile, doing my best to hide my true feelings.


    "I''m fine," I assured him. "I just need some fresh air right now," I announced and walked out of the library without looking back, even when Randy tried to call me back.


    As I stepped outside, I felt a rush of heat coursing through my body.


    I unbuttoned the top two buttons of my shirt, hoping to cool down, but the heat intensified, making it hard to breathe.


    I ced my hand on my chest, which pounded with intensity. It felt as if someone had their hands around my neck, choking the life out of me.


    I gasped for breath, grappling with the invisible force.


    It was as if I was going crazy.


    "Desmond!" Ana''s voice called out from behind, and suddenly, all the strange sensations vanished. The struggle, the invisible presence, the heat, it all disappeared as soon as she stood beside me. "What''s going on with you?" she demanded. I buttoned up my shirt, breathed a sigh of relief, and turned to face her. "I''m okay," I said, starting to walk away, but she reached out and grabbed my hand.


    "Desmond, I overheard what the new history teacher said about you dying in two months," She revealed.


    My eyes widened as I turned her around to face me. "You''re the friend who was eavesdropping on our conversation?"


    She nodded. "Why are you going to die, Desmond?" Her voice quivered. "I can''t imagine that you''re going to die when you didn''t even do anything wrong."


    I exhaled heavily, let go of her, and turned to look at the darkening sky. "I... I don''t know, but please don''t tell the prince. He..." I paused and rubbed my forehead. "I don''t know why I''m going to die. I received a message from a voice in my dream, told the king and the queen, and they confirmed it. Now, the new history teacher is talking about a goddess in the dark hole. I don''t know why..." I paused again, realizing I was sharing too much. "I''m going to die in two months, Ana." "Really?" A familiar voice sounded behind me, but it wasn''t Ana, it was Randy. I quickly turned to face him, only to realize he wasn''t alone. John stood beside him.


    When I looked back at Ana, I saw that she was also watching them.


    "You knew that Randy was here, right?" I asked.


    "Does it change anything?" She retorted.


    "He arrived a few minutes ago and has been listening to our conversation. He deserves to know about your death since he might be the one causing it." "Ana!" I eximed. "Don''t say what you don''t know! The prince..."


    "The prince is the reason! I read it in one of the books about the dark hole. It talks about a life for a life, and this is what it means. I don''t know what kind of deal you both made when you were young, but it''s the reason your life is turning out like this. You''re going to die because of the crown prince, and I hate to see the boy I love..." She stopped abruptly.


    "Enough!" I shouted. "What''s happening is not his fault."


    Ana scoffed. "Keep lying to yourself, but I can assure you that your death is because of the prince. But what can I say since you two already dating." She said and walked away. "Oh my!" John gasped in the background.


    "You''re both dating?" he asked. "How is that possible when you''re both males and..."

 Chapter 42

    "Leave this ce," Randy ordered him in a stern, tone. It was the first time I had heard Randy use that tone on anyone.


    John stuttered as he tried to speak, only to be yelled at again by Randy. "Leave this ce!" he ordered, and John ran off, leaving me alone with Randy. Randy approached me with measured steps. With each step, I felt the intensity of his burning gaze, even in the moonless night.


    The light from the library''s lobby provided the only illumination, casting a sinister gleam in his eyes.


    "Randy, I can..." I tried to say something to him, but he punched me in the face.


    "How dare you lie to me! My parents'' approval, the way you''ve been acting, it''s all because of this, isn''t it? How could you do this to me, Desmond?" He yelled at me.


    "..." I stammered, knowing that nothing I said would change anything. "I''m sorry. I didn''t want you to worry about me."


    "You''re sorry?" he scoffed, then grabbed the cor of my shirt. "How can you be sorry when you''re dying? I thought you loved me, yet you all kept all of this from me. How could you do this to me, Desmond?" "I didn''t want you to worry," I said.


    "So when you''re gone, and I''m all alone, I won''t have to worry, right? Do you think I can keep living knowing that my boyfriend died because of me?"


    "It''s not because of you!" I yelled, trying to make him understand. "I don''t know what happened, but your aunt and your parents are trying to find a solution.


    He let out a bitterugh and tightened his grip on my cor. "Desmond! You all lied to me. You made me believe that my parents had agreed to let us be together, but that wasn''t the reason. It''s because you''re going to die. How..." He paused, and I heard him sniffle. "I thought we..."


    His voice broke as he let go of my cor and finally released my shirt. "Randy," I tried to touch him, but he pped my hands away.


    "Don''t you dare touch me, please? You all lied to me, and then, when you''re dead, I''m supposed to be happy?"


    "Your parents wanted us to spend the next two months together before I die," I said.


    "Don''t talk to me about dying! I don''t want to hear you say that ever again," his voice was deep, almost dangerous.


    "I''m truly sorry, Randy. I just didn''t want you to..."


    "Stop saying that I''d have to worry. We''re lovers, and you''re supposed to tell me things like this. You shouldn''t have hidden it from me."


    I ran my hand through my hair, grateful that there was no one around to overhear our argument.


    We were alone at the library, making it a safe ce to talk, and preserving our secrets.


    I moved closer to him and hugged him from behind. "I''m sorry, Randy. I..."


    He tried to break free from my hold, but I tightened my grip around his waist.


    "Let go of me right now!" He yelled. "Desmond... I said..."


    I burst into tears. "I don''t know what to..." I stuttered, struggling not to cry. "I didn''t keep it from you because I wanted to, but because I love you, and I knew you wouldn''t be happy to learn that I''m going to..."


    Randy suddenly turned around, ced his finger on my lips, and said, "Don''t you dare say a word about dying," his voice softer this time. "No matter what you say, I''m not going to let you die. That''s a promise," he whispered, resting his head against mine.


    Both of us were panting against each other''s mouths, and he leaned in to kiss me, pulling me into a hug. "I love you, and I''m not going to let you die."


    "I love you too," I muttered, resting my head on his shoulder forfort. "I''m truly sorry, Randy," I repeated.


    "I''m going to make sure I set everything right," he promised.


    "What do you mean by setting things right?"


    "We''re going to visit my parents," he dered.


    Randy POV


    I hissed for the umpteenth time during the car ride to the royal home. I was seething with anger at that moment and felt like I might explode if Desmond''s hand hadn''t been there to calm me.


    His hand gently rubbed mine every time I hissed.


    We exchanged no words during the ride because I was still upset with him for lying to me and keeping me in the dark. However, my anger couldn''t linger for long when I knew that my parents were the root of the problem, the reason for his lies.


    Today, I was determined to confront them and find a way to prevent the curse from manifesting.


    "Randy," Desmond called my name as we approached the grand gate of the royal home. I turned to face him with a stoic expression. "Are you going to stay mad at me for long?" he asked.


    I scoffed and looked out of the window.


    "I''m not mad at you. I''m angry at myself for not realizing what was happening, and I couldn''t figure it out. Moreover, I''m mad at my parents for instructing you to lie instead of informing me about the truth. I''m just frustrated that I didn''t..." I paused when I felt his hand on the side of my face.


    I turned to face him, and we locked eyes for a moment, saying nothing until the driver and the guard at the front announced our arrival.


    ''We better get out and face my parents," I told him, and he nodded in response.


    I took a deep breath as I stepped out of the car.


    It had been weeks since I left home, and now, I am back. The mansion stood silent as usual, reminding me of our carefree childhood days when Desmond and I used to run around. I gazed at the fountain in front of the mansion, reminiscing about the times when Desmond and I used to y in it. Those days were long gone, and we were no longer children, now, we were struggling to make our rtionship work.


    Growing up was harder than I had imagined. If I could make a wish, it would be for us to stay forever young.

 Chapter 43

    "Let''s go," Desmond said, grabbing my hand as we walked into the mansion.


    I looked at him and managed a smile.


    "d to see that you''re no longer mad at me," he mumbled.


    I didn''t say anything as we headed to my father''s study.


    There was no guard at the front of the study, and without bothering to knock, I walked in. The sight before me almost made me sick. My father had my mother on hisp, engaged in a deep kiss.


    "Oh, Goddess!" I screamed and covered my eyes, while Desmond rushed out of the study.


    "This is daylight for goodness'' sake."


    My mother jumped to her feet at the sound of my voice, and my father cleared his throat, adjusting himself in his chair.


    "Randy?" my mother sounded surprised to see me, as I hadn''t informed either of them about my visit to the royal home.


    I had made an unannounced appearance to confront them.


    "What are you doing here?" my father''s voice sounded hoarse as he stood up.


    "Come in, Desmond," I said to Desmond, who was still outside after witnessing my parents kissing. He must have been as traumatized as I was.


    Desmond walked into the room and bowed his head to my parents.


    "Your Highnesses," he greeted.


    "What is happening?" my mother asked.


    "Why are you suddenly here?"


    "Why did you barge into my study without knocking?" my father demanded.


    "Because I didn''t know that you would be kissing Mother," I replied, walking to the two seater brown couch in his office. I sat down and gestured for Desmond to join me, but he remained standing. "What the hell is wrong with you, Desmond? Are you going to keep standing when you should..."


    My father mmed his hands on his table.


    "I specifically said that you two should keep your rtionship discreet, but here you are, not caring about the media. They could be following you down here, and the next day, you''ll find yourselves in the tabloids!"


    I sighed and stood up, walking to the front of my father. "Trust me when I say that won''t happen. Desmond and I will never get caught," I assured him. "The reason I came here is not about that. I''m here to ask why you''ve all been lying to me!" My father frowned and crossed his arms.


    "What do you mean? Who are you referring to?"


    I pointed at him and my mother. "You knew that Randy was going to die in two months, and yet you kept it from me. How could you?" I shouted at him.


    My father remained silent until he turned toward Desmond. "You told him, despite promising not to," he shouted at Desmond. "Are you so desperate for attention to do that?"


    "Your Highness, I..." Desmond tried to defend himself, but my father cut him off.


    "Shut up and tell me the truth!" he yelled at him.


    I nced over at Desmond and noticed how he was trembling where he stood. I couldn''t bear to see him like that, so I walked up to him and grabbed his hand, pulling him in front of my father. "Stop shouting at him, Father. He didn''t tell me, I found out on my own. You lied to me about everything!"


    My mother sighed, lowered her head, and then raised it to address me. "We were only doing everything to protect you. Knowing that he is going to die is a bad omen, and we thought it wouldn''t be wise for you to find out." I scoffed and shook my head in response.


    "Do you think I''d be alive if Desmond died?" I asked them.


    My father let out a groan. "I''ve already told you, Randy, that you and Desmond can never be together. It''s never been recorded that two males rule the kingdom."


    "So you want us to be together in secret until the day he dies, is that it?" I questioned.


    "No," my mother quickly replied. "No one wishes that for him. Helen is hoping to find a way to resolve all of this, and I can assure you she will. That''s why she''s at the royal college."


    I sighed and ruffled my hair. "Why didn''t you tell me?"


    My father stood up from his chair.


    "Because the dark hole is not as you''ve imagined. He might be fortunate, but in the worst case scenario, he might be unlucky."


    "I want to save him!" I dered. "If it means sacrificing my life for him, I will do that to save him!"


    My father chuckled, and in the blink of an eye, he was in front of me. "Have you forgotten your duty? You are the prince and one day, you will be the king. How dare you talk about your life like this!"


    His voice was loud and intimidating, and even though he was my father, my heart raced but I was ready to stand up to him in cases like this. "Father," I said, looking into his blue eyes, "I doubt you would talk like this if it were Mother. I know how you love and care for her, to the extent that you wouldn''t let anything happen to her! I don''t care what you have to say, but I''m going to protect my boyfriend."


    "Hmm," my father muttered, then turned to face Desmond. "You''ve failed miserably, and now my son is delusional about love."


    Desmond bowed his head. "I apologize, Your Highness. I can..."


    "I don''t want to hear any words from you," my father cut him off, walking back to his desk. "Now that Randy knows you''re going to die, it''s best that you end things quickly."


    I frowned, not expecting my father to say something so brutal. "Father!" I shouted his name.


    "This is reality, Randy. You have no idea the kind of pain I went through when I thought your mother was dead."


    "But you never gave up on her, just as I won''t give up on Desmond!" I dered, grabbing Desmond''s hand and pulling him closer to me. "I don''t care what you say, Father, but I won''t let my boyfriend suffer like this. I love him and I will do anything for him," I stated and took a deep breath. "If he dies, then I shall die."


    My father jumped to his feet and mmed his hands on the table. "Are you crazy? Have you gone insane?"


    "Newman, calm down, please," my mother said. "Randy, please calm down and listen to your father."


    "The only insanity is the fact that I''m in love with Desmond, and you''re going to have to ept it," I told them, and I grabbed his hand, walking out of the room hand in hand, ignoring my father''s calls.

 Chapter 44

    Once outside the study, Desmond turned me to face him, but he didn''t speak for a few seconds. We just stared at each other, and when I tried to say something, he wrapped his arms around me in a tight hug. "Randy," he sniffed, patting me on the shoulder, "I love you, Randy, but I don''t want you to die for me."


    "But..." I started to argue, but he ced his fingers on my lips, cutting me off.


    "We''re going to get through this," he promised.


    I sighed and hugged him. "We will."


    When we pulled away, we both chuckled and made our way to my room.


    "Home sweet home," I said and rushed to my bed, lying down. "I''ve missed my room and thefy bed."


    Desmondy down beside me and chuckled. "I remember when we used to jump on this bed, and the Queen used to scold us," he said and burst intoughter.


    "Right, and that one time we poured water all over the room and the bed," I added, turning to face him. "Good old days."


    I ruffled his hair and then leaned in closer to him. "I wish we didn''t have to go through all of this," I told him, and he smiled at me.


    "Desmond, what''s your wish?"


    Desmond wrapped his arms around my waist, turning me to lie on top of him. "I wish that we could be together forever and ever," he whispered, kissing me on the lips. "I..." he kissed the corner of my lips and sucked on it. "I hope that we can continue to be together forever, Randy," he whispered and kissed me again.


    "Me too," I said in between the kisses and began to kiss him back passionately.


    Our lips fought for dominance, and I tried to gain control.


    I kissed him deeply, teasing his tongue with mine.


    My hands roamed around his back, and just as I began to raise his shirt, the door leading to the room burst open.


    "Oh, goodness! Boys! My eyes!" My mother''s voice sounded at the entrance of the room.


    Desmond pushed me away, and Inded on my butt on the ground. "Ouch," I groaned in pain, remaining on the floor. "That is painful," Iined.


    I faced my mother. "What do you want, mother?"


    My mother sighed and walked into the room, covering her face. "I hope none of you is naked."


    I rolled my eyes in annoyance. "No, Mom."


    "Great. Nowe eat, because you''re probably hungry after the journey down here."


    "I''m not hungry," I lied, and my stomach rumbled, revealing my lie.


    Desmond and my mother burst intoughter, and I soon joined them. "Stupid stomach," I mumbled under my breath.


    ~Desmond~


    The deafening silence in the royal dining hall almost made me wish the ground would open up and swallow me.


    I ate quickly, hoping to escape the King''s constant gaze, the only thing keeping me going being Randy''s reassuring touch on my hand.


    When we finished our meal, I hurried out of the dining hall with Randy following closely.


    I was relieved the King didn''t stop us for more conversation.


    Upon reaching Randy''s room, he closed the door behind us, and I turned to face him.


    "Do you think the King will ever ept our rtionship?" I asked him.


    Randy''s body went still, and he responded, "Desmond, what are you saying? He will ept it in the end, and there''s no stopping us."


    I nodded, then swallowed hard. "I mean, you''re the crown prince. Our love won''t be epted by everyone."


    "Desmond," he said, grabbing my hands, "I am willing to fight for us. I love you, and to me, you are everything."


    I took a step closer to him, closing the distance between us, and cupped his face.


    "I love you too, Randy. I truly hope we can find a way out of this."


    "Yes," his voice quivered. He slid his hands down my back, wrapping his arms around my waist. "We will figure this out. I don''t want to lose you. I can''t bear to be without you." "Randy," I whispered, smoothing my thumb over his soft cheek. "I''m grateful that I''m your boyfriend."


    "Me too," he replied. "I''ve loved you since we were teenagers." He stepped even closer, our chests pressing together.


    He removed his hands from around my waist, wrapping them around my neck and burying his face in the base of my neck. "I can''t imagine life without you."


    "Randy," I said his name again, my voice low and filled with emotion.


    My hand stroked the back of his head, and I brushed my lips against his ear. "I love hearing you talk about how you can''t be without me," I chuckled and urged his face to mine, demanding a deeper kiss. Randy responded eagerly, tightening his grip around my neck, and soon urgency overcame us.


    It didn''t take long for Randy to undress, and he motioned for me to join him on the bed.


    By the time wey down, I was already panting, my heart pounding in my chest.


    I dropped kisses down his abs, running my hands through his hair.


    "Wait," he managed to say as he half sat up, reaching down to run his hand through my hair.


    He moaned softly and gently kissed the tip of my hardening d*ck. "You''re so hard for me," he whispered.


    I chuckled and caressed his hair. "Every part of you is incredibly sexy, Randy," I murmured, and then I leaned in to kiss him passionately.


    He responded with a passionate kiss, and suddenly, I yfully flipped him over, pulling his hips up, putting his ass on disy.


    "Desmond, he turned to me, and I noticed the flush on his face. I yfully gave his behind a gentle tap, eliciting a moan of anticipation, as my excitement grew.


    "Grab that pillow," I instructed.


    "f*ck," he replied with a moan, resting his chest on the pillow.


    He let out a scream he screamed as my palms smoothed over his ass.

 Chapter 45

    Randy spread his knees a little wider, and a soft sigh escaped him as I ced a tender kiss at the base of his spine.


    "Hmmm," I felt him shiver against me. "Oh f*ck," he rasped.


    "I love how you moan like a p*rn star!" Imented.


    "Fuck you Desmond," heughed.


    He buried his face in the pillow as I pped his ass again letting out different moans.


    I slid down as Ipped at his balls.


    He let out another grunt. "Sh*t Desmond!"


    He let out a moan as I began to suck on his mouth, sucking gently. Then the other. He let out a feral moan as his cock jerked into the air, dripping pre cum onto the bed in a thin, steady stream. "You are so wet for me," I murmured and pped his ass again, and then I let out a moan as my length slid over him.


    Randy screamed into the pillow and flexed his back needily. Breathing out and gritting his teeth hard I sank my length inside and deeper.


    My hands grabbed his ass as I pounded inside of him.


    "I am going to f*ck you hard your highness. Don''t scream too much else the king will knock on the door," I said to him.


    "You sound so hot right now," Randy muttered. "I am also hot, bursting with pleasure," he said and I felt his legs trembling wildly as I started to move in and out of him with steady thrusts. Tightening my grip on his ass, I started thrusting hard. And harder. Soon, I was pounding inside of him so hard that he forgot my warnings screamed.


    I too was also grunting, my skin burning hot.


    I held onto his ass as I continued to thrust inside of him.


    "Randy," he cried out my name.


    The sound of our skin smacking together filled the room alongside Randy''s panting, moans and my low grunts. "This is so good," Randy murmured as he pushed his forehead into the pillow jerking wildly with our rough movement. "Good job taking all of me, Your Highness, I leaned over him with my hands resting on each side of his head. "I love you," I murmured.


    "F*ck, I nearly came hearing you say that," he said.


    "mmm," I kissed the back of his neck.


    "Good," I ced my hand on his and squeezed it gently. "mm"" I moaned and then flipped him over making him sit on top of me while I sat down on the bed.


    We both stared into each other''s eyes as he went up and down.


    "Desmond," he muttered.


    "Randy," I replied and ced my hands on his hips and then Iid him on the bed towering above him and tunneling inside of him.


    He let out a moan and leaned in to kiss me.


    I pinned both his hands beside him and kissed him.


    "f*ck," Randy moaned in between the kiss then I thrust my tongue deep, invading him thoroughly.


    My hips picked up the speed as I pounded my c*ck into him faster and harder until Randy pulled away from the kiss to suck in a shuddering breath.


    I felt his fingers on my back scratching down to my waist and then I felt his arms on my waist as he pounded inside of me.


    "ugh f*ck!" I gritted out through my teeth.


    I kissed him again and our tongues fought for dominance for a moment and then Randy let me gain control as I kissed him deeper.


    We both could hardly breathe as we panted hard against our mouths.


    The kiss became hotter, and messier as our teeth shed and we bit one another until I pulled away.


    The bed shaking with our rhythm and the walls covered with our moans. I could feel my body radiating with heat and I knew that I was close.


    I wouldn''t be surprised if the king came running down to our room any seconds from now.


    "Sh*t Desmond," Randy let out a sob. I.... aming!" he shuddered as he struggled to breathe, I felt his dick throbbed against my stomach and then he shot out the starburst of pleasure out of his body.


    "oh Desmond," he murmured, his legs shaking as his head rolled back to the pillow.


    I kissed him again as I also came at that moment. "You were perfect baby," I kissed him again.


    We were both sweating, still panting hard in the quietness of the room.


    I could feel Randy''s heart hammering against mine.


    "Was I too rough?" I asked.


    "No.... that was....." he exhaled. "It was amazing."


    I smiled at him and kissed him again.


    I stood up from the bed and grabbed his hand pulling him towards the bathroom where we had our bath and did another round.


    When we went back to bed, Randy wrapped his arms around mine as if I could disappear in front of him.


    Wey in silence for long moments but neither of us was sleeping.


    I kissed the top of his head and sighed. "I wish we didn''t have to leave this room."


    "Me too. Don''t worry, once we find out what is happening, you will be stuck with me."


    I chuckled. "It is what I want, my love."


    "You think we will be able to find a way?" I asked, still doubting his words.


    Randy grunted. "Desmond," he raised his head to look at me. "Yes, we will find a way. I am sure." "Okay, Pumpkin."


    "Pumpkin?" Randyughed. "Nice nickname. How did youe up with that?"


    "Because you show me how beautiful the world can be," I replied to him.


    "That''s nice. I love the name."


    "My Pumpkin, Now let us sleep,"


    I kissed his forehead and closed my eyes.

 Chapter 46

    ~Randy~


    It felt like a dream, or perhaps it was just my imagination because it couldn''t possibly be real.


    Desmond and I stood before a crowd, professing our love and exchanging rings.


    "I promise to be with you forever," Desmond whispered as he slid the ring onto my middle finger.


    "Together forever," I replied, slipping the ring onto his finger.


    The crowd cheered with joy, and even my father was apuding as he watched the ceremony. They all eagerly awaited our kiss.


    As I leaned in to kiss Desmond, a sudden gust of wind roared, and one by one, everyone at the wedding began to vanish. "Randy," my mother called out.


    "Watch out for the wind," my father warned before disappearing right in front of me.


    I looked around, and everyone had disappeared, leaving only Desmond and me.


    As the wind approached, I grabbed Desmond''s hand and pulled him closer, but he, too, disappeared as the wind reached us. "Desmond!" I cried out as I was left alone in a now deserted scene.


    "Take me!" I screamed at the wind, raising my hands, but nothing happened. Instead, I found myself in a white room, and Desmond was there, standing before a mirror in a ck tuxedo, just as he had been when the wind had appeared. He smiled as I approached him. But just as I reached him, a sword appeared in my hand, and an invisible force pulled me toward him until the sword pierced his stomach. "Randy, how do I look..." Desmond gasped, blood staining his clothes. "Randy," he ced his hand on the sword and looked at me.


    "What have I done?" My hands trembled as I quickly removed the sword from his stomach. "Desmond," I shouted his name. "No, no!" I screamed. "This is not what I intended to do!" I shouted. "I... I didn''t mean to hurt you." I ced my hand on his stomach as blood flowed like a river. "Desmond!" I yelled as he fell into my arms.


    "What did I do to you, Randy?" he asked.


    "No," I cried out, cing my hand on the left side of his face. "I didn''t do this. I could never do this to you," I screamed. Desmond sobbed silently and raised his bloody hands to touch my face. "I... love..." Before he could finish his words, he suddenly vanished into pieces.


    I jumped to my feet and began frantically searching for him. "Desmond!" I yelled. "Where are you?" I ran my bloody hands through my hair and fell to my knees when it seemed like he wouldn''t reappear.


    "What have I done?" I screamed and pounded the ground repeatedly. "Desmond... I''m sorry. I didn''t understand how the sword appeared in my hands." I apologize deeply.


    "Apologizing for your fate?" A voice spoke in front of me, a soft,forting voice, much like my mother''s. I raised my head to see a woman in a white dress with long, dark hair.


    "What is happening?" I wiped away my tears and met the woman''s hazel eyes. "Who are you, and where am I?"


    "You should have figured it out by now, Randy. This is a vision of what will happen to Desmond."


    I frowned. "Are you saying Desmond is truly going to die, and there''s no way to save him?" I demanded, and when she didn''t respond, I let out a horrifying yell. "I can''t bear to know that he''s going to die!"


    The woman said nothing, sighing and walking around the room. "Believe me, child, when I say you can''t escape your fate with Desmond."


    I rubbed my face and sighed deeply. "I''m trying to understand what you mean by my fate. What does it mean? Why does Desmond have to die? Why can''t it be me?"


    Because it was Desmond who saved your life in the dark hole," the woman replied.


    "My life?" I asked, not understanding her.


    "Some things are left unsaid. If you seek the truth, you will find it in time. If you want to save your little boyfriend, you will have to pay the price."


    I stood up. "I can save Desmond?" I asked, and she nodded. "But how?"


    The woman turned to face me, grabbed my hand, and suddenly, we disappeared, appearing inside a ssroom where Desmond was, but he was not alone. Ana sat beside him, and they were bothughing, staring into each other''s eyes, and leaning in as if about to kiss. Then, they both disappeared.


    "What the hell is that?" I demanded, angry about the vision of Desmond and Ana being together.


    "That is the future, Randy."


    "The future?"


    "Yes. If you choose to save your boyfriend, that''s what will happen to him. He will stay alive but without you."


    "No," I shouted. There was no way I could be without Desmond.


    We had promised to be together forever, and now, he was going to disappear from my life. I couldn''t allow that.


    "I can''t do without him. He''s my life."


    "Then," the womanughed. "watch him die tragically. Will you let your man die, or will you look at him from afar?" she asked and sighed. "What do I know," she chuckled. "If you truly love him, you''ll do anything to save him, but it''s your choice. No one will force you to do anything against your will," she clicked her tongue.


    I sighed and looked around, but the woman had disappeared. "Hello," I called out but received no response. "Where are you?" I looked around and saw a light in the distance. I headed toward it, and just as I was about to reach it, a hand grabbed me, and I gasped back into reality.


    "Thank goodness," my mother''s voice sounded beside me, and I blinked my eyes open to the bright light above me. I looked to my left and noticed my father was there too.


    "Mum," I muttered, and then, I looked at my father.


    "What on earth were you dreaming about?" My father asked, his anger evident. "If Desmond hadn''te to get us, who knows what might have happened? Do you realize the dangers of such dreams?"


    "Newman, please, be patient with him. He just woke up," My mother pleaded.


    I groaned and scanned my surroundings, searching for someone specific.


    My eyesnded on the door, but he was nowhere in sight. "Desmond," I called out. "Where is he?" I jerked up from the bed. "Desmond!" I shouted again. "Where is Desmond?"


    My father rubbed his forehead and rose from the bed. "Who would have thought that history would repeat itself?" He directed the question at my mother, who only sighed without saying anything. "Mum, where is Desmond?" I asked.


    Just as she was about to reply, the door swung open, and Desmond entered.


    I leaped off the bed and rushed toward him, wrapping him in a tight hug. "I... I''m sorry for hurting you."


    Desmond attempted to speak but then stopped and hugged me back. "It''s okay."


    I nodded in response, and when we separated from the hug, I lifted his shirt.


    "Is your stomach hurting?"


    Desmond stared at me with confusion. "What do you mean?" he asked. "Of course, I''m fine. There''s nothing wrong with me," he reassured me.


    I hugged him again and cried. "Please don''t leave me. Please..." I begged.


    "I won''t," he replied.


    My father groaned and then exited the room, muttering, "Love is crazy."

 Chapter 47

    ~Desmond~


    I bowed my head to the King and Queen as I prepared to enter the car that would take us back to school.


    However, the King unexpectedly grabbed my hand and pulled me toward him. "Listen to me," he muttered, casting a nce toward Randy, who stood by the car.


    "Yes, your highness," I replied respectfully.


    "I am all ears."


    The King cleared his throat, and my heart raced, fearing he might say something to drive a wedge between Randy and me. Instead, he gently squeezed my shoulders and lifted my chin to meet his gaze. "Listen to me, boy. Both of you made it back here without being seen, so do the same when you''re returning," he advised and then nced at Randy. "My son is ring at me right now because he thinks I''m trying to separate you again."


    Well, that was precisely what he was trying to do.


    "Believe me when I say that I''m doing everything I can to protect both of you from what others might think and say about you. The council of elders can be ruthless, and you''re still young. I don''t want you to endure the same fate I did. The only way to prevent that is for you to put your feelings for each other aside."


    "But... I love him, and I can''t do without him, and..." I began.


    "Newman, what are you saying to that boy?" the Queen asked as she walked over.


    "Leave them alone for now. Don''t worry, they won''t be caught."


    The King''s expression softened, and he released my shoulders. "Right. Go now," he ordered.


    I lowered my head respectfully and then turned to Randy. "Hey," I muttered.


    He frowned and nced over my shoulder.


    "What did my father say to you?" he inquired.


    "Nothing bad. He just warned us to be careful, I assured him. But instead, he gave me a skeptical look.


    "Are you sure?"


    I nodded in response, grabbed his hand, and entered the backseat of the van. He followed suit.


    Once we were seated, the King and Queen appeared at the car door, and the queen waved at us.


    "Desmond," the Queen called out, and I raised my head to look at her. "Please stay with Randy and protect him at all times."


    Randy groaned. "Mom, I''m not a baby anymore," he protested.


    The Queen chuckled. "You weren''t saying that this morning when you were searching for Desmond."


    I hadn''t wanted the morning episode to ever happen again. Randy had not awakened, no matter how many times I pped him or called his name. When I called his parents for help, he eventually woke up and started crying, indicating something troubling rted to me.


    "Don''t worry, your highness. I''ll make sure he''s well taken care of," I assured the queen.


    "And don''t get caught, because if you do, I''ll definitely make you break up," the King added before leaving with the Queen.


    The driver, a royal guard, started the car and drove away from the royal mansion.


    Once Randy and I were alone, he rested his head on my shoulder with a sigh.


    I hadn''t asked him about what he had seen, not wanting to distress him further. But now, with just the two of us, it seemed like the right time to question him.


    "What did you see, Randy?" I asked.


    "Your..." He raised his head from my shoulder and let out a deep sigh. "I saw your death, Desmond," he finally admitted, cing my hand on his chest.


    His heart was racing as if it might burst. "I can''t stop thinking about it. I dreamt that I killed you, and I watched you disappear from my arms. I can''t bear the thought of losing you. I love you." "Randy," I whispered, touching his face.


    "Listen to me. Nothing bad is going to happen to either of us. We will be fine. I''ll ensure nothing happens to you or me, and we will ovee our fears."


    "You don''t understand," he argued. "There''s no easy solution to this. It feels like a curse that wille true unless something changes."


    "But your aunt is already working on a solution. Everything will be fine. We''ll be okay, and we won''t have to worry about anything."


    I ced a finger on his lips to silence him.


    "Listen to me," I sighed. "I''m still here with you, and I promise we will figure this out. Nothing will harm you. We''ll grow old together and stay together forever." I kissed him briefly and rested his head on my shoulder. "Don''t worry about anything else, Randy. We will be just fine."


    He nodded and didn''t say anything more.


    Randy raised his head to look at me. "In my dreams, someone told me that you saved my life when I was a child, and that''s why you''re being punished like this."


    I smiled at him. "It means that our fate was written even before we were born. We are destined to be together forever. Let''s not jump to conclusions about what you saw in your dreams. We should wait to hear what Helen has to say before jumping to conclusions. Those dreams might just be a way to mess with you, and I don''t want you to dwell on them."


    "If you say so," he said with a sigh as he rested his head on my shoulder.


    "I just want everything to be perfectly fine because, Desmond, you are my life, and this," he touched his pendant on his ne, "This signifies that I will always be with you, even in your darkest days, because I am your moon." "And I am your sun, here to brighten your darkest days," I replied. "I love you so much."


    "I love you too," he replied and let out a yawn. "I''m too scared to sleep again."


    I chuckled. "Don''t worry, my Pumpkin. I''ll rub your hair until you fall asleep, and you won''t have that dream again," I assured him.


    "Thank you, Desmondy," he yawned again, and when he didn''t say anything more, I looked down at his face and noticed that his eyes were closed, indicating that he had fallen asleep.

 Chapter 48

    I continued to gently stroke his head while gazing at his peaceful face. Knowing that he was mine was the greatest gift I could ever ask for.


    When we arrived at school, I was awakened by a tap on my shoulder. I groaned as I slowly opened my eyes, realizing that my head had been resting against Randy''s. I smiled as I ced my hand on his cheek, and he stirred awake, yawning and stretching.


    "Have we reached?" he asked.


    "Yes," I replied. "You woke up at just the right time, my dear love," I told him, and he chuckled as he looked at me. "I''m d to see you in a better mood now, my Pumpkin." "Because I had a better dream this time."


    "Really?" I chuckled, and we got out of the car.


    I stretched out my hand, and he took it. We walked to our dormitory.


    He began telling me about his dreams, and I listened with rapt attention. Even when Hilda greeted us in the lobby, we just waved and didn''t say much.


    As we reached the elevator and found it empty, Randy continued his conversation. Itsted until we reached our room.


    "That''s a nice dream," I told him as I rushed to my bed and dropped our bags. As I turned to walk away from the bed, I noticed something on the floor. I quickly picked it up, and Randy noticed my silence and walked up to me.


    In my hand was a white piece of paper with words addressed to Randy written in red ink, or perhaps blood.


    You escaped the bait, and now your boyfriend will suffer for it.


    Randy and I exchanged concerned looks, and as if that weren''t enough, we noticed a trail of red ink or blood on the ground leading to our bathroom.


    We followed it, and as we entered the bathroom, Randy let out a scream when we saw another message written on our mirror.


    ''Desmond, you''re next!''


    ~Randy~


    I sighed for the umpteenth time as I unzipped my bag, hoping not to return to the room and find another warning letter in the mirror.


    Desmond had wanted to inform my parents about it, but I had stopped him because it would only make them more worried about us and also us potentially being forced to separate. Until I found a way to save Desmond from his peril, I had no intention of telling my parents.


    "Are you alright?" Desmond''s voice sounded beside me as he stood by the bed, holding his luggage. "Are you all packed?"


    I nodded in response. "Yes, I am."


    He stretched his hand out for me to take.


    "Let''s go, the others are waiting."


    I grabbed his hand, and we both headed out of the room. Just as he was about to lock the door, I stopped him. "Wait, I want to take another look around."


    He frowned at me before nodding in response, letting me re enter the room.


    I looked around, noticing how everything was neatly arranged. If someone had broken into our room, I believed it might have been someone we knew, and I was afraid they might return.


    "Don''t worry, I positioned the camera correctly, and everything will be as we left it once we return," Desmond assured, pointing to the camera hidden in the wall clock.


    "Great," I said, and we left the room.


    "Let''s go." I grabbed his hand again, and we both headed into the elevator.


    We exchanged smiles, and just as the doors were about to close, someone shouted and rushed into the elevator with us.


    "Your Highness," the most annoying voice I didn''t want to hear sounded at the elevator''s entrance.


    It was Henrich.


    "It''s been a while since I saw you, your highness." Henrich shed his perfectly white teeth at me and then frowned at Desmond.


    "Well, hello, Henrich," I replied, then I looked away. But that didn''t stop him from continuing to talk. "Can you believe we are going on this field trip because we are in the third year, and it''s tradition? Don''t you find it stupid?" Well, I did.


    I hated that we had to go on a silly field trip, all because of tradition.


    When the elevator doors opened, I rushed out, still holding hands with Desmond.


    As we were about to leave the dormitory doors, Desmond let go of my hand.


    I exchanged looks with him, wondering why he had suddenly done that, and then I saw that a lot of third year students had gathered around and were looking in our direction.


    I heaved a deep sigh and looked at him again, and then he smiled at me.


    I wanted to be able to hold him in public, dering him as my own, not hiding him away just to protect the royal family and keep gossip at bay.


    "Hey, hey," Sonnia shouted as she rushed toward us, dragging her pink luggage.


    Ana and Noah followed behind her.


    While Ana was dragging her luggage toward us, Noah was in conversation with a girl who didn''t seem interested in his discussion.


    "You two went home without informing me," Sonnia frowned as she reached our front.


    She pped my shoulder. "I wanted to see our parents so badly, but I don''t have any excuse to leave school, and yet you didn''t tell me." She scoffed and turned toward Desmond. "Why didn''t you tell me?" She pped his shoulder. "Apologies, Sonnia," Desmond replied. "Randy and I.." He paused and looked at me for answers, but I rolled my eyes and pretended to look away. "Well, it was not nned," he told her.


    "I see," she frowned as she looked from Desmond to me. "Well, if you say that, it''s all good. But what I want to know is why you two are looking so lost when you should be in love and..." I covered her mouth before she could finish. "What?" She pped my hand away. "Why the hell are you covering my mouth?" She demanded.


    "What the hell is going on here?" Noah asked as he reached our side.


    "And where is the girl you were talking to?"


    Sonnia asked her hands on her hips. "She ditched you again, right?"


    Noah forced augh and pointed to himself. "No, no," he rubbed his hair. "I was not ditched. She was just not up to my taste, and she..."


    Sonnia burst intoughter. "Save your stories for another day. We have a field trip to go!" She announced excitedly as a yellow bus arrived in front of the dormitories.

 Chapter 49

    "Hey, Desmond," Ana greeted, and my attention quickly turned toward them.


    Desmond replied with a smile on his face and waved at her.


    I frowned and looked away, but not for long when I saw Noah push Desmond away from my side.


    "Are you trying to get him killed again?" I heard Noah shout at him.


    "What... what are you trying to say?" Desmond stuttered. "I didn''t do anything wrong, and..."


    "Stop talking!" Noah yelled at him and grabbed the cor of his shirt. "I already warned you to stay away from him, yet you..."


    I clenched my fists, trying so hard not to react because we were not alone, and I didn''t want to raise any rumors about me supporting a friend instead of my brother.


    I made a move to stop the argument, but Sonnia beat me to it.


    She grabbed Noah''s ear and pulled him into the bus. "What the hell.." Noah screamed and let go of Desmond''s shirt.


    "Are you alright?" I asked him.


    "Yes," he replied and hurriedly entered the bus as if he were trying to avoid me.


    I followed him and took my seat beside him.


    He was seated close to the window, and when he saw that I was sitting next to him, he looked away.


    "Are you trying to avoid me because of what just happened?" I asked him.


    Desmond sighed and faced me. "I...," he paused and lowered his head. "Noah hates me because of the ident that happened to you. He believes that it''s all because of me, and he warned me to stay away from you, and..."


    I clenched my fists yet again and looked around, searching for Noah. When my eyesnded on him, he was having a heated conversation with Sonnia. I red at him and tried to stand up and go meet him, but Desmond grabbed my hand and pulled me back.


    "That idiot attacked you for something you didn''t do. I have to teach him a lesson, and..."


    "Randy," he muttered my name softly. "I don''t think this is the ce to argue since we''re not alone, and..." He looked around, and I did the same until my eyesnded on John, who was seated by Ana, and they were both staring at us. They already knew about us and were eyeing us suspiciously, looking for more proof, and who knows what they might do with it.


    I looked back at Desmond and heaved a deep sigh.


    "Fine," I agreed and rested my head on the seat. "I''m going to settle this with my brother once we reach the location, and I don''t want you to stop me there," I told him, and he nodded in response.


    I ced my hand on his and looked at him again, giving him a big smile, and then turned my attention to the teacher who had entered the bus.


    "I, Lumin Wee, all of you to the third year trip, a wonderful tradition where you explore the vast forest, beauty of nature and try to find the ultimate treasure, and the best third year student will be picked!" he shouted excitedly, and everyone around started pping, but I didn''t.


    "It''s going to be great, so you all should enjoy the trip and look forward to it!" he said and sat down in the front row.


    When the engine of the bus roared to life, I tapped Desmond on the shoulders.


    Desmond smiled at me, and I wished I could kiss him at that moment, but all I could do was smile back at him.


    ~Desmond~


    I yawned, fluttering my eyes open to the murmur of the other students.


    I noticed the bus had stopped in the middle of what appeared to be a forest. Naturally, it had to be a forest, what else was I expecting?


    I heaved a deep sigh, ncing to my right to see Randy still sleeping peacefully with his head on my shoulder.


    "Hey," I gently tapped him on the shoulder, and he groaned as he slowly opened his eyes.


    "Where are we?" he asked.


    "I believe we''ve arrived," I replied, pointing forward to the students disembarking from the bus.


    He groaned and stretched. "We better join them."


    He stood up, and I followed behind him.


    Once outside the bus, we trailed the rest of the students until the teacher stopped at the center of the woods. There, arge clearing was devoid of grass, surrounded by tents, about twenty in total and a long table disyed various colored boxes at the side.


    "We are here," the teacher, Lumin, adjusted his sses and pped his hands.


    "Wee to the Forest of Truth!" he announced, eliciting happy cheers from some students.


    I faced Randy, giving him a smile. "We are here," I murmured.


    He smiled back and nodded. "Yes, we are."


    "Well," Lumin pped his hands to regain our attention. "As I announced on the bus a few hours ago, we have gathered here today for the tradition of every third year student and..."


    "Get on with it, Mr. Lumin!" someone shouted from the crowd, anky boy looking uninterested.


    "Calm down, kid. I assure you that you''ll enjoy the tradition of the third year," Lumin replied and continued to exin the tradition, taking another twenty minutes.


    By the end, most students were seated on the forest floor.


    "What''s next, Mr. Lumin?" Noah groaned as he sat down. "Are you going to bore us to death with your talks? That''s not what we signed up for. We came here for the traditions, not to listen to your speeches."


    "I apologize, my prince," Mr. Lumin replied, pointing to the long table. "This is where you will have your dinner, lunch, and breakfast for the three days we''ll spend here."


    "Excuse me," Sonnia snorted and walked forward. "As far as I can see, there are no chairs. Are we expected to sit on our shoulders?" she questioned.


    "Oh no," Luminughed. "That''s not the reason. We will provide chairs soon as they are all in preparation."


    "Better be," Sonnia flipped her hair with an attitude and leaned against a tree. "Please, when do we rest?" she demanded.


    "Right now," Lumin replied. "We are going to get our rest now." He pointed to the different colors on the table. "ording to your dormitory color, please pick any tag in the box. The tag will determine your roommates for three days." Randy looked at me. "I''m sure we''ll be roommates," he said, and I nodded in agreement.

 Chapter 50

    Everyone stood up, forming queues for different dormitories.


    On the blue row, I found myself at the end of the line, with Randy standing in front of me.


    I reached out yfully to grab his butt, and he burst outughing, but it didn''t go unnoticed by Sonnia, who grinned wickedly at us.


    "You both look cute," she mouthed to us.


    "Your sister is so funny," I muttered to Randy.


    "And sassy," he added, moving forward as it got to his turn.


    He picked a tag and walked away, while I followed and also picked a tag.


    "I am number sixteen. What about you?" he asked.


    I stared down at my number and sighed when I realized it was number two. "It seems that we are not roommates this time. Who then is my roommate?" I asked, looking around.


    "There is no way I can stay with someone else. I can''t agree to this," Randy moved forward to the teacher. "Excuse me, Mr. Lumin. I want to change my tent and be with Desmond."


    Mr. Lumin shrugged his shoulders. "There is no way I can do that, Your Highness. You were the one who picked the number, and I can''t change the rules, even if you are of royalty. It would only mean that I am favoring you for your status." "But..." Randy tried to argue.


    "It is only for three nights, Your Highness," Mr. Lumin smiled, bowing his head before turning to face another student.


    Randy sighed and walked towards me, holding his tag up. "I guess you and I are not going to stay together," he muttered.


    I ced a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it gently. "It is no problem. I just have to live with the fact that you and I are going to be apart for three nights." I smiled at him, but he didn''t smile back, only frowned. "Please smile," I winked at him.


    He chuckled and then looked around. "Who then is my roommate?"


    John and Henrich suddenly walked up to us, holding their tags. "I guess you two are thest without roommates, right?" Henrich said, stretching forth his tag towards me. "I am number one."


    I frowned and clenched the tag in my hand tightly. "Why the hell am I stuck with someone like you?" I said through gritted teeth. "I am not supposed to be in the same tent as you." Henrichughed and spread his arms wide while turning around. "The forest isrge enough for you to sleep outside," hemented, walking away towards what seemed to be our tent.


    "I guess His Highness is stuck with me for three nights," John chuckled, winking at me.


    I turned back to face him, ring hard.


    "Don''t worry, Randy. I know what you mean to the prince." I pped his hand away from my shoulder.


    "I will see you around," I muttered to Randy, red at John, before heading towards Henrich, who was struggling to open the tent.


    "Hey," he shouted excitedly when he saw me. "I am trying to open the tent, can you please help me out?" he pleaded.


    I didn''t respond but instead crouched down, searching for the opening, which was difficult to find. "I really wished that I could be with the Prince," Henrichmented.


    "He is so beautiful, and if he were gay, I would so date him."


    I frowned as I turned to face him.


    How dare he talk about my boyfriend in such a manner?


    He noticed my expression and burst intoughter. "My bad for calling the prince gay. I just hoped that he was because I like him, and..."


    "Found it," I announced as I angrily opened the tent after finding the opening.


    He pped his hands excitedly again, and when he wanted to say something to me, I entered the tent, not waiting another second to listen to him.


    The tent was bigger on the inside than the outside, enough for two people. There were sleeping bags, a big nket each for one person, and a bright light hanging above us. Henrich jumped on his sleeping bag and sighed.


    "I am so tired but can''t wait forter." Heughed.


    I didn''t say anything and instead focused on my luggage.


    Once I was done unpacking, Iy on the sleeping bag and closed my eyes. But a bell suddenly sounded, and I stood up, walking outside the tent.


    By this time, the sun was already setting, and the bright lights set around, illuminated the ce. I looked around, searching for Randy. Before I could see him, someone grabbed my hand. It was a soft hand, and when I turned to face the person, I was disappointed that it was her.


    "Hey, Randy," Ana smiled at me. "Are you enjoying the camp?" she asked.


    "Yes, I am, and..." I paused as I looked around to see that Randy was seated amid the siblings,ughing amongst themselves.


    He didn''t look around for me, and it made me wonder if he even noticed my absence.


    I heaved a deep sigh and decided to focus on Ana.


    We both took a seat beside John and Henrich. As the teacher walked to address us, I raised my head, and my eyes met Randy''s. "Are you alright?" he mouthed to me.


    I nodded in response but also replied to him. "I am fine," I mouthed back to him, knowing that he still cared.


    ~Randy~


    My phone buzzed with a message from Desmond, sending my heart into a sudden race.


    I scanned the table for any sign of him, but he was nowhere in sight.


    The message on my screen illuminated with anticipation, "Meet me inside the forest.. Desmond."


    Excitement and curiosity ignited within me.


    Without hesitation, I pocketed my phone and headed towards the edge of the woods.


    "Desmond," I called out when I couldn''t spot him.


    "Here" A whisper reached me from behind, and before I could react, strong arms wrapped around me.


    Desmond''s lips pressed against my neck, andughter escaped me, a delightful surprise.


    "Desmond, you sure know how to make an entrance," I chuckled, turning to face him.


    "I wanted to surprise you," he grinned, kissing the top of my head.


    "Well, mission aplished," I replied, reciprocating the embrace. "I missed not having you close to mest night. It makes me hate this whole trip thing." "Me too," he whispered. Our eyes met, and without words, I leaned in, capturing Desmond''s lips with my own.


    The world around us faded, leaving only the sounds of nature and the beating of our hearts.


    I ran my hand through his hair as he gently squeezed my butt, intensifying the kiss.


    However, our moment was abruptly interrupted by the sudden, piercing voice of Noah.

 Chapter 51

    Startled, we turned towards him, finding him staring at us with wide eyes.


    He didn''t say anything at first, only walking towards us and pointing back and forth between Desmond and me. "Randy, Desmond, what..?" Noah stammered. "You two are... you two are kissing!" Desmond tried to pull away, but I held onto his hand, ensuring he didn''t free himself from me. I wanted to say something, but then Sonnia appeared from behind Noah and marched towards us. "What are you doing, Noah?" Sonnia scolded. "Can''t you see they''re having a moment?"


    "Their moment?" Noah''s eyes widened.


    He ced a hand on his forehead. "This is what you meant when you said that you are into men. That man is Desmond."


    I nodded, facing him while holding Desmond''s hand gently. "Desmond is my boyfriend, and I don''t care about what you think of that. He is my boyfriend."


    Noah rubbed the back of his head, still eyeing us with a bewildered expression.


    "I:.. I didn''t know."


    "Well, now you know," Sonnia said, grabbing Noah by the ear. "Give them some space, please." She pointed to us, ignoring Noah''s protests. "The teacher is asking for both of you. A game is about to happen, so you better be there." Desmond sighed and ced his hand on his chest. "It''s hard to pretend not to be together now that everyone is noticing us, and... I don''t want to break the promise I made to the King and Queen about keeping our rtionship a secret. I don''t want you to be in a difficult situation..."


    "Desmond," I interrupted, cing a finger on his lips. "Everything is going to be fine," I assured him and hugged him. "We will be fine. Now, let''s go back to the others before someone who is not Noah walks in on us." I kissed his cheek, and we headed out of the woods to join the others.


    When we arrived, Mr. Lumin was addressing the group. "Wee back, lovebirds,"


    Noah teased as he stood beside us. "My poor eyes are going to be traumatized for life."


    "Not funny," I replied, gesturing towards Sonnia, who was speaking to someone. "Want me to call her for you?" I grinned wickedly.


    "No need for that," Noah hissed and scoffed, turning his attention back to the teacher.


    Mr. Lumin, known for his entricity, pped his hands to gather our attention.


    "Alright, everyone! As you know, it''s that time of the year again. The third year tradition continues, the Treasure Hunt!"


    Excitement rippled through the group.


    "The Treasure Hunt was a much anticipated event, a rite of passage for third year students." Mr. Lumin continued, his voice carrying over the students'' buzz.


    "Hidden somewhere on the grounds is a mysterious treasure, and the one who finds it will be crowned the Gem Third Year Student. It''s a tradition that''s been carried on for generations. Are you ready for the challenge?" A chorus of cheers erupted from the students.


    Desmond and I exchanged a nce and nodded in response.


    "Good," Mr. Lumin said. "I need you all to form a group of six and then walk together to make it work out!" He eximed excitedly.


    The students began murmuring among themselves as they formed groups.


    Ana and John approached us, expressing their desire to join our group. Henrich and Sonnia also joined,pleting our team.


    "Now that you''ve formed your groups," Mr. Lumin added, pausing for emphasis, "Remember, the clues are cleverly hidden. Solving them will require both intelligence and teamwork. May the best student win!" With those words, he distributed envelopes containing the first set of clues to each student, sparking excitement as we eagerly tore them open.


    Sonnia eagerly revealed her clues, her eyes lighting up. "I''ve got it!" she eximed, holding the clue high.


    "What is it?" Henrich asked, leaning in for a better look.


    Sonnia''s eyes darted around the group before she pointed towards a distant area of the forest. "The first clue is to find light. Can you see any light from here?"


    "Maybe if we walk closer, we might find more clues, right, guys?" Ana suggested, and we all nodded in agreement.


    The group set off in the direction Sonnia indicated, the rustle of leaves underfoot and the distant calls of birds creating a lively soundtrack to our hunt.


    It reminded me of the first date Desmond and I had in the woods, where we ate barbecue and watched the sunset while professing our love.


    "This reminds me of when we left school for our date," I whispered into Desmond''s ear, hoping no one overheard. "It was an amazing event!"


    "How could I forget?" Desmond replied, heaving a deep sigh. "That night was memorable, something I''ll never forget in years toe." Weughed together, and our joy caught Sonnias attention.


    She turned around, shooting us a disapproving look.


    "Guys, this is a treasure hunt. No distractions, please. Focus on finding the light," she urged.


    Desmond and I exchanged a sheepish nce, nodding in agreement.


    We walked for hours until we reached the opening of a cave.


    "I think we found it!" Sonnia eximed, her eyes wide with exhration.


    Gathering around the cave, we marveled at the radiant light emanating from within.


    "This is the ce," she said, then started giving orders on how to enter. "Randy will take the lead, and they will be..." Her words abruptly stopped, and she fell silent.


    I waved my hand in front of Sonnia, but she didn''t respond. Moving closer and grabbing her hand yielded no reaction.


    Looking around, I noticed the rest were motionless except for Desmond.


    They had all frozen in time.


    "What is happening?" Desmond asked. "Why is everyone frozen?" Before I could respond, a voice echoed from the cave.


    "Randy, Desmond,e into the cave." We exchanged looks and began walking into the cave as if we were under the control of the mysterious voice.

 Chapter 52

    ~Desmond~


    As Randy and I cautiously entered the cave, drawn by the mysterious voice, an unsettling feeling crept over me.


    The air felt charged with an unseen energy, and my instincts told me that something was amiss. Suddenly, a blinding light enveloped us, as if we were being consumed by its brilliance. The world spun around us, and before I knew it, I was on the ground.


    Regaining consciousness, a low groan escaped my lips, and I felt the throbbing pain pulsing through my body.


    Opening my eyes slowly, I found myself in a ce far removed from the forest or the cave. The surrealndscape featured a sky adorned with thousands of stars, seemingly closer than the usual sky. Randy was already on his feet, scanning the unfamiliar surroundings.


    I struggled to sit up, my head aching. "Where are we?" I asked, my voice strained.


    Randy turned towards me, his face etched with concern. "I have no idea. I''m still trying to figure out why we entered that cave and how we ended up in this peculiar ce." He said, gesturing toward a vast blue sea where two children were visible on a boat.


    Upon closer inspection, I realized they were our younger selves.


    "This is when we were nine years old, right?" Randy questioned.


    I nodded, rubbing my eyes. "Why are we on that boat, and what are we doing here? This doesn''t feel like the real world." I said, scanning for any signs of life. Then, a short man with long white hair caught my attention, waving at us. I nudged Randy and pointed at the man.


    "Who do you think he is?"


    Randy looked at the man and shrugged. "I have no idea. But I believe we''re stuck here, and we need to leave," he dered, standing up. "No one leaves until they finish what they came for," the man''s voice echoed, suddenly appearing in front of us.


    Startled, Randy and I clung to each other, fear evident in our eyes.


    "Who the hell are you?" I demanded as the short man headed towards us, simultaneously being on the boat with our younger selves. "How... how are you here and there?" I pointed at him and the boat.


    "The same way you are also there. My name is Phantom, and I am the transporter across the great sea of the dark hole," he introduced himself,ughing. "Who would have thought that your older selves would visit the dark hole?" I frowned, unsure whether to believe him.


    The different sky filled with stars hinted at being in a different ce, yet skepticism lingered. "What are we doing here exactly?" Randy asked. "I believe there must be a reason for our sudden appearance."


    Phantom cleared his throat, preparing to exin. "You were summoned here to witness your past selves and understand your connection to the dark hole."


    "I still don''t understand. Are we here to relive our past?" I questioned.


    Phantom nodded, silencing my attempts to speak. "Don''t say anything else, listen to me," he instructed, motioning for us to follow him. "Follow me as I take you across the blue sea, but first..." He paused, stretching out his hands toward us. Randy and I exchanged puzzled nces, uncertain of Phantom''s intentions. Tentatively, we extended our hands toward him.


    Phantom''s eyes widened, and he burst intoughter.


    "Foolish boys!" he muttered, snapping his fingers. In an instant, we found ourselves on the boat. "I have no time to waste, but since you''ve offered me your hands, it seems you both came without anything," heughed. Confused, Randy and I shared a questioning look.


    Phantom spoke cryptically, leaving us baffled. "What are you trying to say?" I asked.


    Phantomughed again. "You will find out once you reach the real world. I don''t give rides unless I get something in return."


    "And what do you n on getting in return?" Randy inquired.


    Phantom smiled mysteriously. "You will find out once you have returned to the real world."


    I rubbed my hands together and observed our younger selves ahead of us. "What led us to enter the dark hole if we''re not dead in the first ce?"


    Phantom began rowing the boat, humming a slow and somber tune.


    Taking advantage of the moment, I surveyed our surroundings.


    The dark hole surpassed my expectations in its beauty.


    The sea, serene and blue, and the unchanging sky created a picturesque scene.


    In this realm, there was no distinction between day and night, just a sky adorned with enchanting stars. However, the allure of the dark hole hid the truth, it was a realm bridging the living and the dead, or a space nearing the brink of death. "You both crossed paths because the Queen tampered with the dark hole, opening the gates. You.." he pointed at me, "found yourself here due to the opened gate and saved Randy from crossing over."


    "I died?" Randy questioned.


    Phantom nodded solemnly. "You died, and he saved you from..." He paused, his gaze searching the surroundings as if seeking something.


    "You mean to say Heca-"


    "Silence!" he yelled at me abruptly. "Her name is not to be uttered in the middle of the sea."


    "Why?" I inquired.


    "Because she escaped from her hell, and the vengeful souls she destroyed are after her. Mentioning her name in the middle of the sea might drag you down, and you may never return to your world!" I visibly gulped, my hand on my chest at the grave implication.


    I refrained from continuing my sentence, not wanting Randy to dwell on the fact that the person responsible for our entry into the dark hole, and proximity to death, was the Queen.


    I knew he would unfairly me himself, so I kept silent.


    "Brace yourself!" Phantom shouted as we reached the center of the sea.


    "What are we bracing ourselves for!" I screamed in agony as the boat plunged suddenly.


    "What the hell is happening?" My voice echoed as we descended deeper into the ocean floor.

 Chapter 53

    Randy


    My screams and Desmond''s cries echoed through the water as we plunged into the ocean depths.


    Anticipating a collision, I was surprised to find ourselves submerged in another body of water, entering a realm I never thought possible.


    The cool embrace of the water calmed my spirit, and the haunting melody of birds in flight made me question if I had stumbled into a fantastical world. Rowing his boat, Phantom joined in the bird''s chorus as we followed our younger selves.


    Nearing a colossal ck gate nked by towering walls, it swung open, revealing a somber, dark expanse on the other side.


    Phantom halted, directing our attention to our younger counterparts engaged in conversation. "What are you saying?" Desmond inquired.


    "Listen," Phantom murmured. I closed my eyes, shutting out the sounds of rushing water and birdsong, focusing on whaty ahead.


    "My name is Desmond, and I am grateful to have a friend like you here." Rain''s younger self expressed.


    "I''m Randy," I heard my past self introduce, shaking hands with Desmond''s younger counterpart, both erupting inughter.


    Phantom sighed, snapping his fingers, and our younger selves vanished before us.


    Turning to him with questioning looks, he nonchntly shrugged before resuming his rowing.


    "Why did you prevent us from witnessing what was about to unfold? We could have gleaned something useful," I protested.


    "I''ll tell you the truth. I should take you out of here now, you''ve spent too long in the dark hole, and you need to leave before it''s toote!" Phantom urged. Desmond and I exchanged nces, silent but troubled.


    The weight of my mother''s responsibility for the curse on him lingered in my mind, propelling me to find a way to save him, even if it meant defying thews of bnce. "Why did you show us our younger selves when we couldn''t see everything?" I demanded.


    Phantom sighed, halting the boat momentarily.


    "Listen, Prince Randy," he said, drawing a circle with his finger before sighing again.


    "You should have died, but Desmond brought you back, disrupting the bnce of the dark hole."


    "He did?" I looked at Desmond, grateful and questioning the luck of being fated to someone so selfless.


    I wanted to show him that I cared and do something for him.


    "What do I do to save him?" I implored.


    Phantom shook his head. "You may not like what I''m about to say. Saving him goes against the bnce, and it will inevitably lead to furtherplications." "Randy," Desmond interjected, grabbing my hand and turning me to face him.


    He cradled my face in his hands and sighed. "If it''s my destiny to die, I don''t want us to risk everything and make matters worse. Please..."


    "What!" I eximed, gripping his hands on my cheeks. "Listen to me, I won''t allow you to say such things. Do you think I could be happy knowing you''d die?"


    "At least it''s better than disrupting the bnce and causing more harm. I don''t want that, please," he pleaded, caressing my cheek. "I love you so much, and if there''s no saving me, I don''t want you to risk going against the bnce. I can''t let you do anything against your will, Randy. I want..."


    "Desmond," I hushed him, cing a finger on his lips. "Listen to me." I smiled, gazing into his eyes. "I love you so much." I sighed, then ced a hand around his neck, continuing to stare at him as I twisted his neck. "I''m sorry," I apologized as he went limp in my arms, slumping against me.


    I lifted my head to see Phantom''s eyes widen at the sight. "He''s not going to die, right?" I asked him.


    He smiled sheepishly and chuckled.


    "So, you want to know how to save your boyfriend?"


    I nodded in response. "Great, be prepared to lose everything."


    "What do you mean?" I inquired.


    Phantom pointed towards Desmond. "You will lose your bond. The voice you heard in your dreams about an eye for an eye is what will happen to you and Desmond. He''ll lose all memories of you ever being boyfriends, and your suffering is that you''ll remember every bit of it until you both fall in love again, which has never happened in such a case."


    I ran my hand through my hair, exhaling a breath.


    I questioned myself about things I never thought I could do. There was no way I could watch Desmond move on while I continued to remember him.


    I believe there must be another way to solve everything. I truly hoped it wouldn''t lead to our separation. I wanted to be with him forever and not be separated from him.


    "Is there another way apart from this?" I asked.


    Phantom shook his head. "The rules of the dark hole have to do with give and take. Your mother also faced this years ago."


    "My mother?" I furrowed my brow in confusion, trying to recall the memory.


    When it finally clicked, I sighed. "Now, I know when. It was when I was four, and my mother disappeared for five years, right?"


    Phantom nodded. "Yes. She faced the same fate as you are about to now. There is no way to save your boyfriend, and the only way is to give and take. You either suffer the loss of your boyfriend or you take what I have offered you."


    "But..." I argued, sighing deeply. "I can''t do without my boyfriend. I truly love him, and I don''t think I would be happy if he didn''t remember me anymore."


    Phantom smiled at me. "You won''t be the only one who forgets him. Everyone around you will also lose memories of him except you." He continued with more unfortunate news. "The memories are a reminder that you chose to take from the dark hole. Every month, you will experience pain as the memories rush into your head. The agony will make you want to die, and you will suffer unless, by some miracle, Desmond ends up falling in love with you again."


    "But..." I looked down at Desmond, gently rubbing his hair. "I don''t think I can move on without him, and I..." Tears welled up in my eyes.


    No matter which path I chose, I was going to lose my boyfriend. The first option meant losing him forever, and the second was him being alive with no memories of me. "There is no other way out of this? I can''t..." I sighed when Phantom shook his head at me.


    "Brace yourself!" he shouted and snapped his fingers.


    Suddenly, the boat ascended. I didn''t scream this time, the bad news had already shattered my heart and removed all fears from my heart.


    When we finally arrived at the sea bank, carrying Desmond out, I asked Phantom one final question.


    "If I want to reset everything, how do I do it?"


    "Just shout it out, and everything will reset. If you can''t deal with the pain thates with it, then don''t do it, and..."


    "I will do anything to save my mate!" I dered, closing my eyes.


    A bright light suddenly enveloped me, and when I opened my eyes again, I found myself inside the forest back in the living world, with familiar faces hovering over me.


    I gasped as I rose from the ground.


    "The royal prince has opened his eyes!"


    "Randy," Noah waved his hands in front of my face. "Can you hear me? Can you hear me?"

 Chapter 54

    I frowned, pped his hand away, and looked around, searching for Desmond.


    My heart raced as various thoughts flooded my mind, fearing he might be stuck in the dark hole or that Hecate had already taken his life.


    "Desmond!" I screamed his name.


    "Where are..."


    I stopped talking as he approached, looking alright. He crouched to my level and smiled. "Are you alright, Randy?"


    Instead of replying, I pulled him into a tight embrace, momentarily forgetting we weren''t alone and revealing our deepest secrets, but I couldn''t bear the fact that he could disappear from my face any moment.


    I had forgotten that anyone was around me except for Desmond until I heard the beeping of someone''s phone, followed by others until everyone''s phones started beeping.


    What is that stupid noise?


    Is something happening?


    I didn''t know what the beeping sound was, releasing Randy, I noticed the judgmental stares around us.


    The forest filled with murmurs of the students and my voice suddenly echoed from one of the student''s phones.


    "I love you, and I am not going to let you die!" My recorded voice resounded, and I exchanged looks with Desmond as his voice also yed.


    "I love you too!" Desmond''s voice echoed.


    We both exchanged nces. It was the confession made a few nights ago when I discovered Desmond was dying.


    Someone had recorded us and then shared it with everyone, revealing our deepest secrets.


    The students began murmuring among themselves, and then someone uttered the word I never expected to hear.


    "The crown prince is gay!"


    "The crown prince is gay!"


    The words resounded in my head over and over until I felt something shaking me back to reality.


    It was Noah who was kneeling by my side.


    "Say something and stop acting like a coward!" he yelled angrily at me and then hit me in the face.


    My eyes widened, and I looked toward him. "I have already called Father, and he has already sent the royal guards here."


    I blinked but didn''t say anything. I looked around until my eyesnded on Desmond, who was standing, covering his face with his hands. Our eyes met, and he smiled at me.


    Why the hell was he smiling?


    Our secrets were revealed, and he was smiling, acting like everything was perfect when we both knew that it wasn''t.


    "So the crown prince is gay! I can''t believe that," one of the studentsmented, whispering, but I could still hear her.


    "No wonder he never had a girlfriend. This is his real identity," another onemented.


    "Who would have thought that the two best friends were gays?" Another studentmented and then tutted. "Ridiculous," he added.


    "Enough!" Mr. Lumin shouted at them. "Everyone return to your tents and give the crown prince space," he instructed, but instead of following his orders, they all started murmuring among themselves while pointing judging fingers at me and Desmond.


    I clenched my fists as I lowered my head, thinking about who could have gone to such lengths to expose Desmond and me.


    There were only four of us present at the library that night, which means that either John or Ana had recorded us and then started spreading the news.


    They had waited perfectly for this moment to reveal our deepest secrets because everyone was present, and we would be humiliated.


    I looked up to see that Ana and John were talking while staring at their phones. I growled silently as I stood up from the ground heading towards them. How dare they?


    I clenched my fists tightly.


    Ana had always looked for a reason to separate Desmond and me, and I wouldn''t be surprised if she was the one behind the whole thing.


    At the same time, John might harbor some hatred for me because it was when he arrived that bad things started happening. Nobody else was around the library around the time that Desmond and I were speaking. They were the perfect suspects, and no one needed to tell me that they were not the ones who had released the audio.


    I grinned wickedly as I reached their front, and they raised their heads to face me.


    "Prince Randy...."


    "Why are you standing in front of us?" John asked.


    "Pathetic boy!" I grabbed him by the cor of his shirt and pushed him backward.


    I raised my hand and punched him in the face. "How dare you go around spreading audio about us! You dare to record us!" I pushed him to the ground.


    I got on top of him and continuously punched him in the face.


    "Randy!" Desmond shouted as he rushed to my side and tried to grab my hand. "Please stop this!" he pleaded, but they fell on deaf ears.


    I was no longer in control. I was mad.


    "Randy!" he yelled my name again.


    I turned to face him, and with a push of my hand, Desmond was sent flying towards Sonnia''s feet.


    "What the hell are you doing, Randy?" Sonnia yelled as she helped Desmond from the ground.


    "I am going to kill him!" My voice grew louder, and more dangerous, to the point that even I was afraid of what I could do to John.


    I immediately let go of John, who jumped to his feet and rushed away.


    The royal bodyguards rushed to my side and grabbed my hand, pinning it behind me.


    I sucked in my breath and then let it out. I fluttered my eyes open and noticed the eyes were on me again, and it was not only the eyes, their phones were also out, capturing every moment. "Fuck you all!" I shouted at them.


    "That is enough, Randy. Don''t create more scenes than you already have! Take him to the car," he ordered the guards.


    "Yes, Your Highness," they replied and pulled me up from the ground, pushing me out of the forest.


    I walked past Desmond, who was rubbing his hands from the pain of hitting the ground. Our eyes met for a brief moment, and I could see that he also had a judging look on his face. Was he judging me? I pondered.


    "Desmond..." I tried to say something, but instead, he walked past me. Then I turned to see where he was heading and saw that it was in front of Ana.


    "I know that this must have been you!" Desmond used her.

 Chapter 55

    The guards tried to push me forward, but I struggled with them.


    They stopped and let me watch them, but they didn''t let go of my hand. "What... what... are..." Ana stuttered.


    "Stop pretending!" Desmond shouted at her. "I know that you are the cause of everything that has happened, so stop acting like you don''t know about it!"


    Ana cleared her throat and looked around, searching the eyes of the students present and looking for who would back her up, but nobody said anything. "You all truly believed that I sent out the audio?" she asked, and when nobody answered, she burst intoughter. "You all must be stupid to think that I would do something like that. It was not me!" she yelled at Desmond.


    "I have known about you two for a long time now, and I didn''t say a word. What would I gain if I sent the audio?"


    "Maybe you expected that I would return to you!" Desmond replied. "You can deny it, Ana. This was all you, and I have to admit that I am disappointed in your pettiness. I never expected that you would go to such extremes just to be with me!" "Desmond, it is..."


    Noah cut her off before she could finish.


    "Save it. Follow me, Desmond. The King is expecting us!" He announced and grabbed his hand, pulling him towards me.


    "We will take you out of the forest ground now, Your Highness," the guards announced and pushed me out of the forest.


    I didn''t say a word until we reached the car, and I was seated.


    Even when Desmond sat down beside me in the back seat, I didn''t say anything. We just stared at each other briefly, and he looked away. Then I saw therge gash on his elbow and the blood trailing down his hand.


    I had done that because I was angry. I had hurt my partner without realizing it. "Desmond..." I tried to touch him, but he shifted away, avoiding me like a gue. "Are you going to avoid me too?" I asked him, my voice shaking with desperation.


    "Please don''t shun me out. I am sorry for hurting you, Desmond."


    He turned to face me, but he didn''t say anything, and then Sonnia, who had joined us in the car, broke the connection between Desmond and me by announcing another bad news.


    "We have a bigger problem!"


    ~Desmond~


    "The council of elders is already aware of the situation, and they''ve started asking questions," Sonnia paused, lifting her gaze from her phone. "That''s not all. Numerous unfavorablements are circting about both of you." she paused and then continued. "I will..."


    "Now is not the time to announce thements. We already know they won''t be positive, so there''s no reason for you to say anything," I interjected.


    I rubbed my hands together anxiously, lowering my head, wondering how we had been discovered despite being extra careful.


    My parents would undoubtedly be disappointed, and theking would be furious that I had betrayed his trust and failed to protect the prince, as he had ordered.


    Why couldn''t we just be open about who we were and show that we, too, were individuals with feelings?


    It was infuriating to know that the world wouldn''t ept us.


    With everything exposed, there was a high chance the king would order Randy and me to be separated.


    The thought of never being with my him again, coupled with the knowledge of my impending demise in two months, weighed heavily on my heart.


    "This is all your fault!" Noah used, pointing his finger at me.


    "Stop saying things that aren''t true!" Sonnia yelled, cutting him off. "None of this is their fault. They were unknowingly recorded. The least we can do is support them and hope that our parents find a way out of this mess!"


    Noahughed, folding his arms. "I bet Dad will order them to separate because it''s the only option. They can''t be together anymore with the way things look."


    I rubbed my hands together, knowing it would likelye to that.


    The king had warned me not to reveal our secrets, and now that it had happened, he had the opportunity to separate us without hesitation.


    "Don''t you dare say things like that," Randy barked at Noah. "You can drop the act now because you always pretend to care about me when you truly don''t give a damn about what I do!"


    "Randy!" Noah yelled back, pointing a finger at him. "No one is hating you. With the way things are, you''re the one who can''t see that the world will never ept you both. I know you might hate me for saying this, but it''s the truth, and..." Randy suddenly stood up, trying so hard to hold himself back as though he was ready to hit Noah at any moment.


    "Randy," I muttered his name, grabbing his hand and pulling him down.


    I rubbed his hand gently and smiled at him as our eyes met.


    "Everything will be fine," I reassured him.


    He stared at me, sitting down beside me, not letting go of my hand.


    He shifted closer and rested his head on my shoulder.


    "I don''t know what I would do without you, Desmond. I can''t let Father say things against us. I can''t bear the thought of being separated from you, and I..." "Shush," I ced a finger on his lips.


    "That''s okay, Randy. You don''t have to say anything else. I can tell you that everything is going to be fine, and we will be epted."


    That was a lie.


    I was getting my hopes up even though I knew it was unlikely. "I will do everything to avoid being separated from you," I assured him.


    "I would do the same, Desmond," Randy muttered.


    Noah and Sonnia sighed, but neither of them said anything.


    Throughout the rest of the ride, none of us spoke until we reached the royal home.


    When we arrived, we were bombarded by reporters rushing towards the car, eager to ask questions.


    Thanks to the royal guards, we managed to get inside after wasting precious minutes trying to shake off the reporters.

 Chapter 56

    As the car came to a stop, I clenched my fists, looking out of the window to see the king and the Queen standing beside my parents.


    My mother''s red, tear filled eyes revealed her distress, while my father wore a stoic expression.


    I shifted my gaze to the king, whose face held a menacing look that made my heart race in fear.


    I gasped, and Randy quickly raised his head from my shoulder, looking at me with concern.


    "Is everything alright?" he asked, but I shook my head. "Don''t worry," he kissed my hand. "No matter what happens, I will ensure that we are epted. I would do anything for you, Desmond, and I will..."


    The door swung open before he could finish his confessions. "I believe it''s time to get out of the car!" Noah announced as he stepped out.


    "I guess it''s time," Randy said, turning to leave the car, but I grabbed his hand and pulled him into my arms.


    "I can''t... I can''t do this," I burst into tears, unable to contain the emotions welling up inside me. "I don''t know what I would do if they tried to..."


    Randy sniffled and rubbed my back. "Don''t worry, my love. I am going to make sure that everything is resolved. I am your Pumpkin, remember?" He pulled away from the hug, cupped my face, and leaned in to kiss me on the lips. "I love you so much more than life itself, and I will make sure to reset everything."


    I sniffled and hugged him again. "I love you too, my Pumpkin."


    We remained like that for a moment until Sonnia knocked on the car door. "Let''s go,"


    Randy grabbed my hand, and we both headed out of the car together. "Just stay by my side and let me deal with this."


    I shook my head at him. "I am in this together with you, Randy," I told him.


    He smiled at me, and then we both headed towards our parents, hand in hand.


    "What are you both going to do about what is happening right now?" The king''s voice boomed as we reached him.


    I fell to my knees with my head lowered to the ground. "Your Highness, this is my fault. I should have made sure that I didn''t let anyone find out about us, and I am sorry that they did, but the truth is..."


    I began to stutter as I felt the king''s presence near me.


    He radiated with so much power that I wished the ground would open up and swallow me alongside Randy.


    "Father," Randy knelt in front of me. "Please, whatever you heard was done by someone. We were being careful about our rtionship, and there was no way we would have let anyone find out about us. I am sorry that..." "Shut up!" The king shouted at him.


    "I warned you two about this, and you gave me your word only for this to happen. I already told you that even if we ept you, the world will never see you like that! I have got a lot of messages from the council of elders who are waiting to dethrone you as the crown prince if the allegations are true, and you know what that means, son. It means disgrace and shame!"


    "Father," Randy shouted. "I don''t care about any of that anymore, because I love Desmond, and I am not the only son that you have. Noah can be the king if the world doesn''t ept us, and then he can..."


    "Shut up!" The king growled at him, using hismanding tone. "I will not condone you talking back to me. I have already said that once the secret is out, you will get separated."


    "You can''t do this, Father!" Randy jumped to his feet and rushed toward his mother.


    He fell to his knees and grabbed her leg.


    "Please, Mother. Do something about this. I can''t bear to be separated from Desmond. I love him, and he is..."


    He cried, and the Queen shook her head, crouching to his level and hugging him. "I am sorry, son. We are just trying to protect you and Desmond."


    He suddenly pushed his mother away and stood up. "Are you that ashamed of me?" he asked. "You''re not happy that I am homosexual?" He yelled at her. "I can''t define the way that I am, and no matter what you say, I don''t care because I love Desmond, and I don''t care if they dethrone me from the position of the crown prince or talk about us for the rest of life, but I can''t part ways with him because he is the love of my life, and..."


    A pnded on his face from his mother.


    Randy gasped as his face turned to the other side.


    I tried to get up and rushed to his side, but my mother grabbed my hand and pulled me backward.


    "This is a royal family issue now. It is none of your business!" she warned in a stern tone.


    "But..." I tried to argue.


    "You have disgraced this family enough. Back off now!" she muttered with gritted teeth. "You and Randy are never meant to be together."


    I burst into tears and yanked my hand free from hers. "I love him, and you know how I can''t do without him. I..."


    I closed my eyes as the tears streamed down my face without stopping.


    Was this the end?


    The end of our beautiful rtionship?


    How could something so beautiful end so quickly?


    I thought as I looked at Randy, standing at the same spot, unable to move.


    "Listen up, you two!" The king shouted. "I told you already to keep your rtionship hidden, but since it hase to this, it is the end of your rtionship. You both are going to be separated, and that is final!"


    I lowered my head and scratched my inner palm until I felt the warmth of my blood on my fingers.


    "I am not going to ept this!" Randy shouted. "I will fight for Desmond until the end, and I will..."


    "Continue to tarnish the royal family? This is not about you alone, Randy, but the reputation of the royal family is at stake!"


    "Do you care about your reputation more than the love life of your son?"


    The king nodded in response. "Yes, I do."

 Chapter 57

    Randy gasped, falling to the ground, and then he let out a loud cry, hitting the ground repeatedly.


    I wanted to go to him, but this time, it was my father who stopped me from moving closer to him.


    "Come with me. The king has already found a solution to it, and we have to let them do their thing," My father said, grabbing my hand.


    "Where are you taking me?" I asked as he continued to drag me away, even when I struggled to break free from his tight grip on my wrist. "Father!" I shouted.


    He stopped walking and turned to face me, then he flipped me over his shoulders and pinned my hands behind my back. "Stop fighting this, son. This decision is already made, and the crown prince will do it to protect you both." "What is that?"


    "Announcing that you both were never a couple."


    "No!" I shouted, grunting as I struggled against my father''s grip on me, but it was futile.


    He was much stronger than I was, and no matter how I struggled, I was never going to be freed from his hold on me. "Randy would never do that to me. He loves me, and he will do everything to protect our rtionship, and he will..."


    "You will see whether the crown prince will choose you or his kingdom."


    I sighed and wondered what his decision would be, me or his position.


    Randy


    "I won''t read this!" I eximed angrily at the piece of paper my father handed me for the press conference he had arranged.


    I couldn''t bring myself to say the words written on it. It was just too much.


    "You will do it!" my father insisted, thrusting the paper into my hand. "This is your duty as the crown prince of Bourne, and you will do exactly as I''ve told you."


    I shook my head firmly. "I can''t deny that I wasn''t the one in the audio, letting Desmond take the fall for it. I can''t do it," I refused, tossing the paper to the ground. "I''m going toe clean to everyone and, if possible, leave the realm. I could go to Uncle Marcus and live there."


    My father scoffed and angrily grabbed my shoulder. "Are you even listening to yourself?" he yelled. "Do you know what the world would write about you? Have you checked the news to see what everyone is saying about you and Desmond? I''m trying everything to ensure that both of you won''t have to suffer from the aftermath of all that is happening! I''m trying to protect you!"


    I pped his hands away. "Or are you trying to protect yourself and the reputation of the royal family?"


    "Yes, I''m trying to protect the family too, but you are the first, and I''m doing all I can to make sure you don''t regret any of this!"


    "The only thing I''ll regret is going out there and saying the rubbish you''ve written in this paper."


    "Why the hell do you care about a boy who''s going to die in two months?" My father blurted out, and I fell onto my knees, realizing that he was right. "I didn''t mean it that way, Randy. I just want you to be..." "No!" I screamed, hitting the ground in anger until my hand started bleeding.


    My mother rushed to my side, grabbing my hand and pulling me into her arms. "Mum, I don''t want to do this. I love Desmond, and I can''t do without him. How can I lie in front of all those people and..." I groaned in pain as another round of tears burst forth.


    I couldn''t go through with it, no matter how I thought about it.


    We had made promises to be each other''s sun and moon, and now I was about to choose my duty over him.


    "Newman, we didn''t agree to make our son remember that his boyfriend was going to die," my mother said to my father as she rubbed my hair.


    "I know. I am deeply sorry about that, Randy," my father said, kneeling beside me.


    "Son, you know that I really love you, and as much as you want to be with Desmond, we have to do this. I have already informed Desmond''s parents about what to say, and they have agreed to inform him. It is just a way to protect both of you."


    "Don''t say that," I argued and sniffled. "You never wanted us to be together and were looking for a way to separate us. That''s what you wish for!"


    My father groaned and rubbed his forehead. "Randy, please, don''t make this harder than we had nned. Just take this out to the press and tell them what is written on that paper."


    I chuckled, wiped the tears off my face, and pulled away from my mother''s embrace. "If you were in my shoes, would you do something like this? Would you forget ever loving Mother just to protect yourself?"


    My father paused, exchanged looks with my mother, and finally nodded. "If it means that your mother is going to be protected, then I am ready to do everything to ensure that we both don''t suffer from the aftermath of our mistakes." "Desmond and I are not a mistake. The Universe nned all of this, and even if I agree to do this, I am still going to be with Desmond, no matter what you say," I told them, standing up from the ground.


    I walked to where I had ced the paper and picked it up. "I want to be alone as I memorize this. Please leave, Mum, Dad."


    "Don''t tell me you are nning on locking yourself in this room, Randy. Like I said, we are just trying to..."


    "Protect me?" I finished his words with a question. "I know, Father," I faced him with a forceful smile on my face. "You have said that countless times, and I am tired of hearing it over and over again. Can I call Desmond onest time?" I requested.


    "You..." my father tried to say something but was cut off by my mother, who walked to the desk in my father''s study and picked up the phone.


    "This will be thest time you two will ever have a conversation like this, so make it worth it," my mother told me and dialed a number on her phone.


    "Yes, Gerald, this is the Queen. My son wants to speak with Desmond onest time," she said to Desmond''s father and then nodded as she handed over the phone to me. "You have ten minutes to decide your destiny. Just know that we don''t hate you, son. We just want you to be happy and not face criticism from the realm."


    I took the phone from her hand.

 Chapter 58

    "The only person who can make me happy is Desmond," I muttered as I ced the phone to my ear. Once my parents left the room, and I was alone, I started pacing around with the phone to my ear. "Desmond," I called out over the phone, but received no response.


    "Desmond," I called out again, and yet, I was ignored.


    I bit my lower lip to suppress the tears that threatened to fall. "Please just say something to me. Anything, Desmond. Please," I begged, and yet again, he didn''t say anything.


    "I know you would hate me for what I am about to do now, but let me tell you this onest time, Desmond, because it might be thest time we will ever say anything to one another again."


    I told him, and cleared my throat. "I am going to reset everything, and even if you have no idea what I am saying, Desmond, I want you to know that it is for the best, and I hope that you continue loving me just as much as I love you. The world might be against us now, but it doesn''t define us. If we are truly destined to be together again, I will always wait for you, and I hope you don''t forget me and also do the same."


    I paused as tears rolled down heavily.


    My vision became blurred due to the tears, and my head pounded like it was being hit by something as hard as a hammer.


    I was left alone to fight this battle.


    Desmond was not saying anything to me. He pretended as if he didn''t hear me, and it hurt.


    It hurt badly, but what could I do?


    They said it was to protect us, but I knew it was more than that.


    It was to protect the reputation of the family.


    That was what it was all about.


    "Desmond," I called out his name again. "If you could just say something to me. I am dying here, please..." I begged, my voice shaking with every breath. "Don''t shut me out."


    "Are you going to do it?" he finally spoke up. Just like me, his voice was shaking, as if he had been crying over and over again.


    It broke my heart to hear him sound like that.


    "Are you going to deny the rumors?"


    "Yes," I replied.


    "Randy," he called out my name, then burst intoughter. "Do you know what this means? You and I are not going to be together anymore. We won''t sleep by each other''s side, and neither are we going to wake up seeing each other''s faces again!" he yelled. "I really..." his voice broke as he sobbed. "I just wished that we could spend myst days as a living being together, but..."


    "I am sorry, Desmond, but this is it. We have to stay apart to protect ourselves."


    "Aren''t you going to fight for us at all?" he yelled, and I heard his father''s voice in the background telling him to stop. "Leave me alone, father," I heard him yell at his father.


    "At least when I am dead, you will all be happy. You can''t even let me have happiness for the few months that I would be alive!"


    "Desmond, please," I begged him. "This is..."


    "Shut up!" he screamed.


    "Don''t be angry with me. I love you, and I..."


    "I am not angry with you," he replied calmly and then chuckled. "I am in pain. The person who''s supposed to love me is giving up on what we have. You put me in this position, Randy. I guess this is goodbye now, and I wish..." "Wait, Desmond. I."


    The call went off before I could finish. I slid to the ground and let out a deafening cry.


    The door leading to my father''s study burst open as he and my mother rushed into the room.


    "Randy baby!" my mother cried as she rushed to my side and hugged me. "I am sorry, my baby, that you have to go through this."


    "It hurts pretty bad, Mum," I sobbed in her arms. "I... I love you so much, and this is hurting pretty badly. I can''t deal with it, but I have to do this because he is my boyfriend."


    My mother pulled away from the hug and stared at me, wondering what I was on about. "Is there something that you are keeping away from me, Randy? Are you trying to do something to yourself?" she asked, checking around me, looking as if I was holding something dangerous to hurt myself, but that was not my n. "Randy, what the hell are you trying to say!"


    I chuckled as I looked at my father. "I found a way to save Desmond, and that is what I am going to do right now. I will make sure that I save him," I muttered and closed my eyes as I inhaled deeply.


    This was the only way to erase everything, to ensure that Desmond wouldn''t have to die, and everyone would forget about it.


    I couldn''t bring myself to tell lies in front of the press.


    This was the only way that I could think of, and even though it would bring pain to me, I was ready to stop everything.


    "Randy, what are you trying to do?" my mother asked me again and turned to my father for help. "Newman. What is happening to our son? Please, say something about this." "Randy," my father called. "What are you trying to do?" He knelt by my side and grabbed my hand. "Did anything happen to you when we left you in this room?" I nodded.


    My father''s eyes widened as he stared at me with a look of shock. "What are you trying to..."


    I smiled at him. "I am d that I was able to speak to him onest time, and I don''t regret it," I said and then heaved a deep sigh. "Speaking to him onest time makes me understand that I truly care about him, and the only way to do this is through this," I said and closed my eyes, blocking my parents'' shouts from my ears.


    I ced my hand around the ne on my neck. "I want Desmond to be saved!" I screamed out as I made a deal with nature, affecting the bnce of the dark hole and the real world. "I want to save Desmond!" I continuously shouted until I felt a sharp pain in my stomach.


    It made me cough up blood, and in the instance, the door burst open as someone walked in.


    "Make him stop!" Aunt Helen shouted, realizing what I was doing, but it was toote.


    It was all over now.


    I fluttered my eyes open and looked towards her with a smile on my face.


    "It will be fine now," I muttered, and then everything went dark.

 Chapter 59

    ~Randy~


    The insistent pounding in my head jolted me awake from a restless slumber.


    Each throb felt like a solo drum performance, echoing through my skull.


    As I tried to make sense of it, the curtain opened, weing the morning light into my room.


    I groaned, rubbing my eyes, and as they fluttered open, the realization hit me, I was back in my room at the royal home.


    Then, as if my head wasn''t already protesting enough, Noah''s voice cut through the haze. "Randy! Time to rise and shine! College is calling, and we can''t miss the start of this semester."


    At the mention of college, I bolted upright, memories flooding back, the revtion about Desmond, the decisions made, and then the ckout. Gasping, I rose from the bed.


    "Desmond," I murmured, hoping my reset had worked.


    Rushing to my desk, I rifled through photos, my heart racing.


    Closing my eyes, I wished fervently for everything to have changed when I opened them.


    Among the frozen snapshots of birthdays and family gatherings, there was no trace of Desmond. Just Noah, Sonnia, our parents, and me.


    "He''s not here," I muttered, still unsure if the reset had worked.


    I turned to Noah, seeking confirmation.


    "Noah," I blurted, his confusion evident.


    "Do you remember Desmond?"


    Frowning, he shook his head. "Who are you talking about?"


    "Him!" I eximed, describing Desmond as vividly as I could. "Remember now?"


    Again, a shake of his head. "I don''t remember anyone named Desmond, but the only Desmond I know is your sworn enemy. Get dressed, everyone''s waiting. Even your girlfriend." "Girlfriend?" I echoed, stunned.


    "You''re forgetting you have a girlfriend?"


    Noah''s concern grew.


    "Who is she?" I asked, bewildered.


    "If you''re messing around, stop it!" Noah''s frustration red.


    My phone rang, interrupting us.


    I grabbed it, seeing a picture of me kissing Ana as the wallpaper.


    The phone slipped from my hand.


    Gasping, I fled the room, Noah''s voice trailing behind me.


    I raced to the living room where, as Noah had said, Sonnia, Ana, and my mother awaited.


    Ana stood and hugged me.


    "Randy!" Her voice rang out. "You''ve been asleep for so long. We have to get back to school today."


    I stared at her, hoping desperately it was all a dream.


    Standing before me was Ana, someone who had always favored Desmond, now close and hugging me.


    Her smile didn''t make sense.


    What''s going on?


    "Randy!" My mother''s voice snapped me back. "Time." She gestured to the wall clock, drawing my attention. It was past eight in the morning.


    "What month is it?" I inquired.


    They exchanged nces, their silence unsettling.


    Ana tried to be affectionate, attempting to link her arms around me, but I recoiled. "Randy," she murmured.


    Confusion clouded me. I should have been repulsed by her touch, but strangely, I didn''t mind it.


    She wasn''t my girlfriend before, yet ording to Noah and her behavior, we were close. "Please, I..." I faltered, unable to find the right words, realizing they had all forgotten about Desmond and me.


    Just a day ago, Desmond and I had discovered shocking news about our exposed secrets.


    I had attempted to reset everything, but it seemed to have made things worse. "What month is it?" I pressed, scratching my head.


    "It''s February, you silly boy," Sonnia scoffed.


    "Did you hit your head or something to forget the month?"


    "February," I muttered, walking away while mentally calcting.


    "Where are you going?" Ana shouted after me. "If you''re headed to the bathroom, hurry up before we''rete for ss!"


    I disregarded her, my mind was consumed with thoughts. It was already February, meaning Desmond had turned twenty, two months back.


    "Where could he be?" I muttered to myself.


    "Is he okay?" I rushed to my room, picked up my cracked phone from the ground, and fortunately, the screen was intact.


    I searched for Desmond online but found nothing. After a few futile attempts, I hurried into the bathroom.


    As I faced the faucet, staring at myself in the mirror, I appeared unchanged from hours ago, while everyone else seemed drastically different, as if life had rewritten itself.


    I sshed water on my face, pondering the decisions I may or may not have made.


    Realizing my siblings and Ana awaited me, and with the possibility of Desmond being at the royal academy, I hurried to take my bath, dressed in a white shirt and blue jeans, the first attire Iid my hands on. Exiting, we bid our parents goodbye and entered the ck van with my siblings and Ana.

 Chapter 60

    During the car ride to the academy, silence hung heavy.


    Even as Ana attempted conversation, I ignored her.


    Upon arrival, as we stepped out of the van with our luggage, Ana rushed to me and intertwined her hand with mine. "We both made it to the red dormitory this semester!" she squealed.


    The fiery red dormitory, its sight made me realize I wasn''t in the blue dorm anymore.


    While surveying the surroundings, a blue Ferrari suddenly appeared out of nowhere and sped towards me.


    Noah and Sonnia screamed for me to move, but I stood frozen, my gaze fixed on the driver, Desmond.


    "Randy!" Ana''s voice echoed as she vanished from my sight.


    Everyone called my name, urging me to move, yet I remained rooted until the car screeched to a halt just an inch away from hitting me. Desmond stepped out of the car, walking toward its front.


    I smiled at him, struck by how much he had changed.


    His eyes were no longer different colors, and his hair was dyed a dark green.


    "Oh, my baby," Desmond kissed the car, even going as far as hugging it. "You''re fine."


    I chuckled, finding his actions amusing.


    Upon hearing myugh, he turned to re at me. "What are youughing at, douchebag prince?"


    "Douchebag prince?" I frowned, searching around to see if he addressed someone else, but he pointed directly at me.


    "Yes, you, prince," he sneered. "I truly wished the car would hit your leg so you couldn''t walk forever!"


    Ana shouted at him, stepping forward.


    "Mind what you say, Desmond!"


    "Okay, miss," he scoffed, edging closer to me, and whispering in my ear. "Have fun with her while itsts." He walked away, purposefully jabbing me in the shoulder. I watched him leave, sensing a different aura, one filled with anger, unlike his once pure essence.


    "Desmond..." I murmured, hoping he''d return, but he didn''t.


    It dawned on me that Desmond had be apletely different person. I had sessfully reset his destiny, but what had it cost?


    "Desmond and you have been sworn enemies since high school," Noah exined.


    "Enemies?" I couldn''t believe it. "How are we enemies? I thought we were friends."


    Noah chuckled as we entered the red dormitory. I scanned the lobby for Hilda, but another man greeted me. "Wee, Your Highness," he bowed. "Thank you, Michael," I replied, ncing at his name tag. Inside the elevator with Noah, Sonnia, and Ana, I continued, "So, Desmond and I are enemies?" "What''s your obsession with Desmond?" Noah''s arms folded as he questioned me.


    "You warned us never to talk about him, and now you''re bringing him up. What''s going on, dear brother? Have you hit your head or something? This isn''t like you."


    I furrowed my brow and scratched the back of my head, attempting to conjure up a usible exnation. "I... I just want to understand why I had so much animosity towards him."


    As the elevator doors opened, Sonnia cleared her throat, stepping out with us. "It''s because of Ana. You two were at odds because of her. Both of you liked her, and that''s what drove a wedge between you." I nced at Ana, feeling a deep sigh escape me. Once again, everything seemed to revolve around her.


    Her involvement had initially caused the problem between Desmond and me, and now, it seemed history was repeating itself.


    "I..." Rubbing my hands together, I paused as we stopped in front of a room marked five, mirroring theyout of the previous room in the blue dormitory. "This is my..."


    Noah sighed, running a hand over his forehead before nodding. "Of course. This is your room." He ced the keycard on the handle, unlocking the door. "Wee to your room," he announced as we entered.


    I breathed out a sigh, scanning the room with a smile as memories of time spent with Desmond flooded back. The room seemed unchanged, except for the solitary bed, a space seemingly tailored just for me.


    "Your room is so spacious," Sonnia remarked. "Being the Crown princees with perks," she chuckled, gesturing at the difference in amodations. "You get your room while we have to share," she nodded towards Ana. "We should go set up our room."


    "But I want to stay with Randy," Ana whined.


    I nced at her, recalling her past actions that had driven a wedge between Desmond and me. Witnessing her disy of a needy side was unexpected, she''d always presented herself as wless, and now she was deliberately pushing my buttons.


    "I don''t want you here," I stated firmly, heading towards the bed and flopping down. "I want to be alone in this room without any disturbances."


    Ana sighed and stamped her foot like a frustrated child. "We have to go," Sonnia said to her, taking her hand and ushering her out.


    Once they left, Noah approached andy down on the bed.


    "You''ve never treated Ana like that. Is everything okay between you two?" He inquired. "I mean you two are usually inseparable, but you are acting somehow towards her."


    I nced at him, recalling how he''d reacted upon discovering the audio of Desmond and me confessing our love. Hisck of support then bothered me.


    "Why are you looking at me like that?"


    Noah frowned. "You''ve been acting odd since you woke up. You barely talk to Ana, and now you''re asking about Desmond, whom you used to despise. It''s like something awakened in you."


    I scratched my head, realizing that exining the truth to him wouldn''t help. ording to Phantom, only I would remember Desmond. Telling them about him was a waste of time. They were never going to remember him. "I''vee to realize that fighting with Desmond isn''t fitting for a crown prince," I attempted to exin.

 Chapter 61

    Noah burst intoughter, jumping to his feet. "What did you just say?" he eximed amid his amusement. "Randy, you publicly humiliated Desmond by calling him names, hoping to gain Ana''s favor. You can''t simply fix all that, considering all the harm you''ve caused him. You two are sworn enemies, as I''ve told you. There is no way you would just wake up one day and then suddenly try to be different to the extent of talking to Desmond again." "Really?" I rose from the bed, feeling the weight of fate''s peculiar twist.


    How was I supposed to fall for someone who despised me so intensely?


    As Noah exined, I''d made Desmond''s life unbearable, fueling his hatred towards me.


    "Just watch out for him because he''s sworn to make this semester hell for you," Noah muttered before heading toward the door. "I''ll see youter tonight at the party for the semester opening. You''re invited." "A party?" I asked, surprised.


    He nodded.


    I smiled, relieved that at least some things hadn''t changed about Noah, he remained the party goer and yboy.


    "I don''t think I''ll be up for a party," I replied.


    Noah frowned, shaking his head. "Don''t talk like that. You''re always the life of the party. I''ll make sure you attend."


    I rolled my eyes and flopped back onto the bed. "See youter tonight, dear brother," he said, winking before leaving the room.


    Alone, I gazed at the diamond chandelier in the room''s center, then ced my hand over my chest, where the moon ne used to rest.


    It had vanished when I reset Desmond''s destiny.


    "Desmond," I murmured, a lone tear escaping. "I wonder how you''re doing. I miss you."


    Thoughts whirled in my mind, pondering if there was any chance for us now that we were enemies.


    As I dwelled on these thoughts, the door suddenly burst open, and assuming it was Noah, I mockingly quipped, "Back to talk about Desmond again?" A thud interrupted me. "So now you are talking about me with others?"


    My eyes widened.


    It wasn''t Noah but Desmond standing at the room''s entrance.


    I sat up, meeting his intense gaze. "D... Desmond."


    "You''ve got to be kidding me," he muttered.


    **\-Desmond-**


    I scowled as I locked eyes with him, a mischievous grin creeping onto my face, fully aware that he''d stumbled into my trap unknowingly.


    "Well, well, what a delightful surprise to find myself in your room," I muttered, a hint of sarcasmcing my words.


    Dragging my luggage inside, I scanned the room.


    Just as I''d hoped, there was only one bed, a perfect element for my vengeance.


    Randy stuttered, his gaze fixed on me with an unfamiliar mix of emotions.


    Was it regret? For everything he''d put me through?


    I couldn''t quite decipher it.


    "I''m rather surprised to find myself here. It''s not where I should be," I remarked, strolling into the bathroom and turning on the shower.


    The gushing water brought a satisfying smile to my lips, unlike the shared arrangements back in the blue dormitory.


    "Why are you here?" he blurted out as I returned to the room. "You shouldn''t be here. I need to know why you''ve suddenly shown up."


    I shrugged, heading back to my luggage near the entrance, and began unpacking.


    "Desmond, I''m asking you something!" he bellowed.


    Turning to him, I chuckled. "You called my name?"


    He furrowed his brow, feigning ignorance despite his countless derogatory remarks towards me. "Aren''t you Desmond?"


    Amused, I tutted. "Did you knock your head and forget your usualments about me, or have you conveniently misced crucial details?" "Desmond, I just asked why you''re in my room?" he asked.


    "Well, I''ll answer you because I''m not up for an argument. There''s a shortage of rooms in the blue dorm, and I was ced in your room. Frankly, I had no idea it was yours." However, I knew. I intentionally chose this room to ensure Randy faced the consequences of mistreating me for years.


    Being his roommate was my means of getting back at him.


    "You''re my roommate?"


    "I don''t repeat myself, and you know it. I''m here because I have no choice. Did you truly believe I came here willingly? That I wanted to share a room with you?" I snapped. Randy cleared his throat, rising from the bed. "I''m just surprised to see you here. I never expected...


    His unexpected calmness puzzled me. I anticipated anger and luggage being thrown, but he smiled instead. "I''d love to share a room with you. I don''t mind if we have to..." Raising an eyebrow, I attempted to read his intentions, but he sounded genuinely concerned.


    Why the sudden change?


    I''d noticed this behavior when I first saw him at the car garage, calling my name and acting friendly out of the blue.


    "Are you sure you don''t mind sharing a room with me?" I asked.


    Rushing to his bed, I pushed him away and sprawled across it. "You won''t mind me taking your bed and you sleeping on the floor, right?"


    "..." Confusion clouded his eyes.


    He hesitated, and I grinned wickedly, ensuring he''d stick to that decision. It was the beginning, I was ready to make his life a living hell. "You im you don''t mind me being here, so why act so indifferent?"


    "Desmond... I am..."


    I chuckled. "If you don''t want me on your bed, we could just sleep on it together. That way, we wouldn''t have to worry about anything." "Of course," he chuckled nervously. "I mean, I''ve said that to you before. It''s just... strange to hear you say it again." "You''ve said that to me before?" I eyed him suspiciously. "We''ve never had such conversations. When did we talk about this?" Randy headed to the bathroom. "Don''t worry, you won''t remember, but I do. I hope someday you''ll see I''m not your enemy."


    "I don''t care," I replied bluntly. "Expect the worst from me. You and I are destined to be enemies, and now, the battle lines are drawn!"

 Chapter 62

    **\-Randy-**


    The elevator gently rotated as I guided Noah inside, tapping the button for his floor.


    He waspletely wasted, immobile.


    I hadn''t wanted to join him at the pointless party, but I was left with no choice when he insisted.


    With a deep sigh, I nced at him, noticing the onset of his snores.


    "Noah," I called out, but was met with silence.


    "Noah!" I raised my voice again, sighing once more.


    Shaking him, I attempted to wake him, but his snoring persisted.


    I grasped his hand, guiding him out when the elevator doors opened, dragging him to his room.


    Knocking, I hoped for a response, but none came, even after several attempts. "Hey," I shouted, hoping his roommates might hear, but no luck. "Noah, what''s your code?" I yelled, shaking him, receiving only a groan in return. "Noah!" I shouted, frustration building. "Please, wake up and stop this nonsense!"


    He groaned again, and unable to bear seeing him like that, I gave him a firm p.


    He recoiled, arms flying from around my neck.


    Rubbing his eyes and belching, he focused on me. "Randy," he yawned. "Is the party over?"


    I nodded. "Open your door. You''ve wasted my time. I should be preparing for ss tomorrow." I fibbed about just preparing for ss, wanting something more, yearning to be closer to Desmond. Despite our constant shes, I missed him. Resetting everything made him my enemy. How could he ever fall for me when he seemed to despise me so deeply?


    Noah groaned, pushing me gently away from his door.


    cing his thumb on the door, he sighed. "Looks like my door''s open," he mumbled, turning the knob. "I need to sleep now," he yawned before disappearing into his room.


    Watching him enter, I ced a hand on my forehead, rubbing it gently.


    I am seeing Desmond.


    I grinned, reaching the doorway of my room.


    As I punched in the numbers and stepped inside, darkness enveloped me.


    Desmond always avoided the dark, and as I stood there, unable to utter a word, memories flooded back of our past disagreements about leaving the lights on while we slept in each other''s embrace. "Desmond," I whispered, my voice barely audible as I cautiously moved forward, relying on my hands and feet for guidance.


    "Where''s the bed?" I murmured, continuing to navigate with my hands.


    Lost in thoughts of finding Desmond in the darkness, my hand unexpectedly encountered something cold on the bed.


    Intrigued, I traced its outline, feeling the temperature drop until my fingers met with Randy''s toenails.


    My hand trailed up his body, inadvertently brushing against him in the process.


    A gasp, a sudden movement, and before I knew it, Desmond had turned me around,ying me down on the bed with him on top.


    Desmond seized both of my hands and held them firmly above me, his warm breath brushing against my ear. "Why are you behaving like you''re here to eliminate me?"


    His voice carried a sharp edge as he released my hands and pped, making the room bright at that moment.


    ring down at me, his eyes darted around before a chuckle escaped him. "How dare you suddenly appear in bed and touch me?" he demanded.


    "Desmond, I only came because I know you dislike the darkness. I wanted to help you feelfortable, so I apologize if it upset you and..."


    ''Shut up!" he yelled, his voice sharp as he leaned in closer. "What were you nning?"


    "No!" I shot back. "I''d never do anything to you. That''s not why I didn''t turn on the lights. I know you don''t like the darkness. I just..." "How did you know? Did someone tell you?"


    I sighed, closing my eyes briefly.


    When I reopened them, he was staring at me, waiting for an answer.


    Despite my insistence that I wasn''t responsible for his usations, Icked proof. So, I chose a different approach. Leaning in, I captured his lips. Desmond attempted to push me, but I held onto him.


    I longed for the sensation of kissing him and inhaling his scent. His aroma remained unchanged, reminiscent of rainfall, and his lips were as soft as ever.


    Gradually, he reciprocated the kiss, prompting me to seize the opportunity to run my hand through his hair, rubbing it gently.


    I believed he was enjoying the moment until he abruptly pushed me back and delivered a resounding p to my cheek.


    The impact resounded in the room and shattered the intense connection we had just shared.


    My eyes widened as bells seemed to ring in my ears for a moment.


    A solitary tear escaped my eyes, not because of the stinging sensation from the p, but because Desmond had disyed a look of disgust when he struck me.


    "How dare you kiss me!" he screamed, forcefully pushing me away as he descended from the bed. "You''re not just a douchebag but a pervert," he said with anger, storming towards the bathroom. The sound of running water filled the room as he entered, and I could hear the furious brushing of his teeth.


    He had changed so much, changed in a way that I found unbearable.

 Chapter 63

    Randy


    When he returned to bed, I shifted to the other side without bothering to face him.


    There was no apology from him, instead, he began ring music and singing along.


    The noise became unbearable, prompting me to cover my ears with a pillow, though his voice still managed to infiltrate my thoughts, persisting despite my efforts to block it out. "What are we...?" His scream pierced the air as he pounded the bed.


    This was not the oue I had hoped for when I saved his life.


    I never anticipated that he would transform to the extent of raising a hand against me. This wasn''t the Desmond I had envisioned.


    I wished I could turn back time, spend a fleeting moment with Desmond, and release the worry that had consumed me about his fate.


    "It was toote for regret. I had already made up my mind, and now, I have to suffer for it, but the question was when it would end. While pondering that, I drifted into sleep. The next awakening greeted me with an empty, cold bed.


    I had expected him to be in my arms, telling me he missed us, but who was I kidding?


    "Desmond," I muttered, yawning, scanning the room for any sign of him, but there was none.


    The ring morning rm announced it was morning already.


    I shut it off, rose from the bed, and headed to the bathroom.


    I tried to open the door, but to my surprise, it was locked.


    "Desmond!" I shouted, hoping for a reply, but there was silence.


    It felt as if he wasn''t in the room with me.


    My assumptions proved correct when I saw a letter lying on the ground beside the door.


    Trembling, I picked it up and started reading.


    "Oops, someone woke upte, and now they won''t be able to take their bath. Have fun missing ss, Prince Douchebag," the note read.


    I clenched the paper tightly, heaved a deep sigh, and angrily threw it towards the room''s entrance. "Damn you, evil Desmond!" I yelled, rubbing my hands on my face. When I removed my hands, they were stained with ck liquid.


    "What the hell?" I rushed towards the mirror and nearly yelled when I saw my face covered with writing. ''Douchebag prince, ugly prince, ''fuck you, prince, and more insults adorned my face. Desmond had even drawn a middle finger in the center of my face.


    "Desmond!" I yelled, punching the mirror, shattering it, and causing my hand to bleed. But I didn''t stop.


    Desmond was pushing my every nerve and stoking my anger.


    I hated how he was making me feel.


    "Did I do something wrong?" I yelled to no one in particr but my reflection.


    After staring at myself for a moment, I walked to my closet and selected my outfit for the day.


    I made sure to grab a cap and a ck mask to cover my face.


    Thankfully, the room wasn''t locked, so I could leave and not miss the first ss as he had wanted.


    I barged into Noah''s room, unannounced, since I had memorized his pin.


    He was sleeping, and his roommates were absent, a stroke of luck that allowed me to have my bath and wash off Desmond''s insults from my face.


    However, the writings didn''t wash off, it seemed Desmond had used a potent ink that wouldn''t fade for days.


    This meant everyone would see my face, all because of him.


    Was this his way of drawing the line? If so, it was a foolish move.


    "Randy," Noah mumbled upon waking, noticing my state and bursting intoughter. "Who did this to you?"


    "Desmond," I answered, feeling frustrated as Noahughed again.


    I facepalmed and sighed deeply. "This is not funny," I said, donning the mask and cap, nning to confront Desmond and ask why he was in my room.


    Noah suddenly jumped from the bed, rmed, and walked towards me.


    He turned me around to face him. "What do you mean? How did Desmond enter your room? You''re the crown prince, you''re supposed to have your own space. Why is he in your room?"


    I exined to him how Desmond had entered the room but left out the part about the p.


    I didn''t want him to judge Desmond for something he wasn''t. "Hmmmmm," was all he said before yawning and falling back on the bed. "Good luck with your greatest enemy," he gave me a thumbs up. "But, I wished that we could end the rift between us and..."


    "You started the rift, Randy, and that''s why Desmond hates you,'' Noah replied, and before I could ask more questions, he started snoring. Typical Noah.


    Always running away when someone is in dire need of his help.


    "I guess that I have to do this on my own," I muttered as I headed out of the room.


    I stepped into the elevator and quickly lowered my head when I noticed many people had entered.


    Now I understand what Desmond wanted it to be.


    The writing on my face was to embarrass me about something I had done in the past, but it wasn''t even me.


    Resetting his destiny changed everything.


    When I got to the ss, Ana, who had spotted me among her friends, waved at me.


    Before I knew it, she was walking toward me, and when she reached me, she stretched out her hand toward my face.


    I quickly hid my face from her, not wanting her to see what was on it.


    "Hey Ana," I greeted her. "I''m not in the mood for all of this."


    Ana sighed. "Randy," she slowly muttered. "I would love it if you could just hug me. My friends," she turned around to face her friends who were cheering her on, "it will break me if you don''t do this for me, please. I need you..." I pulled her into my arms before she could continue.


    I couldn''t bear her loud voice, and the only way to stop her was by hugging her.


    While my arms were still around her, I noticed pairs of eyes on me and looked toward him.

 Chapter 64

    Desmond waved at me and pointed at my face, then upward.


    I looked up at the ceiling and noticed something taped directly above me in ck nylon. While staring at it, I looked back at Desmond, and heughed at me while holding a controller in his hand and then pressed it. I looked up and pushed Ana away as the content taped on the ceiling came down on me.


    It wasn''t water but a red liquid that smelled like blood.


    I inhaled the smell deeply, and the metallic stench confirmed my assumptions.


    It was truly blood from a pig.


    Everyone in the ss turned toward me, taking out their phones and taking pictures of me.


    Theyughed as they continuously took pictures.


    I noticed the cap had fallen on my head, and the writing was visible even with the blood on my face.


    I looked toward Desmond and saw him grinning wickedly.


    I clenched my fists angrily and walked toward him. When I reached him, he covered his nose.


    "How dare you!" I yelled at him and punched him in the face.


    He was caught unaware and fell to the ground.


    I got on top of him and rubbed the blood on his face while yelling at him.


    This was not the Desmond that I had saved. This was someone who hated me so much and could go to any extent to harm me.


    I continued to rub his face with the blood until I was pulled away from him by someone.


    It was the lecturer who had pushed me away from him.


    Before he dragged me out of the ss, I saw a writing on the wall of the ssroom: "You don''t mess with the dark hole."


    "He threw the first punch at me! He''s always had this hate towards me since we were kids, and I can''t even understand why." Desmond exined to the lecturer, pointing at me.


    I scoffed, wiping the blood off my face with my hand, then turned to face him.


    "You''re despicable," I spat angrily, sighing.


    "You''re the one who wrote this crap on my face, and as if that wasn''t enough, you nted a bag filled with pig''s blood that fell on me. It''s all because of you!"


    The lecturer nced at the royal guard, then back at me. "The situation''s getting crazy now, the king wants you to return to the royal realm," he announced.


    I frowned, rubbing my hair. "Why should I go home when he should be the one punished, not me!" I screamed, pointing at Desmond.


    He wasn''t my Desmond, because the Desmond I know would never do something as cruel as what he did to me.


    If this is what regret feels like, then I truly regret ever saving his life.


    Suddenly, Desmondughed, and I faced him, wondering why.


    "And why are youughing?" I asked.


    He turned to me, pointing his finger.


    "Because you''re a special crown prince, which means you won''t be punished. But that''s not the case for Desmond, as he''s not the king''s son!" he yelled angrily. "When will this stop?" Another frustrated yell escaped him. "No one''s ying favorites, right?" Let''s find a way to deal with this together, my friend. You don''t have to face this alone."


    "Seriously? You''re not ying favorites?" he rolled his eyes. "Well, I already knew that this would happen, which is why I have this," heughed as he scrolled through his phone and showed me a video.


    It was a video of me punching him in the face, and it was trending online with thousands ofments. "Now, I like how everyone is talking about the douchebag prince, and I have to admit that''s exactly what I expected from them. I mean, you deserve everything that will happen to you from now," heughed.


    I clenched my fists tightly as I looked at him.


    The anger coursed through me, urging me to hit him, but instead, I held it back and took a deep breath. "I''d like it if we could leave to go meet my father right now," I said to the royal guard.


    He stood up and bowed his head, leading the way to the door.


    I followed after him, but just as I was about to reach the door, Desmond grabbed my hand and pulled me backward. "What the hell do you want?" I yelled at him. "Why won''t you let me...," I winced in pain as I felt an ache in my lower back. I bit my lower lip to suppress the pain and looked back at Desmond.


    "I want to give you a good warning that you''ll surely like," heughed. "Don''t you check the inte, or else you''ll regret everything," he said to me, then let go of my hand abruptly, causing me to stagger back a little.


    "You''re seriously crazy!" I yelled at him. "I hope your beef against me is settled, and we''re even now," I told him as I headed out of the room. But he yelled my name again, and I turned back to face him. "What do you want from me?" I screamed at him.


    He grinned wickedly and pointed towards the wall.


    I looked over and saw the same writing that I had seen in the ssroom.


    "You don''t mess with the dark hole," I read it out and gasped.


    It was the same writing, but now it was written in red ink. The letters were big and dripping with blood, giving it a creepy vibe.


    "How can you..." my words were cut short when I felt liquid pooling out of my nose.


    Curious, I ced a finger into my nose and felt the liquid.


    The strong metallic smell hit me, and I gasped when I realized it was blood.


    What was happening to me?


    I questioned myself, but I couldn''t figure it out because I was bleeding profusely.


    The blood rushed out like a pool of water, and I could feel my head starting to spin.


    I stretched my hand forward for support from Desmond, but he only continued to grin, and even the lecturer and the royal guard were all grinning at me.


    I coughed, and what came out was blood.


    "What the hell is happening to me?" I screamed as a powerful wave hit me on the chest.


    I fell on one knee and held my chest tightly.


    The ground started shaking terribly as if an earthquake was about to happen.


    I held onto my chest as the pain wouldn''t go away, and it kept getting worse.


    I was all alone, and Desmond, who could have helped, was still grinning with the same mockery expression.


    I couldn''t understand why he would look at me like that, as if he was being controlled by something.


    There was no way he was supposed to see the writing on the wall, but he had seen it, and it just became worse.


    "You messed up the bnce of the two worlds!" Desmond shouted, and my heart beat hard against my chest when I heard the voice of a womaning out of his mouth. This was not Desmond, but someone else who had taken over him.


    "Whosoever takes you back in time lied to you because tonight, you will die!" Desmond announced.


    My eyes widened as I looked up at him.


    "Because you made a powerful deal. A life for a life!" he said.


    "What are you trying to say?"


    "The main price for going back to the past is a life for life."

 Chapter 65

    "A life for a life?" I gasped, my eyes widening in shock.


    Phantom had lied to me, telling me that if I changed Desmond''s destiny, I wouldn''t have to worry about anything else except suffering. But it was all a lie. He had lied to me while aiming for my life. "That is..." I tried to deny its possibility, but Desmond onlyughed. "There is no way I can..." Before I could finish, I coughed again, struggling to breathe as I held my chest.


    My vision turned hazy, barely making out Desmond''s calcted steps toward me on the marble floor.


    Crouching before me, Desmond stretched his hand toward my face. "You think you''re all that, believing the words of someone from the dark hole! You think you can escape me, right?" he taunted. When my vision cleared, Desmond''s face had a menacing re. "You must be so stupid to think that was Phantom!" heughed.


    "The person I saw in the between was not Phantom?" I asked, sounding shocked.


    Desmondughed hysterically, his finger tracing down from my forehead to my chin. "You must be so dumb not to realize that it wasn''t him. I made sure he was under my spell and then got him to appear in your dream." My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as I realized who I was talking to.


    The feminine voice, sarcastic remarks, andughter, it was all her. "Hecate," I murmured her name. "But I thought the resetting worked?" I questioned. "How are you here?"


    Sheughed. "Do you think you are powerful enough to fight the bnce of the dark hole? You must be crazy to think you could run away from the power of the dark hole. Do you have any idea why they call me the goddess of the dark hole?" She yelled, grabbing my chin and thenughing again. "I am the goddess of the dark hole because I can control everything. You, little boy, have fallen into my trap, and now, you will regret it," she pushed my head backward.


    I screamed as my lecturer suddenly turned into a hideous beast, having six horns, standing tall at seven feet, and covered with red all over his body.


    He growled, approaching me, grabbing my legs, while the royal guard grabbed my hand.


    He didn''t transition and still looked the same.


    "This shouldn''t be happening! I have spent a long time here thinking that I had stopped Desmond from dying, but why is this still happening!" I screamed. "Why didn''t it work?" I cried.


    Hecateughed. "You can''t do anything to stop things from happening in the dark hole, no matter how powerful you are. This is not real. I created this fantasy world for you to live so I can trap you. This is all in your head!" she told me andughed again. "Do you think that you could reset anyone''s fate?"


    "No!" I screamed as I was grabbed again by the beast, as he raised me and ced me on his shoulders. "Let me go!" I shouted. "You can''t do this to me!"


    "Of course, I can," Hecate replied, striding out of the room with the beast and the fake royal guard following in tow.


    As we traversed the hallways, I noticed the room transform into a darker, dimly lit hall.


    How could I have been so naive? I questioned myself.


    How did I foolishly believe I''d done something right in my life?


    I thought Desmond wouldn''t have to face death again, but it was all an illusion.


    Hecate had meticulously observed our behaviors, crafting a fantasy world where Desmond despised me, and I blindly believed love could conquer it. How could I have fallen for something so unreal?


    Tears streamed down my face as I contemted my situation in the real world.


    Why was I here, unable to save Desmond?


    Why me?


    Why did Hecate manipte Phantom against me? There had to be a reason behind all of this.


    "Why?" I finally shouted, my voice reverberating down the hallway. "Why did you bring me here? Just why?!" I screamed in frustration.


    Sheughed abruptly, halting her steps.


    "Because your parents did something that left me trapped in darkness for years. I used Desmond against you, lying that he would die when he was never meant to."


    "What...?" Another scream escaped me as I grappled with this revtion. "How...?"


    "Because it was the only way to retaliate against your parents for what they did to me!" she retorted fiercely. "I''ll ensnare you for eternity while they believe you''re in aa! You''ll be my captive here," she chuckled darkly. "When they grow weary of youratose state, they''ll let go, and you''ll perish. Then, I''ll visit them to reveal they''ve killed their child!" She resumed walking, leaving her words to linger in the echoing hall.


    "No!" I yelled.


    "You can''t do this to me!" My screams for help echoed through the space. "Let me go, please!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, scratching the beast''s back in a desperate attempt to break free from its tight grip. I can''t afford to be trapped here.


    My family would think that I was going to die and would let go eventually.


    I had to escape, but how?


    There seemed to be no way out.


    No matter how vigorously I struggled against the beast, it held the advantage, and I was helpless.


    I was in a situation where I couldn''t do anything.


    Hecate had shaped this world, and no matter what I attempted, there was nothing I could do, and it seemed I would be forever trapped in Hecate''s created reality.


    "Randy," a whisper of my name sent shivers down my spine.


    The voice sounded as if it was right by my ear, though no one spoke.


    "Randy, please," the voice repeated, resembling Desmond''s. "I need you toe back to me. Please, don''t leave me!" he cried out.


    I couldn''t believe I could still hear him.

 Chapter 66

    Since Hecate wasn''t speaking, it could only mean one thing, the real Desmond was reaching out to me.


    "Desmond," I murmured his name.


    "Your boyfriend is long gone," Hecate retorted.


    "He is noting back to you," sheughed.


    "You lie," I retorted, then burst intoughter.


    "My boyfriend hase for me." As I finished speaking, a powerful gust of wind suddenly pushed the beast and me backward until my back mmed against the wall.


    A blinding light followed, apanied by the screams of Hecate, the beast, and the fake bodyguard, while I remained against the wall, with a splitting headache and blurred vision. "This shouldn''t be happening!" Hecate screamed. "I shall return," her voice faded, and right before me, she vanished along with the beast and the fake royal guard.


    I was left alone, and soon, I began to lose consciousness.


    Thest thing I heard before cking out was Desmond''s voice.


    "He is waking up!"


    ~ Desmond~


    I waited in my house, patiently anticipating Randy''s announcement that we were not together. Instead, I received devastating news.


    "It''s Randy..." The Queen cried into the phone as I spoke with her. "He is not waking up!" That news was enough to shatter me, I discovered that the love of my life was not waking up.


    I rushed to the royal hospital, ready to ensure his well being.


    For a week, Randy didn''t wake up, and the royal family was already losing hope in determining what was wrong with him.


    His aunt revealed that he had made a crazy deal,nding him in aatose state.


    "He tried to reset everything," Helen informed everyone about why Randy didn''t wake up. "He is like this because he tried to save Desmond, and he would remain trapped like that unless a miracle happened." When the king found out that it was all because of me, he got so mad that he screamed at me for making things worse.


    "If you had kept your rtionship hidden, then I am sure that none of this would have happened. Everything that is happening is because of you!" he used me. "I don''t want you to..."


    The Queen stopped him before he could finish what he wanted to say. "He is the only one that can bring Randy back. They are in love with one another, and staying close to Randy might hasten the process, so we have to be hopeful." The king didn''t say anything after that, but his res towards me were evident that he didn''t like me, and he med me for everything that had happened.


    Even I med myself for what Randy was going through. If only he didn''t know that I was supposed to die in two months, then I believed that he was going to be fine.


    After the king and the queen left, I knelt beside his bed and burst into tears. "I know everything that is happening is my fault, and you wouldn''t be in this situation if it was not because of me. I should have let you go," I cried and raised my head to look at his pale face.


    He had been like that for days, and he didn''t show any sign of ever waking up.


    "Randy," I screamed his name. "I just need you to wake up and tell me that you love me," I begged.


    "Randy, please, wake up," I pleaded, my voice choked with tears.


    His lifeless bodyy before me, pale and still.


    I clutched his hand, praying for a response, hoping that he could hear my voice and open his eyes for me. But there was nothing, just the sound of my sobs echoing in the room. Then, a sudden surge, a flicker of hope as the life machine went berserk.


    Randy''s body convulsed, and I watched as he gasped for breath.


    I stood up from the ground and grabbed his hand, holding it firmly.


    His body didn''t stop convulsing, and not even my firm hold on his body could stop him from moving. "Randy, what is wrong?"


    He suddenly coughed out blood, sshing it on my face, and fear gripped me as I wondered what could be wrong with him to act in that manner.


    My heart started beating fast as I thought of the worst thing that could happen to him.


    Was he having a heart attack?


    On the verge of dying?


    A torrent of thoughts raced through my mind as I gazed at him.


    "Randy!"


    He coughed out blood again, yet his eyes remained shut. "Randy..."


    Anxiety surged within me, fearing his critical condition.


    I pressed the red button beside his bed.


    Momentster, the door burst open, and three doctors rushed in with the king and the Queen. "What''s happening to the crown prince?" demanded the king, seizing my shirt cor. "What did you do to my son?" His voice echoed with usation as he shoved me against the wall.


    "Your Highness..." I tried to speak, but no words emerged.


    My attention was fixed on Randy and the rhythmic beeping of the machine.


    One of the doctors pressed on his chest while the king noticed my fixation, released his grip, and turned to the Queen.


    "What will happen to our son?" she sobbed in the king''s embrace. "My little boy. I can''t believe this is happening."


    Tears clouded my vision as I sank to the floor, observing the doctors tearing his clothes.


    The room buzzed with urgency until a sudden silence fell amid the chaos.


    I gasped, muffling the sobs that threatened to escape.


    The reassuring beeping t lined. Panic gripped me, this couldn''t be real. "Randy..."


    I whispered, staring at his lifeless form, drained of color and vitality.


    The Queen''s shriek pierced the air as she rushed to Randy''s side. "Randy! Please..." She ced her hand on his chest. "Wake up for mummy!"


    "Gina, calm down. The doctors can still help," reassured theking. "He''ll be fine," he said, leading her away from Randy''s body. "Please, wake my son up," he pleaded with the doctors.


    "I..." The doctor sighed heavily. "The prince..." He paused, his gaze falling. "I don''t know how to say this, but the crown prince is not..."


    The king grabbed the doctor''s cor.


    "What are you saying? Try to wake him up! Do something!"


    "But, Your Highness..."


    "Bring something to revive my son now!"


    He turned to me. "If my son dies, it''s on you. You killed my son!"


    "I..." Tears streamed down my face.


    "Come, Gina, let''s call Helen. The bond isn''t severed yet," the king said, pulling her away. "What if..." The Queen''s voice quivered. "What if our son is slipping away, and he..."


    "Don''t speak like that," the king intervened. "I don''t want you thinking in that way. Helen will help. He''ll be alright."


    The queen nodded, stealing onest nce at her son before departing from the room.


    As they left, a scream wed up my throat, stifled by the harsh reality unfolding.


    Randyy there, fragile and motionless, surrounded by doctors striving to revive him.


    I remained frozen, fixated on his form.

 Chapter 67

    How did ite to this?


    I questioned myself. Why did this happen when he was only trying to save me?


    Not like this. I shut my eyes, imploring God, hoping he''d hear my plea onest time to save his life.


    "Please leave," insisted one of the doctors, but I stayed rooted to the spot, staring at Randy''s still body. "We need to act now, you can''t stay!"


    Slowly rising from the ground, before I could step away, I screamed his name.


    "Come back to me, please! Don''t leave me!" I cried out. "Please..."


    My voice trailed off as I turned to leave, but a gasp caught my attention. He was gasping back to life.


    Spinning around, I saw his eyes flutter open.


    "He''s waking up!" I eximed joyfully, rushing to his side. "Randy," I grasped his hand, "I''m so relieved you''re alive," I murmured.


    He turned his head towards me, suddenly pushing me away with unexpected force. I was sent flying towards the door,nding on my back with a painful groan. Randy


    I gasped, blinking rapidly as the bright light above me flooded my vision. Unfamiliar faces peered back at me, and amidst them emerged a familiar figure, blocking the re. It was Desmond, grinning broadly. Startled, I momentarily mistook him for someone else, pushing him back as I swiftly sat up in bed.


    It wasn''t until the door opened, and my parents walked in that I realized I had left Hecate''s fantasy world. "I''m so sorry for pushing you," I apologized to Desmond a few minutes after waking up.


    He nodded silently, leaning against the opposite wall, his gaze fixed on me.


    Uncertain of his thoughts, I refrained from passing judgment, considering my abrupt action. It wasn''t entirely my fault, I mistook him for the Desmond in that other world.


    "Please excuse us," my father''s tone was stern towards Desmond, leaving me curious about what had transpired while I slept.


    My father''s re at Desmond caught my attention before Desmond bowed his head and exited the room.


    "Why are you so harsh on Desmond, Father?" I questioned.


    My father cleared his throat. "He''s the reason for your condition. Because of him, you were close to death, and I can''t forgive him for that."


    I sighed. "It''s not because of him."


    "Oh, please," my father disagreed. "If it weren''t for him, you wouldn''t have attempted to reset things and nearly died."


    Once more, I attempted to rify. "I''m telling you, Desmond had nothing to do with this."


    "What are you saying?" My mother''s curiosity was evident in her question.


    "None of what happened is because of him, but rather both of you," I gestured toward them. "If it wasn''t for him, I wouldn''t be alive right now. His words reached me, allowing me to leave that fantasy world. It was all thanks to him."


    My mother reached for my hand, rubbing it gently. "Son, what you did was wrong," she scolded softly. "How could you have tried to end your life by resetting everything, just to save your boyfriend?"


    I frowned, slowly withdrawing my hands from hers. Her surprise was evident, and she exchanged nces with my father, but neither said a word.


    "What''s bothering you, Randy?" my father inquired. "We''re relieved to see you alive, but it seems you''re not happy to see us. Can you tell us why?"


    "Because you''re avoiding what I just said."


    "And what is that?"


    I shifted on the bed. "You and Mother are the reason I almost ended up in that fantasy world created by Hecate because you messed with the dark hole and locked her up. She wanted her revenge against you two, and so she decided to use Desmond and me."


    My mother gasped. "How did that woman even escape from her prison?"


    "Now she is back in our lives?"


    I looked at both my parents and saw the worried look on their faces. Hecate must have been their worst enemy for them to react in that manner, and because of that, I knew it was just the beginning.


    "It was Desmond who made sure that I returned. I... I want to see him and thank him for what he did for me," I said, looking towards the door.


    My mother grabbed my hand again. "I am sorry if you think that we treated Desmond somehow, but you have no idea how we felt when we realized that you might never wake up, and now this," she let out a breathy sigh. "Hecate had messed with us now and tried to get us through you, but I am going to make sure that we get her back, and she will regret what she had done."


    I nodded in response, my eyes still fixed on the door, curious about when I would see Desmond.


    My mother seemed to notice as she smiled at me.


    "Now I can see your bond is true, and I know you both truly love each other," she chuckled and stood up from where she was seated, then looked at my father. "I believe we should leave the children to talk." "But we have to resolve this thing about Hecate and also about the audio. We need to..."


    "Father," I muttered. "If you are still going to talk about the audio, then I must let you know that I am not going to deny him because I truly love him, and I don''t care about what others say about it. I am in love with him, and I will defend him forever."


    "Don''t you get what is happening?" he yelled. "You almost lost your life because of him, and the audio thing happened because of him. I wish that you could open your eyes wide and see that I have nothing against you both, but this world that we live in is...


    "I will revoke my position as the crown prince!" I blurted out before he could finish. I was not ready for any argument, and seeing how I was separated from Desmond for a long time, I was not ready to let him go. No matter what happened, I don''t care about revoking my position as the crown prince as long as I could have him by my side."


    My mother gasped. "Randy, don''t say things like this, and you, Newman," she turned towards my father. "Our son is just waking up from his near death experience, so all you can do is support him instead of saying things like this," she said and grabbed his hand. "I need to say some things to you, hoping that they would change your mind." She pulled him out of the room and shut the door, and through the transparent ss, I watched them arguing, but my vision was blocked when I saw him standing at the entrance.


    "Desmond..." I tried to sit up but groaned in pain.


    He rushed to my side. "You don''t have to move, Randy. Just rx and don''t hurt yourself," he pleaded.


    Iid back on the bed and smiled at him.


    He returned the smile and grabbed my hand, but then he burst into tears and hugged me. "I missed you so much, and I had thought that you might never wake up."


    I wrapped my arms around him. "I missed you too. If only you had an idea of how I missed you."

 Chapter 68

    Desmond


    I watched as he exined what had happened after the resetting, unable to help but stare in awe at him. Who would have thought that he would encounter another version of me, one that was cruel and harbored animosity towards him?


    "I thought I might never see you again," he said.


    I smiled and gently grabbed his hand, nting a kiss on it. "I''m so d that you''re back. I have to admit, I truly missed you, and when we were apart, it felt like hell," I confessed, heaving a deep sigh. "When your heart stopped beating, I thought it was the end until..." I paused, locking eyes with his mesmerizing blue gaze.


    Goddess, I couldn''t deny how much I missed those eyes. Looking into them again, I remembered why I was drawn to their beauty, they were the most captivating eyes ever.


    "What should we do about the rumors circting?" I inquired.


    He stared at me for a moment, not uttering a word or even blinking. Concern crept in, making me wonder if something was wrong until he gestured beside him. "Sleep beside me," he suggested.


    I nodded in response, settling beside him on the tiny bed that couldn''tfortably amodate two people, yet somehow, we managed.


    He rested his head on my chest and sighed. "I missed this. Those few days spent in the fantasy world created by Hecate were hell, and I have to admit that at first, I thought it was real."


    "You did?" I asked, my fingers gently stroking his hair.


    He raised his head to look at me. "Yes," he said and ced his head back on my chest. "Who would have thought that it was all a lie?" He chuckled and rubbed my chest. "I''m really d that I''m back with you, my love, and I''m going to make sure that nothing ever happens to us again."


    "Me too," I kissed the top of his head.


    "About the press, when you were gone, the council of elders, they..." My words were cut short by the opening of the door. I almost jumped out of bed if Randy''s head was not on my chest. I feared it was the king, but when the door opened, it was Sonnia and Noah.


    "Goodness, Randy!" Sonnia shouted his name.


    "I''m really d that you''re alive and nothing happened."


    Randy chuckled as he raised his head from my chest and, with my help, sat upright on the bed. "Good to see that you''re still as bubbly as ever," he said as she hugged him.


    "They said that your heart stopped breathing," she whimpered as she let go of him, then ced her hand on the left side of his face. "I''m really d that you''re alive and nothing has happened to you."


    Randy smiled and pinched her cheeks. "As you can see, I''m doing fine."


    Sonnia hugged him again and then turned to face me. "Thank you for standing by his side," she told me.


    "What do you mean by that?" Noah questioned, sounding annoyed. His tone was harsh, and I made the mistake of looking at him, realizing he was frowning at me. "He''s not even supposed to be here when he''s the cause of all this," he said. "You made someone record Randy, and now, all of this is happening."


    I took a deep breath, averting my gaze from him. I knew he''d use me of something I hadn''t done, but I couldn''t me him; it was what he believed. He genuinely thought I was involved in the recording, but truthfully, I had nothing to do with it. Why would I send someone to record Randy and me? There was absolutely no reason for me to do such a thing.


    "I didn''t do anything, and you..." I started.


    "Shut up!" he yelled, seizing the cor of my shirt, yanking me up from where I sat.


    "How dare you lie when I can see through you!"


    "Noah, stop this!" Randy shouted at him.


    "Stop ming Desmond when he''s innocent!" He coughed, and we both turned to face him. "I..." He coughed again, and I pped Noah''s hands away from my cor, rushing to Randy''s side.


    "Pumpkin," I called him by the nickname. He smiled at me and nodded weakly. I nced at Noah, clenching his fists angrily, staring at me. "Noah, if you think I''m responsible for that audio, then you''re mistaken!" "How dare you call me that!" he seethed.


    "Are you forgetting I''m your prince? Just because you and Randy are together now doesn''t mean you can speak to me however you wish!"


    I frowned, unfazed by his threats. My priority was ensuring Randy''s well being. I wasn''t ready for his petty arguments; my boyfriend was my concern above all else.


    "I love Randy," I confessed, turning to face him. "I''m so deeply in love with him that I''dy down my life for him. I don''t care what you think, but remember, he''s my boyfriend, and we''re destined to be together. Whatever you''re thinking is none of my concern."


    Noah mmed his hand against the wall.


    "You put him in trouble before, and now, it''s happening again!" he used. "He almost died thinking about you. I won''t allow it!"


    "Enough!" Randy interrupted before Noah could finish. "I don''t care what you or anyone thinks. I choose Desmond. I''ming out as gay!" he dered.


    "What?" Everyone in the room, including the king and the queen at the entrance, eximed.


    "Have you lost your mindpletely, son?" The king yelled. "What do you mean bying out? Do you want a lifetime of stigma? Do you understand what it means to be an outcast forever?"


    "I don''t care about any of that," Randy retorted. "I''ve already said I''ll give up my position if necessary."


    "They''ll never ept you," theking argued.


    Randy scoffed, forcibly removing the wires connecting him to the life machine.


    He struggled to climb out of bed, my arms supporting him. "Thank you, my love," he said.


    When he said "love," I couldn''t help but smile, having missed hearing that from him. Together, we walked towards the entrance where the king and the Queen were standing.


    "What are you nning to do right now?" the king inquired.

 Chapter 69

    Randy nced at me briefly before addressing his parents. "What''s so wrong about being gay? I love men because that''s who I am. So why is it so hard for people to ept that?"


    The king sighed, seemingly tired of hearing these words repeatedly. "If you can''t see that I''m trying to help you, then I have to admit you''re even more stubborn than I thought, son. This isn''t just about eptance, but about public perception. Even if you relinquish your position as crown prince, you won''t have the freedom you desire. And that''s not all, he paused, ncing at me before sighing again. "The one who''s after both of you is still out there. Until we apprehend her, I can''t afford to have you in harm''s way."


    "I don''t care," Randy tightened his grip on my hand. "This is my life, father. I believe this is the only way to gain eptance, and if I''m rejected, it''s their issue. I''m tired of running. I love Desmond more than I fear the consequences." The Queen attempted to speak, but Randy politely interrupted. "Mom, this is my decision now. I''m not a child anymore."


    "Are you sure you won''t regret this?" the king asked him.


    Randy smiled. "As long as Desmond is by my side, I have nothing to fear," he said, gesturing outside. "Let''s show the world who we are and give them something to talk about."


    Randy


    The time was now. There was no hiding it any longer, and as I walked outside the room with Desmond, I knew that there was no going back. Once the world finds out what we are, they can choose to ept it or they don''t. "Are you sure about this?" Desmond asked as we walked side by side through the hallways and into the elevator. "You know that you can stop all of this and focus on..."


    I sighed as I turned to face him. For a few seconds, I could barely see him as my vision became hazy.


    I rubbed my eyes with my free hand and then looked at him. "Yes, Desmond, I am sure," I assured him, and we resumed walking as the doors of the elevators opened, and we walked out into the lobby of the hospital. By now, people around us had brought out their phones and were taking pictures of us.


    I frowned as I looked around, staring at every one of them. Even though they all met my eyes, they didn''t stop taking our pictures.


    "I want you to know that, no matter what happens here today," Desmond paused and looked outside the hospital where a lot of reporters were waiting.


    Most of them had their fans waiting outside. I wondered how long they all had waited for us, and seeing as most of them were yawning and staring at the ss of the hospital, I knew that it was time to put them out of their misery and give them something to talk about.


    "Desmond," I turned him around to face me and then hugged him. "Everything is surely going to be alright," I assured him.


    "What if they don''t want us, and they..."


    I cupped his face. "Don''t bother about that and look forward. We are surely going to be fine, and I have to assure you that nothing will happen to us. If we are not epted by them. Are you forgetting that we already have each other and there is nothing else that I would want except to be close to you," I chuckled and ced my head on his. "If only you could see what I had seen in that fantasynd. I had thought that I had lost you forever, and now that I know that you and I are going to be together for a long time, why should I hide behind the fact that I am a crown prince and let you take the me alone? I am ready to carry the burden with you and..."


    "But you are the crown prince," he argued.


    I chuckled and ced a finger on his lips.


    "I don''t think you have to bother yourself about that because I already have everything in control, and I have to assure you that we are going to be fine," I assured him and hugged him pretty tight.


    We remained like that, ignoring the voices around us, the shutters of their cameras, and letting it be only us in the world.


    We didn''t care that there was anyone around us, and when we finally pulled away from the hug, I held his hand tightly, and we both headed out of the hospital.


    As soon as we reached outside the hospital, the reporters who were lyingzily around and yawning, deprived of sleep for days, all jumped to their feet at the sight of us.


    "Get the camera!" I heard one of them shout.


    Soon, the camera shutters blocked their noises, and the camera shes at us made it impossible to see for a few seconds.


    They rushed at us, pointing their microphones at us.


    "Listen," I shouted at them when they wouldn''t stop taking pictures of us and asking questions all at once.


    Even the three hefty guards that positioned themselves around us couldn''t stop them from moving closer to us. "If you want to ask us questions, then do so, because if I should enter the hospital again, then you wouldn''t be able to question either of us!"


    The murmurings suddenly stopped, but not the camera shutters. They continued to take pictures of us, even though they had done it over and over again.


    "Your Highness!" one of the reporters, a red headed female, shouted as she raised her hand. "I have a question for you, Your Highness, if you will be willing to reply to me."


    I nodded to her. "Great," she said and cleared her throat. "Is it true that you are gay, Your Highness?"


    "Yes," I replied.


    Gasps sounded from most of the crew as they were all surprised to learn that their crown prince was gay.


    I knew that they would all see me differently and wasn''t surprised by their actions. I couldn''t care less because I have Desmond by my side, and even if anyone doesn''t ept us, Desmond will always be by my side, supporting always. "That means that the audio is right, Your Highness?" another reporter asked, and I nodded. "Are you saying that the lineage of the royal family will end with you, Your Highness? You are not willing to take a bride that will continue the beautiful generation of the royal family."


    I frowned at her, wondering if she hadn''t heard what I had said the first time. Was she pretending not to hear, or was she just asking questions to spite me and get a reaction from me?

 Chapter 70

    I couldn''t figure out her real intention, and thanks to Desmond''s soft hands rubbing mine, I would have lost it the instant that she asked that kind of question.


    "I don''t have any idea what you are driving at, but Desmond and I could adopt a child if we wanted," I told them.


    "You mean a child that is not rted to the royal family?" Another reporter asked.


    I frowned at the male and pretended as if I didn''t hear his question, only for him to ask me again. "Your Highness, how will you and your partner continue the royal line if you are both boys and there is..."


    "What do you mean by that?" Desmond questioned. That was the first time he would say anything ever since the reporters started questioning us. "Is it that bad that we can''t be together? I thought that love conquers all?" he stated and pointed at all the reporters. "Aren''t you supposed to love us the way that we are? Why then are you all acting as if we hadmitted the biggest crime in the kingdom and..."


    His words were cut short by someone throwing stones at him.


    One of the stones hit his upper left eye, cutting into his skin and forming a straight line.


    Blood pooled out and trailed down his cheek until it dropped to the ground in front of him.


    He sighed and rubbed his hand on the blood.


    "Am I so hated that much that I am being stoned?"


    "Go to hell!" someone shouted from the crowd, but it was not one of the reporters, but one of the people that had gathered in front of the hospital. "You are supposed to be killed. How can you be in love with a man like yourself!" The woman shouted and continued to throw stones at Desmond, but this time, they didn''t touch him because the royal guards had multiplied, appearing from inside and guiding us.


    I looked into the hospital and noticed that my father was looking straight at me. It was the look of saying that I told you so, and he didn''t hide it as he shook his head in displeasure.


    "I guess the crowd does not agree with your rtionship!" one of the reporters said, and just as she finished saying this, the others started chanting loudly.


    "Remove the crown prince, exile both of them!" They all chanted the word over and over again, not stopping. Things such as eggs, and stones were thrown at us, but all thanks to the royal guard that protected us, else we would have gotten hit.


    "Your Highness, I don''t think that anyone is ready to hear what you have to say right now," one of the guards said.


    I heaved a deep sigh as I looked at the guard and then headed back into the hospital. No matter how hard I tried to fight, they were never going to ept me or Desmond.


    I looked at Desmond and noticed that his eyes were bent.


    I ced a hand on his shoulder and then turned him around. "Hey," I muttered as I smiled at him. "It seems that everyone is not epting us for what we are, but that is their problem because," I pulled him closer to myself and then leaned in to kiss him on the lips.


    This was my best way ofing out to everyone, and I don''t regret it.


    Desmond~


    "I warned you about this, but you wouldn''t listen, and now both of you are facing the consequences!" The king yelled as he dropped his phone on the table in Randy''s room.


    Our decision toe out and not deny the rumors, coupled with Randy kissing me on the lips, only made things worse. We found ourselves trending on every tform with one resounding request: ''Cancel the crown prince.''


    "I told you that it has never happened before, a king falling in love with a man and being together. I warned you about this, but you wouldn''t listen, and now you can''t even leave the hospital because angry people are waiting to pounce on you!"


    I lowered my head, unable to raise it, ming myself for everything happening.


    Randy wouldn''t be in this situation if only I had told him about my fake death. We could have avoided all of this instead of giving our enemies ammunition.


    "This is all my fault," I said.


    The kingughed, "You knew that, son, but you both see me as your enemy. I warned you not to do anything that would risk your identity, but instead, you let everyone find out about what you are! You both should have stayed in secrecy if you truly cared about each other, but now... everyone is trying to cancel Randy, and they''re waiting for me to pass judgment. If I don''t, it means I am a bad king!"


    "Newman, please," the queen whispered, cing her hand on the king''s shoulder. "We should try to find a way to settle this and take these children away before they''re attacked by them."


    The king clenched his fists tightly and sighed. "I foresaw thising, and that''s why I told you to debunk the rumor. But you thought the world would ept you for what you are, right?"


    "Father," Randy shouted, "I''m fed up with you telling me this over and over again. Why can''t you just be happy that I came out for everyone to see? Why can''t you see that I can''t continue to hide when I know what I truly want, and that is Desmond?"


    "Shut up!" The king retorted. "You think it''s easy for me to cancel my son? I watched you grow up, Randy, and never expected you to turn out so foolish. You were always the perfect one among my children, and now this..." The king trailed off. "And you," he pointed at me, "do you have any idea what the people are asking me to do to you?"


    I slowly raised my head to the king and gasped when I met his cold dark eyes. He stared at me as if he was about to devour me. I quickly averted my eyes, heart pounding in my chest.


    "I warned you both, but you have not only be a disgrace to me and your mother, but to the entire kingdom, and I don''t know how I''m supposed to solve this."


    "A disgrace!" Randy retorted. I tried to stop him from replying to his parents, but he pushed my hand away. "Please, Father, what is the disgraceful thing I''ve done aside from being with Desmond and loving him? Enlighten me about what I''ve done wrong!"

 Chapter 71

    "Randy, please," the queen pleaded. "We are trying to make sure everything is done perfectly so we don''t regret anything."


    Randy sniffled, rubbing his eyes. "You have no idea what I faced in that fantasy world. I thought I might never see any of you again. It would have been hard for me to leave if only Desmond hadn''t called me out. Must I disappear for you to let me and Desmond be?" he yelled angrily.


    The queen started sobbing silently as she moved closer to the door. "I don''t know what to do anymore. I''m sorry, my son, but this is beyond any of us. Coming out must have been hard for you, and I appreciate you for doing that, but we can''t change the minds of others. If they want to do what they want, who are we to stop them?"


    Randy sighed, sliding down to the ground.


    "So I''m a disgrace, right?"


    "No, no," the queen moved to his side and sat down beside him. "You are a strong, courageous young man who chose to ept who he is and show the world. I''m proud that you''re my son, Randy, always and forever." She hugged him. "Your father loves you very much, but it''s hard for him, just as it''s hard for you because they''re forcing him to cancel you as the prince. You won''t just lose your position as the crown prince but also be removed from the royal family!"


    A gasp escaped my lips, and I fell to the ground, burying my face in my hands.


    It was my fault, too. Everything was my fault.


    If only I had told him.


    Bursting into tears, loud enough for everyone to hear, I repeated, "It is my fault."


    The tears streamed down my face, and no matter how hard I tried to stop them, they wouldn''t. "I am sorry, Your Highness," I bowed my head, hitting it hard on the ground repeatedly while ignoring the pounding in my head. If hitting my head on the ground would make amends, I was ready to repeat it.


    "I am sorry," I repeated.


    "What are you doing?" Randy shouted, rushing to my side and raising my head from the ground. "None of this is your fault. Is being my lover such a bad thing?" he yelled, raising my head to face him. "I need you to stop crying, please." He wiped the tears from my face.


    I sniffled, staring into his teary eyes. "I am..." I sniffled again. "None of this would have happened if only I had told you that I was going to die, and we could have continued to live in secrecy. You wouldn''t have to be canceled, called a disgrace, all because of me."


    "Desmond!" he shouted my name, cing his hands on my shoulders. "I want you to look at me and not take your eyes off me, please," I begged him. "I am going to set everything right as long as I have you close to me. We are going to do it together," he said, pulling me into his arms. "I don''t care about anything else except to be with you."


    The king cleared his throat, and at the same time, the door leading to the room burst open with the royal beta Kn and an unfamiliar man walking in.


    "Hello there, my godson!" the unfamiliar man said.


    Randy raised his head to look at the man, gasping when their eyes met. I stared in awe at the smile on his face, considering he had been crying a moment ago. Curiously, I looked at the man, and our eyes met. "This must be little Desmond, who''s not so little anymore."


    Did he know me?


    But how?


    I pondered as I stared at the unknown man.


    "Uncle Marcus!" Randy jumped to his feet and rushed to hug the man. "What are you..." he paused, looking behind at his parents. "Why is Uncle Marcus here?" he questioned.


    "This is the best decision for you, son, and I hope you see that we''re trying to ensure everything is alright for you. And also," the king paused for a moment. "Until we resolve all of this, you shall go to his kingdom." "You... you are sending me away?"


    "No," the queen replied. "We are sending you to where you will be safe and epted until all of this is over."


    ~Randy~


    I couldn''t believe my ears when my mother made the announcement. It felt like they were turning me away. "What do you mean by that? Are you trying to tell me that I can''t be a part of this family anymore? Is this your way of telling me to leave?" I shouted.


    "Sending me to his kingdom is your way of..."


    "Protecting you," my father replied.


    I chuckled and moved away from Uncle Marcus. "You''re so ashamed of me to the extent that you want me gone!"


    "Randy," Uncle Marcus tried to say something, but I cut him off.


    "You have no idea what I have faced ever since I came out. My parents wouldn''t even ept me because they are ashamed of me!" I yelled at the top of my lungs, moved to the nearest wall, and hit it repeatedly until I felt Desmond''s hand on my back.


    "Stop acting as if the world was taken away from you!" My father shouted at me.


    I chuckled. "You act as if the world is not truly taken away from me!" I retorted. "Do you have any idea what it means to be sent away?" I asked him, and when he didn''t say anything, Iughed out loud. "That is what I thought," I said. "Do you think I will be happy if I can''t have what I want? You think that I would be d to be away!" I said this aloud for them to hear. "I don''t want to abandon my family, my home, and everything that is here."


    "You could have thought of that before you risked everything bying out!" My father responded. "You," he pointed at me.


    "You were truly stupid when you revealed everything and that has made you useless and unable to see anything because you broke a huge promise!" he yelled at me and then moved closer to me.


    My heart pounded in my chest as he headed towards me, not out of fear but of what he would say to me. I feared what he had in his mind. "Newman, please go easy on him. He is still a child."


    "Gina, please," my father shouted at her, and I saw the way his eyes changed. That was the first time my father would ever shout at my mother in years.


    I had always known them as the best couple and hoped to emte their love, but now, they were both fighting all because of me. I was the cause of their fight, and I couldn''t believe it.


    I burst into tears again and fell to the ground, hitting it repeatedly. "This isn''t what I wanted. I just want to be with Desmond and not get all the hate that everyone is giving me. Can''t I just be happy with him?" I cried.


    My father moved closer to me and grabbed me by the cor of my clothes, pulling me up. "Stop talking like an idiot and listen to me!" he yelled at me.


    "I don''t want this. I don''t want." I suddenly went mute when a pnded on my face.

 Chapter 72

    My mother and Desmond gasped as my face whipped to the other side. I had been pped by my father. More tears streamed down my face as I turned my head to face him. "You just pped our son, Newman!" my mother yelled at him. "How could you do that to him!"


    "Please, Gina," my father begged and then he sighed. "Randy is still acting like a child, and I need to let him know that he is no longer the little boy who needs his parents'' protection. I need him to learn and not act like an idiot!" "That doesn''t mean that you can hit him. He is still a child, and doing this to him is not what I expected that you would do to him!" she yelled back at him. "If this is what you would do to my son, then I won''t allow that." "For goodness sake, Gina, try to see that..."


    "I am not seeing anything and.."


    "Please stop!" I yelled at them, unable to take any more of their bickering. They were like that because of me, and I couldn''t watch them going on and on against each other, which I knew would never end.


    They were going to continue arguing and might even end up not talking to each other for a moment because of me. I hated that I was the cause of it.


    "Randy, this is not.." my mother tried to say something, but I stopped her with my hand.


    "Please," I muttered loud enough for her to hear. My voice sounded weak and painful with each word because I had been stressed, frustrated, and tired. "I don''t want you to fight because of me, please," I begged them. "I am sorry that you have to face this, but I just don''t want this to go on and on all because of me and I..." I sniffled and looked at Desmond. "We will go to if that is going to solve all of this," I told them and pushed my father''s hands away before rushing out of the


    room.


    "Randy!" I heard my mother shout my name.


    "I will go after him," I heard Uncle Marcus promise her as he walked after me.


    "Please, Uncle, I am not ready to say anything right now. I am not happy because I am being pushed aside by those who are supposed to be behind me."


    "Randy," Uncle Marcus walked towards me and stopped three meters from me, and then he pointed at me. "Your parents are doing what is best for you, and I believe that you might think that they hate you, but I must assure you that they don''t. They truly cherish you, and you are like this, because you are angry about everything happening to you, but you have to know that they truly care about you, and the reason they are sending you away is to make sure that you are protected, and no harm wille upon you. That is their way of protecting you," he said and moved closer to me and covered the gaps between us, then he ced a finger right at my chest. "They love you, son, and I hope you see that." "Why..." My voice shook terribly. "I..." I bit my lips and sniffled, not wanting to cry again. I was acting so weak that it made me angry about everything happening. "I just want them to ept Desmond and me for what we are. Is it a crime to be in love with Desmond? Did I go wrong?"


    "No," Uncle Marcus replied to me and ced my head on his shoulder. "You don''t have to think like that, Randy," he said and gently rubbed my back. "I can assure you that everything is going to be alright as long as you have Desmond by your side."


    Just as he finished speaking, I looked behind him and noticed that Desmond was standing at the entrance. Following my eyes, Uncle Marcus turned back and saw Desmond. He tapped me on the back and smiled at me. "The bond between you two is stronger than I thought," he chuckled and walked away. When he reached the entrance, he tapped Desmond''s shoulder but didn''t say anything, and then he walked in.


    "Hey," Desmond muttered as he walked towards me. When he reached my side, he sat down on the ground and pointed to the seat beside him. "Lay your head on my shoulder for a moment."


    I nodded and sat down on the ground. I ced my head on his shoulder and he slowly stroked it while humming a slow melody that was pleasing to my ears. I closed my eyes, blocking every other sound but only listening to the sound of his voice until he stopped.


    "Randy," he called.


    "Hmmm," I replied to him.


    "Do you think a time wille when the world will ept us?"


    I raised my head from his shoulder and looked at him. "You believe that we might never be epted?"


    He nodded and I sighed.


    "Desmond, what are you aiming at? There must be a reason why you asked me this question. Care to tell me why?" I asked him.


    "Because," he cleared his throat and closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again and then turned to face me.


    Cupping my cheeks, he leaned closer and nted a kiss on my forehead. "I love you so much, and I am really d that I met someone like you and that we are lovers but if therees a time when the world doesn''t ept me, then you can let go and just be yourself, Randy."


    My eyes widened, and they suddenly turned red as I stared angrily at him. "what the hell are you trying to say?" I questioned him. "Are you saying I should give up on you? On our love?" "That is not what..."


    "You must be insane!" I screamed at him.


    "How could you say something like that when you know that I am madly in love with you? I live for you, Randy, and there is nothing that I can do without you. That is how much I am madly in love, and I am really surprised that you can''t even see it. How blind can you be not to see my love for you and..."

 Chapter 73

    "Randy," he shouted my name and ced a finger on my lips. "Stop talking like this," he told me. "This is not what I meant when I said that. I am just trying to make you see that you don''t have to keep hurting yourself because of me. I love you so much like you do, but if there is anything that is going to hurt you, then I am ready to risk everything for you because of how much I love you."


    "But..." I tried to argue, but he leaned in and shut me up with a kiss. It was a short kiss, and it made me want more. It''s been a long time since we had been together and being so apart from him made me crave him and, feeling greedy, I pulled him closer to me and captured his lips.


    I wrapped my hands around his neck when he tried to pull away and chuckled as I looked into his eyes. "Stop fighting it," I told him.


    "No..." he argued and looked behind him.


    "We are not alone. You could be seen by the queen and the king and..."


    I shut him with another kiss and this time, the kiss was demanding as I dominated his lips, sucking, licking every inch, corner of his lips. I missed him so much that I didn''t know when I raised his hands and pinned them against the wall. He returned the kiss as he also tried to dominate my lips, and so we fought for dominance, our moaning echoing down the hallway.


    A voice cleared behind us, and we quickly pulled away panting as we turned to face the person.


    It was my father.


    When Desmond saw that it was my father, he gasped and tried to stand up, but I grabbed his hand and held it tightly. He looked at me, but I didn''t say anything and just let him look at me.


    "You know that you can''t be kissing in the hallway. Someone could see you two and take pictures of you again, generating more rumors. I don''t want any of that for you both," he said.


    I chuckled as I looked at him and kissed Desmond''s hand. "I don''t care any longer father."


    My father frowned and then turned to leave. "It is time to leave the kingdom."


    I stood up from the ground with Desmond and held onto his hand, not letting go, because I wanted to infuriate my father further to see how he was going to react to my actions.


    "How do we leave here when there are eyes everywhere? How the hell are we supposed to reach there?"


    "A chopper is already waiting for you on the rooftop. It will take you to the airport where the royal jet will take you." my father replied still not turning back.


    "Can''t you ask Aunt Helen to send us out of here instead of taking a ne?"


    My father chuckled and turned to face me.


    "It doesn''t work that way, Randy. There are some rules we have to abide by," he said, and beckoned for both of us toe.


    At first, I hesitated and didn''t move until Desmond dragged me along with him.


    My father looked from Desmond to me and then he caught me by surprise when he hugged the both of us. "Just know that I don''t hate you both, and I know that you see me as an evil person, but I truly cherish you, my dear son, and you too Desmond."


    I didn''t say anything and even when he pulled away, I remained standing there in shock, never expecting that my father would ever hug me and Desmond.


    "Let go," Desmond pulled me into the room.


    I closed my mouth, which was opened in shock, and walked into the room with him.


    Once we entered, my mother hugged Desmond and then she hugged me.


    "I love you both," she said andughed. "I am going to miss you so much, but I am going to call you always."


    "I love you too Mum", I muttered, and wrapped my hands tightly around her.


    The door opened and Desmond''s parents entered.


    They bowed their heads at us and then rushed towards their son.


    They hugged and I smiled as I watched them.


    Desmond''s mother cried while his father said some words to him, and then I looked at my parents as they stood beside me. It was then I knew that I was wrong about my parents. They protect us, and they always do so no matter what. We arrivedte at night and as soon as we got there, a ck limousine was already waiting for us.


    It took us round the city and that was the first time that I would see the beautiful world outside our kingdom.

 Chapter 74

    Desmond sighed beside me and I ced a hand on his shoulder and rubbed it gently. "Are you alright?" I asked him.


    He shook his head in response. "I just feel... everything feels like a dream and I never expected that I would ever leave home, and I also can''t believe that this is happening and I...." he cleared his throat and ced his head on my shoulder. "You have lived here until you were three and so you are already used to this ce, but that is not the case with me. This is the first time that I will be away from home."


    I kissed his hand. "Don''t worry, my love. You are here with me and I can assure you that we will be fine and, aside from that, you will enjoy it here because Uncle Marcus is a chef," I told him.


    He chuckled. "Yes, I can''t wait to start cooking," he remarked, and I didn''t know if he was being sarcastic about it or because he wanted to say it. I justughed and nodded my head in response. "The king here knows that you two are here, so a penthouse is prepared for you with fifty guards around it," Uncle Marcus, who had been silent ever since the ne took off, suddenly spoke up. "You two would have to stay alone with some of the housekeepers from home."


    "We won''t be staying with you?" I asked him, a hint of sadness in my tone. I had expected that we would go to his house, but I never expected that we would have a home, a penthouse at that for ourselves. "You both will be fine and, aside from that, my home is already full, and you might want your privacy if you hmm..."


    "We get it, Uncle Marcus," I stopped him before he could finish. I was not ready to hear him discuss our privacy. It was thest thing that I wanted to hear from him. "I want to meet your children and your wife and also my cousin," my voice strained as I mentioned my cousin.


    Prince Tyler was banished or taken away from the royal home to protect him due to the sins of his father and mother. My uncle and aunt broke a lot ofws a long time ago. He paid for their sins and to protect him, that was all my father could do for him.


    "Tyler will be so excited to see you. I believe that you haven''t seen him in five years, right?"


    I nodded. "It''s been a while. I hope that he recognizes me."


    Uncle Marcus chuckled. "Of course he will. After all, he was your favorite cousin," he said.


    "Tyler," I whispered his name and closed my eyes. It''s been a long time and I couldn''t wait to see him again.


    The rest of the drive was in silence until we reached our destination. The limousine parked in front of a tall skyscraper and as soon as it stopped, I saw a few guards dressed in ck suits rushing towards the limousine and opening it." I stretched as I came out of the car and waited for Desmond toe out. He had not said anything yet, and I knew that he had a lot to say which I was going to ask him when we were alone. Once he was outside, I ced my hand in his and held it close tightly, as if he was going to disappear in front of me.


    He tapped my hand and smiled at me as we walked behind Uncle Marcus. There was a long line of guards assembled at the front of the skyscraper, and they all bowed as we walked in. "This is called the Royale Hotel, belonging to the royal king, and he has offered you a stay on the top floor, the penthouse."


    "Really?" "yes."


    "Wee," a youngdy wearing a blue shirt and skirt bowed her head as soon as she saw Uncle Marcus when we entered the lobby, and it made me remember Hilda.


    The thought of Hilda made me remember everyone else, including Ana, Ashley, and Henrich. I wondered how they were doing and thought about Desmond and me.


    "The royal penthouse please" Uncle Marcus said, and the woman nodded in response as she left her desk, making her way towards the elevator while we followed behind her.


    "My name is Isabe," she introduced herself even though I had already seen her name tag. "I will be in charge of the king''s guests for the period that they will be staying here," she said and smiled at us.


    "The royal penthouse is already prepared for your return, and I am sure you will enjoy your stay here," she stated.


    "Thank you, Isabe," Uncel Marcus replied to her.


    "Just doing my job," she chuckled.


    I exchanged looks with Desmond and noticed how he was silent, which was unusual, but I can''t me him for that because he was still getting used to being in a different ce. If I was in his shoes, I would do the same, but since it was not my first time there, I was used to it.


    "Are you alright?" I asked him, and he nodded his head, but I knew that deep down, he was not.


    The elevator was longer than I expected as it kept going and going until we reached the 100th floor. The elevator dinged as the bell opened, and we walked into a bright room.


    The subtle glow of city lights danced through the floor to ceiling windows, casting a soft radiance over the pristine white interiors.


    My eyes were fixated on the captivating painting adorning the wall a moonlit seaside scene that whispered tales of calm beneath the night sky. It was beautifully painted with wonderful strokes and Imend the painter for a job well done. "The city view is so beautiful from up here," I said as I pulled Randy toward the window, and we stared at the city below, which sparkled like a sea of stars.


    "Your rooms are up, and I know that since you are tired from today''s journey, you would love to rx," Isabe announced as she walked towards the grandstands leading up.


    Desmond and I followed behind him until we reached the bedroom. It exuded sophistication, and it was nothing I hadn''t seen before. It felt like I was home again, making me wonder if the design was made for us.


    "I shall leave you to your room and send you your evening meal if you will...."


    "Desmond, do you still want to eat tonight?" I asked him, and he shook his head in response. "There won''t be any need for the food," I told her, because I didn''t feel like eating any food.


    It was a new ce, a new life, and we were still adjusting to it.

 Chapter 75

    As soon as Isabe left, Iy on the king sized bed covered with white covers just like home, and closed my eyes.


    The smell of bed covers smelled like Desmond, earthy and fresh.


    My eyes fluttered open when I noticed that Desmond had notid beside me and instead, he was standing up and looking around him. "Is everything alright with you?" I asked him.


    He nodded.


    "I..."


    "I should take my leave now," Uncle Marcus announced.


    "Leaving so soon?" I asked him and he nodded in response. "Why?"


    He shrugged his shoulders and pointed to the both of us. "I believe that you two have something to say to one another, so I will leave you right away," he waved at us and then turned to leave. "I will be back tomorrow to take you to visit my home," he said, and then walked out of the penthouse leaving me alone


    with Desmond.


    "Desmond," I called. "are you alright?" I stood up from the bed, walked to him, and grabbed his hand. "you look like you are not happy being here, and I..."


    Desmond sighed. "it feels as if I don''t belong here." he said.


    I took his hands and pulled him to the bed to sit down.


    Once we were both seated, I gently rubbed his hand. "I am sorry if you think that what I have done is wrong and that I am..."


    "No.." he replied. "This is not about you. I just wished things could have happened differently, but now that we are here, let''s make the best of it." he cupped my face in his hands and smiled at me. "I missed holding your hands like this," he told me.


    I wrapped my arms around him and leaned in closer until our lips touched briefly. "I miss kissing you," I told him and stared into his different eye color, and then I kissed him again. This time, it was slow, passionate, and euphoric. "I do miss kissing you and...."


    "I missed you too, he kissed me back and suddenly carried me in his arms, sitting down on his legs. "oh goodness!" I eximed. "Desmond."


    He chuckled into my mouth and rubbed my hair gently. "I just want to have you in my arms again," he said and pped my butt. "I missed having you in myp, wet and ready for me," he pped my butt again, and I let out a moan.


    DESMOND


    This new kingdom was not where I had expected that I would ever be. When the king announced that I was going with Randy, I knew that I had no option but to be there for him. I was his world and he was mine.


    Being with him was all I needed.


    "Don''t we think we should shower?" Randy asked after he had broken the kiss. "I am feeling sweaty," he said and tried to stand up from my legs, but I grabbed his hand and pulled him back into my arms wrapping my arms around his waist, and then I slipped my hand into the hem of his shirt and running his warm back.


    "Mmm" he responded and chuckled. "it felt so good," he chuckled.


    Iughed and continued rubbing his back, and then I leaned in to nuzzle his neck and inhale his sweaty smell.


    I wanted him so badly at that moment that I couldn''t hide it, and so I continued to rub his back.


    Randy chuckled as he wrapped his arms around me. "I missed this. I truly missed us," he said.


    "Don''t distract me," I muttered to him and then kissed his temple and then his neck. "Your sweaty smell is good," I joked.


    "oh goodness Desmond," he prosted. "Don''t say things like this because they are not true. How can my smell be good when it is my sweat," he said and then tutted. "Don''t say things like that again!" he yfully pped my shoulder.


    I grunted. "I meant it when I said that you smelled really good," I told him. "Having your butt on myp turns me the fuck on," I told him andughed.


    "Really?" he rubbed my chin yfully and then delivered a short kiss to my lips. "I must say that I am surprised that you would say something like that. I truly didn''t expect that I would be smelling nice," he said.


    "Of course you do," I replied him and chuckled lightly. "you really smell really good," I told him.


    Even though his body was sweaty even under the air condition, I didn''t care and no matter what he said about it, I found him pretty attractive.


    I gently stroked his hair while staring into his blue eyes and even though none of us had said anything, the tension between us was bing much higher. "I love you Randy and I have to admit that those days we spent apart made me realize how you are an angel to me."


    Randy grabbed my hand and ced it on his chest. "I have to admit to you that you are making my heart go thump," he said and he was right. His heart thudded in his chest.


    I wondered for a moment how it would have been if we were born differently and fell


    in love in a world that epted us for what we were.


    I wrapped his legs around my waist to make sure that he was tethered to me.


    I wanted him to be happy, keep him safe, and not let him think that I was going to turn


    my back on him like everyone else because that was not my intention.


    No matter what, I was going to be with him forever.


    I couldn''t think about losing him because there would be no way for me to cope knowing that he had suddenly disappeared from my sight.


    I hoped that Randy also felt the same way about me because our separation made me have doubts about him truly loving me but it was just a while and it quickly disappeared as quickly as it appeared, because I knew that, in the end, it didn''t matter in because even if our love was not properly matched, I was In love with him and that was all that matters.


    As if reading my mind, Randy responded to me. "I love you, my dear Desmond," he said and pinched my cheeks.


    I pulled him closer and kissed him, deep and showing him a response to his confession of loving me.


    When we eventually broke apart, momentster, Randy licked his lips and then sucked on my neck.


    I moaned and gripped his hair in my fist. It made me want to take him right at that moment.


    Take him until his legs start to shake.

 Chapter 76

    My insides vibrated with happiness, and I couldn''t help but tease him. "so you love me huh?" I asked as I removed a strand of his hair from his forehead. "will you be so in love with me to lose your position as the crown prince?"


    He frowned for a moment and I thought that I had done something wrong until he suddenly burst intoughter. "oh Desmond," he ced his hands on my shoulder. "you have no idea how crazy I am about you and what I will do just to have you forever. There is no ce," he paused and rubbed my brows. "There is no ce that I rather be than in your arms because I truly care about you and I don''t care about my position as the crown prince because you are my home." he wrapped his hands around my neck. "I love you enough to do anything for you."


    His words brought a smile to my face. "I believe we should get that shower right now," I said in an authoritative tone showing my dominance.


    He chuckled and nodded his head in response and then he climbed down from myp and headed towards the bathtub that was just opposite the room.


    "Tonight Desmond," he said and beckoned to me.


    I walked closer to him and grabbed his hand as I entered into the bathtub with him.


    He hugged me and grabbed my butt so tight that I let out a moan.


    He squeezed it gently andughed. "Let us forget about our worries tonight and just be ourselves," he told me and then slid down until he was on his knees inside the tub.


    He grabbed my belt and flung it away and then he chuckled. "I want to suck you." "Really pumpkin?"


    He nodded and unzipped me pulling down my jeans and then he pulled down my briefs.


    "Taste me Pumpkin," I gripped his hair and let out a breathy sound as he kissed the tip of my dick.


    He moaned as he ced his finger around it and continued sucking my wet tip into his mouth.


    I felt my heart pound in my heart as my head rolled backward from the pleasure and then my head tipped forward again as I watched him take more of me into his mouth. "you taste good," he remarked as he remove his mouth for a moment and then he reced it with his tongue as he flicked it around the head of my dick.


    He gave a quick, harder suck and I gasped gripping his hair tighter.


    Randy repeated the motion, licking up and down my dick until my legs started trembling, my hands on his hair and my breathing in ragged.


    "fuck this"" I moaned, growled, and breathlessly let out a growl.


    I looked at how his dick reacted by being erected and I wasted no time In touching it, and then I began to rub it.


    I let go of his dick and made him look up at me and then grabbed his throat, my whole body shuddering as I came. "you, my pumpkin gonna to be mine forever!" I dered and pushed his head back to my dick. "Don''t stop!"


    Randy responded by kissing the top of my dick and then started sucking again. "fuck this," I said as my back arched backward, my head falling back as I groaned feeling close again, and then I cummed into his mouth.


    Randy didn''t stop as he swallowed and licked me until my body rxed, and I slumped down into the bathtub, my breath shaky as I sat down in the bathtub.


    "Goodness Randy," I said as he raised his head to face me.


    "how was that?" he asked.


    "I smiled at him and ruffled his hair. "it was..." I panted for breath. "you were incredible my dear mate," I told him.


    He sat down in the bathtub too and turned on the water. "Randy," I called.


    "yes," he responded.


    "stand up!" my voice was loud, direct.


    Randy looked at me with a worried look.


    "didn''t I satisfy you enough?" he asked.


    "do you want me to suck you too?"I asked him and I noticed how his eyes widened before he finally responded.


    "ye.....yes."


    I leaned forward and reached up to unfasten his pants feeling his shaky legs against my hand. "Are you ready toe?"


    I asked in a low tone.


    He nodded immediately as if he had been waiting for the moment all his life.


    I grabbed his dick from his underwear and felt the warmth against my hand and then I


    grabbed his sac grunt, while exining.


    His lips twitched as I thrust his dick with my hand.


    "oh, goddess!" Randy let out a shaky sound.


    "fuck!" he groaned, and then he looked down to watch me and I increased my speed, jacking him faster.


    He groaned and ced a shaky hand on my shoulder.


    He had no idea that it was just the beginning as my hand grabbed his balls and I yed with it.


    "D.. Desmond please." he gasped.


    I smirked at him as I sped up my jacking off on him.


    I felt his dick grow hard in my head and then he shot it all out groaning.


    "oh goddess!" he moaned and, released everywhere including my face and shirt, and


    then I let him go, and he slumped on my chest in the water.


    We both panted and didn''t say anything as we stared at each other and then I let out a


    sign. "That was incredible," Imented.


    "It feels perfect seeing us doing this in a long time," he said. "I missed this."


    "me too," I chuckled and kissed his lips.


    "Turn around," I told him as I reached to grab the white sponge from the shelf beside


    us.


    Randy obeyed and turned around. I grabbed a strawberry shampoo on the shelf too and poured a certain amount into my hand, and then I started rubbing his back. "Tell me what it feels like when you were struck in that fantasynd?"


    Randy remained silent and didn''t say anything for a moment and the only sound that came from his lips were sighs.


    "it is okay if you don''t want to talk about it," I said to him.


    "it was terrible,"he replied. "The fantasy world is a ce I wished anyone didn''t have to


    go because it is filled with shit," he paused for a moment and turned around to face


    me. "Do you have any idea whom I saw in the fantasy world?"


    "My other self?" I asked and then he shook his head in response.


    "what did you see then?"


    He smacked his lips and raised the corner of his lips smirking at me. "you might not


    believe this but I saw Ana in the fantasy world, she was my girlfriend."


    I frowned at him.


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 Chapter 77

    That was not what I had expected that he would say. "what do you mean by that?" I asked him.


    He chuckled and cupped my face in his hands. "Don''t be jealous my dear love," he said and then he turned around again. "you and I were enemies and it felt so real that I couldn''t tell apart from you and that fake Desmond."


    "When you say fake Desmond, it makes me want to have you right now," I muttered and ced my hands around his waist pulling him closer to me. "what do you say that


    I take you here right now?" I asked him and he nodded in response.


    "Take me please," he begged.


    "dy," I chuckled and kissed the top of his nose and then I kissed his neck. Randy''s POV


    Long, wet fingers cupped the back of my neck again and it trailed down to my neck raising my chin to face him. "Desmond" I muttered his name as he pulled my face closer to himself.


    "yes," he replied and wiped my lips with his wet fingers and then he leaned in to kiss


    me.


    My mouth opened to him, impatiently, and I wrapped my arms around his neck.


    Desperate moans escaped from my mouth as he slid his tongue into my mouth to y with mine.


    Desmond made a low sound as one of his hands wrapped me tighter into his arms as if I could disappear any moment from his sight.


    I was shivering from the pleasure, my cock already throbbing.


    Our kiss became more urgent, wetter. I began to straddle his hips, my weight pushing into his dick making me groan into his mouth.


    Thank goodness, the tub was big and strong enough for two people else our weight would have broken it into two.


    "hmm," I moaned again into his mouth as he kissed me again as I did to him.


    His hips arched up as he pressed his cock into his stomach. Then his hands moved from gripping my hair and face and rubbing my back. I grunted into his mouth as I continued straddling him, my heart pounding in my chest excitedly.


    Desmond suddenly stopped kissing and we both stared into each other''s eyes panting for breath. "you know something Randy," he rubbed my hair and smiled at me. "If there is another world without you there, I wouldn''t want to exist there."


    I ced a hand on his chest and rubbed it gently. "me too Desmond," I chuckled and squeezed his cheek. "always and forever for us my love," I muttered and kissed him back and then I went back to straddling him, not getting enough and wanting more. Naked skin meeting naked skin and he responded by letting his hips arched into mine again.


    He resumed the kiss and this time, it was demanding, hot yet passionate.


    The kiss went on and got more intense as he raised me and ced me in hisp, the water rising to the highest level and spilling on the ground. My whole body shuddered at his touch. I continued straddling him and I didn''t know much longer that I could take. My inside burst into excitement as he grabbed my ass, then his hips, and started rocking unable to take it anymore. My chest heaved, I felt his dick throbbing hard against my hips.


    He slid his hands down between my thighs as I continued to ride him. Desmond suddenly grabbed my hand and pinned it behind my back. "Now, you are going to ride me," he muttered, his voice hoarse. "you and me together until the end of the world," he said and then chuckled. "my cute pumpkin."


    I nodded panting from too much pleasure.


    Desmond let go of my hands and kissed the base of my neck, sucking into it and eliciting a moan from me.


    "yes," I panted. "fuck, yes!" I closed my eyes for a moment and opened them as I positioned myself in between his legs and then... he was inside of me.


    Desmond let out a moan followed by mine. "oh fuck!"


    I panted shakily as he gripped my neck to face him, we both panting at the same speed of his thrust.


    "fuck, I love you Desmond!" I screamed as I raised my hips so I could drown his dick deeper inside of me. I shuddered as he squeezed my ass and then my hips. I started rocking him sighing with each breath that I took.


    "This feels so amazing!" Desmond screamed and ced his hands on my lips pounding into me to meet thrusts.


    "Desmond......." I screamed and ced my head on his neck for a moment he didn''t slow down giving it to me hot and powerful. I felt my knees start to shake and then I gained more strength from the pleasure as I began to meet his thrust.


    I felt his body shaking against mine and he moaned out loud. "oh fuck this," he screamed.


    I felt the liquid from his dick onto my belly and let out a low moan. The water continued to spill as our voices filled the entire room. If the walls were not soundproofed, I was sure that people would have heard our screams because it was too loud, demanding, and hot.


    "Gonnae," I screamed and then kissed Desmond on the lips. "I am going toe right now. Fuck... I am going to....."


    My voice went silent as I came and then rested in his arms sighing. "that was hot and amazing," Imented and wrapped my arms around his neck.


    "It was amazing," he chuckled and kissed me onest time and we remained in that position for a moment until we turned on the bath again, my back facing him, and having the best bath of our lives.


    "Now I''m feeling hungry," he remarked.


    "Me too," I replied, and we bothughed.

 Chapter 78

    This missing content is only avable on


    This missing content is only avable on


    It was a celebration and it was all for Desmond.


    It was his birthday and he was smiling and everyone was there, gathered in a joyous celebration.


    This missing content is only avable on


    This missing content is only avable on


    Everything that I have ever wanted was right in front of me.


    This missing content is only avable on


    The screen in front of me was showing a news headline about Desmond. Our pictures were pasted on the screen and they were announcing us being the royals. It was not what I had expected to see. Everyone who was against us was smiling at us and it felt surreal that I had to pinch myself to make sure that was not dreaming. Everywhere I looked, there were smiles, genuine and radiant, as friends, family, and our society came together to honor Desmond.


    This missing content is only avable on


    I was standing beside Desmond smiling since the world had finally agreed to our bond. I grabbed his hand and rubbed it gently.


    Amid the jubnt celebration, everything suddenly froze, as if time itself had been arrested. I stood there, perplexed, my voice caught in my throat. My surroundings turned eerily silent and everyone who wasughing a moment had stopped.


    Even Desmond''s hand that I held tightly had be stiff. I let go of his hand and rubbed my eyes.


    "Hello? What''s happening?" I cried out, my voice echoing in the frozen moment. Panic was no response, just the unnervingughter that echoed through the room.


    I rubbed my sweaty hands together and continued looking around me. Suddenly, darkness engulfed the frozen room and I gasped shifting backward. I felt a surge of panic rising within me, a desperate need to understand, to break free from this inexplicable nightmare.


    "Please, tell me what''s happening!" I pleaded, my voice trembling with curiosity.


    A voice, sinister yet controlled, cut through the darkness, sending a chill down my spine. "Watch," itmanded.


    I strained my eyes in the darkness, trying to discern any form or movement. The darkness dissipated abruptly, reced by an eerie purple glow that enveloped the room. I blinked in confusion, trying to make sense of my surroundings. Before me stood a surreal scene, the room cast in shades of purple, vibrant yet unsettling.


    In the center of the room, I saw myself seated on a bed, cradling a baby in my arms. A surge of emotions flooded through me as I observed the tender scene unfold before my eyes. Beside me sat Desmond, his gaze fixed on the child, a smile adorning his face. Our eyes met, and we shared a smile. "he looks so much like you," he said to me and Iughed.


    "He looked like both of us." my other self replied Desmond.


    I suddenly felt a chill and when I looked around me, I noticed that the voice was starting to sound again. "This could be your future with Desmond," it intoned ominously.


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    My heart clenched in fear as I remembered where I had heard the voice. It was Hecate''s voice. "No, that''s not real! Lies!" I shouted hoping to break out of the illusion that had surrounded me.


    "She''s gaslighting you!" I reminded myself.


    "Get out of my head!" I yelled, trying to push away the disturbing projection before me. The vision, though seemingly serene, felt like a suffocating weight pressing down on my chest. "I know you are Hecate and this is one of your stupid tricks!" I yelled at her. "I know what you are trying to do! You want to turn me into a fool right!" I screamed at her.


    "You can never escape me, Randy. I''ll always find you, for you bear my mark," Hecate''s voice echoed in my head. "I will always find you!" she repeated.


    "Disappear! Leave me alone!" I pleaded at the top of my lungs hoping to get away from the nightmare.


    "Only when you wake up will I fade," it jeered, sending chills down my spine.


    In a sudden and unsettling turn, i came face to face with Hecate taking the form of Desmond. My heart skipped a beat, the sight jarring me to the core. The distorted image of Desmond, manipted by this sinister presence, felt like a vition of everything sacred to me. It reminded me of the fantasy and I hated that I was seeing how she was using Desmond''s body knowing that I couldn''t do anything about it. Before I couldprehend what was happening, she snapped her fingers and we were suddenly transported to an unfamiliar street, I saw myself opposite the road standing holding a delicate flower, engrossed in a conversation on the phone.


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    Across from me, Desmond was about to cross the road.


    "Happy Birthday!" I shouted to Desmond, waving with a genuine smile. Desmond waved back at me and started crossing the road. A ck truck appeared out of thin air, hurtling towards him at an rming speed. My breath got caught in my throat as I looked closely at the truck. Time seemed to slow to a frightening crawl as the truck collided with him, sending him horrifyingly flying through the air.


    I gasped and tried to move forward but I couldn''t. My heart started racing in my chest as I feared that the worst thing had happened and it did happen. My other self dropped the phone and flower in his hand rushing to meet Desmond who was covered up in his pool of blood. He was bleeding out nonstop and I tried so hard to move forward but instead, I remained where I was unable to move.


    "What did you do!" I screamed at her. "what the hell did you do!"


    Sheughed and then walked around me I felt her hand around me. "I warned you didn''t I," she tutted and then pointed forward. "Desmond will truly die on the day of his birthday," she hissed, her wordsced with a chilling certainty that pierced through the unfolding tragedy.


    My heart beat hard against my chest as I couldn''t imagine that happening to Desmond. "I thought you said that he couldn''t die! You said it yourself."


    Sheughed. "oh did I?"


    It felt like a cruel twist of fate, the looming specter of Desmond''s impending fate casting a pall over everything.


    The world around me seemed to blur as the words reverberated, a suffocating reality closing in on me. No matter what we did, something was going toe against us, and we wouldn''t be able to fight it. "what the hell do you want from me? Why are you punishing me like this!"


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 Chapter 79

    "The only way to stop it is if you do my bidding," her voice trailed off as sheughed.


    "I will never bow down to your bidding no matter what you say!" I yelled at her.


    "Good for you," she said and then sighed.


    "it seems that you are starting to wake up so I will leave you to your fate!" she ced a hand on my shoulder as her voice faded.


    "until then." she disappeared in the blink of the eye while I remained in that spot staring at what was in front of me and suddenly, I jolted back into reality, my heart racing as I struggled toprehend the abrupt transition from the haunting dream world and then I remembered Desmond.


    "Desmond!" I shouted his name as I looked around me searching for him.


    Beside me, Desmond stirred from his slumber, awakening to my distressed cry.


    His eyes fluttered open, meeting mine with a mix of concern and sleepiness. "Randy, what''s wrong?" he asked, his voice tinged with grogginess." is everything alright with you?"


    Tears streamed down my cheeks uncontrobly as the remnants of the haunting dream lingered in my mind. "Are you okay? Please, tell me you''re fine," I choked out, my voice trembling with emotion.


    Desmond, taken aback by my sudden distress, reached out to reassure me by grabbing my hand. "Yes, I''m here. I''m fine," he replied, his voice soothing and gentle as he wiped away my tears, concern etched in his features. "what happened to you?"


    "it''s nothing. I am just d that you are fine," I ced my hand on his chest and closed my eyes.


    Relief flooded through me at his reassurance, but the echoes of the dream lingered, haunting my thoughts. "It was just a nightmare," I whispered to myself, trying to dispel the lingering fear and uncertainty.


    Tears still streaming down my face, I clung tightly to Desmond, overwhelmed by the emotional intensity of the dream and the sheer relief of his safety. The vividness of the nightmare was fading, reced by the warmth of Desmond''s presence beside me, grounding me in the reality that he was safe and sound.


    "What was the nightmare about?" His voice was filled with a mix of worry. We both sat up on the bed, my head on his chest as I listened to his heartbeat reassuring me that he was indeed fine.


    Taking a deep breath, I recounted the unsettling dream, the vivid details still fresh in my mind. Desmond listened attentively, his hand holding mine in a reassuring grip, offering silent support as I narrated the vision.


    "it will be fine," Desmond kissed the top of my head stood up from the bed grabbed my hand, and pulled me up from the bed and then we headed towards the kitchen. "I believe that you need to drink water. "


    I nodded.


    Desmond guided me gently to the kitchen, hisforting presence by my side. He poured a ss of water for each of us, the cool liquid a soothing balm for the lingering distress from the nightmare.


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    Leaving the kitchen, we settled onto a cozy brown couch, our bodies intertwined in aforting embrace. The sky outside began to lighten, the first rays of the rising sun painting streaks of orange and pink across the horizon. "whatever dream you had, we will always be here together to face it."


    I nodded and inhaled deeply finding sce in his arms.


    ~Desmond~


    The persistent chime of the doorbell pulled me from a restless slumber. My eyelids fluttered open, the hazy fog of a night without much respite slowly lifting. I shifted slightly, ncing down to find Randy nestled against me, sleeping peacefully, his breathing rhythmic and calm.


    He had not been able to sleep all night and when he finally did, it was in my arms on the couch. Even when the bell continued to ring over and over again, he didnt wake


    up.


    Gently maneuvering out from under him, I lifted him carefully, cradling him in my arms as I walked up the stairs to our room.


    With delicate steps, Iid him down on the bed, adjusting the covers to ensure he remained snug and undisturbed. I kissed his forehead before walking down to the persistent ringing of the doorbell.


    I opened the door and realized that it was Isabe and walking behind her was Marcus. "Morning, Marcus, Isabe," I greeted them, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.


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    "Good afternoon," he greeted and waved at me.


    Afternoon? It was afternoon. My eyes looked up to the wall where the wall was, and I gasped when I saw the time. It was past one in the afternoon.


    "Where is Desmond?" he asked.


    I yawned and pointed towards the stairs.


    "He is currently sleeping right now," I replied to him, but a loud yawn sounded behind


    us.


    "I just woke up," he groaned as he walked down, staggering down the stairs. Just watching him made me remember what had happened the previous night and I couldn''t stopughing knowing that I had made him walk like that. "Hello Uncle Marcus, Isabe," he greeted.


    "Your Highness," Isabe bowed her head.


    "Pleasure to see you waking up."


    "I....." he didn''t get to finish as his stomach rumbled. "I am starving," he announced and rubbed his stomach.


    Isabe quickly stepped in and bowed her head. "Your Highness, I''ll have the staff prepare something for you both," she announced with a warm smile, and with a bow of her head, she turned to leave the room.

 Chapter 80

    Two hours flew by in a blur of breakfast delights, a refreshing bath, and the swift changing of our clothes.


    When we were alone, Randy talked about what happened the previous night.


    "Desmond," he called, and I turned to face him, giving a questioning look. "What happenedst night. Could we not tell Uncle Marcus please?"


    I raised my brows in confusion and then smiled at him, remembering that a lot had happened the previous night. "Which one are you referring to? The sex or the after sex?"


    He chuckled and pped my shoulder yfully. "I am not talking about either of those," he said and heaved a deep sigh.


    "Desmond, this is about the dream. If Uncle Marcus finds out about this and my parent also do, it won''t be great. They would want to know everything that had happened and even though we just came here, I have to admit that this ce is better because there are a lot of people who don''t know us and they wont care about what we are," he said and I nodded in response. "of course Randy, I won''t do that to you. I will always make sure that I cherish what we have and wont even dare tell anybody, my love," I assured him and hugged him tightly.


    "All alright," he said and we both headed out of the room. Once we got down, Marcus was standing by the door already waiting for us.


    "shall we take our leave now?" he asked.


    Randy and I exchanged looks, and then we nodded our heads in response.


    Taking the elevator down, I held Randy''s hand pretty tight and when he looked at me, I smiled at him, but deep down, I couldn''t stop thinking about the things that he had said the previous night.


    Was I going to die? I thought, when he woke up and told me that everything was going to be fine, I was d because, atst, I wouldn''t have to worry about anything, but now, I do need to start nning my goodbyes because, in two weeks, I was going to celebrate my birthday.


    "hey Desmond, you alright?" Randy called my attention when I didn''t make any move toe out of the elevator. I had been so deep in my thoughts that I didn''t remember that I was supposed toe out of the elevator and so when I did, I heaved a deep sigh and nodded in response.


    "yes, everything is fine," I assured him and we both headed out of the elevator. As we stepped into the waiting limousine, I couldn''t help but marvel at the stark contrast between the this country and ours. It was an intriguing and somewhat overwhelming experience.


    This country had a lot of beautiful things on its own, and they were things that looked so pretty to look at.


    I nced at Randy, my excitement evident as I gestured enthusiastically toward the surroundings from the car. "Look at that," I eximed, pointing to the towering trees lining the streets. "In our country, trees hold a different kind of power and presence, but here, they stand tall in their unique way, don''t they?" I questioned.


    Randy nodded in response as he also looked outside the car with me. "you are right about that," he said and chuckled.


    "They each have their unique ways."


    The rest of the drive was in silence and for a few minutes, nobody said anything until we reached the front of a skyscraper.


    "maralexa," Imented as I pointed at the name in the center of the building.


    "My mother and Uncle Marcus used to work as chefs when we were younger," Randy said and pointed toward the name. "it had been her dream to be able to build something like this and so when she became the queen, Uncle Marcus helped her achieve her goal."


    "Awesome," Imented andughed.


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    "This is such a lovely thing to witness," I said and heaved a deep sigh.


    e one into Maralexa," Marcus announced as he pointed in, and we followed after him.


    "Maralexa," I murmured, the name resonating with a deeper meaning now. It wasn''t merely a restaurant; it was a heartfelt homage, a ce where ''s dreams were being fulfilled.


    As Randy and I settled into the vibrant ambiance of Marlexa, it became evident that the restaurant was thriving.


    The air buzzed with an energetic hum, a melodic symphony of conversations,ughter, and the clinking of cutlery.


    The bustling dining area was abuzz with activity. Every table was adorned with people engrossed in different discussions, their faces illuminated by the warm glow of the softly lit surroundings.


    The servers, d in professional ck attire, walked through the crowded space with seamless grace, attending to the customers'' needs with efficiency and a friendly demeanor.


    The open kitchen was a whirlwind of culinary mastery. Chefs moved in synchronized harmony, creating exquisite dishes with precision and skill. The tantalizing aromas wafting from the kitchen mingled with the ambient scents, teasing the senses and eliciting anticipation from the eager customers, and also the same with me.


    The bar area was no less different from the restaurant itself. Bartenders expertly crafted cocktails, their hands moving deftly as they mixed and poured, creating libations that reflected both artistry and taste. People seated at the bar engaged in lively conversations, adding to the convivial atmosphere of the restaurant. It was beautiful to watch everyone moving around with a smile on their faces.


    "This ce is more beautiful now," Randymented.


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    Marcusughed. "it is all the idea of my wife. Come now, and I will show you how beautiful the ce is now, he said as he led us to a white room exuding an air of exclusivity and refinement. The ambiance here was serene, a stark contrast to the lively buzz of the main dining area.


    "Meet my wife, Sophia," Marcus announced as a red haired woman stood in front of us. Sophia, his wife, a beacon of grace and elegance. Her weing demeanor radiated a quiet strength,plementing Marcus''s vibrant presence perfectly. "Wee Randy, it has been a long time," she said and hugged Randy. "well hello dear Desmond," she hugged me tightly too as if she had known me for years. "I must say that it felt surreal seeing you two here, but you are wee anyway."


    "Thank you," I said to her and looked beside her looking at the twins who seemed to be in their teenage years. just like their mother, they both had red hair but carried their fathers blue eyes.


    "Meet Mary and Mason," Marcus introduced the children. Mary, with her bright eyes and infectious smile, exuded youthful enthusiasm, while Mason, the epitome of curiosity and charm, carried himself with an air of quiet confidence.


    Tyler was at least an inch taller than me and he smiled brightly as his eyesnded on Randy he was happy to see him. Randy on the other hand smiled brightly and rushed to hug him.


    "Tyler," he said and chuckled. "you have grown so well."


    "hello," they both said at once and waved at us.


    I waved back while Randy rushed to hug them. "I have to admit that you both are


    much bigger than when I saw you thest time," hemented.


    Marcus chuckled and pointed behind us.


    "well, what do you have to say about Tyler," he said and chuckled.

 Chapter 81

    Desmond''s POV:


    "This ce is so silent," Imented as we walked up a long, grand staircase. Even though I was speaking softly, I could hear my voice echoing up the stairs.


    Where was I?


    I had no idea because thest thing I remembered was seeing Tyler, Randy''s cousin who bears an uncanny resemnce to John back home and now, I had appeared here where I didn''t even know.


    Servants were scattered about, too many to count. "Do you have a silent policy, or is this part of your tradition of not allowing your workers to talk?" I asked him.


    "For someone who should be resting, you seem to have a lot you want to talk about. Save that for tomorrow during the press conference, then, you shall be allowed to speak your mind as you wish," Randy replied. "it will be the morning when I shall announce you as my man!"


    I scoffed. "Does the royal home have a silent policy, or am I missing something?" Randy stopped walking and looked down at me. "What do you mean?" he frowned at me. "i am disappointed that you are asking this type of question when you already know how it works in the royal home yet you kept asking questions."


    "I mean everyone is silent, even your guards who are following behind secretly are not saying anything," I pointed out. "i have the right to ask," i stated.


    "Well," he cleared his throat and continued walking, "there is no silent policy, but my father ensures that the servants are trained to focus only on their jobs, hence the silence."


    "Mmm, you must be an elevated person," I remarked.


    I shouldn''t be saying such things, but somehow, i found myself saying the words.


    He chuckled. "Of course, I should be. This is my mansion, and I can do as I please as long as I am in control. By the way, the servants are also trained this way to keep their mouths shut about the royal family."


    I rolled my eyes at him. "I could have said something about you, gone to the news, and revealed that I am pregnant for you. Maybe that would have made a huge headline, and I would have be famous both here and home." I boasted.


    Pregnant?


    There was no way that i was pregnant for him and i wouldn''t know.


    "Really?" Randy stopped walking again.


    "You would have loved it if the royal family''s name was soiled?"


    "Of course," I muttered and clicked my tongue. "I would have loved to do that, but then it would mean that my child would get affected. My child would grow up seeing the bad news about how her father is a yboy and the other father is a whore."


    "I am not a yboy, and why are you calling yourself a whore?" he questioned.


    Iughed. "Isn''t that what the world would call me? They will say that I had forced the prince and got knocked up," I frowned at him. "Stop acting as if you don''t know."


    "Well, I am not the ruler of the world, but you are also right about that. The world will judge you differently," he admitted.


    "Mmm," I cleared my throat as I changed the topic. "What about my things? They are in the inn where I had..."


    He cut me off. "Worry not about that," he said and started walking again. "The Royal guard had gone to collect your things, and also, you will buy new clothes because I didn''t believe any of your things will be deemed fit for your position.


    I frowned at him again. "I don''t understand you. I love my clothes."


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    "I know you do, but this is the life of the royals, and I can assure you that your clothes won''t be perfect for any asion," he exined.


    I rolled my eyes. "Maybe I don''t even want this life. It is not toote to let me go back


    to uncle Marcus'', and you find a perfect bride for yourself. I mean, it is not an entirely bad idea if you..."


    "I cannot ignore the fact that you are pregnant with my child. I can''t turn a blind eye to that, and besides, it is wrong for a royal heir to be born out of wedlock," he interrupted.


    I sighed. "No one wants me here, not even you, and also, the king doesn''t want you to get married to me. He doesn''t like the fact that i am a male."


    Randy heaved a deep sigh as he took another step forward. "Why are you worrying about my father? It would help if you worried about me instead. I am the one who is marrying you, not someone else, so you don''t have to worry about anything, and also, I am going to marry you."


    "Because I am pregnant," I added. I just hoped he would say that he got married to me because he liked me, but he didn''t seem like someone who wanted to be with me.


    "I will be presenting you to the everyone tomorrow, Desmond. Everyone in the world will see you as the crowned prince."


    The whole world?


    My heart raced at the mention of that. He was presenting me to everyone, and I couldn''t help but think about how they would react to it. Would they love me?


    Would they want me to be their crown prince?


    "I don''t know," I sighed and sucked in a deep breath. "I mean, it is all too much becausest week I was just Desmond, a nobody who had fallen in love with Randy, and now, I am going to be the prince. It is all too much."


    "That is exactly what I want the world to see you as. As much as I don''t want a scandal, I want the attention to be drawn to you. They will search everything about you, how you are a waitress, and bring up the fact that you were pregnant before marriage. They will use a lot of things against you because that is what the media does."


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    I chuckled. "Really?" I didn''t sound happy.


    "You made it sound exciting."


    "It''s the truth," he said. "That is why I have stayed on the low for years and avoided the press."


    I sighed. "What if I just returned to uncle Marcus, and we forget this ever happened." Randy stopped again.


    "Are you insane?" His voice was low but loud enough to make my heart tremble. "You are having my child, I can''t ignore that."


    "But I can''t live this life of the royal. You can marry a more suitable candidate, a female at that. Everyone is already criticing me for being a male who is pregnant. They all find


    me ridiculous so the best you can do is to pay me off, and pretend that the child doesn''t exist, and everyone is happy," I forced out augh.


    "No," Randy refused. "I am not going to let my child be a bastard." "Oh goodness," I groaned.


    "Why do you seem unhappy to be my prince? Is there something bad about it?"


    "No," I shook my head in response. "I just don''t like the fact that you lied about your identity, broke up with me, and then I found out that I was pregnant for the prince, and now, I am going to be a prince. It is just too much for me toprehend. Why do you expect me to be happy?"

 Chapter 82

    I should be happy that I was back with the man I love, or used to love. I should have been happy that I would have a life of royals, and my child wouldn''t grow up as I did without support, but I wasn''t. Because at the end of it all, I had fallen for a prince who didn''t want me if not for the baby.


    "That is it, Desmond. We will argue no more," Randy responded sounding upset, and then he continued.


    "When does this stupid staircase end?" I let out a groan because we had been walking forever.


    As if it was on cue, Randy reached the top of the stairs, and two guards standing at the front of a door opened it wide, we walked into an amazing room that revealed avish brown couch, a king sized bed that I never believed I would sleep on in my entire life.


    "How many people are supposed to sleep on this bed?"


    Randy didn''t reply as he brought me down and gently ced me on the bed. "I..." I tried to say something but he cut me off.


    "This is your room and your bed only. Your bathroom is yours only, and there," he pointed to a door at the left side of the room, "connects to my room. I want to be around you to be..."


    "Be around me?" My heart pounded in my chest. "Do you have any idea what you are saying? There is no way I am..."


    "We are to be married. My father is already against this marriage. Do you want it to be more than that?"


    My eyes widened and I burst into bitterughter. "You think that I would sleep with you again?"


    "Why not?" he replied calmly. "You have slept with me before, and you...."


    "I did," I cut him off. "I slept with you because I thought you were a normal man. A man who isn''t a liar and a yboy. A man that I thought I had a future with!"


    "And you do now because we are getting married."


    Iughed bitterly again. "We are getting married because your fianc¨¦e ran away," I stood up from the bed and headed towards him, "And also because I am carrying your child. If your fianc¨¦e had not ended things, you wouldn''t even know that I am having your child because you abandoned me!"


    "Desmond, are we doing this? I already told you about why I couldn''t contact you. This is different, and I..."


    "Really!" I screamed at him. "I was your filthy secret, right? Oh goodness," I heaved a deep sigh and thenughed even though it was not funny. "Well," I rubbed my hair.


    "The entire world will know my name now."


    "I am going to make the marriage work, but I..."


    "Dream on. There is no way I am going to allow you to get anywhere near my body ever again!"


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    Randy groaned. "I thought we shared a mutual feeling and..."


    "I trusted you," my voice broke as I screamed again. "The only reason I came back to find you was that I didn''t want my child to end up like me who doesn''t have a father. I had thought that meeting you would make me feel safe about my future, but you are a liar! I will marry you, but I don''t think I would ever trust you again!" I paused and sighed. "It is for the baby. I will marry you in name, but I won''t be your husband!"


    I noticed how his face hardened. "Are you saying this, Desmond? You expect me to be celibate for the rest of my life."


    "Go around and sleep with anyone you want since you are a yboy prince, but you are noting anywhere near me."


    He scoffed. "Well, we shall see," he said, his tone tinged with a hint of threat, but I refused to yield.


    "There''s nothing to see because this is my decision. Unless you''re the type to force people into situations they don''t want, you''ll never have me in your bed again!"


    "Desmond," he muttered through clenched teeth. "I don''t force anyone. You should know that. I only said ''we shall see'' because I believe I can change your mind."


    I frowned at him, brushing off his words, though secretly, they stirred something within. "Never, Randy."


    Randy didn''t speak, instead, he closed the distance between us and wrapped his arms around me.


    My knees trembled, a reminder of the significance he held for me. Yet, his piercing blue eyes captivated me, consuming my thoughts.


    "I.." I tried to protest, but his lips met mine forcefully.


    The kiss wasmanding, and I found myself giving in. I clung to him, unable to resist the intensity of the moment.


    It''s hard to admit, but I had missed kissing him. Three months had passed without his touch, and this experience eclipsed my memories.


    As he released me, a smirk danced on his lips. "As I mentioned, we shall see," he chuckled, leaving me alone with a whirlwind of conflicting emotions.


    "Stupid, stupid!" I screamed, falling onto the bed. I could have resisted him, but my longing was overpowering. I closed my eyes, jolting back to reality as I noticed several onlookers, among them Randy''s tamiliar gaze.


    "I had a dream," I blurted out, disregarding the stares. "I dreamt that I was pregnant with your child."


    Randy''s eyes widened, disbelief evident in his expression. "What... what?"


    "I don''t understand the dream either," I replied, rubbing my eyes. "It was weird," I said, though deep down, I sensed it held a deeper meaning.

 Chapter 83

    Randy~


    If someone had told me I''d encounter someone bearing an uncanny resemnce to


    John from back home, I would have dismissed it as foolish talk.


    Yet, there I was, intensely gazing at a person who mirrored him perfectly.


    Was I caught in a dream, or was this a mere figment of my imagination fueled by the belief that John was the one who leaked our audio on the inte?


    I couldnt decipher the truth, so I continued to fixate on him, standing alongside my cousin Tyler, whom I hadn''t seen in years.


    The moment John''s doppelg?nger touched Desmond and he promptly fainted, a sense of foreboding gripped me, I knew something was amiss.


    When Desmond woke up and talked about a dream, I had thought that Hecate had visited us again but I was d when he mentioned that he was pregnant for me in the dream.


    It felt funny and surreal and not what I had not expected that I would hear but it didn''t stop me from staring at him in shock because I had not expected that such dreams existed and so, I couldn''t say anything else.


    "How are you feeling now?" Uncle Marcus asked him.


    Desmond sighed and looked at me but I shook my head at him telling him not to tell my uncle anything because I knew that anything he said would be taken to my parent and I didn''t want that to happen so it was best if it was kept a secret from them.


    "I am fine," Desmond cleared his throat rubbed his forehead, and then faced my uncle. "I just was unable to sleepst night because someone was on my neck and because of that..." he turned his attention to me and smiled brightly.


    My uncleughed and raised his hand in defeat. "I don''t want to hear anything about your night, please. So you have met your cousin Tyler right?"


    I nodded and looked towards Tyler who was serving food to the customers, his smile broadened as he exchanged words with them and it made me wonder if he was happy to be far away from his family or if he was doing alright.


    It had been long since Ist saw him and so, because of that I had expected that he would look cruel and unapproachable but he looked like he fit into this part of the world perfectly.


    "why does your cousin look a lot like John?"Desmond asked and pointed to the boy beside my cousin.


    I had seen why he was giving the boy an intense look because he had thought that he was my cousin and also because of his uncanny resemnce to John.


    "That is Caspian," my uncle introduced pointing to Caspian. "he is a chef and good at what he does."


    My eyes stared at him and I tried topare him to John. I noticed the difference was the fact that John was leaner and was built with a round face while this one had a straight jawline but the resemnce made me wonder if the two people could have the same face.


    "I think that they are done with the customers. Let''s do a proper introduction this time now that Desmond is no longer fainting," he said and beckoned to the both of them.


    They headed towards me with smiles on their faces and with each step that they took, I feared what my Cousin might think of the family because ording to him, the family had not treated him well and I believed that he might harbored hatred for them because if I were in his shoes, I would have done the same thing.


    "hello," Caspian greeted and I also noticed that his voice was thicker too unlike John''s high voice. "how are you doing now?" he asked Desmond smiling brightly at him.


    I frowned as I watched Desmond also return the smile. I clenched my fists when they both shook their hands.


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    "fine," Desmond replied him. "I am alright now. The name is Desmond."


    I had expected Desmond to let him go but instead, they held each other exchanging looks for a few seconds until I couldn''t take it anymore and I cleared my throat.


    "Meet Randy." Desmond finally let go of his hand, a moment before I could rip Caspian''s head off. "My friend."


    That sentence alone ended everything.


    How could he have addressed me as his friend?


    I frowned as I looked at me balling my wrist angrily.


    I was his friend, only his friend? I looked at Desmond expecting to change the words


    that he had said but instead, he continued grinning and that made me boil more.


    I bit down my tongue to suppressed the anger that coursed through me.


    "Friends huh?" I chuckled and nudged Desmond in the shoulder trying to make a joke


    but instead, he maintained a straight face and didn''t say anything.


    Seriously, I couldn''t even understand what was happening and why he was acting like that.


    Had I done something wrong?


    Was that the reason for his change in attitude?


    I questioned myself because I couldn''t understand why he had denied me and that


    made me hate the Caspian guy more.


    "pleasure to meet you, Randy!"


    Randy!


    He addressed me by my name.


    That was the first time my name had sounded uninterested in my ear and it was because it wasing from him.


    It irks me to see him calling my name and when he stretched forth his hand for me to take, I frowned at him and only stared at his hand.


    How the hell did he expect that I would shake hands with him when he was staring at Desmond as if he was about to devour right on the spot?


    It made me groan painfully without letting it out and unable to take it any longer, I grabbed Tyler''s hand and walked away without acknowledging his greetings.


    It was not pride neither was it because he was looking like John but because he had his eyes on Desmond and I hated how he was staring at him like he was the love of his life.

 Chapter 84

    I had expected that Desmond would call me back into the room but he did no such thing and once I was outside the restaurant to the backyard with Tyler, I let out a groan and kicked the trash.


    "you must be angry your highness. I could see the way you were giving Caspian a death re back in that room and it seemed like you wanted to murder him." I frowned at him. "And how do you mean?"


    Tyler chuckled. "you do not have to hide it from me brother. I have seen it all and I know why you left home," he said hands in his pocket with a babyish smile on his face. "it is nothing to hide my dear brother. I know what you are and I don''t see anything wrong with it. Desmond is your boyfriend and I can tell that you are madly in love with him with by the way you stare at him. I have to say that your love isplicated." he chuckled and kicked a stone on the ground.


    I heaved a deep sigh as I looked at him.


    For a child who was separated from his family, he looked like he was doing well and there was no hint of sadness on his face.


    His smiles made it seem like he was doing fine, but underneath everything, I could see that there was a silence back there.


    A silence from rejection.


    "How have you been, Tyler?"


    He looked at me, hands still in his pocket, smiling again. "I am doing fine, Randy."


    I ced a hand on his shoulder and shook my head. "I don''t think that you are doing alright. You are just pretending to be alright but deep down, I know that you are truly not doing okay."


    He raised his brow and removed his hands from his pocket and rubbed them together.


    "I am doing...."


    "Why didn''t you write back home? To tell me how you are doing and what..."


    He pped my hand away. "Why do you care? I don''t want to bother anyone. Uncle Newman had been generous enough to let me live after what my parent did so I should be at least grateful for that. And I have to admit that I am grateful for everything that he had done for me," he said, and heaved a deep sigh. "I don''t want to burden anyone and..."


    I pulled him into my arms before he could finish. "It is okay Tyler," I rubbed his back gently. "You were my baby cousin whom I loved deeply and it saddens my heart to see that you were not around me again. I expected to see your letter, your texts but they never came and I had thought that you resented the family for everything that happened to your parents but I never...."


    "I missed you all," he confessed and I heard him sniffled. "The only way I could connect with you all was through the inte and that was where I had seen the headlines about you and Desmond."


    I let go of him and stared into his eyes.


    "Would you like to return home with me?"


    His eyes searched mine as if he was seeking validation from me, waiting for what I had


    to say. "Yes," he replied. "I missed everyone especially you, my dear brother," he hugged me this time and rubbed my shoulder warmly. "I could never have imagined that I would be separated from you for so long."


    "Me too," I said to him. "But now, we are going to be back as a family."


    "We better return inside before Caspian makes your boyfriend fall for him."


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    I growled at him. "Don''t say things like that," I warned him.


    He chuckled. "We better go back inside then," he winked at me, and we both headed inside.


    When we returned to where Desmond and Caspian should have been, they were no longer there and instead, it was Sophia.


    "Hey Sophia, where is Desmond?" I asked her.


    "He is with Caspian in the kitchen."


    I exchanged looks with Tyler who shrugged his shoulder and then started walking away while I followed after him towards the kitchen.


    Before I reached the entrance of the kitchen, I could hear Desmond''s beautifulughter. It angered me that he was sharing hisughter with others, and without waiting, I pushed the door open and their eyes turned towards me, but that was not what I was looking at.


    Caspian was standing behind Desmond with his hands around his as they both had their hands in a bowl.


    I clenched my fists as I watched them, and even when they saw me, they didn''t let go of one another.


    I walked to the both of them, angrily pushed Caspian away, and then pped his hands away from Desmond''s.


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    "Don''t you dare touch my boyfriend," I growled possessively. "What the hell are you doing, Desmond?" I said through gritted teeth as I grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the entrance of the kitchen. "You and I have something to talk about once we reach the penthouse."


    "What on earth is happening to you, Randy?" Desmond''s questions hit me the moment we stepped into the penthouse. I ignored him and headed towards the stairs. He followed, repeating the same question.


    "Randy, please respond. I need to know what''s happening, and why you''re giving me the silent treatment!"


    I chuckled but remained silent, walking past him and entering the bathroom.


    "Randy!" he called after me, but I shut the door in his face, staring at myself in the mirror.


    My reflection revealed dark bags under my eyes.


    I was burdened with worries, and on top of that, I feared the new boy, Caspian, might


    draw Desmond away from me or that Hecate could ruin everything for us.


    I shouldn''t be acting this way. Instead, I should draw closer to Desmond and make the best of our time here, where no one knows about us. It was the perfect ce to find happiness until the heat at home had died down.


    Instead of finding happiness, I was sumbing to jealousy.


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 Chapter 85

    "What the hell is wrong with me?" I sighed as I washed my face in the sink. "I shouldn''t be like this. I should be..." I rubbed my hands on my face and nced towards the door.


    Desmond had stopped knocking on the door, as if he had given up or didn''t want to worry me further. Curiosity led me out of the bathroom, and I found him absent from the bedroom.


    "Desmond," I called out.


    "I''m down here, Randy!" he announced.


    I descended the stairs to the kitchen, finding him behind the counter wearing an apron. This was not what I expected him to be doing. "How did all of this get here?" I gestured to the food ingredients scattered around, recalling the empty kitchen before we left the house. "Did Uncle Marcus help out with this?"


    He shook his head. "With help from Caspian, I..."


    "Right," I chuckled, tapping my fingers on the table. "Caspian, huh?"


    "What are you trying to say, Randy?"


    "Exactly what you heard me say, Desmond," ! retorted, turning to leave the kitchen. Desmond followed me, grabbing my hand and pulling me back.


    "What the hell is happening? Why are you acting this way towards me? Did I do something wrong?" he asked.


    I faced him with a frown. I hated arguing, and just this morning, we were in each other''s arms. Now, I didn''t want to talk to him. "Randy, please," he begged.


    "I don''t get it, Desmond," I told him, his confusion evident.


    "How do you mean?" he asked, his arms around my waist. "I need to know what''s making you act this way and why you''ve been giving me the silent treatment since we left your uncle''s restaurant."


    My frown deepened. I couldn''t understand why he couldn''t grasp that I was jealous, jealous of seeing him with Caspian. The worst part was that he stood so close, emanating Caspians woody scent instead of his usual scent.


    "I don''t want to see you close to Caspian again!" I blurted out, disregarding what he might think.


    "You mean that I..." He paused, and I felt his hand around my waist loosen. "I just met Caspian today, so I don''t understand why you''re asking me not to talk to him again. He''s a sweet and interesting guy, and I..."


    I scoffed. "Now you''re starting to praise him," ring up my nose in annoyance.


    "Look at you, praising a boy you just met today!"


    Desmond rubbed his forehead, bursting intoughter. "Come on, Randy." He tried pulling me into his arms, but I resisted, cing my hands on his chest and pushing him away.


    He held onto one of my hands: "Stop making things difficult, Randy. You know I''m yours and yours alone."


    Though his words made me feel pride, my frown remained. I rolled my eyes when he squeezed my butt. "Stop it, Desmond."


    "Come on, my pumpkin." He kissed my cheeks. "I''m not interested in Caspian. He''s just helping because I want to cook you a wonderful meal. I''m learning to be a chef!" Desmond''s happiness overflowed as he peppered my face with kisses.


    "Stop," I said yfully, gently freeing myself from his arms. "I dislike that you''re smelling like him right now," I muttered.


    Desmond frowned, smelling himself. "It''s a shame I can''t even smell myself. I''m sorry if you can smell him on me. I''ll take a bath right now. Are we okay now?" he asked.


    I didn''t respond.


    "Randy," he called, back hugging me. "Baby,e on. It was just a friendly chat. I can have friends, right?"


    "No one said you couldn''t have friends, Desmond. I don''t want to share you," I confessed.


    "Can''t believe you''re jealous of Caspian. He''s..."


    "Repeat his name, and I might find him and cut his head off his body!"


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    Desmond chuckled. "My pumpkin is jealous of a guy I just met today. Don''t worry, babe, there''s nothing between us, okay?" His breath on my neck made me moan as he kissed it.


    "Don''t worry about anything. I''m all yours, and you''re mine. No one will ever separate us, babe." He moved closer for a kiss, but he was smelling like Caspian.


    I chuckled, removing his hands from my waist. "What''s wrong?" Desmond asked.


    "I hate smelling his scent on you. Go take a shower, Desmond," I told him.


    He nodded and handed me his apron.


    "Wait here for me, and I''ll cook us a meal once I''m done," he said, kissing my head before leaving the kitchen.


    Once alone, I sat, gazing out the window at the cities. The sound of Desmonds phone beeping jolted me. Ignoring it at first, I finally checked. My body was heated with anger as I read messages from Caspian.


    Have you gotten home?


    It was nice meeting you, Desmond.


    I''m looking forward to seeing you tomorrow, Desmond, and teaching you how to cook.


    I felt betrayed, furious that Desmond exchanged numbers with him without telling me.


    "Hey, pumpkin," Desmond''s voice interrupted. I inhaled his scent, relieved it wasn''t Caspian''s.


    Pumpkin?


    How could he call me that after this betrayal? I faced him, showing him the phone.


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    "I can''t believe you exchanged numbers with him, Desmond!" I used, my anger bubbling.


    Desmond read the messages. "Randy, it''s nothing. Caspian and I exchanged numbers


    to get to know each other. It means nothing because..."


    "Because," Iughed bitterly. "You''re tired of me? You don''t want me anymore, Desmond!"


    "Are you insane, Randy? I don''t have such thoughts, and I..."


    In an instant, I grabbed his shirt cor.


    "Then why the hell do I have to share you? Why do I feel this ache because of a text?


    Why are you torturing me?"


    "Randy! Caspian and I are just friends. You''re reading into this," Desmond insisted.


    I shoved him back. "Really!" I yelled, shoving him again. "Do you know what''s going on


    in my head right now? You invited him here!"


    "I invited him to help cook a special dinner for you, and..."


    "Stop pretending it was for me! If you''re tired of me, say it instead of hurting me!" I shouted and stormed out of the kitchen.


    "You''re being ridiculous!" Desmond followed. "I can''t believe you''re acting like a child after I told you there''s nothing between us!"


    I didn''t respond, reaching the ss door. As I tried opening it, Desmond stopped me. "Randy, we need to talk! Don''t walk away like this!"


    "Like what?" I frowned. "What are you trying to say?" I pped his hand off the


    doorknob. "It''s your fault for exchanging numbers with him!"


    "It was for you!"


    "I never asked for it!" I retorted.

 Chapter 86

    Desmond reached out, but I pushed his hand away. "Please don''t shut me out, Randy. Let''s not let this affect us."


    "You should have thought of that before exchanging numbers," I told him and mmed the door in his face.


    "Randy!" he shouted. "Let''s talk it out!"


    "No!" I yelled back. "Leave me alone, Desmond. I need to be alone!" I copsed onto the bed, wondering if I''d made the right decision.


    Throughout the night, sleep barely found me as I tossed and turned, consumed by thoughts.


    Desmond''s POV


    I couldn''t sleep a winkst night, my mind was consumed by thoughts of Randy. Did I make a mistake inviting Caspian or engaging in a conversation with him? I spent the entire night brooding over this dilemma. We intended to keep a low profile, enjoying our time here away from home, and Hecates issues. But here we were, in a conflict over someone I''d just met.


    I had hoped Randy would listen and understand that everything I did was for us. I envisioned a lovely dinner, but instead, we argued, and it seemed unlikely we''d reconcile. It was the first time Randy treated me with such disregard. Normally, our fights were swiftly followed by reconciliation, but now, the resolution seemed distant. I couldn''t cancel ns with Caspian, yet Randy refused to hear me out.


    The next morning, I awoke to the sound of singing. Startled, I rushed downstairs to find Randy in the living room, acting as though nothing had happened. Unlike me, restless through the night, Randy appearedposed, even smiling as he arranged pillows.


    "Randy," I called, but he didn''t respond. I stood in front of him, hoping to catch his attention, but to no avail. ''Please don''t shut me out. I need you to listen..."


    "Stop talking" he shouted, dropping a pillow angrily. "There''s nothing to discuss. I made myself clearst night, and your persistence is infuriating. Just stay out of my way. He stormed past me.


    "You can''t just walk away!'' I yelled as he reached the stairs. He halted but didn''t turn. I sighed deeply, approaching him and reaching out to touch his hand. ''I don''t want to argue, Randy. This isn''t what I signed up for. I hope you understand that Caspian and I mean nothing. Were just..."


    He spun around, his eyes narrowing. He looked displeased at the mention of Caspian, and I knew not to bring it up again.


    "I''m sorry aboutst night," I began, hoping for a resolution. "You and I, Randy, are together. I value our bond!"


    He scoffed. "A bond you can''t even feel!"


    "Excuse me?" I felt insulted. "What are you implying?"


    "You heard me, Desmond." He looked pained. "I''m the only one feeling this bond. You can go meet someone else andugh because you don''t feel it. You feel less!"


    "Randy!" I was shocked. "Why are you saying this?"


    "Why?" He frowned. "Because the truth hurts, right? Admit it, Desmond, you are only with me because I said I loved you first and you discovered you''re gay. Don''t pretend you feel the bond between us. I''m the one suffering because I know what I feel"


    I was speechless. I hadn''t realized Randy harbored such thoughts. I felt powerless.


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    Maybe he was right about my selfishness from the start, but since we reunited a few months ago, I''ve known he''s the one for me.


    "I never expected that you would say such a thing to me. I....." I paused, biting my lower lip as tears welled up in my eyes. "I love you, Randy"


    "Really?" he asked, rolling his eyes.


    Really?


    Was he questioning my feelings for him? I never anticipated him asking such questions. I had always loved him and would continue to do so. "Randy, what are you saying?"


    "If you truly love me, then you wouldn''t be doing all of this."


    "Randy!" I shouted his name. "What is all this for? Just because I invited Caspian to prepare a meal for you."


    "Connect the dots and find the missing piece. I don''t have time to keep exining myself to you," he said, turning to leave. I grabbed his hand, pulled him backward, and hugged him from behind.


    "Please, Randy, we don''t have to argue about this. I can cancel the appointment with Caspian, and I will..."


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    5s for uninterrupted enjoyment. The next chapter is just a click away, exclusively avable on our site. Happy reading! Before I could finish talking, the doorbell rang. We both turned towards the door to see who it was. I assumed it was the penthouse staff, but when the door didn''t open, I took it as a cue to let go of Randy and walked to the front door. I turned around to look at Randy before opening the door.


    "Hey Desmond," Caspian''s cheerful voice sounded at the entrance. He waved at me, and before I could respond, he suddenly hugged me. A groan sounded behind us, and in the blink of an eye, Randy was right behind me. "What the hell are you doing here?" he yelled at Caspian, sounding as if he could attack him on the spot. "Randy, please," I begged him.


    "What now?" he yelled at me. "Are you going to support him too because you''re in love with him?"


    In love with him? What a statement! I never expected Randy''s jealousy to escte to that level. I thought it would be something we could sort out, but he was making a mountain out of it, and it annoyed me.


    "Stop acting this way!" I shouted at him.


    "Caspian is just..."


    He groaned at me. Randy had never groaned at me before.


    "If this is what you''re going to do, Desmond, then I don''t think we need to have this conversation," he said angrily and walked out, brushing shoulders with Caspian.


    I wanted to shout his name as he walked away, but instead, I stood there, angry at myself for causing the fight and at Randy for not giving me a chance to exin.


    I wished I could scream to him that it had always been him, the one in my heart and that I cherished him more than anything.

 Chapter 87

    "Did Ie at the wrong time?" Caspian asked.


    I stared at him, shaking my head. "No," I told him and gestured for him to enter.


    "Pleasee in. Randy isn''t in the right mood at the moment, and I''m sorry you had to see all of that," I said.


    He chuckled. "I understand, and if I''m intruding, please tell me so I can leave."


    "No," I said, walking him to the kitchen.


    "What are you going to be cooking today?"


    I asked.


    "Well, I''m going to be making..." he started, and the rest of his words blurred in my head. I couldn''t concentrate as my heart pounded in my chest. Randy had left because of Caspian, yet I didn''t think it was the right time to go and sort things out with him. I didn''t even know where he had gone. I wanted to run after him and beg to know why he was acting like that.


    "Hey, Desmond!" Caspian snapped his fingers in my face.


    "Yes, sorry, I was lost in my thoughts."


    Caspian smiled and nodded. "Its okay. I understand. Now, let''s talk about what we''re preparing."


    "Sure," I replied, smiling, but deep down, my heart pounded as I thought about Randy and where he had disappeared to.


    "Do you still think he''lle?" Caspian asked for the umpteenth time about Randy.


    It had been hours since we started cooking and finished up, but Randy hadn''t made an appearance, and he hadn''t replied to any of my texts.


    Where are you?


    I''m worried, Randy, please reply.


    Randy, don''t shut me out, please.


    The meal has been prepared, so pleasee back.


    "Desmond," Caspian tapped me on the shoulder, and I turned to face him. "I''m sorry,


    and if this is about me, then I think I should apologize to Randy and..."


    I shook my head. "It''s okay. I don''t think you need to do that because it''s all going to be good. We''ll settle this, and I''ll try to call him."


    "I should head back home now. My boyfriend texted me ten minutes ago, asking me toe back home."


    "Right," I stood up from the couch and walked him to the front door. "Thank you for helping me tonight, Caspian, and have a good night."


    He smiled at me, hugged me, and then waved before walking out of the penthouse. I heaved a deep sigh and walked back to the couch, sitting down. If only Randy had waited and found out that Caspian already had a boyfriend who was supportive and understanding about himing to another guy''s house, unlike Randy, who was acting funny.


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    I didn''t know why he was behaving that way, and it pained me because I couldn''t stop him from leaving. Now, he wasn''t even answering my texts, which was infuriating, and I hated that I couldn''t control it.


    "Randy, please, where are you?" I muttered as I walked toward the window, staring at the city view. "What are you doing right now, and what are you..." I paused when I felt my phone vibrating in my hand.


    My heart fluttered when I realized it was Randy calling me. I quickly picked up.


    "Hello, Randy. Where the hell are you?"


    The loud music at the other end didn''t let me hear what he had said clearly the first time. When he shouted again, I heard him.


    "Enjoying my life!"


    I clenched my fists angrily. How dare he?


    So he was enjoying himself while I was waiting for him to return. How could he have done that to me? I thought,


    "Where are you?" My voice came out calm as I didn''t want to show how pissed i was at that moment.


    "Guess," he shouted again and then didn''t say anything after that. "You are no fun," heughed.


    "Where the hell are you, Randy!" This time, I didn''t hold back and shouted at him. "Tell me where you are so I cane pick you up right away!"


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    Randyughed into the phone. "Uhm, you want toe?" he hupped. "I thought you were having fun with Caspian."


    ''That''s not funny!"


    "What? I''m not allowed to talk about you and Caspian?"


    I groaned. "Stop making stupid assumptions because you thought wrong. Tell me where the hell you are, and..."


    The line got cut off before I could finish speaking. "What the hell!" I removed the phone from my ear and tried calling him again, but he didn''t pick up. I dialed the number up to five times, yet I received the same reply.


    Unable to take it any longer, I changed from my outfit to a dark hoodie and ck pants and then headed out of the house. If he wasn''t going to tell me where he was, then I was going to find out on my own.


    I dialed his number again and gave up when he didn''t pick up. Once I reached the lobby, I went in search of the female receptionist. When I saw her, she smiled at me. "What can I do for you?"


    "Where is the nearest bar or club?" I questioned her.


    She gave me a questioning look before listing out the names of the clubs. I headed out


    of the hotel but came back again when I realized that I didn''t have any means of


    reaching the clubs and bars.


    "Can you please help me call a cab?" I requested from her.


    "Yes, sir," she said, and a few minutes after she had called the cab, it arrived, and I was


    on my way to the first club that was around the hotel area.

 Chapter 88

    Once I arrived, I tried calling his number again, but he didn''t pick up. "Please, I''ll be back," I said to the taxi driver as I walked into the club. Luckily for me, there was no stop and search, and I was able to walk in freely without the request for a ticket or invitation. Once inside, I looked around for him, but he was nowhere in sight. Even with hundreds of people with their sweaty bodies and annoying looks around me, I couldn''t feel Randy''s presence, so I left the club.


    We arrived at the second club, and it was the same thing. We headed to the third club, and still, there was no sight of him.


    Once back in the cab, I heaved a deep sigh and looked through the list the receptionist had given me. Then I noticed something unique about the list, there was a gay club among them. My eyes quickly brightened, knowing that he would be there. That should have been the first ce I looked before anywhere else.


    Upon reaching the gay club, I gained easy ess, and the ce was teeming with men either dancing in one corner or kissing in another. It was filled to the brim, and as I walked past a few guys, they whistled at me, and one even went as far as to put their hands on me. I pushed my way through, trying Randy''s number as I hadn''t seen him anywhere. If he wasn''t there, then it meant the bar was the only ce left. I remembered that when he called, there was loud music from there, which couldn''t be a regr bar unless the way of partying here was different.


    I heaved a deep sigh when I didn''t catch any sight of him anywhere and was almost


    giving up when I saw someone jumping up on a table. My eyes widened when I realized it was Randy, surrounded by different men, dancing on the table with his chest on disy.


    I clenched the phone tightly in my hand and frowned as I looked at him.


    He seemed to be enjoying himself while I had been searching for him to find out where he had disappeared. "That fool," I cursed angrily and headed towards the table. As if he had spotted me, he suddenly stopped dancing and pointed towards me, smiling brightly. Even with the dimly lit room, I could see him grinning from ear to ear. "Randy!" I yelled his name and walked into the midst of the men, trying to grab him.


    Instead, all attention on the table was diverted towards me.


    "Who is this?"


    "He looks beautiful!"


    "Come to me, pretty boy, and I''ll make it worthwhile!"


    I ignored theirments because my focus was on Randy alone. I grabbed him from the table and pulled him down.


    "What the hell are you doing, Randy? What if this gets out, and the Queen and King find out about it?" I yelled at him.


    "Who the hell are you?" he chuckled and pushed me away. "I am having fun, so go away."


    "No, clearly, I don''t think that you are," I replied, grabbing his hand. "We have to leave this ce!" I shouted at him and started pulling him away, but he yanked his hand forcefully away from mine and yelled at me, "I am not leaving here. You can go back to Caspian and be with him. Don''t you dare tell me what to do!" he screamed at me.


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    I frowned at him but didn''t stop as I grabbed his hand again, only for two of the men to grab my hand and push me backward.


    "You heard the boy, he said that he is not leaving, and I don''t know who the hell you are, but I won''t allow you to act like this in this club," one of the men said, pushing me on the shoulder.


    "If he wants to leave, then it''s his choice, so don''t you dare force him!" The other man yelled at him and pointed outside of the club. "Leave!"


    I frowned at them, staring at their physique. Even though they both seemed buff, I could still take them. I was willing to do anything to drag Randy out of the club. He didn''t belong there, and I didn''t want to do anything that would soil the name of the royal family.


    "Randy!" I shouted his name again, and he turned to look at me, then smiled as if he was enjoying himself.


    "Hey Desmond, watch me," he shouted and then pulled the guy close to him, kissing him on the lips.


    My eyes almost popped out of their sockets as I watched them deepen the kiss as if they were lovers.


    My head started ringing, and it felt as if I was about to explode with anger at that moment as my body radiated with heat.


    How could he do that in front of me? I thought. He didn''t even stop kissing the boy and continued as if he was enjoying himself.


    "Randy!" I shouted his name, unable to watch any longer, and I rushed towards them, pulling them apart angrily and punching Randy in the mouth. "Randy!" I yelled at him. "Don''t you like what I just showed you!" heughed.


    I grabbed him by the cor of his shirt and pulled him closer to me until our eyes met. "How could you do this to me?"


    Heughed. "This is called payback," he said andughed again. "I did what you did to me and let you understand that this was exactly how I felt when you invited Caspian into our home!"


    My eyes widened in shock over his excuse, and I let go of him. I didn''t say anything and let the tears that had welled up in my eyes stream down my face. My hands shook uncontrobly, and my heart felt shattered.


    I never expected that Randy would do that to me. I looked up at him with tears in my eyes, hoping that he would see it, and then turned to leave the club.

 Chapter 89

    ~Randy''s POV~


    What have I done? Those were the questions guing my mind as I witnessed Desmond walking out of the club.


    Disgust surged within me for having kissed another man, a betrayal even I despised.


    How can I be so stupid to have done something like that? This thought resonated in my head. I not only kissed someone else but I ignored my boyfriend!


    I rubbed my forehead, the lingering effects of alcohol dissipating, allowing rity to set


    in. My gaze shifted to the man I had kissed, who approached with a smug smile.


    "Would you like to go for a second round?" he asked.


    I frowned, shaking my head firmly. "I don''t want anything to do with you!" I snapped, pushing past him in my pursuit of Desmond.


    Outside, Desmond was nowhere in sight, and my attempts to call him went unanswered.


    What have I done?


    All I wanted was to make him jealous, but now, I found myself acting like aplete


    idiot in front of my boyfriend. Was it jealousy or my misguided thoughts that led me to this nonsense? I couldn''tprehend why I had jeopardized my rtionship with Desmond.


    He''s around here somewhere.


    I need to find him, and.. I paused, struggling to catch my breath. If I lost Desmond due to my actions, I would forever harbor self hatred.


    It was all my fault, I should have listened to him when he brought Caspian home. The shock of him introducing someone he had just met for a day had clouded my judgment. We hadn''t even spent a week here, and everything had already unraveled. I didn''t want to believe that Hecate was the one ying games with us, manipting our emotions to drive us apart. Even though I didn''t want to ept that she was the culprit, I shouldn''t have acted in such a manner.


    This is not about Caspian, and I know it. I acted so wrongly towards Desmond that I''m shocked by my actions.


    He is my boyfriend, for goodness sake, and yet I treat him like this!


    I followed Desmond''s lingering scent, leading me to a dark alley illuminated only by a streetlight. Despite the darkness, there was no figure in sight. I shouted Desmond''s name, apologizing for my actions and expressing remorse. "I am sorry for every one of my actions towards you because you didn''t deserve it, and I was such a jerk to have acted that way."


    As I paused, cing my hands on the wall to take a deep breath, someone else called my name. It wasn''t Desmond, but the voice sounded familiar, it was the man from the club, the one I had kissed.


    "I''ve been following you for a while. What the hell are you doing alone in this dark alley?" he questioned.


    "Please leave me alone and go away," I said in a low yet audible tone. "I don''t want anyone close to me, so please, leave me alone."


    The manughed, iming he couldn''t resist my intrigue. He moved closer, raising my chin and insinuating an invitation. I pushed him away, but he overpowered me.


    "What the hell.." I began, but he interrupted with a chuckle. "You kissed me in the club, invited me here, and now you''re acting like this. I am going to..."


    I kicked his legs, momentarily distracting him, and flipped him over my shoulder. "I''ll spare you if you leave now, but if you don''t, I will teach you a lesson," I warned. "I didn''t kiss you because I wanted you."


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    As I turned to leave, I halted when I heard him burst intoughter. Turning back, I saw him on his feet, heading towards me with calcted steps, as if I were his prey and he the predator.


    "What are you..."


    The man chuckled and snapped his fingers, summoning four more people from the shadows. "What am I?" he retorted, pointing to himself. "I am human. And you? Should


    I call you the crown prince pretending to a normal human!"


    His revtion stunned me. How had he uncovered my identity? No one here was supposed to recognize me, except within the penthouse granted by the King.


    "Where is my boyfriend?" I demanded. "Since you know my identity, you''ve been watching me since I arrived here, right?"


    He shrugged in response.


    "Whatever you say, but tonight, I''m going to take your life!" he dered, conjuring a gleaming, menacing longsword.


    Who was he, and why was he after me?


    "Where is my boyfriend?" I repeated, ncing around as the men surrounded me.


    The man chuckled, deliberately avoiding my question, infuriating me.


    "Where is Desmond?" I screamed, my patience wearing thin.


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    He cleared his throat and then looked around. "All it took was for my men to distract him. He was too broken to notice us after witnessing you and I locking lips. I hit him at the back of his head," heughed.


    My anger surged. "If you dare hurt my man, I will make sure to ruin you! Don''t you dare go after him!"


    "But I did!" he replied, lunging at me with the sword. "Dodge if you can, but I won''t kill you. She wants you alive."


    At the mention of "she," my eyes widened.


    Amidst my thoughts, I narrowly dodged the sword. I wasn''t adept atbat, and while they were aware of my existence, my father warned me to remain hidden.


    Revealing my identity was not an option.


    I was interrupted from my thought by the man lunging at me again, the sword dangerously close to my stomach. Reacting quickly, I ced my hand on the de before it pierced me.


    "You can''t fight your destiny, Prince Randy," the man taunted.


    "Whoever sent you must know how tough I am!" I retorted, pushing him away and causing the sword to drop. "Was it Hecate who sent you?"


    The manughed as he retrieved the sword. "I''m surprised you haven''t figured it out. Yes, Hecate sent me. I''m one of the angels of death, borrowing this form. If you hurt me, you break your father''s trust by harming someone just few days after you arrived. He''ll be disappointed."


    Frustration boiled within me. I couldnt retaliate without harming the innocent body he is in. "What does Hecate want from me? Why is she after me?" I demanded. "Doesn''t she know when to stop?"


    "You are just a pawn. Your parents are to me for all of this. You should give up and avoid a fight," he advised, gesturing to the three heavily built men behind me, each armed with a sword. No matter how hard I tried, they appeared far more powerful than


    me.

 Chapter 90

    I assessed the situation, realizing I wouldn''t stand a chance in my current form. I stared at the encircling men.


    "We don''t need to fight about anything. I am willing to follow you to meet Hecate, but first, where the hell is my man?"


    The strange manughed. "Do you take me for a fool?" he asked, clicking his tongue. "I know the games you are ying because Hecate has told me a lot about you, and also, am ordered to bring both of you back to the dark hole."


    "What? Hecate only wants me, so why the hell does she need Desmond?" I shouted.


    The strange man whistled, and the men around me suddenly kicked my legs and pushed me to the ground. I groaned and struggled, but they held me down. "Let me go!" I shouted. "You can''t hold me down like this! I told you that I was going to follow you, so why the hell are you doing this?"


    "Because I know you with your stupid tricks, I will not fall for it," he chuckled.


    "You," he pointed to the third man not holding me. "Bring the boyfriend out right now," he ordered.


    The third man walked away, and in the blink of an eye, he appeared with Desmond and pushed him to the ground beside me.


    "Desmond!" I shouted his name but didn''t get any response as he copsed beside me, unconscious. "What the hell did you do to my boyfriend?" I seethed


    The strange manughed. "Funny how you care about your boyfriend when you were kissing me a moment ago," he tutted again. "So much for caring about him." he yawned and moved closer to Desmond, cing the sword on his throat.


    I struggled against the men.


    "If you try to do anything stupid, I am going to kill your boyfriend right now and let you watch as he bleeds to his death!" he threatened.


    I stopped.


    I couldn''t afford to let Desmond die because of me. I had to protect him because I loved him, and I believed that he would also do the same for me.


    "Fine," I agreed. "Take me to go meet Hecate without hurting my boyfriend."


    "That''s what I thought," the manughed and pulled his sword away. Then he whistled again.


    The men holding me down pulled me up and pushed me forward while the third man began to drag Desmond on the ground, and I couldn''t do anything.


    ~Desmond~


    My whole body ached intensely, feeling as though someone was dragging me across a hard surface. Was it a dream or a figment of my imagination? I couldn''t figure out why I was being dragged on the ground and by whom.


    I slowly fluttered my eyes open, tuning into the sounds of footsteps. At least five people surrounded me, ording to my count. Who were they? Where did theye from? Was I kidnapped? It seemed like the only reason for being dragged in such a manner. I needed toe up with a n instead of remaining on the ground and doing nothing.


    "Where the hell are you taking us?" Randy''s voice echoed from the front. I strained to listen, confirming it was indeed him.


    "Where the hell are you taking us to?" he questioned again, leaving no room for doubt.


    Randy was also taken, but how?


    I recalled leaving the club after the altercation, because he was close to another man, the identity of whom remained unknown.


    "Don''t ask me questions, prince!" the man shouted back at him. His voice was stern, and suddenly, he turned around,nding a punch on Randy''s face, and sending him sprawling to the ground beside me. "I''ve always wanted to do that after everything you made Hecate face."


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    Hecate?


    How did she find her way here again? And what did she want from us? She always seemed quick to attack us.


    Randyy on the ground, eyes closed. When he opened them and met mine, they widened in surprise. I shook my head as a sign not to say anything, and he nodded in response. However, the nod was interrupted by a kick to Randy''s stomach from the man who had kidnapped us.


    I wanted to scream at the man for hurting him, but I knew that doing so would reveal my wakefulness and jeopardize my n.


    "Don''t you dare ask me questions!" The man yelled angrily, continuing to kick Randy in the stomach. Randy groaned in pain, but his gaze remained locked with mine. Each groan was followed by a strained smile from him.


    I frowned, perplexed by his reaction.


    Despite his pain, he seemed oddlyposed, which bothered me. Seeing him hurt but pretending to be okay wasn''t something I appreciated.


    "I am going to make life unbearable for you once we reach the dark hole," the kidnapper threatened, yanking Randy up by his hair. As Randy''s eyes shifted away from mine, he whispered, "I am sorry."


    Suddenly, as he was pulled up, I noticed the man''s sword gleaming in the darkness. This was my chance to fight back. I sprang to my feet and seized the sword, but its touch scorched my hands, forcing me to drop it with a pained expression.


    The kidnapper released Randy, shoving him toward me, and retrieved his sword from the ground. "I thought people weren''t that foolish, but it seems you''re even more foolish than I thought," he taunted, pointing the sword at my neck. "Only an Angel of Death can wield this sword, not someone like you," he dered, pressing the de until it drew blood.


    "What the hell are you doing?" Randy yelled, demanding the man release me.


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    Laughing, the man increased the pressure, threatening Randy, "One wrong move, and your boyfriend is heading to the dark hole!"


    I realized my mistake.


    I had touched the handle instead of the center, causing the burn. "Do you truly believe the sword can still harm me?" I questioned, cing my hand on the center of the sword. To my relief, there was no pain. I chuckled and pushed the sword backward, causing it to strike the man''s stomach.


    He coughed up blood, falling to his knees.


    "I despise this body!" he groaned.


    "It''s too weak! I can''t do anything in this frail body!"


    "How dare you touch my boyfriend!" I retaliated, pressing the sword against his neck


    until it drew blood. "You shouldn''t have targeted my boyfriend, knowing it would end badly for you!"


    The man burst intoughter. "Do you think you can kill me?"


    Frowning, I increased the pressure on the sword until blood trickled down. "I will end you right now!"


    "No, don''t!" Randy shouted.


    Turning to him, I wondered why he''d protested. Ending the man''s life would mean escaping and informing the King about those who attacked us.


    "Why can''t I kill him right away?" I questioned. "Is there a reason why?"

 Chapter 91

    Randy sighed, and I frowned when I saw the three other men who had appeared behind him, holding a sword to his neck.


    "Why are you acting like this?" I shouted at him. "Try to fight back and stop acting like an idiot!"


    "No," Randy replied, sighing. "We can''t attack," he responded.


    "But this man is not a human! He is a beast, and I need to get rid of him before he does anything bad to any of us! Don''t you hear him? He said he was taking us to Hecate! We have to get rid of him and then inform the King!"


    Randy lowered his head, then raised it, shaking his head at me. "We can''t hurt anyone. That angel of death has possessed a body, and it''s the same with these three guys. If we hurt them, it means we''re breaking the peace treaty between our world and her, and I don''t want to be the reason for waging war on each other. Whatever we do, we have to avoid killing them."


    I fell silent, the sword I held trembling in my hand while the man in front of meughed. "Pathetic little boy. There is nothing you can do to me because you both are worthless!" he taunted attempting to grab the sword from my hand, but I swiftly kicked him in the leg.


    "Don''t you dare try to y smart!" I warned, ring at his actions.


    Heughed. "If you hurt me, you know what''s at stake!"


    "Shut up!" I shouted andnded a punch in his face, "I won''t kill you, but I can render you unconscious for a few seconds," I retorted with a grin, kicking him in the chest. "I wish I could end you now, but I''ll honor the peace treaty. I hope you disappear to where you came from." I nced at Randy, silently urging him to take action against the men behind him.


    I removed the sword from the angel of death''s neck, tossing it aside, and kicked him where I''d previously struck him, rendering him unconscious on the ground.


    "That should do," I said, taking a deep breath.


    "Of course," Randy responded, springing into action, disarming the men and incapacitating them. As he dealt with them, I pushed one of the men against the nearby wall, repeatedly knocking his head against it before he fell to the ground. By the time I finished, Randy had handled the other two, leaving them groaning on the ground.


    "We did it!" I chuckled, meeting Randy''s gaze.


    "Yes, we did," he replied


    A moment passed with only the sound of our beating hearts and our heavy breathing. "I.." We both started to speak simultaneously.


    "You go on," I offered to Randy.


    Randy nodded, closing the distance between us. "I''m sorry for acting like a total jerk and kissing someone else. I shouldn''t have done that. I''m sorry, Desmond," he said, taking hold of my hand. "It was jealousy, and it made me realize I was a fool. How could I betray the man I love? I shouldn''t have hurt you like that," he sighed deeply. "I''m sorry, and I..."


    I gently ced a finger on his lips, silencing him. "I have faults too. Bringing Caspian home after just one day was disruptive. I''m sorry, my love," I admitted, cupping his face in my hands. "Seeing you kiss another man hurt me deeply, and.."


    "I''m so sorry," Randy interjected, cing his hands atop mine on his cheek. "I love you so much, Desmond. I shouldn''t have done that to you."


    I smiled at him, nodding in response.


    Leaning closer as if to kiss him, I surprised him with a light punch on his face. "Desmond!" he eximed. "What was that for?"


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    I chuckled. "To even the score. I think we''re even now, I teased, pulling him into a tight embrace. "Let''s never fight like that again, Randy."


    "Yes."


    As if the heavens were in agreement with our reconciliation, thunder rumbled, and rain poured heavily. Randy and I released each other and looked up at the sky. "Rain," I murmured, spreading my arms.


    Randyughed and mimicked my gesture.


    We both turned, letting the downpour soak us. Ourughter filled the air, and we


    nced at each other before leaning in for a kiss.


    "I love you, Desmond," Randy murmured between the kiss.


    "I love..."


    My words halted abruptly when I noticed a shadow rising behind Randy, hurling a


    sword toward him. My eyes widened in shock as I turned Randy around, gasping loudly when the sword pierced through my stomach. "Ra..."


    "Desmond!" Randy shouted, catching me before I fell. "Desmond!" he cried out, holding me close.


    Those were thest sounds I heard as I weakly reached for his face. Before my hand could touch him, it dropped by my side.


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    ~Randy~


    My hands shook uncontrobly as I held Desmond in my arms, the weight of the sword on his back adding to the gravity of the situation.


    cing my hand on his back, it quickly became stained with his blood. He reached out to touch my face, but before he could, his hand dropped to his side. The rain showed no signs of stopping, intensifying rapidly as if sensing the gravity of the life hanging in the bnce.


    "Des... Desmond!" I screamed his name, but there was no response. His body had gone limp in my arms. "Desmond!" I shouted, shaking him in desperation. "Babe, please don''t do this to me!" I pleaded, my voice breaking as I continued to shake him.


    "Do you think that will wake him up? If I were you, I wouldn''t bother," the angel of death mocked, bursting intoughter.


    "Your boyfriend is gone, so be grateful I ended his life," he taunted.


    "Ended his..." My voice trembled. I couldn''t see clearly for a moment, and it felt as if my eyes had turned red.


    Gently lowering Desmond to the ground, I stood up to face the angel of death. "You shouldn''t have gone after my boyfriend!" I shouted.


    I should have finished him but I stuck to the treaty and now Desmond is like this!


    The angel of deathughed as he approached. "What are you going to do about it?" he asked, rolling his eyes. "You can''t harm me, so there''s nothing you can do."


    Raising my head to look at him, I rubbed my face with the blood from Desmond''s back, then sighed. "You will die by my hands tonight, Angel of Death. Didn''t they say that if you die in your host''s body, you''re gone for all eternity?" I chuckled and pointed a finger at him.

 Chapter 92

    In front of the angel of death. "You shouldn''t have hurt my boyfriend!" I screamed in my head and lunged towards him.


    He lunged at me, ready to fight, but I grabbed him by the throat and pushed him to the ground. My hand pressed against his neck, and with a swift motion, I broke his hand.


    A horrifying scream escaped him, a sound that strangely pleased my ears. If only he could have heard myughter at that moment. If only he hadn''t touched my boyfriend, then I wouldn''t have attacked. But he went after Desmond. How could he do that to him?


    "Please... you can''t kill me! I''m in someone''s body!" he pleaded. "You will regret this!" he screamed


    I grabbed his head, forcing him to face me, and with one powerful motion, I threw his body in one direction and his head hit the cold hard floor.


    The other men who hade with him attempted to attack, but I seized them by the throat and hurled them toward the wall. As their heads collided with the walls, they fragmented,nding lifelessly on the ground. Surrounded by a pile of bodies and blood, I turned back to Desmond.


    I lifted Desmond from the ground, the sword still on his back. The rain poured harder as I walked down the alley. Tears streamed down my face, there was no movement from Desmond, but his breathe was uneven, a sign he was still alive.


    "I am so sorry, Desmond," I cried, gazing at his face. "If only I had listened and stayed back, we wouldn''t have been attacked. This is all my fault," I shouted. "I caused this, and it shouldn''t have ended this way. I was adamant, and it led to your demise! If you die, then I will also stop living because..."


    My voice broke as I continued walking. "I can''t do without you, Desmond, and I..." I screamed. "I am sorry!"


    Lost in my thoughts, I didn''t realize how long I''d been walking until I reached Uncle Marcus''s restaurant.


    The lights were still on, but the sign showed closed, indicating no customers were around. I entered and rang the bell persistently.


    "I''m sorry, but we''re..." It was Tyler who opened the door. His eyes widened at the sight of me holding Desmond with a sword on his back. "What the hell happened?"


    "Is Uncle Marcus in?" I asked


    He nodded and gestured for me to enter.


    Once inside, Uncle Marcus and his wife appeared. "What the hell happened, Randy?" Uncle Marcus demanded.


    Tears welled up in my eyes, and I found myself unable to speak as I gazed down at Desmond. "This is all my fault," I whispered.


    "Now is not the time for self me. Desmond is losing a lot of blood, and we need to get him to the hospital," Sophia advised.


    I shook my head vigorously. "No, no hospital!" I shouted.


    Uncle Marcus and his wife exchanged nces before merging two tables. "I used to work as a nurse before I married Marcus, so I know the basics."


    Sophia nodded and returned from the storage room with a box. "This only contains first aid kits, and he needs to go to the hospital."


    "I will arrange for a private doctor. Just focus on removing the sword, Sophia," Uncle Marcus said to his wife, and then he gestured for me toy Desmond on the table.


    Gently, I ced Desmond on the table, lying t on his stomach. Tears flowed again when I saw blood continuously pooling from his back. Biting my fingers and scratching the back of my head, I didn''t know what else to do.


    "Tyler and Randy, I need you to hold Desmond down while I remove the sword," Sophia announced.


    I nodded, holding one of Desmond''s legs and hands, while Tyler did the same with the other parts. Sophia sighed and looked at Uncle Marcus, who ced both his hands on Desmond''s back where the sword had pierced. "On the count of three, I will remove the sword. I am not sure about Desmond''s reaction. One, two, three," she shouted. With one firm grip, she yanked out the sword. Desmond let out an agonizing scream and struggled against us, but we held him down.


    "I''m sorry, baby," I cried as I watched him groan in pain. After a few seconds, he rxed and passed out again.


    Desperately trying to stop the never ending flow of blood, Sophia pressed some wool onto the wound. Despite her efforts, the blood continued to pour, covering the entire table with Desmond''s blood. After sessfully cleaning him up, she began stitching him up. Desmond woke up again, writhing in pain. No pain suppressant could work for him.


    After finishing the stitches, Sophia applied a bandage around Desmond''s back and let out a deep sigh. "That should do for now, but he needs a doctor and likely surgery." she announced, grabbing the first aid kit and heading to the storage room.


    I gazed at Desmond and held his hands. They were icy cold, deeply concerning me. Even his face had grown pale, devoid of color.


    Just seeing him like that shattered my heart, and I couldn''t fathom the pain he endured because of me. "I''m so sorry, baby," I whispered.


    "I think he needs to rest in a morefortable space," Uncle Marcus suggested, gesturing towards Desmond''s body.


    "Gently carry him and follow me."


    Nodding, I carefully lifted him from the table, following Uncle Marcus down the hall beside the kitchen. We entered a room with a small but morefortable bed. I ced Desmond on it and covered him with the bedspread.


    "I''ve called the doctor, and he''ll be here soon. But I need to know what happened tonight, Randy."


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    As I stood beside Desmond''s bed, tears filled my eyes again as I recounted the events of the night. I exined from when I got angry about Caspian to leaving the house, to Desmond finding me, and the subsequent attack. "It''s all my fault, Uncle. If I hadn''t left the house and had listened to Desmond, none of this would have happened. He wouldn''t be fighting for his life like this. It''s all my fault," I muttered.


    Uncle Marcus sighed deeply, cing his hand on my shoulder. "Nothing will happen to Desmond, I promise you. I''ll ensure he''s saved. I''ve also heard sirens from the cops in this area. It seems they followed you."


    My heart raced, not out of fear. "I had to act, they were after my boyfriend and had hurt him. Please, inform my father about what happened. I need to make sure Desmond is saved, and..." I trailed off, feeling suddenly dizzy.


    "Hey, Randy!" My uncle''s shout snapped my attention and I almost lost my bnce. He steadied me, concern etched on his face.


    "Are you alright?"


    Shaking my head, I admitted, "I don''t feel too good."


    "Lie down beside Desmond," he insisted.


    "I have to watch over him and make sure he''s okay," I protested


    "Listen to me," my uncle scolded gently.


    "You need to rest. I assure you, when you wake up, Desmond might be awake too. Take


    a rest." With that, he tapped my back and left the room.


    I sighed, lying down with my arms around Desmond. "I''m sorry, Desmond. I''ll make everything right. I''ll ensure nothing happens to you," I promised softly before closing my eyes and drifting into unconsciousness.

 Chapter 93

    ~Randy~


    The bright light above my head pierced through my closed eyes. Where was I? I wondered as I tried to search for Desmond beside me, but the space was empty. My eyes fluttered open, and I scanned the room, looking for Desmond. He was nowhere in sight. Initially, the room appeared blurry, and I could barely see anything. However, on closer inspection, I realized I was no longer in Uncle Marcus''s small room, instead, I was back...


    Back in my room at my home.


    I leaped to my feet and rushed out of the room, stumbling to the ground as I opened the door.


    As I walked down the hallways, I saw someone heading towards me, but my vision was blurry, and it felt as if two people were running towards me. Gently rubbing my eyes, I looked closer and realized it was my mother. "Randy," she shouted, engulfing me in a tight embrace.


    "Are you..."


    "Mum," I burst into tears, hugging her tightly. "How are you here?" I asked.


    She took my hand and guided me towards the living room, where everyone had gathered, including Noah and Sonnia. "Randy has woken up," she announced to everyone, and I revealed myself to the room.


    Noah and Sonnia rushed towards me, enveloping me in a tight hug. "You stupid boy!" Noah shouted. "I thought something bad had truly happened to you, but here you are!" he eximed, hugging me tightly.


    "My turn!" Sonnia shouted, pushing him away before hugging me. "I''m d you''re alright. I wouldn''t be able to survive if something had happened to you."


    "I am fine now, Sonnia," I reassured her, and she let go of me.


    My father cleared his throat, and I looked up to meet his eyes. He stood up and approached me, causing my heart to pound in my chest, fearing he might do something.


    "Newman, we promised not to do anything to him, and you have to honor that. Please..."


    "Gina, please," my father pleaded with her before turning back to me. "How is it that a cmity urred just a week after I sent you to your uncle''s?"


    "I... I don''t know what happened, but... where is Desmond?" I interjected, noticing they hadn''t mentioned him since my return.


    Frustrated, my father sighed heavily, rubbing his eyes. "What''s wrong with you, Randy?" he yelled, grabbing my shoulder forcefully. "Why won''t you learn? I tried to exin that this wouldn''t end well for both of you!" He yelled again, pulling me closer.


    "Do you realize the repercussions of your actions with the king after they discovered you killed one of them?"


    I looked at my mother, siblings, Uncle, and Aunt Helen in the room. As our eyes met, they all looked away. It seemed like a significant issue, but my concern was solely Desmond. "Where is Desmond?" I shouted.


    "Again with him!" my father yelled back.


    "I''m discussing the mess you''ve caused, and you''re asking about Desmond. Have you lost your mind?"


    As my father shook my body vigorously, I startedughing, head bowed. When I raised my head, I screamed, "This is all your fault, father!" I looked into his eyes, unafraid of the consequences, ming him for Desmond''s situation. It was all because of him. "Father!" I shouted again. "If you had let Desmond and me be, none of this would have happened! If we had stayed here at home, he wouldn''t have been attacked. None of us would have been attacked."


    "Randy!" my father yelled, raising his hand and pping me across the face. "When will you grow up?"


    Tears streamed down my face as I raised my head to face him, bursting intoughter. "I don''t care about any of this, Father, because I need to make sure Desmond is okay!" I screamed. "Whatever you say or do to me won''t change that!"


    "Randy!" my father yelled once more, and my mother intervened, standing between us and sighing deeply. "I hate seeing you two constantly fighting."


    "Fighting? If my father hadn''t opposed Desmond and me from the beginning, do you think any of this would have happened?" I retorted.


    "Randy!" My mother shouted too. I frowned, clenching my fists angrily. Eventually, I exhaled, not wanting to argue further with my parents, solely focused on seeing Desmond and knowing how he was.


    "Where is my boyfriend?" I questioned again, but the room fell silent. "Why is no one talking?" I demanded. "Did something happen to Desmond?"


    Yet, no one uttered a word, and their silence was bing increasingly infuriating. I sought reassurance in their eyes, hoping forforting words, a sign that everything would be alright and that Desmond was safe. But met with continued silence, their stares seemed to convey a sense of impending doom. "Is he...?" My voice faltered. "Is Desmond dead?"


    Still, no one replied. Their silence became my answer, and I copsed to the ground, tears streaming down my face. "It''s my fault." I murmured, my fingers wing at the marble ground. "If only I had protected him, none of this would have happened. This is all on me, I''m to me," I cried out.


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    "I caused his death, and now..." I trailed off, head bowed, tears flowing uncontrobly.


    My mother knelt beside me, pulling me into her embrace. "Calm down, son. Desmond isn''t dead, but something has happened to him," she announced.


    I pulled away, a frown etched deeply on my face. They all knew Desmond wasn''t dead, yet they stayed silent, driving me to the brink of madness. "Why didn''t any of you say something?" I yelled, frustration boiling inside me. Their silence threatened to unravel my sanity. "Where is he?" I demanded of my mother.


    "I don''t know how to exin this, son, but something unforeseen urred to both you and Desmond," she said.


    My frown deepened as I searched her eyes for answers. Her tears confirmed my fears.


    I hung my head and pounded the ground in anguish. "What happened, mother?" I pleaded. "Please, tell me!"


    With a heavy sigh, my mother began, "When you were brought in two weeks ago, along with Desmond, the unexpected happened."


    "Two weeks?" My eyes widened, and the realization that I had been separated from Desmond for that long hit me hard. "How... how could I...?"


    "You was in aa and Desmond..." She paused, sniffling. "Desmond is bound to a wheelchair forever!" The bombshell dropped.


    My hands trembled as the news sank in. I didn''t know whether to cry, scream, or rush to Desmond''s side.


    I remained on the ground, tears uncontrobly cascading down my cheeks, burdened by the crushing weight of guilt, knowing that everything that unfolded was my responsibility.

 Chapter 94

    ~ Randy~


    I rushed into the hospital as if my life depended on it, heading towards the room where Desmond had been admitted. Upon reaching the door, I paused, took a deep breath, and entered the room. "Desmond," I called out, scanning the room anxiously. Initially, I couldn''t spot him as my eyes darted around, but when I turned toward the window, he was seated in a wheelchair, gazing outside.


    Shock gripped me as I observed him; his back was turned, yet a palpable sadness emanated. Guilt flooded over me, it was my fault. If I hadn''t caused it, he wouldn''t be in this position now.


    "Desmond," I called his name, expecting him to turn around, smile, and acknowledge


    me.


    Instead, he remained seated, unmoving.


    With measured steps, I approached him, each oneden with the weight of regret. "Desmond," I repeated until I stood in front of him.


    His eyes were wide open, fixed on the hospital courtyard below. "Desmond," I embraced him tightly, tears streaming down my face. "I''m sorry," I whispered, holding him as if afraid he''d slip away. The realization hit me, this tragic oue resulted from my actions. And now he uses a wheelchair.


    "Desmond," I called again, hoping for a response. He continued staring nkly, unresponsive. "Desmond," I called again, releasing him to meet his gaze. His emotionless eyes looked through me, and he turned away, disinterested.


    "Desmond," I cried, reaching to touch his face.


    "I''m sorry for what I did. I know I caused this, but i''ll make it right and get back at Hecate." I choked on my words as I apologized, regret and sorrow overwhelming me. If I had stayed home that day, nothing would have happened.


    "Desmond," I yfully pinched his cheeks, desperate for a sign of recognition. "Don''t you remember me? I''m your boyfriend, and we exchanged love under the moon with this." I revealed the ne, hoping for a reaction. His eyes finally locked with mine. "Who the hell are you?" he asked, his voice deeper than expected. "What do you want from me?" he shouted, pushing me away. I fell to the ground, bewildered by his sudden aggression. Nobody had mentioned memory loss, and now he acted as if he didn''t know me.


    "You don''t remember me, Desmond?" I asked, pointing to myself. "I am your boyfriend, and..."


    "Shut up!" he shouted at me. "You''re starting to get on my nerves. Please leave; dont want anyone here, and I don''t know who you are."


    "It''s Randy!" I shouted back, kneeling in front of him. As I reached out to touch the ne around his neck, he pped my hands away.


    "I don''t care who the hell you are. I don''t know any Randy, so please get out of this room!" he yelled.


    Tears welled up in my eyes. I felt like he was punishing me for something I had done wrong, and now he was trying to get back at me for everything I had done to him. I couldn''t figure out why he had suddenly forgotten about me, and the only reason I coulde up with was that he was deliberately avoiding me to avoid speaking to me.


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    "Desmond, this can''t be true. You can''t act as if you don''t know me. I am your destined boyfriend, I love you more than life itself. I can''t do without you. So, if you''re punishing me, please don''t do it this way. Desmond, I..."


    "Leave," he ordered, pointing towards the door. "I don''t know you, and I don''t want you around me because you reek of bad aura. Get out of my room, or I''m going to scream right now," he threatened.


    I heaved a deep sigh, forcing a smile before standing up. "I know you''re doing this because of something, Desmond, but I won''t allow you to do this to me. I..." I beat my chest. "I''m going to make this right and make you ept me because I am your man, and I know that," I bit my lower lip as I grabbed his hand, rubbing it gently.


    "When you''re ready to return to me, I''ll be here waiting for you."


    "Then you''ll have to wait a long time," he chuckled. "Who the hell do you think you are?" he asked.


    I frowned at how he spoke to me, unable toprehend his actions and why he would react that way. "Desmond, I..."


    "Don''t you dare call my name!" he yelled. "I don''t want you calling my name because I don''t want to hear anything from you. Your voice is infuriating, and I hate that you''re close to me."


    "Desmond.."


    "Leave!" he yelled.


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    "You don''t..." I paused, taking a deep breath. "You don''t want me, or are you just faking that you don''t remember me?" I asked, but he didn''t respond. Instead, he looked away from me and faced the window. "Desmond."


    "Leave!" he yelled angrily, turning around to face me. "I don''t know who you are, so leave!"


    My eyes widened in shock as I looked taken aback, not expecting that he would react that way. "..." I paused and lowered my head. "I am sorry because this is my fault. I should.."


    The door burst open, and I turned to see that Desmond''s parents had entered the


    room.


    "What the hell are you doing?" the mother yelled at me. "Haven''t you done enough, Your Highness?"


    *.." My voice started to shake as I struggled to speak to her about what had happened. "I just..." Yet again, I couldn''t say anything.


    "You are the reason why my son is that way," his mother used me. "Why have youe here again? Did youe here to torment us and show your power as the crown prince?" she yelled again. "You are not supposed to be here!"


    "I..."


    "Your Highness," his father gently called my name. "I don''t think you need to be here. Desmond doesn''t remember you; he needs time to heal because he wouldn''t be walking again."


    "And whose fault is that?" his mother attacked me. "This is all his fault. Our son wouldn''t be that way if only he had stayed away from someone like the crown prince. He is the cause of everything."

 Chapter 95

    Desmond''s father grabbed his mother''s hand as she lunged at me. "Melissa, please.


    Don''t forget that he is the crown prince. We have to give him his respect," he muttered, and the mother scoffed, pushing him off and walking to Desmond. "Your Highness," Desmond''s father turned to face me. "Your Highness, I don''t think this is the time for you to be here because Desmond is..."


    "I know," I cut him off before he could finish. "I will leave immediately, but I will be back here to see...."


    "Don''t you daree back here!" his mother yelled at me. "Whatever bond between my son and you is broken, so please leave us alone. He has been in danger since he met you, so leave him alone!" she shouted again.


    "Right. I am sorry," I apologized, lowered my head, and left the room. Once I got outside, I tried hard to wipe the tears from my face away. I tried so hard to stop myself from screaming, but as I walked further down the hallways, I could feel my heart aching. I stopped, leaned against the wall, and slid down as I burst into tears.


    My heart ached severely for what had happened, and even though I kept trying to tell myself that it was not my fault, I knew that it was. So, I continued to cry over and over again, holding my chest as the tears wouldn''t stop flowing down my face. I had lost everything, my boyfriend. There was no way for me to move on anymore. How could I ever move on?


    "This is my fault," I cried to myself over and over again, hitting the ground as I continued to cry, not caring if anyone could hear my voice. None of this would have happened had I tried to control myself and not act like an arrogant jerk. I was at fault, and I deserved everything that was happening to me.


    "Randy," a soft voice sounded before me, and I raised my head to face her. I burst into more tears. "Oh, my little boy," my mother muttered and stretched forth her hand for me to take. I took it and let her pull me up from the ground. She pulled me into her arms and rubbed my back gently.


    "Everything is going to be fine," she assured me.


    "Fine," I scoffed as I pulled away from her hug. "How the hell is anything going to be fine when I lost my boyfriend?" I asked her.


    "Desmond is pretending not to know, or maybe he is acting that way because he doesn''t want to have anything to do with me again, and you believe that I will be happy after everything," I cried again and lowered my head. "I shouldn''t be like this, Mother, but I can''t do without Desmond."


    "Son,e to your senses. You are Bourne''s crown prince, so I expect you to act that way. You just woke from aa, and we need to check on you first."


    "But, Desmond..." I tried to argue, and she hugged me again.


    "Desmond will be here, and he will always be close to you no matter what happens."


    I pulled away from the hug again. "How the hell are you sure about that, Mum? He said he doesn''t want anything to do with me. How sure are you he would surely want to be around me?" I cried and heaved a deep sigh as I rubbed my face again. "I can''t do without him, Mother. I..." I bit my lower lip and heaved a deep sigh. "I love him so much, and..."


    My mother grabbed my hand and rubbed it gently: "Give it time, Randy. Everything is going to be fine," she assured me.


    I nodded in response, but deep down, I knew nothing would be alright unless I decided to do something about it.


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    Everything would always be the same unless I try to stop Hecate, who was behind everything happening to us. Once I stopped her, everything would be easy to return to its ce.


    It was a significant risk, but I was ready to take it for Desmond because I love him, and when I took the vow with the ne under the moonlight, I held onto it forever because no matter what happened, I would always be here for him.


    "Are you alright?" my mother asked, noticing my silence.


    I nodded in response and looked towards the entrance of Desmond''s room. "Wait for


    me, Desmond. I won''t be long," I muttered and turned away. "Let''s go, Mother. I need to rest."


    "Sure, son," she ced her hand on my waist as she guided me down the hallway.


    ~Desmond''s POV~


    A week ago, my eyes fluttered open, and the brightness of the light above me almost blinded me, but I shut my eyes to adjust. When I opened them again, I could finally adapt to the brightness and looked around, noticing I was in a white room. The beeping machine beside me resounded in my head, making me wince in pain. It was too loud, and it felt like my head would explode.


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    I stared around, coughed as I sniffed in the bleach scent, and winced in pain as my heart continued to ache terribly.


    "Randy," I called his name, expecting to see him around me, but he was nowhere near.


    "Randy," I muttered his name again, but he was still absent. I coughed again, stretched my hand forward, and rubbed it gently. "Randy, where are you?" I called out, but he remained out of sight.


    Where could he be? I wondered as I expected that he woulde out of his hiding ce and talk to me.


    I bit my lower lip, hiding the pain I felt at that moment. My back ached severely, reminding me of the fighting incident. I had cked out in Randy''s arms and left him on his own, and now, he was nowhere to be found


    "Randy!" I shouted his name. "Where are you?"


    Laughter sounded in the room, and I looked around, hoping to see anyone, but nobody was in sight. As I continued to look around, my eyesnded on the wall, revealing writing in red ink.


    "You survived again."

 Chapter 96

    My eyes widened. "Who the hell are you?" I shouted as I scanned the room again. "If you are near me, show yourself instead of acting like a coward."


    The voiceughed. "For a fierce young man who survived a stab to the guts, I am amazed that you can still speak," the voice sounded and thenughed. "I must say that I am proud of you."


    "Hecate?" I asked to make sure I didn''t hear wrong. She was the only one against Randy and me, willing to do anything to keep us apart, but I had no idea why her voice was in my head. It made me wonder if something had happened to Randy.


    "Where is my boyfriend?" I asked her. "What did you do to him?"


    She chuckled. "What makes you think I did something to him?" she retorted.


    I sighed. You have been against us for as long as I can remember, so it is something


    that you can do. You, Hecate, hate our existence, and so, you want us to be forced to be separated, all because of a sin that our parentsmitted years ago!"


    Hecateughed yet again and then tutted.


    "Your foolishness is going to be the end of you," she replied and sighed.


    I frowned at her, trying to get up from the bed, but found myself unable to move. It felt as if my body was frozen and unmovable. "Why..."


    Hecate tutted again, her annoying voice getting to my head. "Have you not learned anything yet, little boy?" she asked and chuckled. "My angel of death has made you paralyzed for life. You were struck with his sword, so that is your punishment!"


    "How..." I coughed, struggling to raise my legs, but t couldn''t, and Hecate continued tough. "What did you do to me?"


    "The sword took your legs," she replied.


    "That is your punishment for trying to stop me from getting my revenge on those who made life unbearable for me!" she yelled.


    "How..." I shouted, gritting my teeth as I struggled again to lift my legs. Yet again, I couldn''t, and I remained on the bed with tears streaming down my face. Was this how my life was going to end? Was I forever going to be like this? What would Randy think of me? Would he still love me? I asked myself, unable to believe I would remain like that forever.


    "Why is this happening to me?" I shouted. "I shouldn''t be like this. I can''t be like this!"


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    "But it is like that for you," she replied. "If only you had listened to me and followed my angel of death, maybe it wouldn''t have turned out this way, and now, you can''t even move your legs and feet again. I have to say that your life is now pathetic, and you already know why."


    I screamed as I tried to lift my leg from the bed again but ended up crying out in pain.


    "No matter what you do, you are going to remain like this forever, and this is because of the Akuffo family. Because of them, you died! What an ill fated rtionship you have with them!" she stated. "Are you going to continue like this? Being like this until the day you die!"


    "Get the hell out of my head," I yelled at her because I knew what she was doing. She was trying to make me hate the royal family. "I don''t care about what you have with the King and the Queen, but Randy is my boyfriend, and if you dare try to harm him, then I shall..."


    Sheughed, and then I felt the warmth of someones breath on my neck. "You sound pathetic now, little boy. The things we do for love!"


    I didn''t respond to her because she would continue to find a way to spite me, make me hate the royal family, and believe that they were the cause of what had happened to me. "Leave me the hell alone. If you have something against the royal family, go after them and leave my boyfriend alone!"


    "I can''t." her reply was simple, and she sounded as if she was ready to get serious with me. "Do you want to know what happened with Randy?" she asked, and my eyes widened in shock as I waited for what she had to say. "I see that you are curious about it," she chuckled. "Well, I shall tell you right now," she cleared her throat.


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    I stared at the bright light above my head as if she was watching me while I waited for her to say. But then, my heart started pounding in my chest again, fearing that something might have happened to Randy when I had cked out.


    "I..." she cleared her throat and said nothing else.


    Growing impatient, I shouted at her. "If you want to say something, go ahead instead


    of acting like this!" I yelled. "Speak up if you are trying to tell me something!"


    Sheughed. "I can see the curiosity in your eyes; the pounding of your heart also reached my ears, but you don''t have to worry, as your boy is fine. He is in aa, by the way," she added.


    "What..." I didn''t know how I was supposed to react at that moment, as I could only move my head and hands. My legs were useless, otherwise, I would have rushed out of the room and searched for Randy to see if her ims were urate.


    "Are you lying? Trying to make me believe your stupid lies!" I shouted at her.


    "The truth is that I am not lying. I am telling the truth, and you may not believe me now, but you have to admit that it is the truth, and no matter what you think, Randy might not gain conciousness."


    "You bastard!" I shouted at her. "What have you done to my boyfriend?!"

 Chapter 97

    Hecate didn''t speak for a few seconds, and I thought she had disappeared until I saw the writing on the wall. "I have a deal for you."


    I scoffed. "There is no way I am signing any deal with someone as evil as you are. I will not allow you to tell me what to do!"


    "Whatever you believe is your cup of tea, but if you want to live happily forever with Randy, then you will listen to me because I am the only one who can make your dreamse true. I am the only one who can stop this long term anger I have against his family. So if I were you, I would join hands, and let''s end this."


    I knew she was up to something, and she would only suggest something like that because she wanted something from me in return. Something precious, and no one needed to tell me that it was the King and Queen, her long term enemies. "There is no way I am going to join hands with someone as evil as you are,'' I replied, chuckling. "You are so full of evil that you wasted years of your life chasing after others and..." I groaned in pain as I felt an invisible force wrapping its arms around my neck and choking the life out of me.


    "Do you think that I have not wasted my life enough? And you believe I wanted to continue living like this!" she yelled at me.


    "The King and his stupid partner locked me up for years and made me lose my power as the owner of the dark hole. Everything that happened is their fault!"


    She yelled angrily, and I felt the hold around my neck bing tighter. "I am trying to save you from your eternal hell, but it seems that you are not ready to listen to me," she said, and then I felt the grip around my throat loosen.


    I coughed near the bed and panted for breath. She had almost choked the life out of my body, and it felt as if I was going to die at that moment. "How are you this evil?" I asked her. "You shouldn''t be..."


    Hecate scoffed. "Back to the deal, little boy. I am trying to save the love between you and Randy. I want you to live your life to the fullest. Or don''t you love him anymore?" she asked.


    I was yet to respond.


    "I will take away your disability, and you will be able to move freely. Aside from that, I will wake Randy up."


    "You expect me to make a deal with someone as cruel as you?"


    "You have no choice, little boy. Your birthday is weeks away, so I am going to make sure that you don''t die and restore your legs If you sign the deal with me, I will do all that for you."


    I blinked and rubbed my forehead, contemting what I could do. "There is no way I, Desmond, will sign a deal with someone like you."


    "Do you expect to be happy with Randy as long as I am here? Do you think I will let you both live happily?" she yelled. "I will ruin you both and make you regret not listening to me. Then you will realize that I meant everything I have said. If I were you, Desmond, I would listen to me. Until then, take care."


    I blinked again as a lone tear escaped my left eye while staring up. A deal? She wanted me to sign an agreement with the devil? How the hell was she expecting me to do that? But now, everything was worsening, and we could be torn apart again.


    "The things we do for love," I sighed and closed my eyes. I didn''t know what I would do, but I had to make sure I saved Randy, no matter what it took. If I were to sign the deal, it would be because of him.


    Present Day...


    I lowered my head as I heard him crying outside of the room. The tears flooded my eyes, and I let them out, holding onto the ne around my neck.


    I hated that I shouted at him, but what could he possibly want with a boyfriend who was paralyzed? There was nothing good about me anymore. I couldn''t even look at him properly when he came.


    "Desmond, you don''t have to cry anymore. This is all for the best," my mother tried to console me. "You are going to be fine and won''t have to worry about the crown prince any longer."


    I shook my head in response. "I have every right to worry about him because I love him, and I hate that I am not with him right now. I... I shouted at him," I cried and rubbed my face.


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    "Everything has ended between us. Everything is over now."


    My father cleared his throat in the room, and then he spoke up. "You have to remember what the king said to you a few days ago. I hope you remember that he told


    you to pretend not to remember Randy,'' he reminded me.


    I clenched my fists angrily and closed my eyes as I remembered how the king had visited me.


    It was a few days after I had woken up, and I was seated on the bed after I had just finished eating. He walked in with his powerful aura, and when he reached my front, I quickly bowed my head, and then he spoke up.


    "I didn''te here to see how you are doing, Desmond," he told me. "I already heard about your condition. I have to admit that it is really sad, but it is your fate, and you have to take it like that."


    I frowned as I looked at him, clenching my fists angrily. I was fuming with anger where I sat, wondering why he was speaking like that. I knew that he had something against our rtionship from the beginning but never expected that he would sound excited that our rtionship was crumbling.


    "Once Randy wakes up, he wille running here," he told me and then paused for a moment. "I want you to pretend as if you don''t know him."


    "What." I was shocked, not expecting that he would say something like that. "How could you make me do something like that? I can never lie to Randy."


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 Chapter 98

    The king chuckled. "Well, it is what you have to do for you both to be happy. He won''t have killed anyone if not for you, and he wouldn''t have left home. He did that because he wanted to be with you, and now, he has lost the one thing important to him as the crown prince. He hadmited a crime."


    ""And I lost my legs. I made sure that I protected Randy until thest time. What do you expect from me, king? Randy is the one for me, and if it was not for you, then we would have been here at home, and who knows if this wouldn''t have happened!"


    The king drew closer to me and then sat down beside me on the bed. "If you are going to me me, then you can go ahead. I won''t stop you,'' he muttered and then heaved a deep sigh. "This is the only way for you to be fine. There is no other way, and as much as you hate it, there is no other way for this to end."


    I lowered my head and bit my lower lip, trying so hard not to shout at the king.


    If I did, I knew that my head would probably roll on the ground because I had gone against the king, but at the same time, I hated how he acted as if everything was fine.


    "Do you think that Randy will be happy about this? He would never let me be, and I can''t do this to him. I love him so much."


    "Find a way, Desmond. Randy is the crown prince, and he can''t continue to act like an idiot!"


    "What if he doesn''t want to be the crown prince? What if he doesn''t want that kind of life?"


    The kingughed. "The Randy I know had always wished to be the crown prince until you came along and ruined everything."


    "It''s your fault for not knowing that your son doesn''t like women," I retorted, wondering why I had gotten the courage to reply to the king like that.


    "I see that you are running your mouth, and I will let you do that only for today because you and Randy used to be lovers. After today, I will punish you ording to tradition."


    I heaved a deep sigh and lowered my head.


    "I apologize, Your Highness, but you have always been against my rtionship with the prince, and you never supported us!"


    "I am doing my best as a father so that he can be epted!" he shouted. "I am trying to make sure nothing bad happens between you both! Don''t you understand what is happening? They would never ept a king like him."


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    I scoffed. "Permit me to say this, Your Highness, but how do you expect that the crown prince would be epted when you, as his father, have not epted him? How could you do that to your son?"


    "If you heard me the first time, you will hear how I said that I am trying to protect my son. I am trying to make sure that he doesn''t go astray!"


    "Our love doesn''t mean that he would go astray. We love each other," I argued, hoping that he could see what I was trying to let him understand. "Our love is never astray, and I know that you are probably wondering if I have gone crazy, but that is the truth!" I yelled. "Randy is my life!"


    The king heaved a deep sigh and rubbed his forehead as if he was tired of hearing me say that over and over again. He grabbed my hand and rubbed it gently.


    "I treat you like my son because I saw the rtionship between you and Randy, and I noticed how strong it was. But now, this is not about your love anymore. The elders will never ept both of you and also, you both will always be the target of Hecate. I am going to resolve that and make sure that Hecate doesn''te close to any of you ever again. I am going to make sure that i sort everything out, and in doing so, I will recover everything that has been lost, and..."


    "Your Highness," I shouted and lowered my head yet again. "This isn''t supposed to end this way! I can''t bring myself to tell Randy that I don''t remember him!"


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    The king tapped me on the shoulder.


    "Stop acting like a child and be a man. Everything I am doing is to make sure that both of you don''t go astray. I know you might not like me for doing that, but I am going to make sure I do everything to make everything right! You should know better," he told me, then stood up from the bed and turned to leave. "Randy will soon wake up, and the first person he would ask for is you, so get prepared and don''t mess this up," he warned as he walked out of the room.


    As he walked out, I lowered my head and sniffled as tears streamed down my face. I started to think about why Randy and I didn''t get our happy ending. Was the world against us to the extent that we would never, for once, get a happy ending?! I couldn''t even figure it out, and the only thing I could do was cry over and over again.


    "It''s okay, son," my mother rubbed my shoulders. "You don''t have to worry about anything anymore. We can leave this ce and go somewhere far away, where you wouldn''t have to worry about anything any longer."


    I shook my head in response. "I don''t want to be separated from him. I love him so much that it hurts to see him suffering just as much as I am. I can''t do without him, and I am sorry if you are expecting that I would jump at your offer to leave for else where, but I want to be around him. I want to attend school again."


    "Son," my father called. "Are you sure that you can live this type of life?" he asked, and I nodded in response. "What if you are unable to keep the act?" he asked, but I shook my head in response and then smiled at him.


    "I will make sure that I continue to pretend not to remember him."


    That was a lie. I knew that no matter how I pretended in front of Randy, he was going


    to see through my lies. Even if I acted as if everything was alright, he was always going


    to find out about what I was hiding, but I had made up my mind, and that was to sign the deal with Hecate. By doing so, we could have our happy ending, and I wouldn''t have to worry about anything else.

 Chapter 99

    This was the only way to make sure that Randy and I could be together. I know it might sound as if I was being greedy, but I couldn''t stay away from Randy for long.


    "Son, if you have anything else that is bothering you, you don''t have to worry about it, as I have made sure that we are going to solve it, and you will be free," my father told


    me.


    I nodded in response, agreeing to what he had said, even though my mind was saying something else. "I need to rest now, as I want to be alone," I told my parents.


    They both exchanged looks and then nodded in response.


    My father pushed the wheelchair towards the bed, and then with his help, I was able toy on the bed. I groaned as my back, where I had been stabbed, met with the bed. Even though the bed was soft, I still gritted my teeth from the pain. The stab could have killed me, but somehow, I had survived, and I still couldn''t figure out why.


    "Be good, son, and if anything is bothering you, then you can call us," my mother said, and I nodded in response. I closed my eyes as I heard them walking out of the room. Once I heard the door shut, I closed my eyes and looked up at the light above my head, I wish my life was as bright as that.


    "If you can hear me, Hecate,e out now," I said, but nothing happened. A few seconds passed, and still, nothing happened. I heaved a deep sigh as I looked up again and then rubbed my hands together. "If you''re anywhere, then pleasee out, as I have decided to ept your deal," I announced, and as soon as I finished saying that, the light above my head brightened. I had to squint my eyes because of how bright it


    was.


    The reason for its brightness, I couldn''t figure out, and when the light slowly faded away to its usual light, I opened my eyes wide and looked towards the wall, expecting to see any writing from Hecate.


    But, I didn''t see anything. The wall was nk, and there was nothing written there.


    Iughed as I looked at the wall again, but nothing happened, and then I sighed as I closed my eyes. Hecate was toying with me, and it was making me shake terribly. As I opened my eyes again, I looked at the writing on the wall and smiled. "Good choice, little boy."


    Hecate had heard me, and it meant that she had epted, which meant that Randy and I were going to have our happy ending. But then again, I wondered if I was making the right choice.


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    Randy''s POV


    I frowned at the paper in my hand and scoffed for the umpteenth time. I rubbed my hands together and heaved a deep sigh. "You are asking me to say this in front of everyone, right?" I yelled at my parents, holding the paper up in front of them. "You want me to lie about my rtionship with Desmond, which I''ve already told you I will not be doing. So why are you forcing me to do it?"


    My mother rubbed her face, tired of my arguing about the paper, while my father maintained a stoic look and didn''t respond.


    "So, this is how it will be, right?" I asked them and then chuckled. "I am supposed to lie in front of everyone after you ruined our lives!" I shouted, dropping the paper to the ground and stomping on it. "I am not going to be reading this!" I dered.


    My father stood up and nodded at my Uncle, who walked towards him with another piece of paper.


    "Thank you," he said, receiving the letter and shoving it into my hand. "I don''t care if you continue to act like a child, but everything I do is to ensure your life doesn''t turn out badly. I am trying to protect you, so you see my effort as your father."


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    I held the paper up and tore it into two.


    "You are not acting as my father because what you are doing is making my life unbearable. You turned me this way because of your stupid dreams. I already told you that I don''t want to be the king. I am fine being the prince. If you had listened and left Desmond and me alone, then maybe none of this would have happened. He doesn''t remember me anymore! It is all because of you, Father! You ruined us!"


    "Randy!" My mother shouted my name and stood up. "Please,e to your senses and stop ming your father. I know that you are not happy about this, but your father had to make this decision to protect you. Even if you think he hates you, he is doing everything to ensure you are doing fine. Even if you continue to me him, it wouldn''t change a thing about what happened."


    I ran a hand through my hair and chuckled.


    "So, I am supposed to be happy and lie to everyone because I have to make my father happy? Is that what you are trying to tell me?" I asked her and thenughed. "I know that you both don''t cherish me, and that is why you are treating me like this because why..." I shouted, hitting my chest.


    "Why does Desmond and I have to suffer in this manner? The reason why we are in this situation is because of Hecate. She hates you both, and because of that, she is trying to use us to get to you and..." I rubbed my hands on my face and leaned against the nearest wall. Tears flooded my eyes, but I blinked them away and then pointed towards my father.


    "If anything happens to me, you must know it is all your fault. If you had not done this, maybe I wouldn''t be in a situation like this. Maybe I wouldn''t have to suffer like this. Everything is your fault!" I yelled at him, walked towards my uncle, and grabbed the paper from his hand. "I am going to lie to the world since that is what you want, but don''t expect me to be the same Randy as before," I told them, then headed outside the house, not waiting to hear my mother calling my name.

 Chapter 100

    I was burning with anger and hated having to do it, especially lying in front of millions


    of people.


    Walking down the hallways, I saw Noah and Sonnia walking towards me with worried looks.


    "Hey, Randy, are you alright?" Sonnia asked.


    "Is everything alright with you? You look pale and seem like you..." Noah trailed off, trying to touch my forehead, but I pped his hands away.


    I looked from Noah to Sonnia and then chuckled. "Please don''t act as if you care about me because I know that you don''t," I muttered and brushed shoulders with Noah as I turned to walk away.


    "When will you stop acting like an entitled brat? Everyone is going out of their way to ensure you are alright, but you make it seem like we are the viins and the ones who have done this!" Noah shouted at me. "Stop pushing us all away. We are all you have now."


    I stopped abruptly and turned to face him, then Iughed. "Entitled? A brat?" I pointed to myself. "Do you think that I am any of what you have mentioned? If you are thinking that way, I have to say that you are delusional!" I yelled at him. "Do you know what Desmond and I have been through?" I asked him as I hit my chest. "You just act like an idiot because you don''t understand what is happening. Don''t preach to me when you have no idea what I have gone through!" I told him and then started walking again. "Randy, please. If there is anything we can do," Sonnia muttered. "I will be able to help you out of this shell. I don''t like how you are looking, and..."


    "No one can help me out of any shell, and I don''t need your help because you can''t give me what I want," I told her and continued walking, clenching my fists tightly.


    Was I too harsh? I had never spoken to them in such a manner, and saying that to them made me feel like a monster. Could I genuinely keep up with the attitude of pretending to be cold all because I wanted to forget about Desmond? I didn''t even know what was happening in my head or around me any longer. I shouldn''t be acting like this, but instead, I wanted everyone to feel the pain that I was feeling, especially when they tried to force me to do things that I never wanted to do.


    "I am sorry," I leaned against the wall, clutching the paper in my hand, and burst into tears as I leaned against the wall. "I am deeply sorry, and I.."


    "Your Highness," someone''s voice sounded in front of me, but I didn''t bother looking at the person because I already knew what he hade for. I stood up straight and nodded my head at the guard. "Right, I am ready!" I said to the guard and started walking to the royal hall where the meeting with the reporters was to take ce. My parents were already waiting for me as I stepped in, with at least ten reporters in the room, shing their cameras at me as I walked in.


    I lowered my head, holding the paper tightly in my hand, as I walked to sit between my parents with my head facing the ground.


    "It is all going to be over soon," my mother muttered to me and ced her hand on my shoulder, but I pped it away and heaved a deep sigh as I tried hard not to yell out to the reporters. I was fuming with anger, knowing that my parents had caused everything, but still, I couldn''t do anything about it because they were still my parents. "We will start the...." one of the reporters wanted to say, but then all eyes turned towards the entrance as Desmond was wheeled in by his father and mother.


    "Why are they here?" I demanded from my mother as I looked at her. No one had mentioned that Desmond would attend the meeting. "Why is he here?" I asked her. "Son," she muttered. "Please don''t create a scene here. Let''s get this over with and forget this ever happened."


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    I mmed my hands angrily on the table.


    "Why are you doing this to me?" I yelled out, tears streaming down my face. "Can''t you see that you are making me go crazy?" I screamed, beating my chest. "Why are you doing this to me?" I mmed my hands on the table again.


    "Randy!" Desmond called my name, sounding softer than when we met at the hospital.


    He smiled at me and then pointed to me.


    "Please, stop acting like a child and let us prove to everyone that we never meant anything to each other." he said.


    My eyes widened in shock, my mouth wide open, as he said the words effortlessly, with no hint of sadness or hurt in his tone.


    Unlike me, he seemed to be doing fine


    "Wha..." I tried to speak, but he cut me off.


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    "I will tell you all what you need to hear, and that is concerning the prince and myself. We were never in a rtionship!" he announced to the reporters. "The prince was never my lover, and I don''t care about where you get your assumptions from, but we were never a thing. The press conference from earlier was just him being stubborn and wanting to let go of his duty of the crown prince so we did that." he added, his eyes still on mine.


    Tears rolled down my face as I heard him saying the words like everything we had in the past never meant anything to him. His words carried such a heavy weight that they made my heart pound repeatedly. It was the sound of heartbreak. The sound of getting my heart shattered into pieces. I never expected that he would be able to say it effortlessly. How could he have said that, forgetting what we truly meant to one another?


    The reporters started questioning me, giving no room for me to talk.


    "Is it true, Crown Prince?"


    "You were never in a rtionship with Desmond?"


    "What about the audio? What does it mean?"


    "Why did the audio leak if you are not in love?"


    "Is he truly not your lover?"


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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 101

    I gave no response to any of the questions because deep down, I was fuming with anger, about to explode. I was angry at everyone, including my parents, who were the sole problem for everything that had happened to us. It was all because of them.


    "Please answer, Crown Prince," Desmond said and pointed to me. "Tell the world that we meant nothing."


    Has it meant nothing? I wanted to scream that at him. Even though he had lost his memory, I hoped he would at least hold on to my words. It was hard to watch him act like nothing had happened between us.


    "Prince Randy, please..."


    "Desmond? You want the whole world to know what we are?" I asked him, and he nodded his head in response.


    I clenched my fists tightly, took a deep breath, and spoke up. "Right," I turned to face the reporters. "Desmond and I..." I paused momentarily, looking at Desmond, hoping that he would change his mind and tell me not to say anything. Still, I didn''t get anything from him, and he just remained silent, not saying anything. I heaved a deep sigh, rubbed my face, and then muttered the words I never expected I would speak.


    "Desmond and I were never a couple, and I am not..." I stuttered again. "I am not gay!" I dered and stood up, pointing at the reporters.


    "I hope that you all are happy about the news!" My voice was so loud that it resounded in the room. "I hope you would stay out of my business!" I kicked the chair behind me away and then walked out of the hall, not bothering to turn around even when the reporters tried to question me.


    Once I got to the hallways, I leaned against the wall and buried my face in my hands as I cried. It hurts. It hurt severely that I couldn''t do anything to save our rtionship. I am a coward. A fucking coward who doesn''t deserve to be called the crown prince. "I have lost everything," I muttered as I walked down the hallways.


    There was no one to talk to any longer.


    Desmond had announced to everyone that we didn''t mean anything. The world was against me, and I was all alone again.


    "Prince Randy!" Desmond''s voice sounded as I reached the hallways'' end, about to turn to the right. I stopped to hear him out, shocked that he had called me. At first, I thought that it was a dream, but I knew that the Desmond, whom I had fallen in love with, would never call me prince.


    "What do you have to say?" My voice was a bit harsh, but I didn''t regret it because I gave him what he had given me. "What do you want from me?" I asked him, not turning back.


    "I hope we have resolved the issue, and you will be fine."


    I scoffed. "Why do you care?" I asked him, cing my hand on the ne around my neck. "I don''t need you to care for me because we both meant nothing to each other, and I hope you don''t show up in front of me!" I muttered and yanked the ne from my neck, dropping it to the ground, still not bothering to look back, and then I walked away, not looking back.


    But deep down, a voice yelled out to me to stop, but I couldn''t because he didn''t remember or want me.


    It''s over now.


    Anger.


    If there was another word for it was how I felt as I walked in between the elders who thought they could tell me what to do about my life.


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    Anger.


    I wanted to wipe the smile from the elder''s faces. They all act as if they don''t have a secret and judge me for being different.


    They knew that I would do everything I could to be the crown prince and my father, who wanted to hold the title of the perfect royal family.


    I hated that I was born into royalty, and if I had the chance, I would change my fate and be someone different. Perhaps someone born into a different family. "Your Highness," I said through gritted teeth as I bowed my head to my father. "Wee, crown prince; please stand by me," he said.


    I dragged my legs towards his throne and stood beside him. If I had a choice, I wouldn''t be there. My uncle Harold, on his right side, smiled at me, but I didn''t respond to his smile and instead maintained my stoic look. I stared into the eyes of all the elders who had made me unhappy and had different thoughts on how I should deal with them.


    "Now that it has been rified that the crown prince is not gay, then does it mean that we can move on with the preparation for choosing the crown princess?" one of the elders said. "He is supposed to have a partner by now since he will be the king in years toe."


    "Are you trying to say that my father would die soon?" I retorted. "you don''t want him to continue ruling? Are you that tired of him?"


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    "Crown Prince, that is not what I am trying to......" he tried to defend himself, but I cut him off.


    "You speak as if you want my father to die as soon as possible," I replied with a grin on my face. "if you are tired of my father, then you should have said it to his face instead of using me as your means to achieving your goals."


    My father cleared his throat, and I knew he was trying to gain my attention, so I didn''t say anything else, but another elder spoke up, tackling what I had said. "I believe the crown prince had forgotten that the king doesn''t necessarily have to die for you to be king. It can be done even when he is alive. You speaking like this only means that you don''t know how a king should rule."


    I clenched my fists tightly, frowning at the man. "are you trying to say that Ick the criteria to be king?" I retorted.


    "crown prince, you are the one...."


    "Enough!" my father shouted before he could finish. "now is not the time for any more argument. We are trying to discuss the crown prince''s marriage, so we should focus on that," he announced.


    The elders all nodded in response, murmuring amongst themselves. "Your Highness," the one who had argued with me walked forward with his head bowed.


    "we already have the perfect candidate who is worthy to be the crown princess andter be the Queen."


    My father nodded in response, and the elder continued his stupid and boring talk.


    "We have decided that the perfect candidate would be Elder Han''s daughter, who had been practicing all her life about royalty. She will be the crown prince''s perfect bride and make a good future Queen."

 Chapter 102

    I clenched my fists tighter, A bride? I don''t even like girls and will never feel attracted to them, so I wondered why they all forced me to do what I didn''t want. I didn''t even want to be there. I have a choice, too, but I prefer to listen to someone else. Even my father felt that I shouldn''t be what I wanted to be, and they all dictated what I should do or not do.


    "Good," my father quickly agreed, and the so called Elder Han walked in front of my father, standing beside the first elder. He bowed his head and then looked at me.


    "My daughter has been practicing all of her life on how to learn the proper ways of the royal family, and now that she is being chosen as the crown princess, she would be excited about it, and she will be happy that she had gotten this life."


    I chuckled. "you already knew your daughter would be the crown princess?" I asked him andughed. "how lovely for you to know that," I said.


    No one said anything after my words and the throne room grew so silent that it would be heard even if a pin dropped to the ground. They all threw daggers at me, and I did the same with them. I didn''t care what they thought about me; I just wanted to leave the room then.


    "Your Highness," Elder Han finally spoke up after a few seconds.


    "When should my daughter move to the royal home?" he asked.


    My eyes widened In shock at his sudden announcement, and then I looked towards my father, who shifted on his chair and nced at me. "what does he mean by that, father?"


    "Not now, Randy," my father replied. "you don''t have to worry about that. I will exin it to youter."


    "Exin it to me now!" I yelled at him. "If I should know something, I need to know it right now instead of keeping it from me. I need to know about it now!" I screamed so loud that my voice resounded in the room.


    "what is this about hering, and yet, I don''t know about it?!"


    "Crown Prince, please listen to me and...." my father tried to exin, but I stopped him.


    "I am not listening to whatever you have to say, Father. I need to know because my future depends on this. You are forcing me to marry someone I don''t know, and you wouldn''t even tell me what the hell it means when you said that she would be moving in with us!" I shouted and then pointed towards Elder Han." I will not ept this marriage unless I do it my way!" I dered and then turned to leave, but my father''s loud voice stopped me.


    "Everyone leave the throne except the crown prince! The meeting has been adjoined." he dered.


    Everyone in the throne room started murmuring amongst themselves. They all suddenly had something to say until my father mmed his hands against the handle of his throne. "leave!" he ordered.


    "yes, Your Highness," They all resounded and bowed their heads as they walked out of the hall.


    As soon as everyone was out, Uncle Harold walked towards me and ced his hand on my chest, squeezing it gently. "just calm down son," he muttered to me before stepping out of the hall.


    "stand in front of me where I can see you!". my father ordered.


    I heaved a deep sigh, rubbed my hands together, and walked before my father. I bowed my head, and when I raised it, he was in front of me with his hands on my shoulders. "What the hell are you thinking? How dare you disgraced me in front of everyone!" he shouted.


    I scoffed and pped his hands from my shoulders. "Disgrace you? I''ll continue to do that, Father, because you did this me! You are the one who started this first. You know that I don''t like women! You know I don''t, and yet, you are forcing me for your happiness to get what you want!"


    "Randy! Pleasee to your senses and try to see that I am only trying to help you. I am your father, and what I am doing now is for your sake. I wouldn''t do anything to harm you. I love you so much," he said, touching my cheeks. "I care for you, my son, and I......"


    "Enough!" I yelled at him and pped his hands away from my cheeks. "you ruined me. If only my father had epted me, it wouldn''t stop the world from epting me. You caused everything, and it is your fault!"


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    "Randy..."


    "I am not listening to anything that you have to say. If you can''t help me, then leave me the hell alone! Go ahead with your ns, but I will never love a woman. I love men, and there is nothing you can change about that. Nothing!" I told him to make the decision clear before leaving the throne room.


    I rushed to my room and picked up my phone on the table, dialing Desmond''s phone.


    At first, he didn''t pick up, and after redialing, he picked up the call but didn''t say anything.


    "Hello, Desmond. Are you going to continue to ignore me?" I yelled into the phone. "I love you so much, yet you keep ignoring me!"


    Still, I was waiting for a response from him.


    "Are you going to give up on our love? Desmond! At least talk to me! I love you, and I can''t do without you. Why are you doing this to me? Just one word from you! I need to hear you say something to me, and I......" I screamed and panted for breath. "I am getting married soon, yet you keep ignoring me. I.... They are forcing me to do things I don''t want. Please talk to me!" I begged. "Desmond.... I...."


    "Don''t call me again, Prince Randy!" Those were thest words he said to me as he ended the call.


    I screamed, threw the phone to the wall, then walked to my bed and tossed the bed covers and pillows. I had no one by my side. I was all alone again, and it felt like the world was against me, with no one to help me. It hurt so bad, and I couldn''t deal with


    it.

 Chapter 103

    ~Desmond''s POV~


    I held the phone in my hand, clutching it pretty tight. I shouldn''t have said that to him and regretted ever speaking to him like that.


    If I didn''t pretend that I didn''t want to talk to him, then he would find out about my ns, and it would lead to a lot of things like him trying to stop me from harming his parents. I didn''t want that to happen because I wanted the both of us to find peace.


    "Oh, Randy," I muttered under my breath as I ced the phone on the bed beside me, staring at the ceiling and questioning my decision. Did I make the right decision, or was it a selfish one? I knew Randy wouldnt'' be happy if anything happened to his parents, but I honestly wished everything would be resolved and I wouldn''t have to worry about us anymore.


    I picked up the phone again and then scrolled down to his name, pressing the messages he had sent me. I had ignored each message but couldn''t stop reading them. They were cute and hard to miss.


    Hello Desmond, I missed you.


    Please pick up my calls, and let''s talk.


    I am sorry about what happened at my uncle''s.


    Desmond, I am hurting. I don''t have anyone to talk to now that you have left me.


    I was hurt today by your highness. You pretended as if I didn''t exist. Why did you do that, Desmond?


    I sighed as I dropped the phone again. The messages were too much, and I couldn''t go through all of them. I already knew what Randy was trying to tell me.


    He missed me so much that he sent many messages. "what am I doing?" I questioned myself as I rubbed my hands together and sighed deeply. "is he in pain? Hurting from everything that I did to him?" I questioned myself and then ced my hand into my pockets, bringing out the ne he had thrown on the ground on the day we did the interview.


    I could feel the intensity of his anger as he dropped the ne. It was as if he had already given up on us, but when he called again, I wanted to shout his name and tell him that I was sorry for acting that way towards him, but I couldn''t.


    I suddenly became dumbfounded, and the only thing that coulde out of my mouth was. "Please don''t call me again, Prince Randy."


    How could I have said that to him when I knew the kind of person that he was? I missed him and wanted to be in his arms so badly that I kept thinking of him every day. "what do I do now?" I questioned myself and then closed my eyes.


    Just then, a knock sounded on my door, and I raised my head to face the door.


    "Come in," I muttered under my breath.


    My mother entered the room with a smile, and as I turned toward her, I pretended to be happy to ensure she didn''t have to worry about me.


    "Hey, Mum," I said as she sat beside me on the bed.


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    "You should be resting," she muttered, touching my shoulder. "I wanted to make sure that you are alright. How are you doing?" she asked.


    I nodded in response without saying anything else. "Will you be able to attend school tomorrow?" she questioned.


    School?


    It was a new semester, and I would have to see Randy again. Can I face him after everything that I have done to him? After how I had treated him? Will I also be able to cope by pretending that I don''t feel anything? Always seeing him, I doubted if I could do that to him, but still, it was the only way I could look at him from afar.


    "I am going, Mother," I replied to her.


    My mother sighed heavily and grabbed my hand, cing it into hers. "I know that you are thinking about many things, son, but you need to realize that everything happening right now is not your fault. That you will remain in a wheelchair for years doesn''t mean that it is the end of the world for you. I believe in you and trust that you will be fine at the end of it all because you, my son," she paused as she pinched my cheeks. "I believe that you will continue to be a good son, and I love you for that," she muttered, and I nodded in response, agreeing to what she had said about me.


    "Thank you, mother," I muttered into her embrace.


    The new semester soon began, and as my father dropped me off in front of my ssroom, I heaved a deep sigh before wheeling myself in. Randy was all I had been thinking about since I got to the school premises.


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    Was he going toe to school? Would he be happy to see me again, or would he also show me the same attitude I had toward him? I didn''t know how he would react once he saw me, and I couldn''t wait for his reaction since he had not seen me in a while.


    "Desmond!" someone shouted as I wheeled myself into the ssroom. I looked up to see a smiling Ana waving excitedly to me. "hey!" she rushed towards me and engulfed me in a tight hug, catching me unnoticed.


    Typical Ana.


    "I heard about what happened to you. Are you alright?" she asked.


    I nodded without saying a word because I knew the conversation might take forever, and she would continue until she learned more about the incident. "I am so happy to see you here. I saw the uhm...." she paused for a moment, and when she was about to speak, John appeared from nowhere and hugged me too.


    "oh goodness, I have missed you, Desmond," he said, crying.


    "You have no idea how deeply I missed you, and I want to be with you. I...."


    Ana scoffed and pushed him away from me. "stop acting like aplete idiot, John!" she yelled at him, walked behind me, and pushed the wheel forward. "now is not the time to talk about that. We have a ss to prepare for," she said, pushing John out of her way as she helped me to the second row. "This should do, or do you need help getting out of the wheelchair?" she asked, but I shook my head in response.


    "I am fine" I told her with a smile on my face, and then, I looked around us, searching


    for him and hoping that he was amongst the crowd, but he was nowhere to be found. Instead, all I saw were the eyes of those who held sympathy for me.

 Chapter 104

    They all stared at me as if I was going to disappear in front of them any second.


    While most of them waved at me, some smiled, and some started pointing fingers at me and murmuring words about me.


    I looked away from them and then started ying with my fingers, hoping he would show up soon. I began to get anxious, shaking my legs for him to appear, but after a few minutes, and he still didn''t show up, I concluded that he would note until a momentter.


    A redheaded girl had run into the ss before the ss started screaming into her lungs. "The crown prince ising with.." she sighed and heaved a deep sigh.


    "The crown prince ising here with a new girl who doesn''t attend school here, and they both look like couples."


    Randy walked in as she finished saying this, holding hands with a blonde girl. When they reached the entrance, Randy looked at the girl with the warmest smile and then kissed their hands that were held together.


    "Desmond, you don''t have to see this if you don''t want to," she had told me, but instead, my eyes had remained glued on them. He looked happy, unlike when he had called me the day before. It was not as if I was expecting him to look unkept and sickly, but he had appeared looking as if he wasn''t affected by everything that happened, and instead, he had brought a girl. Randy looked around as if searching for someone until his eyesnded on me.


    He gave me an evil grin, turned towards the girl, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her on the forehead.


    I saw red. My clenched hands almost mmed the desk in front of me. I shouldn''t have been affected, but I could still feel the intensity between us and couldn''t deny it. And it made my heart pounded.


    "Everyone!" Randy shouted, raising the girl''s hand. "I havee to announce to you all that this is Ariel, my future Queen!" he eximed, looking at me. "We are getting married!"


    My eyes widened at his sudden announcement that gained everyone''s attention. They all brought out their phones and started taking pictures of them.


    "I believe that you all have read the news. It had been confirmed that I am not......" he sitriteretras his eyes untnrheaven mire: l''armirottyay, "Her armoured." ~Randy''s POV~


    If there was another word for a bad day, it was how I felt then. My eyes were turning, and the world felt like two as I couldn''t stop thinking about how Desmond had reacted when he saw me and Ariel together. I had expected that he would at least show concern and act as if he was angry, but instead, he looked away and didn''t even bother looking at me again.


    I was infuriated that he didn''t try to show any expression about my concerns and thoughts, what an annoying person, i thought as i stared at him.


    That morning of resumption, my father suddenly announced that Ariel and I would go to school together. It came as a surprise to me when I saw her already waiting in the car for me.


    "Your Highness, my name is Ariel, and I..."


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    "Don''t bother me," I quickly turned her down, unready to listen to her annoying talk. Even though I only heard her for the first time, her attitude was already infuriating me.


    Ariel is a beautiful red haireddy who didn''t interest me because I would never be interested in anydy.


    "I would like to get close to you, your highness. I have heard about how beautiful you are, but I never expected that you would look better in person," sheughed and then looked towards the window, stretching her hands. "I am d that I am going to be marrying you."


    I didn''t reply and pretended she was not there with me. I was not in the mood to respond to anything she said because I was fuming with anger at that moment, and I didn''t care that she wanted to talk to me because I thought it was different.


    My thoughts were all about Desmond and whether he would show not. I wanted to see him after he had ended my call heartlessly.


    The rest of the drive was silent as Ariel took my silence as a sign to stop talking, and by doing that, she didn''t bother me until we reached the school. The guards opened the door for us, and I was the first to leave the car.


    "We will take your luggage to your room, your Highness," They informed me, and I nodded in response. "you have a ss this morning, and It is in the big hall. Do you need help with escorting you to the ss?" They asked, but I shook my head in response.


    "I can go on my own, thank you," I told them, and then I started walking towards the ss with Ariel trailing behind me.


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    She began talking again.


    "The Royal College is sure bigger than I thought. I have always wanted to attend this school, and I am happy that I am here," sheughed excitedly and pped her hands. Still, I didn''t respond to her talks and continued walking, maintaining a stoic look, as we walked in the different hallways, all eyes were on us, and fingers were pointed towards us as they started saying things they had assumed.


    "The crown prince is not gay?"


    "What do you expect? He has already announced that he is not gay, so what validation should he seek again?"


    "That must be his new girlfriend! They look good together."


    I looked disgusted at the one person who had mentioned that we looked good together and scoffed as I walked past her.


    When I reached the big hall, I stopped at the entrance and took my time looking around, and that was when I saw himughing excitedly with Ana and acting as if he had not rejected me.


    I clenched my fists tightly and thought about what to do to make him notice me, and when I looked to my right, my eyes met with Ariel, and an idea formed in my head. I grabbed her hand and walked into the ss.

 Chapter 105

    A blonde girl who noticed me at the entrance ran in and made the announcement, and then I smiled wickedly as I pulled Ariel inside, still holding hands with her. Then I looked at Desmond; luckily, he stared back at me. I took it as my chance to make him acknowledge me and feel what pain I was going through. I kissed Ariel and then raised her hand.


    "we are getting married!"


    Everyone started cheering for us, but my eyes were on him, and I waited for his reaction. Instead, he looked away from me and began talking with John and Ana.


    How dare he? I frowned and let go of Ariel''s hand as I returned to my seat. I wanted him to feel what I had felt, but instead, he was acting as if I didnt exist, as if what I had done didn''t mean anything to him.


    I angrily let go of Ariel''s hand, and they walked to sit down on the opposite row of the ss, just by his side. My eyes were fixed on him, and even when the lectures started, I couldn''t stop staring at him, but he didn''t even look at me for once.


    How could he even do that to me? He was stronger than me and didn''t feel anything. I should be able to move on, but instead, I still felt closer to him and couldn''t stop thinking about him and what I wanted with him. He was the love of my life, and I could never do anything with anyone else as I did with him.


    Throughout the lecture, I ignored the noise in the background and focused on him. I didn''t have the time to listen to anyone and made sure he was the only one in my mind. And when the ss ended, I rushed out to get air because I couldn''t control myself, and it took all the power in me to stop myself from walking up to Desmond and screaming at him for ignoring me.


    As soon as I left the ss, Ariel''s voice sounded behind me as she followed me. "Your Highness, where are you going?" she had asked me, but I didn''t turn back to give her a response and continued working. I was in no mood to even talk to her at that .moment "Would, vou like to give me a tour Your Highness?" she had requested Jhut still I didn''t reply to her, and then she walked to my front and spread her arms wide. "Your Highness, please give me the same attitude you gave me when we entered the ss."


    I scoffed and then grabbed her hand. I looked around us to see if there were any eyes, and when I realized that we were alone, I pinned her to the wall and then yelled angrily at her. "pleasee to your senses and try to understand that I don''t want you. Stop acting like a lost puppy for someone who doesn''t want to be with you because you mean nothing to me, and seeing you right now is annoying me, so please, leave me alone!" I yelled at her again, and then I dropped her hands before walking away angrily from her.


    I heaved a sigh as I rushed to the back of the blocks and took a deep breath. Then I rubbed my chest and looked at the sky as the sun was sitting pretty without any worries. I pictured myself as the sun and wished I had a life that it had, and then I turned angrily toward the wall and punched it aggressively. I didn''t stop hitting the wall even though I knew that it was hurting. I didn''t care and pounded it until I had enough and felt my knuckles going numb.


    I heaved a deep sigh as Iid my back on the wall and closed my eyes momentarily. When I returned for the second ss, I didn''t look at Desmond and made sure that I also pretended that he was not there.


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    Ariel still didn''t understand what I had told her in the hallway and continued to cling to me like an annoying pest.


    Finally, it was lunch break, and just like before, I sat down in the cafeteria with my siblings, but the table felt empty because Desmond used to be by my side, and now, he was no longer there. Luckily for me, Ariel had gone for a campus tour and was not there to bother me. I rolled my eyes at the food before me and dropped my spoon when I could not eat it after trying to ensure I tasted it.


    "Are you alright?" Sonnia asked when I angrily mmed my spoon on the table.


    I shook my head in response. "Would you be okay if you were in my shoes?" I asked her and then rolled my eyes angrily. "of course, I am not fine!"


    Noah sighed and pointed toward me. "you don''t have to hurt yourself, Randy. Just know that we, your siblings, are always here to support you regardless of your circumstances. We will always be here for you because we love you."


    I nodded in response and stared back at the food, and that was when I heard the crashing of tes and screams of the students in the cafeteria. I stood up and looked towards the scene, and that was when I saw him on the ground with food all over his body.


    Desmond had fallen, and he was struggling to stand up as if that was not enough. I clenched my fists angrily as tears welled up In my eyes. It was all my fault.


    What had happened to him was because of him. He wouldn''t have faced humiliation if I had not gone to my Uncle''s ce with him.


    I took a deep breath not to show my anxiousness and then sat down and pretended as if I didn''t see it.


    "Randy, are you not going to help Desmond?" Sonnia questioned me.


    I ignored her.


    "He is suffering now. The best you can do is to help him no matter what is going on between you two." Noah added.

 Chapter 106

    I mmed my hands on the table but didn''t say anything, then I kicked the table and walked away. As I stepped past Desmond, who was being helped from the ground by John and Ana, our eyes met but I quickly averted it and walked away, pretending I didn''t see him.


    I rushed out, and when I got outside, I panted for breath as I had held my breath all this while.


    I started running towards the school mall to get an ointment and then returned to the next ss to give it to him. Still, when I reached the entrance of the ss, I saw that Ana was already helping him apply a ster to his wounds and I rushed back outside and dumped the package in my hand inside the bin and then I walked back inside to my seat and attended the lectures until it ended.


    I was the first to leave the ss even before the lecturer did, and I didn''t even wait to hear Ariel''s annoying voice. I left her alone while she tried to talk to me.


    When I got to the dormitory, Hilda the receptionist was there and she waved at me. "It is a pleasure to see you again this semester, your highness." I heard her say.


    I smiled at her but didn''t say anything as I walked into the elevator.


    Once the doors were about to close, someone''s hand shot right in the middle, and I frowned when I realised Desmond had wheeled himself into the elevator.


    My heart started pounding in my chest as I looked at him, and I knew that I couldn''t be in the same elevator as him, so I tried to walk out but he spoke up.


    "Just pretend that you didn''t see me." He muttered.


    It was nice to hear his voice because I had been waiting to listen to it all day, but I never expected that he would say that to me.


    "You must be happy, Desmond. What do I care anyways." I scoffed. "You are a selfish jerk who thinks about only himself, and I don''t think I should be in the same space as you are: "Thondrimarrangry wankeruut


    I waited until the elevator was avable again and then I stepped in, rubbing my sweaty hands together until I reached my floor.


    It wasn''t until I reached my room that I let out a piercing scream and hit my bed over and over again until I was satisfied.


    The room that used to be for Desmond and I was empty without him.


    Desmond''s POV


    I heaved a deep sigh as I stood in front of my new room.


    Today had been hectic, and it had been one of the worst days of my life because we were both acting like strangers to one another, and even in the elevator, he had said such cruel words to me without realizing that everything I was doing was for his sake.


    If only he knew, I thought and rubbed my forehead.


    I knocked on the door and when it opened, I gasped when I saw who was at the entrance.


    "John, you are my room mate?" I asked him and he nodded in response.


    "I was shocked when I saw the luggage being brought into this room, and then I found out that you are my room mate. Come on in." He said, and smiled at me as I wheeled myself into the room.


    "Let''s be good room mates alright?" He said and walked to his bed. "If you need any help from me, I will be happy to help you, and since I already knew that you were going to be in the room with me, I had helped arranged your bed andid it the best I can."


    I smiled at him. "Thank you John." I muttered to him and wheeled myself towards the bed. It brought memories of the night I had found out that Randy was my room mate and we had slept on the same bed.


    It made me smile as I recalled the memory of both of us not agreeing to share the same room and the memory of us being together again.


    "Are you sure that you can get over him?"


    John asked me, and I turned my attention towards him, wondering what he meant by that.


    "Don''t give me that look. You already know what I mean and that is you and Randy pretending."


    I looked away from him and then held on the wall as I raosed myself from the wheelchair, and then I carefully climbed onto the bed.


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    "You can continue to pretend as if you both hate each other but I can see that you still care about each other."


    "I don''t think you know anything." I replied him and chuckled. "The crown prince and I never happened, and if you think that we did, then I have to tell you that it is all in your head."


    Johnughed. "Have you forgotten Ana and I saw you both kissing? I know you would want to deny it, but you are iin love with him as much as he is in love with you, and both of you kept denying it because of the world. Have you ever thought about your happiness? Do you think the world will be sad if you both don''t get along?" He asked. "No one cares about you. I truly hope that you both don''t regret your actions with whatever you are doing right now." He said and then heaved a deep sigh. "If you love prince Randy, it is best to tell him now instead of acting as if the world is against you both and..."


    "It is all in your head. You don''t have to worry about what happens with the prince and myself." I cut him off before he could finish. Even though John was saying the right thing, I didn''t want to hear him.


    "The prince and I have ended, and we shouldn''t rely on the past so, I don''t want to bother about it anymore."


    "Are you sure you wouldn''t regret this?" He asked.


    Would I regret it?


    I was already regretting it, but I had to continue to pretend for my ns to work


    "I don''t." I lied and closed my eyes. "I don''t want to talk about the prince and me any longer as long as we are in the same room together. He chose his path and I already chose mine too."


    John didn''t say anything after that, and as he switched off the light, I stared up even though I couldn''t see anything in the dark.


    Soon, I fell asleep, but not for long as I entered into a frightening nightmare.

 Chapter 107

    Randy was drowning right in front of me in the middle of a deep ocean, and I couldn''t do anything to save him. "Desmond!" he had shouted my name. "please, I need your help," he begged. "please save me!"


    "Randy!" I called out to him, trying to swim across the ocean to save his life, but then he started drowning in front of me while he called out for my help. I watched as he drowned entirely as I was unable to help him. I should be able to do something to help him, but I couldn''t until he was no longer on the surface. "Randy!" I yelled out his name into reality.


    "Randy!" I shouted again as I jerked up from my bed, turning on themp beside my bed. I heaved a deep sigh, realizing it was all a nightmare. I rubbed my face and then looked at John sleeping peacefully. I ced my hands on the wall, struggling to stand up from the bed. When I finally did, I limped with the aid of the wall as I walked towards the bathroom. Once I reached the bathroom, I continued limping until I reached the front of the mirror. I ced both hands on the faucet and heaved a deep sigh.


    I gritted my teeth in pain, finding it hard to stand up properly. Even though I had been warned not to try to stand up without proper help, I didn''t listen, and instead, I limped to the bathroom, standing on my own in the bathroom. I closed my eyes and heaved a deep sigh as I looked at myself in the mirror. I didn''t know how long I stared at myself until I noticed that my features were starting to change. My eyes turned blood red, and my reflection was pointing at me.


    "Desmond," The voice that came out belonged to a woman, which means that it was Hecate who hade again to bother me. I frowned at her and heaved a deep sigh as I rubbed my face.


    "Why are you showing yourself in front of me?" I angrily asked her.


    "oh," she chuckled. "Don''t get annoyed, little boy. I havee to remind you about what we have discussed. Why are you acting all worked up, or have you tried to change your mind?" she asked and thenughed.


    "if you dare try to change your mind, then I have to tell you that your partner will die a horrible death. The death mark ced on you will transfer to him, and he will die a painful yet slow death, which I would make you watch," he said and then burst intoughter.


    I heaved a deep sigh and closed my eyes, hoping that when I opened them, her horrible face would have disappeared, but it didn''t, instead, sheughed at me. "Don''t forget to capture the king and the Queen for me. It is the only way to protect your rtionship with him and have a happy ending."


    I clenched my fists tightly and nodded my head in response. "I already know about all of that. You don''t have to remind me!" I said through gritted teeth. "I will do as told. If you keep to your side of the bargain. We wouldn''t have to worry about anything!" I told her, heaved a deep sigh, and rubbed my hands together.


    Hecate smiled wickedly and nodded in response. "I already promised that I was going to make sure that death mark is removed from your head and that of your partner, and you will be able to walk again, so you don''t have to worry about anything else. I will ensure I get everything back for you!" she promised


    "how do I trust you?" I asked her. "you are not to be trusted because that was how you did to the king and the Queen. You made them trust in your words, which affected them until now!"


    Hecateughed. "stop acting like I am the viin here when everyone yed a role in everything that happened. None of this would have happened if they had not acted like that towards me. They locked me up because they couldn''t give up on their son, and they had to suffer for it! It was their fault that I turned out to be like this, so I don''t care about what they think!" she yelled and pointed toward me, "if you want your happy ending with the crown prince, then you need to follow my orders else you will continue to regret this day once you lose your boyfriend!"


    I nodded in response, and sheughed again and pointed to her wrist. "tick tock. There


    is no time to waste as you have to act on your own quickly!"


    I said nothing, turned on the faucet, and washed my face. Then I poured the water on the mirror, and she was no longer there, and it was my reflection staring back at me. I rubbed my face and clenched my fists tightly. I didn''t know about the king and the queen, but if they realized what I was doing, they might be proud that I was trying to save their son''s life and wouldn''t hate me for it.


    The rest of the night, I couldn''t sleep until daybreak, and it was time for another ss. When I reached the ss, Randy was already there with the girl named Ariel, whom he had announced to everyone that he was marrying, they were both having an intense conversation as John wheeled me in.


    John greeted Randy but didn''t get any response from him while we both exchanged a brief look. Once the ss started, I tried to focus and didn''t seem to care about what I was going through. As the ss wasing to an end, the teacher made a surprising announcement.


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    "The substitute teacher who taught you months ago about the history of the dark hole had not collected the assignment, so I want you all to work on it again as a group and submit it to me."


    My eyes widened in shock as I looked at Randy sitting opposite me. We both looked away at once and then I turned towards Ana. "is it the ss with the four of us in?"


    Ana nodded in response. "how are we going to do it now that you and the crown prince are not on good terms?" she asked.


    I rubbed my hands and tried to raise my hand to back out, but Randy had already done that as he stood up. "I don''t think I can continue to be In that group. I want to be somewhere else."


    The teacherughed. "forgive my manners, your highness, but I must remind you that this is a ssroom, not a ce for your problems. I dont care about what is happening with you and Desmond, even though it is already on the news. I want the assignment in two days, and no, I will not change your group regardless of your position as the crown prince."


    "but..." Randy tried to argue, but he stopped him.


    "I have already made my decision, crown prince, and I am not going to go against it, so


    deal with whatever issues you have with Desmond!" he told him and then turned to leave the ss.

 Chapter 108

    "Sir," Ariel stood up and raised her hand. "I don''t have a group yet," she announced.


    "Join them," the teacher said, pointing to Randy, and then walked out of the ss. He had no idea what he had done. Not only had he caused another problem, but he also added more to it.


    How was I supposed to face Randy in front of everyone without revealing my ns?


    ~Randy~


    I shouldn''t havee here because he was here, and it was suffocating to be around him. I wouldn''t say I liked how he smiled at everyone else while ignoring me, pretending I wasn''t there. I heaved a deep sigh and then looked around me, trying so hard to stop thinking about him, and it worked when Ariel started talking about us.


    "We are going to get married soon," she shouted excitedly, pping her hands together. She then ced a hand on my shoulder. "I am happy that I am going to be with the prince because I have always admired him, and when I found out that we are going to be together, I was happy about the news, and now, I have to say that I am excited about it."


    John and Ana exchanged looks, but none said anything as they turned to look at Desmond, giving him a pitiful look as if he was the only one affected by what was happening. They had all forgotten that I was also affected by everything happening. None of them cared because they believed that since I was the crown prince, I should be able to do something about it, but I couldn''t believe it when there was nothing I could do about it.


    "I think we should just focus on the assignment regarding the dark hole,"


    Desmond finally spoke up. "ording to where we left off, the crown prince and I already found something regarding the dark hole, and we found out that a goddess ruled it," he said, raising his head to look at me.


    Still, it was only briefly as he quickly nced away from me and then looked at John. "what did you find out regarding the dark hole?" he asked.


    John heaved a deep sigh as he looked from me to Desmond. He then started to tell us about his findings. "I think the dark hole is a home to the great Hecate who ruled the dark hole, but there has not been a lot of recent information regarding her."


    "There is a writing that I found in the library in one of the history books about how she lost her family to a fire, and then it made her vengeful, and she became a goddess who grants people their wishes, but that is not the case. She uses the wishes as an avenue to get what she truly wants while imprisoning her victims," Ana added to what John had said, and I noticed how Desmond had shifted in his seat. He rubbed his hands together, heaved a deep sigh, and lowered his head. "I believe that Hecate is apelling person. That should do it for the presentation, right?" she asked.


    They all nodded, but I didn''t respond to anything because my eyes were on him as he was seated across from me. He was doing all he could to avoid my gazes, and I, on the other hand, was making sure that my eyes were not leaving him and making sure that he at least raised his head to look at me and noticed that I was staring at him and maybe, he would be able to see the emotions in my eyes.


    "who is going to present?" I finally spoke up by asking, "Since it is a presentation, there should be a conversation among us, right?"


    Ana was the first to reply. "yes, Your Highness. You are right about that. I believe it is a great idea, and if you would do us the honor please pick the spokesperson."


    I grinned wickedly as my ns were starting to work. I was going to pick him, I thought as I pointed my fingers towards Desmond. "I believed that he would be the perfect match for the spokesperson. He is the only one who can help us, and doing so will benefit us."


    Desmond shifted ufortably on his seat and then looked towards me. "why do you pick me crown prince?" he asked. "I can''t be the spokesperson because I can''t walk. Are you forgetting that?"


    Nice counter, I thought as I looked at him.


    He knew what he was doing, reminding me that I was why his legs had be like that. "Why can''t you be the spokesperson?" I retorted. "Does not being able to walk stop you from talking?"


    Desmond chuckled, and even though it was not genuine but one out of spite, I was d I could hear himugh. "why do you care what I used my legs for, Your Highness? Stop acting as if you care if I can walk, your highness."


    I frowned at him. Does he think that I didn''t care about him? Was that the reason why he was acting like that towards me?


    Because he believed that I didn''t care about him. I heaved a deep sigh and looked into his eyes, which were staring back at me with anger in his eyes. "why are you trying to go against me? After all, I am the crown prince, and you can''t go against my orders!" I pushed on, trying to see if he would reach his limits and wouldn''t say anything against


    me.


    Desmond shifted again and ced his hands on the table. "so, I am supposed to act like a ve to you because you are the crown prince!" he shouted at me, and my eyes widened in shock. He didn''t look like he was joking and instead looked severe. His frowning face made me question whether I was doing the right thing or making a mistake trying to change his mind.


    "Desmond, I need you to please calm down," John told him, but instead, he continued.


    "stop acting like the world revolves around you, crown prince, just because you are born into royalty. You have no idea how others are feeling due to your actions!"


    "Desmond, please," Ana begged him. "we don''t have to continue this. I am going to be the spokesperson," she offered to try to stop Desmond from continuing talking, but it didn''t; instead, he continued saying more hurtful words that broke my soul.


    "I know you are the crown prince, but all I see is a selfish brat who only thinks about himself! Stop trying to act as if everyone here is not helping out."


    "Enough!" Ariel shouted and mmed her hands on the table. "you don''t get to talk to the crown prince like that. I don''t care about your past rtionship with him, but don''t forget that he is the prince of this kingdom."


    Desmond smirked wickedly. "Really?" he asked and then chuckled. "forgive me, as I keep forgetting my ce as I am no one but the son of a poor bodyguard, and the funny thing is I don''t remember having any rtionship with him because I don''t think someone like him who thinks about himself would want to be friends with me!"


    That was thest straw. I couldn''t sit and listen to him talk about me like that. I had to reply, too.

 Chapter 109

    "Is that what you think Desmond is?" I asked him. "Do you think that I am a selfish person?"


    He rolled his eyes and nodded in response.


    "you think you are the only one hurting from all of these? I, too....." I paused and bit my lower lips as I felt tears welling up in my eyes. "it is not so painful that you might not remember anything except if you are the one who is pretending. I never wanted this to happen, and I know you me me for it aand....."


    "I don''t want to listen to your petty talks, Your Highness. Let''s end this meeting, and if you want to use your authority on me by forcing me to read the presentation, then I shall do that because you are the crown prince, and no matter what I say or do, it can''t change anything from the fact that I don''t remember anything about you. I am d that I don''t," he said with a straight face, not showing any sign of emotions.


    He was frowning at me without saying anything else, but I could understand his words and know that he was speaking them out of hatred for me.


    I lowered my head, and a lone tear escaped from my eyes. Unlike him, I was not strong enough to try to act strong. I was too emotional, I wouldn''t say I liked that, and couldn''t hide it from anyone, so I was like that. I couldn''t stop the tears that were trailing down my face, and to hide my face from everyone else, I remained with my head lowered to the ground.


    Desmond no longer wants me, which shows in his actions and words. He truly hated me, and no matter what I tried to do to change it, he was never going to listen. The library suddenly went silent since we were the only ones there, and no one was saying anything. Even though I was in tears, I didn''t let my silent sobs sound in anyone''s ears and continued to hold myself back from crying out.


    "Everyone," John finally spoke up. "I don''t think we need to bring up the past anymore."


    .He was wrong. Now was the time to find out if this would be the end and if I genuinelv wanted to erase Desmond from my head. I have tried to make it work. I have tried to make him listen to me and tried so hard to make him see that I was genuinely trying my best, but he couldn''t see that, and instead, he hated me for everything that had happened to him.


    My fault. I know that the idents were my fault because my attitude had led to our separation, and I can''t change that, but I truly wanted to see if he was pretending not to know me or if he was acting like that because he hated me. I wanted to know, and so I raised my head with tears in my eyes. "I need to ask him some questions; please leave us be for a few minutes," I requested.


    Ariel quickly moved to my side and ced her hand on my shoulder. "Are you alright?"she asked. "why are you crying?"


    I wiped my face and sighed. "please, I need to be alone with Desmond," I requested.


    Ana and John nodded in response and stood to walk away while Ariel remained seated. "you can see that you are putting the crown prince into many problems. Why are you doing that!" she yelled at him. "if this continues, then I might have to report you to the king because....."


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    "Ariel!" I shouted her name. "please, just leave!" I begged.


    Ariel stood up hesitantly and pointed to Desmond. "I don''t care what rtionship was between you both in the past, but if the crown prince is hurt because of you, then I am going to show you my other side!" she threatened before walking away.


    Once we were alone, I heaved a deep sigh and rubbed my hands together. "you must hate me so much for what had happened to you, right Desmond?" I asked him, but he didn''t say anything, nor did he show any emotion, unlike me, who couldn''t control how I was feeling at that moment. "please don''t hate me, we can make this work between ourselves, and I know that you truly..."


    "Please wake up, crown prince, and stop acting like a child. I already told you that I don''t remember anything about....."


    "lies!" I yelled at him, mming my hands on the table. "you are lying, and I know that. You truly cared about me, yet you are like this because I am the reason for what happened to your legs."


    "Don''t act as if you truly care about me, Randy!"


    My eyes widened in shock as he called my name. I didn''t expect he would call my name, and it made me wonder if he was back to himself. "....."


    He chuckled and folded his arms. "I remembered everything, but have you ever wondered why I choose to pretend!" he shouted, then pointed a finger at me.


    "Because you are a weak prince, and you don''t have any power!" he cried. "when I woke up after the incident, your father visited me and told me to pretend, which is why I am like this."


    I lightened up in shock at the sudden discovery. Desmond''s actions towards me were because my father didn''t want us to be together. I didn''t want to believe him, but I knew that it was what my father could do.


    "I truly tried to make it work out between us, but Your Highness, you acted weak, and I couldn''t be with someone who couldn''t defend what we have. You quickly epted his terms because you want to uphold your title. Randy, you are a selfish jerk, and so, i decided to make you suffer for it, but I can''t do this anymore," he muttered and then took a deep breath. "I would like if we could act as if we don''t know each other this time. What we had was great, but Randy, how can we be together when I am powerless and like this, and you can''t even defend yourself in front of your father!" he said and then paused as he dipped his hand into his pocket. "here, have this," he dropped the ne that I had threw away on the table. "I will wait for you to return this ne to me to show if you truly care about me. If you don''t, Randy, then you wont see me again," he muttered and then wheeled himself out of the library, leaving me in shock with my eyes widened and


    I was still recovering from finding out that my father was involved in our separation.

 Chapter 110

    ~Desmond''s POV~


    I shouldn''t have revealed what I was going through to him. I could have pretended that I didn''t hear him because it was not part of the n, and now, he mightter figure out what was happening with me and eventually confront his father.


    "what are you doing, Desmond?" I muttered under my breath and looked at the dark sky. I should have waited until everything worked out, but now, they might find out what had happened and eventually be forced to find out why I had decided to pretend. "Hey, Desmond!" I heard his voice sounding behind me. My heart beat hard against my chest as I turned around to face him.


    "what do you mean when you said that my father is responsible for our separation."


    I didn''t answer, trying to see if anyone was around because I could remember what had happened thest time and where it had led us. I didn''t want any of it to happen again. I wanted us to reveal ourselves to the world without fearing anything. I had to ensure that no one was hiding in the building and recording us like before.


    "Desmond, are you going to pretend that you didn''t hear me!" He shouted at me. "will you...."


    "yes, your father did." I cut him off before he could finish what he was trying to say.


    "your father made me do what I did, and I have to tell you that none of this is my fault. If you want to confront anyone, then you should confront your father!"


    That came out wrong. I shouldn''t have said that. I should have pretended I didn''t hear him, but I had allowed myself to give responses to his questions, and now, it made me sound like a hypocrite.


    Randy chuckled and moved closer to me.


    "Tell me, Desmond, when my father asked you to deny knowing me," he paused to take a deep breath. "when my father asked you to pretend ever knowing me, did you ept?" he asked.


    I looked at him, and even though I couldn''t see his face clearly, I knew he was seething with anger. He wanted answers, and I was going to give him the replies that he had expected. "yes," I replied to him.


    "your father asked me to pretend not to know you, and yes, I did act that way because..."


    "Traitor!" Randy shut me up bynding a punch on my face. "you are a big traitor!" he screamed at me and grabbed me by the cor of my shirt. "how dare you lie about it! Why did you pretend as if you didn''t know that I was suffering because of you? How could you do this to me!" he screamed again and held my shirt tighter.


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    "you said that I am weak, but what did you do when you got confronted by my father? What did you do!" he screamed and released my shirt. "you are also weak because I expected you to defend us, Desmond. I had expected that you would at least vouch for us, but instead, you pretended not to know me, putting me in a huge dilemma. You!" he yelled as he pointed at me. "you gave up on us first, and you don''t dare to talk about my weakness because you should have been my strength rather than hurting me like this. You could have tried to support me rather than watching me suffer. If you had even tried to reach out to me and talk to me, then....."


    "I...." I heaved a deep sigh. I couldn''t say anything because I knew that I was wrong.


    Randy was right about that, but I had just woken up and thought Randy was unconcious because of me, and I couldn''t forgive myself. "I am sorry," I muttered.


    "you are sorry!" he yelled again. "Do you know how I felt when I heard that you could be stuck on a wheelchair for the rest of your life?" he asked and then chuckled. "you asked me if I want to be with you, Desmond, and that I should return the ne to you if truly I wanted us to be together and I havee here to tell you now that...." he paused holding the ne.


    Thump thump.


    That was how my heart sounded as I feared what he was about to say. Was he going to reject me? Pretend as if I didn''t exist or even tried to look my way? I was curious about what he might say, and I truly feared that he might turn me down, but that didn''t stop me from hearing what he had to say.


    Randy knelt in front of me and grabbed my hand. "I am done pretending. I am done fighting and acting as if nothing is happening between us when we can''t stop seeing each other," he said, cing the ne in my hand. "I want you to wear this around my neck because this is the proof of my love and me telling you that I truly want to be with you, Desmond! I am tired of everything. If you love me, then you will ept what I wish I want to give to you, and I truly hope that you cherish what we have together."


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    I heaved a sigh of relief, and a smile spread across my face. Even though he had already epted to be mine, I still couldn''t stop the thumping of my heart. I truly loved and cherished this man so much that I couldn''t deal with not having him by my side.


    "if you are not saying anything, Desmond, you are giving me the wrong impression. Tell me if you want me and I wouldn''t...."


    "turn around," I muttered to him.


    Randy chuckled and then turned around. I ced the ne around his neck and clipped it, then sighed. "I am sorry for acting as if I didn''t know you. I believed the only way to do that was not to think about you. I thought doing so would help us, but I couldn''t stop thinking about you and us. I....."


    Randy turned around so fast and then captured my lips. His reaction was so swift that I was left, eyes widened and dumbfounded. He ced one of his hands on my cheek and deepened the kiss. At first, I didn''t respond, and slowly, I began to kiss him back, giving my all to him. We kissed like we had been starved for months, which was true. I had not seen him close to me in weeks, hence the reason for the aggressive kissing.


    "I have missed you so much, and I have to admit that I can''t do without you, Desmond," he muttered as he kissed me again. "let us not try to be separated again because this time, I don''t think that I can do without you any longer Desmond."


    I chuckled and grabbed him by the waist, pulling him onto my legs, and then I started kissing him again, which he responded to. "I will make sure that we fight to the end, and no matter what happens, you, Randy will always be my man. No matter what anyone says. I will love and cherish you forever."


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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 111

    "I... I"


    "what the hell is happening here!" Ariel shouted as she walked from opposite the building. She stepped closer to us and thenughed. "I refused to believe that this is happening!"


    I sighed again, knowing the criticism would never end, no matter how hard we tried. We have always faced bacsh from those around us. "Randy," I wanted to push him from myp, but he remained seated and unmoved. His attitude shocked me, and I wondered why he would act like that, but he didn''t. Instead, he wrapped his arms around my neck.


    "I have to tell you, Ariel, that the news you saw about me and Desmond was all a lie. Desmond would always be my boyfriend, no matter what happened. Even if I tried to deny it, I would only be lying to myself because Desmond and I had been fated since we were kids, and nothing else can change that," Randy told her and turned to look at me. "I love him."


    My heart swelled just by hearing that, and it made me smile as I stared into his eyes.


    "I am tired of running away and pretending as if he is not my love, but he is, and no matter what others have to say against us, it won''t change the real fact that Desmond is my boyfriend."


    "how could you do this to me? You announced that you were not gay and said you were going to get married to me. I am your wife to be, and you are not supposed to treat me like this!" she yelled.


    I thought now was the time to speak up as looked up to face her. "Randy is my man, no matter what anyone says, we will be together forever. I acted like a child because I believed Randy wouldn''t be able to survive the criticism, and just like he said, I was also tired of running. Randy is mine!" I said thest word possesively to ensure she understood that he was only mine.


    "I am going to make sure that you both regret this, and I will make you see how you shouldn''t have cheated me!" she yelled at us and then walked away.


    Randy looked at me and kissed my head.


    "we are going to be fine," he assured me, and I nodded in response.


    I truly believed that no matter what happened, we would be okay regardless of what others had to say about us.


    John and Ana pped their hands as they walked towards us. None of them said anything, but I knew they were genuinely happy for us, and I was d that not even Ana had anything against us.


    Randy and I spent the night in each other''s arms, just talking about the things we missed about each other, and we only slept in the early mornings.


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    The presentation day arrived as quickly as it should, and my heart started thumping again when it got our turn to present. If not for Randy''s hand on my shoulder, I wouldn''t have been able to say anything. Even Ariel was present when I didn''t expect she would be, and when it got to her turn to speak up, she looked at Randy and me.


    I would have been scared of her revealing our secrets in the past, but I wasn''t, instead, I held Randy''s hand tighter against mine.


    "I have something to reveal to everyone!" she shouted, and I knew what woulde after that. She pointed towards us and then made the big announcement. "They are both lying to everyone as the both of them are still together, and the crown prince is gay!" she shouted.


    Murmurings filled the entire ssroom, and everyone suddenly had something to say while pointing fingers at us and criticizing what we had done, but I didn''t care about them. I just smiled at them and then looked at Randy, who was also staring at me. He leaned in closer to me and kissed me on the lips.


    I didn''t expect that he would do that, and I had hoped he would say something, but this was enough proof for everyone to see.


    "I am in love with Desmond, and I am sorry for lying to everyone, but I can''t change what I am!"


    My heart swelled with happiness, and I also spoke up. "Yes, Randy and I are lovers, and there is nothing that could change that!"


    The murmuring grew louder, and everyone began tough while some pped and cheered us, but still, I was d that we had finallye out to everyone and faced our fears.


    ~Randy~


    I knew he would call us in, but I was no longer afraid of being with Desmond in front of my father. As I wheeled Desmond into the throne room, I was not anticipating what he would say, but instead, I wanted him to hear what I had to say and let him understand that I would never treat me any differently. I was going to be my person.


    "Are you ready?" Desmond asked me as we both entered the throne room, and I nodded in response to him. I must admit that I was waiting for my father''s reaction, how he would react once I told him my mind, and how we would resolve it.


    "Ever ready," I assured him, kissing his head. When we reached the throne room, my father was seated in his throne room and looking at the both of us. I could feel his res directed at us, and I knew that he was fuming with anger as he saw the both of us. My mother was by his side, rubbing his shoulder to lessen his anger, but I knew my father and what he could do, so I was not bothered by my mother''s presence.


    "what have you done!" my father roared as I walked to his front. He stood up from his throne and marched towards us. "do you have any idea what the both of you have done to the royal family and how badly you have spoiled the royal family''s good integrity!" his voice was loud, scary and I should feel intimidated, but I wasn''t. I didn''t care that my father was trying to make me feel less about myself because I had already nned what I wanted to say to him, and I hoped that he would ept what I had in mind.


    "How could you do that, Father?" I asked him.

 Chapter 112

    My father stared at me, not understanding what I meant by that. He stared at me with confusion written clearly on his face.


    "What are you trying to say? Are you....."


    I let go of the hold on Desmond''s wheelchair and moved closer to him. "you know what I am trying to say, Father, so please don''t act as if you don''t know that I know what you have done."


    "Randy, please, try to...." my mother tried to say something, but I cut her off. I didn''t want to listen to what she had to say because I had already nned what I wanted to say, and there was nothing that would stop me from speaking my mind to him.


    "Mother, please, stay out of this," I muttered, heaving a deep sigh. " Father," I turned back to my father. "how could you do this to me!" I yelled at him. "you knew what Desmond meant to me, and I have been beating myself about being med for what had happened to him, not knowing that you had gone behind my back to tell him things that made him act as if he doesn''t know me."


    My father''s eyes widened in shock, and he looked at Desmond, giving him a questioning look. He had not expected that Desmond would reveal the truth to me and thought he would continue lying to me. "you told him everything?"


    Desmond nodded in response. "I couldn''t keep it from him any longer, and I believed he deserved to find out what had happened."


    My father burst intoughter and then turned to face me. "And why did you have to reveal it to the world? What the hell is your issue about revealing the truth to the world!" he yelled at him.


    Desmond started shaking on the chair, and I quickly ced a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it gently. "I have got this," I told him and then took a sharp breath. " I am tired," I blurted out. "I don''t think that I can do this any longer. I don''t think I can continue lying about what I am. I love Desmond and I....''


    A p from my fathernded on my face, and my face turned. I had expected that he would hit me since he had been doing it over and over again recently. I couldn''t me him for his actions since he acted as any father would, but I just wanted him to ept, even if it would be for once. I wanted him to see me for what I was and not for what others see me as.


    "Father," I chuckled as I rubbed my hand on my cheek. "you can hit me as much as you want, but my decisions are final, and I will not change them, no matter what you think! I love Desmond, and he loves me too, so don''t think about separating us because it will never happen!"


    My father groaned and grabbed my shirt cor, pulling me closer to himself.


    "why can''t you see that I am doing everything for you so you don''t end up like your uncle."


    Iughed at the mention of my uncle, who had died many years ago. He was the tyrant prince who wanted the throne at all costs. So he did a lot of bad things to make sure that my parents got separated. Eventually, he met his doom. He ended up losing everything, including his life, and as if that was not enough, his son was cast out of the royal mansion. He would have suffered the same fate as his father If he had not been sent to my second uncle''s. My father had thought that I would end my life like that, but he had no idea that I was different from my uncle, who wanted the throne. I didn''t want to have anything to deal with it.


    "I don''t care about what you say, Father," I replied to him after a moment of silence. "I know that you don''t care about my feelings, and it is the only reason you don''t support me, but this is the end because I can''t do without Desmond. I can''t part with him again because he is my life, and I will always belong with him. You can''t change that!"


    "Randy!" my father shouted my name and raised his hand to hit me, but my mother stopped him.


    "That is enough, Newman!" my mother shouted at him, bringing his hand down. "stop acting this way towards your son. You are supposed to love him and not act this way towards him. He will not be what you want him to be because he is different!"


    I never expected my mother to support me, and seeing her acting like that meant she was also tired of what my father was doing. "I don''t want you to bother them again. Leave them be!"


    My father sighed and rubbed his face.


    ''Gina, you do not understand my reasons for acting this way, but they can''t be together ording to thew, and Randy will be the king. Do you think he will be epted like this if...."


    "no," I interrupted him and rubbed my hands together. "I am sorry, Father, but I am not going to be what you expect me to be because we have a different life to live, and I don''t think the crown prince status is for me because this is my final stop," I said and pointed to Desmond.


    "he is the only one for me no matter what you or anyone says. I will choose him repeatedly because he is my life, and I love him."


    "The crown prince position is yours, and your destiny should be with it, so why are you avoiding it!" my father shouted at me.


    "have you forgotten what you said to me when you were four? You said you wanted to be a great ruler, so will you ruin your life after making that promise to me?"


    I lowered my head and then chuckled as I raised it again. "Father, if you are going to be like this because of what I said when I was four, then I am disappointed. Noah is a perfect choice for the crown prince, and I think he would fit the role perfectly because there is no way that I will ever deny Desmond again."


    "But...." my father tried to argue again, and my mother interrupted again.


    "leave them be, Newman. I know you want what is best for your son, but he is happy,


    or do you want him to continue to be like this, detached from his family? You want him to start acting like that?"


    My father said nothing and only looked at Desmond, then turned his back on us. "I am still not epting this and..."


    "enough!" Desmond shouted.

 Chapter 113

    My eyes turned towards him quickly and widened in shock that he had said something like that. I had expected him to talk, but I never expected he would speak to my father like that. "Desmond, are you?" I tried to ask him why he acted like that, but he suddenly stood up from his wheelchair, and I got another surprise. Was he also pretending too? I was dumbfounded, and when he startedughing, I lost it. "what is happening to you, Desmond?"


    "Desmond?" he pointed to himself. "I believe that you are mistaken," he said and burst intoughter. "you have no idea what is happening right now, and I have to tell you that I am not Desmond," he said and pointed to himself again. "guess who I am again?"


    My father frowned at him and then turned around. "Hecate!" he muttered. "what do you want, and why are you in that child''s body?"


    Hecate? What was she doing with Desmond''s body, and how did she get into his body? I was curious as she walked towards my father. "leave his body right now!" I screamed at her, but she burst intoughter.


    "poor boy so in love, but his father detests his way of living," Hecate tutted. "Desmond made a deal with me to protect your life, and by doing so, he offered your parents since they are the problem to you both, and without them, Desmond wouldn''t have to live as a disabled boy. It was all because of them that your fate is like this," she said.


    It was a lie. I refused to believe Hecate''s words because I had always seen her as a liar who would do everything to get what she wanted. "I refuse to believe you because Desmond would never do that to me, and he..."


    Hecateughed. "you think Desmond would have let his boyfriend die instead?" she asked and heaved a deep sigh. "He cares so much about you than for him to do that to you and..."


    "shut up, Hecate! What do you want?" my mother shouted at her and grabbed my hand, pulling me behind her. "your beef is with us, and there was no need for you to involve the children. They are not a part of this."


    Hecate nodded in response and pointed to my father and mother. "which is why I am going to do this," she cleared her throat and then pointed towards the entrance of the throne room where a dark purple portal appeared. "now, it is time to settle our scores, and this is the only way to do that," she said andughed.


    Right in front of me, I watched as my parents were getting sucked into the portal, and I could do nothing. I could not move and watched the scene unfold. "find us, Randy. I believe you can do so," my mother yelled before the portal closed.


    Hecateughed again and then looked towards me. "Don''t hate your boyfriend, he did it to save your life," she said and snapped her fingers. "now, everything will go back into ce," she said, and just as she had finished saying that, Desmond fell to the ground. I rushed towards him and held him in my arms until he fluttered his eyes open again.


    "Desmond!" I called out his name, hoping that he was the one, and when he stared at me without saying anything, I knew he was the one. "what have you done Desmond?" I asked him.


    "


    .." he tried to exin but instead burst into tears. "Hecate was here, right?" he asked, and I nodded in response. "I am sorry. I shouldn''t have done this, but ....."


    "you could have told me!" I muttered.


    Hecate''s promises always had a price, and my parents were the price.


    ~Desmond~


    I should have told him and not kept it to myself. If I had done that, I wouldn''t have to deal with how Hecate yed me. Now that it had happened, I had expected to be happy about it, but instead, it had been proven to be something else. Randy had not said a word to me for a whole day.


    "Leave!" he had shouted at me. "you have gotten what you wanted, and now, what more do you want?" he had asked me, yelling angrily at me, but I had held it in and walked out because I deserved it but I couldn''t stop thinking about him and what I had done wrong.


    I had used the king and Queen as the price of getting what I wanted. I had sold them to the devil, and in exchange, I got what I had always wanted and now, Randy was never going to forgive me.


    Because it was evident that Randy hated me. He should have picked up my calls or even tried to return my messages if he was not still angry. I had done something terrible that affected his parents, and he would never forgive me for it.


    "Desmond," My mother''s voice sounded at the entrance of my room as she walked in. "Are you still thinking about what happened?" she asked because she had heard about what happened, and I had told her about how it had urred and how I was not careful.


    "it is not your fault. If you are missing the crown prince or have something to say to him, then I suggest that you go after him and exin yourself why you did it. You can''t keep sulking while expecting a miracle to happen! You are..."


    I groaned, stood up from my bed, and nodded in agreement to what my mother said.


    "you are right, mother. I don''t think this is my time to sulk around. Instead, I should go to Randy now and console him. He is facing a lot of bacsh from being gay and losing his parents."

 Chapter 114

    My mother grabbed my hand and rubbed it gently. "I am sure everything will be fine, and somehow you might be able to help the queen and the king gain control of everything. I believed it would help them and everyone else, so don''t beat yourself around what had happened," she tapped me on the back.


    "your mother is right," my father''s voice sounded from the room''s entrance. "if you are here sulking over what happened without actually doing something, then you are in the wrong. If you truly want to help Randy, you should be with him," he said, smiling at me. "Be with him, son, and settle whatever is happening. If another miracle is going to happen, I am sure it wille from you two because you have gone through a lot."


    I sniffled and nodded at my father. "I am d," I moved closer to the both of them and engulfed them in a tight hug. "Thank you for epting me for who I am," I said.


    They hugged me back, and for a few seconds, we were In each other''s arms; soon, they let go of me, and I could leave the house. When I got outside,rge reporters gathered in front of our home, waiting for me to show. The instance that they all saw me, they started asking questions.


    "Are you and the crown prince still together?"


    "Were you there when the king and Queen suddenly disappeared?"


    "Are you on your way to meet him now?"


    I knew I would meet them on my way out, but i never expected that many of them would wait to hear what had happened to us. I pushed past them to hail a taxi, and when I was in, I heaved a deep sigh and rested my back on the car seat.


    "Are you alright, sir?" The driver asked, and I nodded in response.


    "hmmmm. I have seen you on the news. You are the crown prince''s boyfriend, right?" he asked, but I didn''t reply. "There is nothing to be ashamed of," he said as he started the car again. "Being gay doesn''t make you any different from anyone. Don''t let anyone dictate what you should be, and just be yourself," he added. "I know that you are heading to meet the crown prince right now and probably ming yourself for what happened, but I have to tell you that none of it was your fault, and even though you keep beating yourself about it, I have to tell you that it wouldn''t change a thing."


    I frowned at first at his words because I never expected that he would know that much.


    I never anticipated that he would learn things that I didn''t tell him, and it made me suspicious of him as I stared at him curiously through the rearview mirror.


    "You don''t have to look at me like that," he said, sparing a nce my way, and then he smiled. "I am not the enemy here. I am someone who wants you to have your happy ending," he told me.


    I frowned at the mention of a happy ending, remembering what Hecate had told me. Even though she had fulfilled her side of the bargain, it didn''t change the fact that I was still unhappy about everything happening. The one that had made me do it didn''t even want to have anything to do with me, and it felt as if I had failed terribly.


    "Are you alright?" The driver asked. I cleared my throat and nodded in response.


    "I know that you are thinking of a solution, and so, I have this one thing to tell you." he paused and looked at me through the rearview mirror. "To get Hecate, there is a powerful weapon that will destroy her forever, and that is what you can use to get rid of her forever, so if you are nning..."


    "hold on," I stopped him before he could finish what he was trying to say. "how did you know about Hecate? No one knows about her, and you might have heard it somehow, so how......"


    The manughed. "You are not the only ones trying to survive the world Hecate had created. Do you believe you will be free from all of this?" he asked. "The promise that Hecate made and fulfilled for you will turn into something else for you if you are not careful, and I have to tell you that it might be something that you will regret soon."


    "But... Hecate told me that there won''t be any issue with it, so what are you trying to tell me right now? Are you..."


    He shook his head and sighed. "Hecate is a liar, and that was how he lied to the king and the queen, and I have to tell you that he had done the same to almost everyone who turned to her for help," he sighed and shook his head again. "I am an example of one of her victims who was stupid enough to have fallen for her tricks, and you will soon. "


    "what do I do?" I questioned and rubbed my face. I had been so stupid not to realize that I was dealing with a powerful being.


    "how do I stop Hecate?"


    "There is a sword powerful enough to end her, and a lot of the dead have been searching for it for a long time, but the one thing that makes them unsessful is the greed that had gotten to them and destroyed them, so if you are thinking of getting her, then you must kill all the desires and greed that you have."


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    "what does that even mean?" I questioned, sounding confused because I was. No matter how hard I tried to figure it out, I couldn''t understand what he was trying to tell me. If I could genuinely get Hecate, then I was ready. I had been born ready from the moment she took over my body and took the royals away.


    The man suddenly hit the brakes, sending me flying forward, my head striking the front seat. I groaned painfully as I raised my head, ready to shout at the man for almost making my head get damaged, but instead, he was writing something on his palm with his fingers. "what are you doing?"


    "I am passing this on to you since I have failed, and my journey is about to end now."


    I frowned at him, having no idea what he was trying to say. "Is there something that you are not telling me?" I asked him. "are you trying to...."


    "Desmond!" he shouted my name and turned to face me, grabbing my hand.


    My heart jumped in shock as he ced his palm on mine. I gritted my teeth as it started to burn, and it was hurting badly that I could feel the pain in my belly. "what are you trying to do!"


    "The sword is hidden in the ck clouds, the ce you will reach before the dark hole. No one has seen the sword, but I believe you and the crown prince can find it because I trust you will do it."


    Trust! I wanted to shout at him for trusting someone like me. I could fail the mission because I had failed to protect everyone around me, and yet, he had faith in me that I could save everyone else.

 Chapter 115

    "Remember this Desmond, if you are greedy and have desires, your soul will be devoured in the ck clouds, and you can only spend three days there. If you don''t find what you havee for, you will disappear as if you never existed."


    I visibly gulped at hisst word. Now, I was afraid of what could happen. "how many have died because of this?" I asked as my curiosity got the best of me. I wanted to discover what had happened and why the search had suddenly stopped. If I could find out who had gone there, I could rest assured that I would be safe.


    "Thousands of souls and hundreds of the living who had fallen to her tricks."


    "What!" I shouted, opening my eyes wide in shock. I couldn''t believe that someone like Hecate existed. She was more powerful than any goddess that I had heard stories of.


    "Why do you think that I might find the sword? A lot of....."


    The man removed his palm from mine and chuckled. "Because you and the crown prince are chosen, and with your help, I believe Hecate will meet her demise."


    "But...." I tried to argue to make him understand that I could never be the one assigned to the job. There was no way that I and the crown prince could get rid of someone like her.


    "I must tell you that everyone is counting on you and whatever you do." he said, smiling. "Goodbye Desmond," he muttered.


    "What are you....." I tried to ask him what he meant by that, but right in front of me, he turned into a pile of dust.


    My eyes widened again, and I didn''t know if I was to scream or run out of the car. I followed the second option and ran out of the car, running as if my life depended on it, which it did. I have to ensure that I get the sword because my life and the lives of the royals relied on it.


    I heaved a deep sigh as I stood in front of the gigantic gate of the royals. I had been waniting or more uttarri¨¨rrimirces; afrorschi,'' 1 ''Cou?dn''n''tsurmmorritle couragent waik''ir because I was scared of what would happen to me.


    Would they allow me in? Would Randy want to see me? I had concealed my identity with my hoodie because I didn''t want anyone to see me. If they did, the paparazzi would take pictures of me and ask questions again. It was one of the reasons why I had remained at the front of the gate, thinking of how I could enter.


    "The crown prince is here!" someone shouted from the crowd, and all the paparazzi who had gathered and those sitting jumped to their feet and rushed to meet the ck vehicle driving in. I clenched my fists tighter together as the car moved past me. I raised my head and looked out the window, hoping that someone would see, and he did as the car stopped beside me and the car door opened.


    "Get in!" Randy''s voice sounded from inside the car.


    "That is Desmond!" one of the reporters yelled, and they started rushing towards my side, but I had jumped into the car before they could reach me, and when the door shut as soon as I got in, I panted for breath holding my chest as it pounded over and over again.


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    "Randy..." I muttered his name, but he didn''t say anything. He turn to face the other side of the window until the car drove in. When the car stopped before the mansion, he rushed inside, still not speaking to me.


    I knew that he was mad at me after what I had done, and no matter what I said or did,


    it wouldn''t change the fact that I had tried to destroy his family. Everything that had happened was all my fault.


    I followed him, walking behind him until he reached the front of his room. As he stepped in, I also stepped in behind him.


    He jumped on his bed and closed his eyes, still not acknowledging my presence.


    I didn''t say anything for a few minutes and just watched him. I didn''t want to start the conversation first because I feared what he might say to me. "are you going to stay there without saying anything to me?" he finally spoke up and stood up from his bed. "are you going to keep acting as if you didn''t do anything wrong!" he yelled as he turned to look at me.


    "Randy, ....."


    "What!" he yelled again. "do you want to tell me now that what you have done is for me!" he kicked the frame of his bed and then chuckled. "you must be insane if you think that I would believe your lies!"


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    I sighed. "listen, I know that you don''t want to listen to anything that I have to say right now, and I believed that you hate me because of what had happened and...."


    "yes, I hate you right now for what you have done to my family!" he stood up from the bed and pointed towards me.


    "everything that is happening right now is your fault. You caused this, and I hate that you did it without telling me!"


    I tried to move closer and console him, but he stopped me with his hands. "please, don''te any closer to me. I am not happy about what you have done amid our scandal. Everyone thinks it happened because of me and pointing fingers at me. I have to fulfill the role of the crown prince, which I don''t even want. If my parents never returned, then I would have to be the king!'' he said and chuckled. "it would mean that you and I can never be together no matter how hard we try. You have ruined everything, and it would have been resolved if you had told me instead of keeping it yourself."


    That was my mistake. "I should have told you, but Hecate manipted me, and I was tired of the constant problems between us and...."


    "And you think you will get what you wanted after getting rid of my parents right? You believed that by doing that, my parents would be out of your hair, and we would be together forever."


    "no"" I shouted. He was taking it too far because that was not what I had wanted to do. Hecate had told me that everything that happened was because of the past, and so I wanted to resolve the issue, and so, I believed that by striking a deal with Hecate, I could make it work out, but I had no idea that it would lead to this. "Randy, I did it for us. Hecate told me our story was written, and we needed to make...."


    "shut up!" he yelled at me. "stop talking about Hecate because she didn''t do anything to help us. She is a liar, and if you think that I love being without my parents, then I must tell you that I don''t. I want always to see them, and no matter how my father hated our rtionship, I wouldn''t want anything to happen to him."


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 Chapter 116

    I heaved a deep sigh and then slowly muttered the solution to everything. "I am going to bring them back," I told him.


    He raised one of his brows, and then he hissed angrily. "Don''t do anything stupid, Desmond. I..."


    "no" I argued. "I am sure of what I am saying. I am going to ensure that everything returns to how it was before, and by doing so, I am going to..."


    "what do you want to do?"


    "I....." I paused, walked towards him, and grabbed his hand. "I am going to stop Hecate by getting rid of her."


    He pushed my hands away. "Have you gone insane!" he shouted at me. "are you thinking of risking your life? You know what Hecate is and how she is maniptive. Who knows if she might try to manipte you again! You have to be careful because she is despicable and she is...."


    "I know," I quickly told him. "I met a man," I informed him, and he frowned. "wait, please don''t cut me short. I need to say this," I told him.


    He nodded in response and sat down on his bed, and then I continued what I was saying. "listen, the man told me everything I need to know about Hecate and how we can get rid of her," I ryed everything the man had said to me, and he jumped to his feet.


    "no!" he disagreed. "you have gone insane. There is no way I will allow you to do anything you are not supposed to do!" he refused, shaking his head. "I won''t...."


    "Randy! This is the only way to bring back your parents."


    "what about you?" he retorted. "have you tried to think about how I would feel if anything were to happen to you? Will I be happy if anything happens to you?"


    I rubbed my forehead and walked to him on the bed. "Randy," I hugged him and pidcecritish leacroriny stomach: warnttimare everything work out arcuri ''Jen?ve this is the only way. and even though you might not trust what I have to say, it is truly the only way to resolve what is happening, and I wouldn''t take any chance. I will do it." Randy raised his head to look at me. "You are only going to hurt yourself, and that is why I am going to join you in bringing back my parents. I am going to do everything in my power to make sure that they return, and we won''t have to deal with a lot of these." "what do you have in mind?" I asked him.


    He grabbed my hand and pulled me to sit beside him. "We will inform my aunt Helen. She is the only one who can take us to the dark or ck clouds. She is the only one powerful enough to do that, and I believe she will help us."


    I nodded in response, and just then, the door burst open, and an angry Noah walked in with Sonnia rushing behind him.


    "what the hell is happening here!" he shouted.


    I jumped to my feet. "Noah, it is nottt.."


    Noah cut me short as hended a punch on my face. He pushed me to the ground and got on top of me. He started hitting my face over and over again without stopping. I could have fought back, but I knew that his actions had justifications, and I believed that I deserved it after everything that I had caused for everyone.


    What had happened was all my fault.


    "stop this!" Randy yelled at him and pushed him away from me. "what the hell are you trying to do to him!"


    Noahughed and then pointed fingers at Randy, who knelt beside me. "have you ever wondered why everything turned out to be this way? It is because of your stupid acts and what you have done to everyone!" he shouted. "Father objected to your rtionship to the end, and what did you do? You still went against him even after it was announced that he was missing!"


    "Noah, try to calm down," Sonnia begged.


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    "Don''t try to tell me anything!" he yelled at her. "you have no idea what is happening to me, and please, don''t tell me that you don''t know everything is his fault!"


    "my fault?!" Randy let go of my hand and faced his brother. "you have no idea what I have faced! The responsibility thates with being the crown prince, you have no idea how hard it is to put on a facade and act as if everything is perfect because you think that I am going against father because I wanted to!" he yelled at him, and then he startedughing. "Don''t act as if I am the viin here!"


    "what the hell are you then? Did you ever honor your father? Are you supposed to be with him after everything that had happened!"


    "do you have a love? Have you watched your love being stabbed before or being around somebody else because you believed that somebody would judge you for what you are? Don''t act as if you are a perfect son when all you have ever done is to put the family in shame with your promiscuous attitude. I have been through hell that you nor you," he pointed to Sonnia.


    "have been through."


    Noahughed and then pped his hands dramatically. "now you are making a list of your foolishness?"


    "Please stop, guys," Sonnia begged. "we don''t have to argue about this. We have to find a way to make it all work out. We don''t have to continue arguing like this when we can....."


    "Don''t tell me what to do, Sonnia!" Noah yelled at her. "you don''t contribute to this family and are always acting like the spoilt brat you are, so don''t you.."


    "how dare you talk to our sister like that!"

 Chapter 117

    Randy lunged at him and pushed him to the ground, then he got on top of him and started to hit him. "stop acting..."


    Noah pushed him and also got on top of him. "what? Are you still going to continue as if you are the only one suffering!"


    This was my fault, I repeated to myself.


    They wouldn''t be fighting like this if I had not done what I did.


    "Please stop," Sonnia shouted as she burst into tears. "please stop hurting one another." she cried out, but her tears fell on deaf ears, and they continued to hit each other. I couldn''t do anything about it because I was too weak to even stand up after getting hit by Noah.


    "Will you two cut it out!" A deep voice bellowed at the room''s entrance. "stop this instant!"


    It was Uncle Harold.


    I sighed in relief when I saw him and knew a solution was finally here. He moved closer


    to them and separated them instantly, holding them by their ears. "you two fools have some exnations to do!"


    ~Randy''s POV~


    "He started it!" I yelled as I pointed to Noah, who had initiated the whole thing and made me feel like his enemy.


    "No, you started it," Noah retorted. "You are the one putting this family into jeopardy with your stupid attitude. Everyone is affected by what you are doing!" he used.


    I chuckled and pointed my fingers at him.


    "Look who is talking. You are the problem of the family, always in one scandal or another because you can''t keep it in your pants. You are the one everyone should be wary of!"


    "At least I love women. What do you have to say about yourself?" Noah shouted at me.


    I chuckled and then lunged at him, only to be grabbed by the ear by Uncle Harold. "You both should cut it out and start acting like brothers. Why are you behaving like this?" he shouted and sighed. "Your father and mother are missing, and this is what you decide to do!" he scolded us and pushed us into the living room until we were both seated on the couch. Uncle Tristan, and Aunt Helen, joined us with Desmond and Sonnia walking into the living room.


    "I can''t believe that you two are still acting like children when you should think about the possibilities of what you have done! You should think about the damage you caused, and instead, you started acting like idiots!" Aunt Helen yelled at us and then pointed towards Desmond. "You are not supposed to be here after what you did. Do you know what you have done to our family?" she yelled at him. "You made Hecate enter here and then take the king and the queen away, and now, the kingdom is fighting a war that we might never win, and this is all because of you! This is all your fault!"


    Desmond bowed his head as he stood in the center of the living room. "I am sorry about what happened, aunt Helen and everyone else," he muttered, raising his head. "I havee up with something that might bring back the king and the queen, so I would like you to listen to it," he said.


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    Noah scoffed. "What else do you have to tell us? You have ruined this family already, and now..."


    "Shut up!" Uncle Harold shouted at him. "I am in charge here, and I don''t want you to keep interrupting when I listen to something important. You both should stop acting like idiots and let him speak."


    Noah stood up and then chuckled. "Are you going to keep defending him after what he did to our parents? He is responsible for my parents'' disappearance, and now you are acting as if he didn''t do something wrong!" he yelled.


    "Sit down, Noah!" Helen shouted at him.


    "You don''t have a say in all of this, and as much as you hate what is happening right now, you can''t me Desmond. I would have done the same if the reason why I would be disabled all my life was because of your parents, so sit your ass down, boy!"


    "But..." he tried to argue but sat down instead. "Let''s hear what he has to say and see if it would help," he muttered.


    "What do you have to say? Better be good, or I am going to lock you up foring here to disorganize the royal family and make everyone have their eyes on us again!" Helen threatened Desmond and then beckoned for him to continue speaking.


    "Right," he cleared his throat. "So I met a man on my way, and he figured out how to get rid of Hecate forever," Desmond exined all he had told me to them. Instead of taking him seriously, Aunt Helen burst intoughter.


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    "Why are youughing?" I asked her, not liking the attitude she was showing. "He is trying to prove that we can resolve this, and you areughing about it."


    "Because he is being ridiculous," Helen responded. "Do you have any idea how dangerous Hecate is? By doing this, it could all be her, and she is probably looking for a way to lure Desmond into believing that she could be destroyed. By doing that, she is going to imprison him."


    "Aunt Helen!" I shouted and then stood up.


    "Why don''t we trust his words? We have to find a way to get rid of Hecate and end this long hostility that has been going on for years, and this is the only way to do that."


    Aunt Helen stood up from the couch and shook her head. "There is no way that I am going to agree to this suicide. I am not going to watch how you are going to destroy your lives. You need to know that Hecate is not someone that you can joke with. What the Queen did years ago by saving the king is what is affecting all of us. If only she had..."


    "I believe him," I shouted, cutting her short.


    I was fed up hearing the backstory of why Hecate had been hunting our family for years.


    If Desmond said it would happen, I would believe him because he is my love.


    "Desmond, Randy," Uncle Harold snapped his fingers in my face. "Listen to me, everyone. I can''t sit back and watch this kingdom being torn apart because of Hecate. As much as we must find a way to bring back your parents, you must also be coronated as the next king, Randy."

 Chapter 118

    My eyes widened in shock at the announcement. Even though I knew he would say that, I didn''t want to be the next king. I wouldn''t say I liked the position of crown prince in the first ce, but now, I felt it was being forced on me. If my parents didn''t return, I would be the king, meaning I would have to marry Ariel. It would mean the end of Desmond and myself.


    I looked at Desmond as he stared back at me, waiting for what I had to say. He was not the only one; everyone else was waiting for me to say something about what they said. I knew that any decision at that moment would change my future.


    I took a sharp breath and then closed my eyes briefly. When I opened them again, I heaved a deep sigh as I looked at Uncle Harold, ready to say what I had decided. "I refuse," I announced. In the past, I would have been shaking as I made decisions, but at that moment, I didn''t care about what was bothering me because I had made the right decision about what could change my future, and I was not going to change it for anyone else.


    "That is not what I wanted to hear you say, Randy," Aunt Helen said. "You should have..."


    "No, I am going to bring back my parents, and I can''t do that by bing the king. I am not the rightful person for the throne because I love Desmond, and this kingdom would never want a prince who is not straight, and..."


    "You are going to throw it all away?" Noah said andughed. "I can''t believe that you are saying this. After all the training you had gone through all these years, you will throw it away because of a boy?!"


    "Yes," I responded. "That boy is my life, and when you have one, you will realize what you have to do just for your love. That is exactly what I am going to do."


    Desmond smiled at me, and I smiled back at him as I walked towards him and held his hand, pulling him up. "Aunt Helen, Desmond, and I are going to bring my parents back because it started with us, and this is what we can do for them."


    "Are you insane?" Aunt Helen shouted at me.


    "He must be going crazy," Uncle Harold joined. "Do you have any idea what the ck clouds are? That ce is not for people like us. You could die the instance you enter."


    "The man in the taxi said that if we ovee our desires and..." Desmond''s exnation was cut short by Aunt Helen''s shout.


    "It doesn''t mean I will allow the two of you to go because it could also mean you won''t return. If you are crazy, then I have to tell you that there is no way I am going to allow you to go there. I will never allow you...."


    I shook my head in response. "We have already made up our minds, Aunt Helen. We are going to do this."


    "Why can''t Desmond go alone since this happened because of him?" Uncle Tristan, who hadn''t spoken up since finally said something. "If he goes alone and he doesn''t return, then..."


    "That is the more reason why I am going with him. He is my life," I proimed and held his hand tighter. "If anything was to happen to him, and I am not there, then there is no way I will continue living because Desmond is my life."


    Noah groaned and palmed his forehead.


    "You have gone crazy. There is no other exnation except for the fact that you are insane. How can you even think of dying for love?"


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    I didn''t reply to him; instead, I faced Aunt Helen, waiting for her to respond. She was the only one who could take us to the ck clouds; only her decisions would make things right.


    "I..." Aunt Helen began and then let out a soft groan. "I don''t know what will happen if I agree to this, but at the same time, I have to admit that someone has to stop Hecate, and if they are willing to do it, then there is no reason why we should stop them."


    "You are agreeing to this!" Uncle Harold shouted. "Helen, they might not even return. Do you think Newman and Gina would be happy if this were to happen to them?"


    "We are going to return, Uncle. You don''t have to worry about that. We would most definitely return, right, Desmond?"


    Desmond nodded in response. "This is my mistake, and I will never be at peace until I make the right decision, so we are doing this."


    Uncle Harold sighed and then nodded his head in response. "If they agree to it, then we start preparing them to leave, and there will be no further talks about..." he shouted


    at Noah, who wanted to say something and I turned to face Desmond and heaved a sigh of relief. "Let''s do this," I told him, holding his hand tighter.


    ''Yes, we are going to bring the king and Queen back," he reassured me. ~Desmond''s POV~


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    I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, holding Randy''s hand on the bed, hoping our decision was correct. My heart started pounding in my chest as I pictured us not returning. I had to admit that I was scared of what could happen to us if we didn''te back.


    Could we end up like the man in the taxi? I didn''t want to remember his death, but I couldn''t stop thinking about it.


    "Look at me onest time, Desmond," Randy muttered beside me. I opened my eyes to his beautiful blue eyes. "If anything happens to us there, you can forget me. But you should know that I will always love you, forever, no matter what happens."


    I smiled at him and gently rubbed his hands. "I love you too, Randy. You don''t have to worry about anything because we are going to be fine, and there is no stopping us from achieving what we aim for." I reassured him, even though I was getting scared about the possibility of never returning. I had to appear strong before him because everything was my idea, and I was the cause of everything.


    "Are you done with your talks?" Helen asked as she walked into the room. "I have to tell you now that this is the time for your goodbyes and time to get serious," she said. "You will have to hold each other''s arms until you reach the ck clouds, and on no ount should you leave each other behind."


    "Yes," Randy and I both said in unison. I closed my eyes, waiting for the transferring to the other world.


    The next time I opened my eyes, a bright light shone into them. I squinted for a few moments until my eyes adjusted to the darkness. Looking around, I realized I was no longer in the royal home but at the entrance of a cave.


    "Randy," I called out, looking around, my heart pounding in my chest. "Where are you?" I feared he might not havee to the ck clouds with me, and I didn''t want to imagine doing it alone.


    Alone, with no idea where to go, I sat down and stared at the dark cave. Tears started streaming down my face as I thought about how I would do this alone. Then, I heard his voice from inside the cave.

 Chapter 119

    "Desmond!" Randy shouted my name. "Desmond!"


    I jumped, chuckling in relief, and responded to his call. "I''m here, Randy! I''m here!"


    "Desmond!" Randy ran out of the cave, hugging me tightly. "I found myself in the cave and thought something might have happened with the transportation, but I''m d that we are both here together." he said excitedly and hugged me again.


    I sniffled and rubbed his back, relieved that he was there. "I thought something had happened to you too. I''m d you''re here with me," I chuckled and kissed his forehead.


    Randy suddenly pulled away from the hug, and I gave him a questioning look. "What''s wrong?"


    "We have to start our journey, Desmond. Remember that Aunt Helen said our time is limited here, and we must start the journey."


    "Where are we?" I asked.


    "I think the cave leads to the entrance," he pointed inside. "I could hear the sound of thunder and shing lightning while I was inside alone."


    I nodded and held his hand tighter. "Then we better start to go now," I told him, and he nodded as we headed inside the cave.


    It was pitch ck, and there was no way to see anything as we walked deeper. "How do we see anything now?" I asked.


    "Just follow the sound of the thunder," he told me. "The sound and the shes of light every few seconds will lead us to our destination," he said, and I nodded in response.


    We continued walking deeper into the cave, and when the thunder sounded, I smiled in the dark, followed by the sh of light. "We''re getting closer to the ce," I said excitedly. "Right."


    None of us said a word as we walked deeper and deeper until we could see a hint of light. "There," I pointed forward, then started running, pulling Randy behind me. We reached the cave exit and met with a cool breeze and bright light. "Light," I chuckled. "This is the ck clouds?" Randy asked. As he mentioned the name, a sudden _downpour of rain and thunder shed in the sky. "Why is it reacting to the fact that I called it the ck clouds?"


    The thunder shed again, heading towards us. I let go of Randy as we both fell on different sides, allowing the thunder to hit the cave entrance. The rain increased, falling heavily, and the once bright sky turned grey and dark.


    I groaned as I stood up, looking at the cave entrance, now covered with rocks. "Oh no,"


    I sighed and rubbed my face. "There goes our only way out of here."


    "Are you alright?" Randy asked as he rushed to my side. "I hope the thunder didn''t hit you?" He checked my body. "Where the hell did it evene from?"


    I sighed and shook my head, looking up to the sky. Our little shield was gone, and we would have to enter the rain to continue our journey. "Why the hell did the rain start falling suddenly?"


    Randy looked at the sky, then sighed. "Maybe it''s because this ce is called the ck clouds."


    Just as he finished saying that, the thunder shed in the sky again, heading towards


    us.


    Something happened, and someone appeared before us, directing the lightning toward a tree and setting it aze. "Never mention the name," the man turned to face us, flying. "I knew something was wrong when the rain started falling. What the hell are you two doing here?"


    I held Randy''s hand tighter as the rain continued to fall, trying to hide under a shield in front of the cave. "Can we find a ce where there is no rain?" I asked.


    The tiny man chuckled. "No. Please answer my question first. Why have youe here and disrupted the forest''sfort?"


    "It''s my fault," Randy admitted. "I should not have mentioned the name of this ce. I was just..."


    "That didn''t answer my questions. Why the hell have youe here to disrupt our peace?"


    I sighed and spoke up. "We are here for the weapon that would eliminate Hecate."


    The man rubbed his face and thenughed. "Do you think you two can find such a weapon here?" he yelled. "I can still send you back home before it''s toote and your souls are lost in this ce."


    "No," I refused. "We''vee this far; if we cant get the weapon, it means we''ve failed. I wouldn''t want that to happen to us, so I will be here until I have achieved what I want."


    The tiny manughed. "I admire your courage, young man, but I have seen fools like yourself who don''t care about themselves but the desires of what they want. It will surely lead to your end if you continue on the journey," He yelled.


    I shook my head. "Hecate has to be destroyed, and we are the only ones who can get rid of her. I will do whatever it takes to make it all work out, even if I have toy down my life," I shouted.


    The tiny man looked from Randy to me and at our hands held together. "I can see that you two are lovers, and you are both like this because you want to fulfill your desires. But you can''t achieve that if you go without thinking. This ce will swallow you both up," he said, raising his hand. "If I am going to help you, then I need you both to answer this question."


    I looked at Randy, and we both nodded in response. "Right. We agree," I spoke on our behalf.


    "Listen, you two. What is that one thing you truly desire right now?"


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    I cleared my throat, attempting to speak, but he cut me off. "I want you to say it at the same time. If your desires differ, I shall leave you both to your fate. But if it''s the same, I shall lead you there and stop this rain."


    I looked at Randy again, hoping that what he had to say would be the same as mine.


    I closed my eyes and looked at the tiny man when I opened them again. "We are ready


    to speak now. Right, Randy?"


    Randy nodded. "I am ready."


    "Go on," the tiny man muttered. "On the count of three, 3, 2, 1!"


    "I want him!" Randy and I both said at the same time.


    My eyes widened in shock as I turned to look at him. "Wha..." I stuttered, refusing to believe he would pick me over his parents.


    "How? And why are you picking me when you can pick your parents instead of me and..."


    Randy chuckled and hugged me. "I love you, Desmond, and I am d you picked me, too," heughed. "I had thought that you would have picked saving my parents, but I never imagined you would ever pick someone like me. Thank you."


    "Love conquers all," the tiny manughed and then raised his hands, stopping the Desmond instantly, reced by a bright sun that illuminated the forest. "You are the first ever to survive my test because your desires are both the same, and you are in love," he smiled and then pointed up. "My name is Anthony, and I am the guardian of the forest called, you know, I can''t say the name," heughed and pointed up. "Right," Iughed alongside him and then introduced myself. "The name is Desmond." "And I am Randy."

 Chapter 120

    "Randy and Desmond. This is a perfect match," he said,ughing. "Now, since you have decided to find the weapon to get rid of Hecate, I am going to join you because Hecate has been hurting my people, and I have been looking for a way to get rid of her."


    "We will be happy to help you," I told him, and he nodded in response.


    "Then we shall begin the journey as fast as we can because you mortal beings are not supposed to stay too long in another realm that is far, much greater, and more powerful." he said.


    "Yes, we know that. Please lead us on this journey, Anthony." I bowed my head to him, smiling as I raised it, knowing Randy and I were not alone, and someone was there to help.


    Randy''s POV~


    Countless hours of walking had left me exhausted and hungry, and despite the weariness, our limited time in the realmpelled me to push forward.


    I couldn''t bear to be responsible for wasting precious time, especially knowing Desmond would worry. As my legs trembled, they eventually gave way, and I found myself on the ground.


    "Randy!" Desmond rushed over; concern etched across his face. "What''s happening? Are you alright?"


    Gasping for breath, sweat streaming down my face, I shook my head. "I''m not doing well," I confessed, sighing heavily. "I..."


    Pausing, I noticed the worry in Desmond''s eyes.


    "I don''t want to impede our progress, and now..."


    "Mortals," Anthony interjected. "I wouldn''t me you if you''re getting tired. After all, this is not your home. Don''t worry; I''ll get you something to eat, and there''s a stream down there." He pointed in the right direction. "You can go there and drink some water. I''ll fetch food for both of you."


    With that, he flew away.


    "Can you walk?" Desmond asked, and I nodded.


    He helped me up, wrapping his arms around me and guiding me toward the stream. Despite its apparent cleanliness, I hesitated, uncertain about its source.


    Raising his head from drinking, Desmond reassured me. "Randy, the water is just fine. You don''t need to worry too much."


    Sighing, I dipped my hands into the water, quenching my thirst.


    Anthony returned with a sack of fruits, announcing, "Time to eat!" I grabbed a berry and an apple, not traditional sustenance for me, but it would suffice to stave off starvation. "Thank you, Anthony," I expressed.


    "An enemy of Hecate is my friend," Anthonymented, bursting intoughter. "Make sure you keep some for the way. The journey is long, and not anyone has ever reached the real... you know, I can''t mention the name." He pointed skyward, indicating that saying "ck clouds" meant rain would start falling again. "I have the map with me, but I don''t think I know the way from here."


    Snapping his fingers, a map appeared in his hand.


    "May I see it?" I requested, and he handed it over. "My training as the crown prince for two years made me understand a lot about maps, so I should be able to figure out what this one is all about." I opened the map, examining it closely.


    Initially confused, I spotted a cross marking our destination. "This map is confusing!"


    "I told ya," Anthony snorted. "Whoever created the map didn''t want anyone finding that weapon. I wouldn''t be surprised if this were all Hecate''s doing. She is the only one capable of something like that."


    I sighed, exchanging looks with Desmond, and noticed his confusion. "I guess we just have to follow the markings," I dered, pointing in the right direction. "That is the way to go."


    "Hmmm," Anthony nodded. "I was also thinking that we should go in that direction. It will lead to the Valley of Fire."


    "Fire?" I questioned.


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    "What does that mean?" Desmond added. "Are we walking into some sort of volcano?" Anthony shook his head.


    "No, it''s called the Boiling Fire!" Anthony replied, grinning as if he enjoyed talking about it.


    Frowning, I exchanged looks with Desmond, who just shrugged. "I guess we should be going," I told them.


    A growl sounded in the distance, and Anthony and I exchanged nces. "What the hell is happening?" I asked.


    Anthony sighed. "The guardian of this forest has been awakened, and he is heading towards us!" he announced.


    As he finished speaking, the ground shook terribly. I held onto a tree to prevent myself from falling.


    The shaking intensified as the giant guardian approached. "Is the guardian a giant?"


    "Thest time I heard someone talk about it, I heard he is 30 feet tall!" Anthony responded.


    As the giant loomed closer, panic set in.


    "What do we do?" Desmond shouted. "I don''t think we should stay here and watch."


    "You both should run from this ce. I will distract him," Anthony said.


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    "What about you? Are you noting with us any longer?" I inquired.


    Anthony smiled. "Someone has to do this right, and I am the only one who can distract him. I know more about the forest than you both do and besides, you could die untimely If you don''t listen to me."


    "Be safe, Anthony!" Desmond shouted, pulling me away.


    "What about Anthony? What if he gets trampled by the giant, and besides, we need his help regarding this and..." I began.


    "He wille to us soon. We should leave!" Desmond shouted, dragging me and starting to run. We need to get to that valley, and if you''re worried about Anthony, you should know that he did it for us!"


    I remained silent, looking back as Anthony''s whistle echoed through the forest. "Come and get me, giant!" Anthony''s voice resonated.


    I prayed silently for Anthony''s safety.


    Desmond and I continued running even after the giant stopped chasing us. Despite panting heavily, Desmond didn''t stop until we reached the front of the valley.


    Gasping for breath, I copsed to the ground.


    "I can''t do this anymore. I need to rest," I cried out.


    "But..." Desmond began.


    "Do we have to die because we have to get there fast?" I shouted at him. "If we continue like this, we''ll be dead even before we know it, and everything we nned will be for nothing! I won''t risk my life when I could rest for a few minutes." Desmond sighed, sitting beside me. "I just want this to be over, and we don''t even know how many hours we have left, and..."


    "Desmond!" I shouted, facepalming. "Please, stop acting like this. It''s making me worry because you''re obsessed with the whole thing. If you continue like this..." Tears welled up in my eyes. "I''m afraid I might lose you!" I shouted, turning away.


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 Chapter 121

    Desmond sighed, cing his hand on my shoulder. "I''m sorry," he muttered. "I just felt that this happened because of me, and this wouldn''t have happened if only I hadn''t made that deal with Hecate. You might think I''m acting like this because I want to, but I have to tell you I..." He paused. "I am sorry for acting this way, Randy." Lying on the ground, he wrapped his arms around me. "I just want this to be over so we can return to our lives, and we wouldn''t have to worry about anything else."


    "Oh, Desmond," I muttered, turning to face him and wrapping my arms around his waist. "I love you so much that it hurts to think something might happen to you. No, I don''t me you for what happened with Hecate. She''s a maniptive bastard, and she did all of this for me to lose hope in you. But I''m not going to do that because you are mine forever, and I won''t let anything elsee between us." I smiled at him, raising my head. "Everything will surely be alright."


    "I love you," he kissed my forehead. "Rest now, and I''ll wake you up once it''s time to move."


    I nodded, resting against him and embracing him tightly. "I love you too."


    The next time I woke up, Desmond was tapping my shoulder. Stretching and yawning, I noticed the sun still shining brightly. It seemed like time hadn''t changed in the realm. "Desmond," I murmured, rubbing my eyes and looking up at him.


    "Here," he offered his hand, pulling me up.


    "Are you alright?"


    Yawning again, I nodded and looked at him. "Did you get some sleep?" "No, I couldn''t sleep."


    Sighing, I took his hand. "You don''t have to worry about all of this. We are surely going to be alright," I reassured him. "I can''t believe I slept off, thinking you also slept. I am a bad lover." I muttered, rubbing my hands together.


    H¨¦sorlucri¨¦u, priorhi?giny unleer! Conneron, pumprir, wenntaveranong journey itryo. We better start walking now," he said, dragging me behind him. "So," he continued, pointing to the valley, "now that we are at the valley, we should look for the entrance."


    "No need to look any further," I pointed to the opening entrance that resembled the cave we had entered upon reaching the realm. "I believe there will be some steps that will lead us to the other side."


    "We better start moving," Desmond said, and we walked toward the entrance. Looking back, I hoped to see any sign of Anthony, but he was nowhere in sight.


    I wondered if something had happened to him, but I looked forward to seeing him again. With him, the journey might be easy.


    ~Desmond''s POV~


    "Watch where you put your feet!" I shouted to Randy as we started climbing the valley.


    It was hard even to walk perfectly because the steps were not straight, and that was not all; it was dark, and the only glint of light we could rely on was the light that had prated one of the holes in the valleys walls. It was challenging to walk perfectly, and holding onto the wall was our only support.


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    "soon, we will reach the other side," Randy assured me andughed. "And then, we will return with the sword, and it will spell the end for Hecate."


    I should have beenughing alongside him, but I didn''t find the urge tough because I thought about many things that could go wrong. I feared something dangerous might happen to us in the valley because Anthony had mentioned something about a boiling valley, but I had not seen anything rted. I was starting to get worried about what could go wrong.


    "are you alright? You are not......ah!" he screamed as he tripped and fell.


    "Randy!" I shouted his name and rushed towards him to grab his hand just in time while my other hand was against the wall holding it firmly. "hold onto me and never let go!" I shouted at him and gritted my teeth as I felt my hand up against the wall shaking furiously. Even my whole body was shaking because my legs were not ced perfectly. The steps were not straight, so I bent my legs when I knelt to save Randy. "please don''t let go of me!" Randy shouted to me.


    ''I will never do that!" I shouted back at him, assuring that I would hold onto him until the end. "you don''t have to worry about it; I am going to make sure that you are fine!" "please do," he begged.


    I closed my eyes as the pain became unbearable. I could feel it spreading throughout my body, and my hands were begging me to free Randy, but I couldn''t.


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    Releasing him would only mean that he might end up dead and I would never do that to him. "just hold on tight and I will try to pull you up."


    "okay!"


    What do I do? The space was cramped, and it would only fit up to two people, even though I seeded in pulling Randy up.


    What do I do? I questioned myself again as I tried to pull him. If I could pull him up, I could end up falling. One of us had to sacrifice ourselves for the other, and It was much worse since I couldn''t see what was below us.


    The ground cracked open as if it was listening to my voice and what appeared, made me scream out loud, except that it was not only my scream that sounded in the valley.


    "The boiling fire!" Randy shouted as his grip on my hand became tighter. "please don''t let go," he begged again.


    He should have known that I would never do that to him, but I couldn''t me him because it was dire. The boiling fire was below us, and it was burning hot. I could feel the sweat trailing down my face and knew it would be worse for Randy, who was close to the fire. His whole body must be on fire because the fire was rising every few seconds, and it would soon swallow us.


    What do I do? I questioned myself again and felt the tears streaming down my face.


    I had to decide at that moment because it was the only thing to save us, and I knew I had to do something. If one of us died there, one could still carry along. It would still be better than the both of us dying right there.

 Chapter 122

    "Desmond," Randy shouted. "I am feeling hot, and the heat spreads throughout my


    body. I believed that this might be my end, so it would be better to end it and let go of my hand."


    "Are you crazy!" I shouted at him. "do you think I can let go of you? I will never do that no matter what happens, and if you think I will do that to you, then I must say that you are crazier than I thought because I will never let go of your hand. Never!"


    "but if you don''t do that now, then it means that not only one of us will end up dead but both of us. Please just let me go, and you can carry on."


    "no!" I shouted with tears flooding my eyes. "don''t you dare say that, Randy. You are my sun, and I am your moon, remember. There is no life without you, and no matter what you say, I am never going to let go of you because I truly cherish you, and I will continue to hold onto you, my love."


    Randy chuckled. "It''s okay, Desmond. You don''t have to say anything else," he sniffled. "the fire is rising, and my body will be set on fire soon because I could feel the heat on my back. You don''t have to me yourself for anything, but I want you to know that no matter what happens, I will always be by your side because you are my life, and I am yours....."


    "shut up! This is all my fault, and if there is anyone who has to make amends for what had happened, then it should be me. I should be med for everything that had happened to us, and I know that you might continue to me yourself for what happened too, but if I didn''t exist, then none of this would have happened," I told him, and then I started pulling him up.


    "what the hell are you doing, Desmond? You know there is not enough space for both of us, so please stop what you are trying to do! You don''t have to die because of me!"


    "It is what lovers do for each other, and I will dly do that for you because you are my one true love, and I will always be by your side forever!" I screamed and then pulled him up to my side. Once he was in my arms, I turned him around and let go of his hand. "I love you, Randy!" I shouted his name as I fell towards the boiling fire.


    "Desmond!" he shouted my name and tried to grab my hand, but it was toote. "Desmond!"


    Tears flooded my eyes as he continued to scream out my name. I closed my eyes and pictured his face onest time as I fell towards the fire.


    This was the end, but at least I did it to save my love, and I didn''t regret doing it. ~Randy~


    My eyes widened in shock as I watched him fall. "Desmond!" I shouted his name. It shouldn''t have to end this way, I thought.


    He didn''t have to sacrifice his life because of me, and now, he expected that I would be happy that he was gone. I could feel the rage building inside of me. It was just like the heat emanating from the boiling fire. I was angry at myself; it wouldn''t have happened if I hadn''t fallen.


    "Everything is because of me!" I screamed and hit my chest repeatedly. "if only I had tried my best to convince him then...." I let out another scream as I ced my hand on the ground, tears flooding my eyes.


    How was I even supposed to live without him by my side? He was selfish, that I believed. He wouldn''t have left me alone and fell to the fire if he were not selfish. He was a selfish man who only thought of no one else but his love.


    If he was not selfish, he should have let me go instead; now, he was gone. "Desmond!"


    I leaned against the edge of the step and screamed his name, looking for any sign of him, but there was none. I expected him to scream from the agony of the fire, but there was no sound. "Desmond!"


    "we have to get out of here!" Anthony''s voice sounded as he flew up, holding Desmond in his hand.


    "oh goddess!" I eximed. "Desmond!"


    "now is not the time for that," he yelled and pointed towards me. "we have to get the hell out of this ce because it is no longer safe, and the valley is about to destroy everything within its reach!"


    I wiped my face and nodded in response, knowing the Desmond was fine. I started to run, but instead, I began to float in the air, and when I looked at Anthony, I noticed that Desmond was also floating, but he was unconscious. Anthony screamed as he flew us out of the valley,nding on the other side.


    Once we reached the top of a mountain, he released us safely to the ground, and we both watched as the valley went up in mes.


    "Thank the goddess that I arrived on time just to save you both," he said and sighed.


    "you both could have died out there, and what the hell were you thinking staying there when your boyfriend told you to run away."


    "I...." I turned towards Desmond, rushed to his side, and held him in my body. "I am sorry," I burst into tears. "I shouldn''t have...." I didn''t even know what to say except to cry because everything was my fault at that moment, and it could have been avoided if only I had not caused it. "you almost died because of me."


    "no...." Desmond muttered in my arms. "it was not your fault," he said and coughed out. "if anything had happened to me there, it would have never been your fault because you didn''t do anything wrong, Randy."


    I cried again as I held him tighter. "I almost lost you back there. Please, don''t you ever try to do that again. Stop sacrificing your life because of me!" I shouted at him.


    He chuckled.


    "Nothing Is funny!" I yelled at him." "why do you think this is funny? I almost lost you, and you think thatughing could solve it?" I asked him.


    He burst outughing again and reached his hand to touch my face. "I love you, Randy, and this should be a sign for you to know that we are destined to be together forever, and nothing will ever separate us," he muttered.


    "Please," I rubbed his hand. "don''t jump in quick to save my life again. If we are going to leave this ce, I want us to leave together," I begged him, kissing the top of his head.

 Chapter 123

    Anthony cleared his throat behind us. "are you both done now?" he asked. "if you are done, then I believe that it is time to resume this journey because you have limited time here, and even though this ce doesn''t have the time changing, I am afraid that your time back in the realm is far spent so you both have to hurry."


    "right," I agreed and then stood up and stretched forth my hand for Desmond to take, and with that, I pulled him up. "Are you alright and fit to walk?" I asked him, and he nodded. "Anthony," I called out to the man who had saved our lives. "thank you for helping us out. Without your help, we wouldn''t have gotten here."


    Anthony smiled. "I am d I could help you both, but you have to know that now is not the time for all that. We have to get to the sword and end Hecate so that the both of you can return to your world," he said.


    I looked at the Desmond and held his hand in mine. "we are ready to move now and ording to the map," I cleared my throat and ced my hand into my pocket, but the map was gone. "I believe that it must have fallen into the boiling fire."


    Anthony facepalmed himself. "how could you be so clumsy," he shouted and heaved a deep sigh. "I believed that I had thought something like this might have happened; it is why I had also prepared my map," he raised it. "Next is there," he pointed forward. "That is thest stop to get to thend of weapons, and it is the most dangerous ce."


    I raised a brow in confusion. "are we about to face more boiling fire?" I asked him, but he shook his head in response. "then what?"


    "your desires will be tested. It is the final stop, and I won''t follow you both inside because you both wanted to do this."


    I smiled at him. "don''t worry, we are not going to fail," I assured him. "Desmond, and I are going to return with the weapon."


    "yes," Desmond agreed, and I looked at him as I held his hand tighter. With him, I knew that I could do so much more


    ~Desmond~


    Finally, we were there, and it was thest phase, meaning that we would face Hecate sooner orter once we got what we wanted. That meant it would be the end of her. She wouldn''t bother us any longer, and everyone would be freed from her cruel rule. It also meant I could be together with Randy again without worrying about what others think about us.


    "Are you ready?" I asked him. "This is thest ce, and here, anything might happen. Promise me that you will return to me?" I asked, and he nodded in response, grabbing my shirt cor and pulling me into his arms.


    "You also promised me that everything would be fine and you wouldn''t die in there?"


    I nodded in response, and he leaned in, kissing me quickly.


    I kissed him back, cut short by Anthony, who had appeared from nowhere behind us. "I believed that you two are already done with your lovey dovey moments," heughed, and then his tone suddenly changed. "You also need to know that even though you might have promised yourself to return, you might not return if you give in to your desires. That is the price you will pay if you ever give in to your desires. It will hinder you from returning," he warned, then pointed to both of us. "! believed in both of you, which is why I am going to stay back here and wait for you both to return. I shall pray that both of you may return," he said and gave us thumbs up. "Be right back on time."


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    We both bowed to him. "I have to thank you for everything that you have done for us, and I have to say that I am d that we met you on our journey here. If anything was to happen, which I hope it doesn''t, I wish us all the best," I told him and headed towards the entrance of thest cave.


    "Wait for us, and we wille out sooner than you expected." I promised him. Then I beckoned Randy to follow me.


    "Goodbye for now, Anthony," Randy muttered, waving at him as he ran to join me at the cave entrance. "This is it," he said.


    "Yes," I replied. "We are both going to do it, and I can assure you that everything will surely work out for both of us. Let''s go," I whispered as we entered the cave.


    I had expected that the cave would be dark, but we were met with a bright light that almost blinded us. I covered my eyes from its brightness until finally, the brightness disappeared. I removed my hands from my eyes as I stared at the cave in awe. "Look, that is a mirror, Randy," I muttered, but I didn''t get any response, neither did I feel his presence beside me.


    "Randy!" I turned to look for him, but he was nowhere to be found. "What is happening? Where the hell is Randy?" I shouted again, my voice echoing throughout the cave.


    "Wee, Desmond," a voice sounded, and my eyes widened in shock when I noticed that it sounded just like mine. "Wee to the Cave of Reflections!" The voice said.


    I looked around me, noticing the mirrors that surrounded me. It exined why it was called the Cave of Reflections. "Who are you?" I curiously asked, wanting to find out the name of the one who had brought me there and separated me from Randy. "Who are you?" I repeated when I didn''t get the answer that I wanted to hear the first time.


    "I am the master of the cave, but right now, I am you," he replied, mocking me. "Listen, now, you will face your greatest desire, and let''s see if you can conquer it."


    "Conquer what!" I shouted. The room suddenly became dark, and then a ray of light appeared from the center, revealing a mirror before me. "You are going to face the one thing that you desire most in the world, and now, if you fail my test, you shall be a mirror and add to my many collections."


    "You... those are people?" I asked.


    "Yes. They are the pathetic people who had tried to enter here but failed miserably because of their desires. In here, you only have three minutes to do my biddings, and once the three minutes passed and you failed, then it means that you will be mine!" he muttered, and then a bell rang, and I looked up to see that the time had started. "Let''s see if you will meet your lover again, or maybe you will be one of my collections," heughed.


    "Hello!" I shouted. "Where are you?"


    I didn''t get any response, which only means he was no longer there with me. I was alone now, and I couldn''t help but think if Randy was facing the same thing with me. If he was, I hoped he doesn''t fail.

 Chapter 124

    I heaved a deep sigh and looked at the mirror, and suddenly, I was transported back to the night when Randy and I were fighting the Angel of Death. "what is happening here!" I shouted as I looked around me. "Why the hell am I here?"


    "You will face the person you desired the most in the world!" The words resounded in my head as I looked to my right and saw that Randy was fighting against the Angel of Death. He was suddenly pushed towards the wall with an arrow in his shoulder. I didn''t recall that happening back then.


    "The test, it is a test!" my subconscious shouted. "You have to know that none of this is real!"


    "Right!" I shouted and looked at the Angel of Death, pointing his arrow towards Randy.


    He released his grip on the arrow, and it headed straight for Randy. "No," I shouted and rushed to save Randy, but I was toote as the arrow met with his shoulder, striking him. "Randy!" I shouted his name and ced him in my arms as I cried. "You don''t have to do this to me!". I screamed.


    "Desmond," Randy called out to me. "I am dying!" he cried out. "I couldn''t escape from the mirror and was brought here. The master told me that I was going to die here in front of you."


    My eyes widened in shock as I realized what had happened. This was all the master n. He had brought me here to watch Randy die, meaning that Randy had failed the test for desire, which only meant that it was the end for him.


    "No, no, Randy," I screamed his name as I shook him vigorously. "Don''t give in to the master. You can''t die here! What will I do without you!" I screamed at him.


    "I am sorry, Desmond. I want you to know that I will always love you forever," he said, raising his hand to touch my face. "I will love you forever," he smiled at me onest time, and he began to disappear in my hand like dust until he was gone forever.


    "Randy!" I screamed out loud. "What the hell are you doing, master!" I shouted as I stood up from the ground. "How could you have sent my boyfriend here!"


    The voiceughed, sounding again. It sounded so close to my ear that it felt like he was close to mine. "He killed your mate, so what should you do to him?" he asked "I want you to kill him!"


    "Kill him," I muttered after him. "He had killed Randy, and so I am going to kill him!" I shouted as a sword appeared in my hand.


    "I am going to kill you," I ran towards the Angel of Death, whose back was turned on me, aiming to kill him with my mind consumed by rage. But as I reached his back and raised the sword, my eyes widened in shock, and I stopped immediately.


    "What the hell are you doing!" The master shouted. "Kill him! He is responsible for the death of your boyfriend, so are you going to watch him go scot free?!" he yelled at me.


    "Kill him!" he yelled again.


    "No!" I refused and dropped the sword to the ground. "Randy wouldn''t want me to do this, and I know that he will always be with me," I shouted and fell to the ground crying out. "He will always be with me, and he wouldn''t have wanted me to kill anybody!" The master sighed, and then he chuckled.


    "You will not kill the man who had killed your lover?" he asked.


    "No," I refused and hit the ground. "Randy will never..."


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    The masterughed. "How are you sure your boyfriend will do the same for you?" he asked.


    "Because he had promised me he would always be by my side. Randy is my sun, and I am his moon, meaning we will always be together. Killing the Angel of Death wouldn''t change anything or even calm my rage!" I cried out.


    "Very well then," The master said, and then he pped.


    I raised my head to face the light and stood before a shining bow and arrow.


    "What happened?" I asked.


    "I have not met someone like you in years, and I have to admit that you didn''t give in


    to your desires to save your boyfriend, and by doing so, you didn''t kill that man. I have


    to admit that you are courageous, Desmond."


    I wiped the tears from my face away.


    "How... what do you mean by that?" I asked him.


    Heughed. "You have passed my test, and now, the weapon is in front of you."


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    "What does that mean? Does it mean that Randy isn''t dead?"


    The masterughed again. "Time will tell, Desmond, if your lover will join you or he will be one of the collections here."


    ~Randy~


    The light. After the light appeared, everything changed, and I found myself in a room filled with diamonds. Desmond was nowhere to be seen. It''s like he was separated from me; no one needed to tell me that the test of desires had started.


    "You are weak!" A voice sounded behind me as I stood amid the diamonds, not taking another step because I had no idea where I was. "Nobody wants you and Desmond to be together. You are only a liability to him, and the sooner you realize this, the better." The voice shouted, his voice resounding in the room.


    "Who are you?" I demanded to know the voice that sounded menacing and powerful enough to intimidate me. "I won''t ask you again, who the hell are you!" I screamed back at the voice.


    "This is why you and Desmond can never be together," Noah shouted as he appeared before me. "You are too weak, unable to defend the kingdom, and you caused the disappearance of our parents. Everything that is happening is all because of you. This is your fault, and you will never find that sword."


    "I will surely find the sword!" I shouted back at the voice that belonged to my brother.


    "I don''t know who the hell you are, but I will do everything in my power to bring back our parents."


    "Do you think you could do that?" Noah asked with a sinister smile stered on his face. "Who the hell do you think you are!" His appearance suddenly changed to that of Uncle Harold.


    "Uncle Harold?" I shouted, but then I realized where I was. "Who the hell are you?"

 Chapter 125

    The Uncle Klyanughed in front of me.


    "d that you figured it out soon enough," he muttered. "Well, I am the master of this ce, and wee to the Diamond of Hatred." He said and then disappeared from the front.


    "What do you mean by..." I looked around me and shouted in shock when I saw him appear behind me, with my father''s face.


    "What the hell are you!" I yelled at him.


    Heughed. "Didn''t you hear what I said the first time?" he asked and sighed. "I had thought that you would be as smart as your lover, but I never expected that you wouldn''tprehend a simple sentence. I just told you that I am the master of this ce."


    "Where is Desmond?" I questioned him quickly.


    "Where did you keep him!" I demanded.


    He shrugged his shoulder. "Who knows where he is? I have no idea. If you think I have any idea where he is, I must tell you that you are wrong! I truly have no idea where he could be at the moment!"


    I clenched my fists tightly as I frowned at him. He was ying with my emotions even though he knew where Desmond was, and I was ready to beat him out of it. "Tell me where my boyfriend is right now!" I yelled at him and lunged at myself to attack him. He dodged my attack as my fist was about tond on his face. "So impatient, I must say that is why everyone around you deems you weak. You are quick to act with your hands and not your brain. It is why you will never be with Randy because he also sees you as someone weak, and that is because you can''t even wait and listen to what I have to say!" He shouted at me and then grabbed my fists as he stopped another of my attacks. "Do you think that you could harm me?" He asked as he changed again to my sister.


    "Why are you doing this to me!" I yelled at him. "If you wanted something from me, ask instead of making me see the faces of those I love. Don''t do this to me!"


    "Randy," my sister''s face smiled at me, and then she stretched forth her hand to touch me, but I pped it away.


    "Don''t you dare touch me, you evil creature. Show your face and stop changing to people that I care about!" I screamed at him.


    The master moved closer to me, and then he snapped his fingers. "Now is the time to face the moment of your truth," he announced.


    I furrowed my brows in confusion at him, having no idea what he meant by that, and I could only stare at the way he was moving his fingers, twirling them around in the hope of achieving something. After a moment, he stopped as he shifted to Ariel.


    "You could have me, but yet, you went for him. Someone who doesn''t want you!" Sheughed. "You have to see for yourself how he doesn''t want to be with someone like you, and I am going to give you three minutes to make your decision on whether you will choose me as the Queen or choose to give up your crown just to be with him."


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    I folded my arms at him. "What the hell are you trying to say, and why are you showing me Ariel''s face? I don''t even want to be with her, so why must I suffer to continue to see her face?" I asked him.


    He chuckled and then snapped his fingers.


    "You only have three minutes to see the truth and then decide for yourself and see if I am lying. I want you to realize the truth behind everything, Randy, and then you will see that you are wrong. If you fail to see the truth, then you shall be one of my collections, but if you see the truth, then I must tell you that it means that you are smart enough to leave this ce."


    I scoffed and pointed at him. "You turned those who give in to their desires into diamonds?" I asked him to make sure the assumptions I had in my head were correct because the instance I had walked into the room, I had felt some presence amongst the diamond, but I had ignored it.


    But who would have thought that he would turn others into diamonds?


    I cleared my throat. "I am ready to do whatever you want, and I shall make sure that you see it, too."


    The master nodded in response, taking the form of Aunt Helen. "If you fail, you won''t return home. I want you to remember that it will mean you will perish forever. Do you ept that?" He demanded, and I nodded in response. "You have three minutes and this," he pointed up as a timer appeared. "If you fail to see the truth before this timer dies, it is over for you. See you on the other side, Randy, or not," heughed, snapped his fingers, and disappeared right in front of me.


    Three minutes? It was not possible that I would be able to achieve everything within three minutes. I sighed and rubbed my hands together, thinking of what I could see within the minutes given to me. If I didn''t, I had to do everything he asked me to. It would only mean my impending end, and no matter, I have to achieve it for Desmond.


    "Do this for Desmond. He might be waiting for you as we speak," I assured myself and heaved a deep sigh as I looked up to see I was in a different ce. It was a little dark, and only a tiny light was in the room. I couldn''t see anything, but I heard someone talking, and it sounded exactly like Desmond''s voice.


    "Desmond, is that you?" I asked, and then the room brightened for me to see Desmond before me. "It is truly you," I rushed to hug him.


    You are not supposed to be here," I muttered. "This is..."


    "I had thought that you were dead, Randy. That man showed me that you were dead, and because of that, I had....." he muttered and pointed to his chest, and my eyes widened in shock when I saw the sword in his heart. He coughed out blood and fell into my arms. "I didn''t know that it was not the truth, which means I have failed my test. I had thought that you were truly dead, Randy, and..."


    "No!" I shouted. "Mister, you can''t do this to him. I am not dead, Desmond," I cried out and then ced my hand on his chest to stop the bleeding. "I am not dead. I am here for you, and please see it," I begged him. "Desmond, I can''t live without you."


    "This is all because the King didnt ept us, and if only he had given us the chance to be together, then I wouldn''t have to die," he said, coughing out blood.


    "It is all because of the King, which is why this is happening to us. I am sorry that I won''t be able to follow you back to our world. I love you, Randy," he muttered and gasped onest time as his hand dropped.


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 Chapter 126

    I couldn''t say anything. I was unable to move as I watched his body in my arms.


    Lifeless and cold. He had failed the test, and now, he was dead, and that had happened all because of me. I was the cause of his death.


    "Yes," The master''s voice sounded again; this time, it sounded like my own. "Now that Desmond is dead, it is the end for you. There is nothing that can be done again. Just end your life, and you won''t have to carry the burden of being unable to save your parents'' lives."


    I sniffled as I looked at Desmond''s body. The master was right. What purpose was it knowing that he was dead? He was the only one who got me and saw me for what I was, and now, he was dead I couldn''t believe it, and even though it seemed that the master was ying tricks on me, I thought that the body truly belonged to Desmond.


    "What do you say, young prince? Are you going to continue like this, or you are going to end your life?" he asked, handing over to me a dagger. "Take it and slit your throat, then all of these will end, and you will be with your lover in paradise."


    I looked up at the dagger in his hand, contemting what to do, and then I closed my eyes, remembering Desmond''sst words to me. "Go and save your parents." He had told me to save myself, which was precisely what I nned. Desmond wouldn''t want me to end my life like that because he believed in me and what I could do.


    "No," I pped his hand away. "I am not going to do it."


    The master picked the dagger from the ground. "Will you be happy without your lover?" he asked.


    I looked into Desmond''s face and bit my lower lips, suppressing the tears that threatened to fall. "No, I won''t be happy, but at the same time, this is what Desmond wants. He wants me to end this."


    "But being together in paradise could be better. I could..."


    "I said no!" I shouted at him.


    The masterughed. "Very well then. If that is what you truly want, then I shall grant you your wish," heughed and snapped his fingers.


    I disappeared from that room only to appear in another much brighter room, and an arrow and bow shone brightly in front of me. There was also a figure standing in front of it.


    A familiar figure.


    My heart started pounding hard as I moved closer to the figure. "Desmond?" I called out, hoping that it was not another of the master''s tricks, but when he heard me, he turned.


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    "Randy?"


    "Desmond!" I shouted and rushed to hug him.


    "You are alive!"


    I smiled brightly when I saw him heading towards me. He was here, which means he passed the test with me. "Desmond!" I shouted his name and rushed to hug him as soon as our eyes met. "I am d we both made it," I chuckled and kissed his forehead. "I had thought that maybe something bad had happened, but here you are, smiling brightly at me. I am happy that we were able to work it out."


    Desmond smiled and embraced me warmly, not letting go. "Me too,"


    A bright light suddenly appeared, breaking us apart, and from the bright light appeared a man dressed in a ck robe with red patterns. The man''s silver hair shone brightly as he approached us, carrying a powerful aura to behold.


    "You both have seeded, and I am proud of you," he said, bursting intoughter. "In all the years of being a master here, you are the first that wouldn''t sumb to your desires. I have to say that you both love each other."


    I frowned at him. "ying with others'' emotions is not the best way to go, and you did that with us. Do you think that we were happy when it happened?" I shouted at him.


    He shrugged his shoulder and then heaved a deep sigh. "I don''t care about what is going on in your head at that moment, and what you two did gave you this," he pointed to the arrow and bow. "That is the most powerful weapon in the world, used for those whose hearts and souls are filled with darkness. I won''t ask you why you are asking for it, but know that if you use it for someone without darkness, you will spend all your lives wondering what you did wrong because the darkness will envelop you, and you will be lost forever."


    Desmond stepped forward. "We are not using it against someone without darkness. Instead, we are using it to fight someone with darkness, and the only way to achieve this is by making sure that we use this weapon. We wouldn''t have sacrificed our lives if we didn''t want to destroy this darkness."


    "If you say so," the man said and walked to where the bow and arrow were. He picked them up and handed them over to both Desmond and me. "For only the purest heart can fire the arrow, and I can see that the both of you will be able to do that. For what you want to use the powers for, I wish you both good luck," the man said, disappearing right in front of us.


    Desmond and I exchanged looks. "I guess it is time to move so we can go find out where Hecate is and rescue my parents," I told him.


    He nodded in response as we both headed out of the cave. Once we were out, I pulled Desmond into my arms and hugged him tightly.


    "We made it!" I shouted excitedly, waking Anthony, sleeping at the cave entrance.


    "You..." he pointed at us. "You are here!" he shouted and then burst intoughter. "I can''t believe that you both are truly here," he said, staring at the arrow and bowed in our hands. "You were also able to find the weapon to bring that evil Hecate down." The joy in his tone was evident, and he sounded pleased about what had happened, which made me smile.

 Chapter 127

    Anthony nodded and then snapped his fingers.


    We disappeared immediately and found ourselves in front of a giant sea. I frowned, remembering the first time Desmond and I hade to the ocean, and the guide tricked us. "We are here, and now, the journey has begun. You must know that I will help you out here."


    We both nodded, and I looked around, hoping to see the man who had lied to us, but he was nowhere to be found. "The guide who would lead us past the sea was absent. How are we going to pass the sea without him?"


    Anthony chuckled. "He is being punished for everything that he had done, and I heard that Hecate had locked him up. I must say that he deserved everything that had happened to him. He truly deserves it, and I wish he suffered in hell for everything,"


    Anthony cursed angrily.


    Desmond let out a sigh. "If he is the only one who could help us, what do we do about it now? How the hell are we supposed to get out of here now? How do we find our way out of here without using him?"


    "Well, we can''t swim, which means we are going to drown, and I can''t possibly use my powers without alerting that evil Hecate."


    I palmed my forehead. I had thought that he would at least try to help, but he made it worse, and his options could have sounded more appealing. "What do you think that we can do then?" I asked him again, seeing that he was not even helping with anything and instead was making everything worse.


    "Well," he started again and cleared his throat. "We are going to make this work out with this," he pointed towards us and snapped his fingers. "Making you be able to breathe and swim underwater is the best option," heughed.


    My eyes widened in shock as I lost my bnce. I fell to the ground as my legs changed into a tail. I had turned into a half fish. "What the heck..."


    "I thought the merfolks were extinct, so how the hell did this happen?" Desmond questioned him.


    "I don''t have any idea what you are trying to say, but you have to know that if we are to survive this, then we have to make sure that we nned it perfectly, and swimming like a fish is the only way in which you can get across the ce without having to worry about anything else," he said and then jumped into the water as his tiny wings and legs changed to a tail. "We better start moving. You don''t know how long you willst in this realm, so this is the best option for you now," he said, and I slowly swam toward the sea. Once I was inside, I looked as Desmond joined me, and then we started to swim underwater and were able to breathe perfectly.


    If I had a phone with me at that moment, I would have captured the moment because I never believed that we would go to the length where we would have to be like a merman, which shocked me.


    I didn''t know how long we swam for, but we soon reached the entrance of what seemed to be the home of the spirits, where Hecate was the goddess; as we arrived there, our tails changed back to our legs, and I had expected that we would go naked, but luckily for us, we were back to wearing our clothes.


    "That was a smooth ride," Desmondmented andughed. "Now, we are here for the real thing," he pointed forward at the drynd. "Hecate could be hiding anywhere, but before then, we have to find the King and Queen," he said, and I nodded in response.


    "I will lead you to where the prisoners are being kept, and let''s see if you can find them there," Anthony told us, and we both nodded in response as we started walking forward. As we entered the center of the prison, I began to hear strange voices from the people that were locked in. While some spokenguages that I didn''t understand, some spoke words that I understood, and I could hear them.


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    "Save us, please," I could hear the words of a little girl crying for help and begging for mercy. I felt for her at that moment as our eyes locked together. She didnt look pale like the others I have seen, meaning that she was locked while she was still alive by Hecate, or she was shut because of the deal she or her parents might have made with someone as cunning as she was.


    "Are you alright?" Desmond nudged me on the shoulder as we moved to another cell, yet there was no sign of my parents in sight, and it was starting to make me wonder what might have happened to them.


    "Find them yet?" Anthony asked as we approached thest cell, but they were not in sight. It felt like they had disappeared from there, making me wonder if something might have happened.


    Something terrible.


    "Look who is here!" a loud voice sounded from behind us, and a fireball was shot at us. It would have hit us without Anthony, who blocked it with one of his powers. "Oh, you brought the tiny fairy!" the voiceughed, and when I looked around, I couldn''t see anyone, but I knew that it was Hecate. She was the only one who could pull something like that. Her attitude made me understand what she could do, and I knew that she would do anything to get what she wanted. "Do you know what you have done is out of order, dear Desmond? You made a deal with me, and yet you broke it!" she screamed, throwing another fireball at us.


    "You even brought Anthony here. How is it going, Anthony? Are you happy you haven''t seen your love in years?" she asked.


    I looked toward Anthony, whose head was bowed to the ground, and realized that he must have been helping because of his lover, and he nned on getting her back.


    Lost in the world of this story? Make sure you''re on ?el5s to catch every twist and turn. The next chapter awaits, exclusively on our site. Dive in now! "Where are my parents?" I questioned her.


    Sheughed again, and I heard someone groaning as they were being pushed out of one of the cells we could not enter because it was locked. "Mum, Dad," I shouted their names as I watched them being pushed forward with their hands and legs bound by a chain. "What did you do to them?" I yelled at her.


    "A little experiment!" she replied, bursting into another round ofughter. Well, I have


    to say that it is great to see you here because you are going to witness your parents get killed in front of you."


    "Have you gone insane?" I yelled at her.


    "Mum, Dad," I shouted at my parents, but they couldn''t move as they stared nkly as if they could not see anyone.


    They looked as if all life was taken from them, and it made me wonder what had happened to them and what the evil Hecate had done to them. "You can''t even show your face, and let us find out what you are hiding!" I shouted at her. "you are a coward."


    "Mortals like you are not opportune to dare see my face, and now, watch as your parents die!" sheughed and then whistled.


    Two beasts resembling a wolf and a bear appeared, and they were both under the influence of Hecate.

 Chapter 128

    "Kill them!" she ordered.


    "No!" I shouted as I tried to move closer to them, but somehow, I was stuck. When I looked at Anthony and Desmond, it seemed they were facing the same issue. "Listen up!


    You don''t have to kill my parents because they never did any. If you have any issue, do it with me!" I screamed at her, but the monsters didn''t stop heading toward us, and as I continued to cry for my parents to wake up from their slumber, Desmond raised the bow in his hand, and I threw the arrow toward her.


    "We came prepared, and this will end badly for you, Hecate!" Desmond yelled as he fired the bow before the beasts could reach my parents.


    ~Desmond~


    As I released the arrow, my eyes followed it anxiously as it soared toward the source of the voice. The voice unleashed a scream, apanied by growling, and a bright light emerged, revealing Hecate.


    Having envisioned Hecate as an ugly creature, I was surprised to find a beautiful red haired woman. The only features distinguishing her as a goddess were a mark on her forehead and six fingers. This unique trait instilled a sense of fear in me, uncertain of what might unfold.


    "You found the arrow of light!" she growled, cing her hand on the arrow in her heart. "You stupid boy!" Hecate pointed toward me, and the monstrous creatures ran from behind the King and Queen, advancing on me.


    In the chaos, one of the creatures shed across my chest, causing me to groan in pain. Before I could recover, another struck my back, forcing me to drop the bow from my hand.


    "Desmond!" I heard my name shouted. "What the hell are you doing!" Randy screamed.


    "Don''t hurt him, please. He didn''t do anything wrong, yet you are punishing him like this!"


    Hecateughed. "You heard that the arrow of light could kill me! I must say you have the guts to travel far to thend of desires to get it," she yelled and grunted as she held her side. "No one can get me, and even if this is going to end for me, I will make sure I get rid of you, Desmond!" she screamed and, using her fingers,manded the beasts.


    Seizing the opportunity, I grabbed the bow from the ground, knowing I had to act quickly to survive.


    "For only the purest heart can wield the bow and arrow!" I remembered the master''s words, exchanging a reassuring smile with Randy. This was it, I had to trust in the power of the light.


    Smiling brightly, I faced Hecate. "It will be written in history that two humans ended your tyrannical reign!" I yelled. As the light appeared, I kicked the monsters away, and in front of me, they disappeared into dust.


    "No!" Hecate shouted. "It can''t be!" she yelled. "How could you, a mortal, have the powers to stop me? How were you able to do this? How dare you!" she yelled again, attempting to grab the arrow in her heart.


    Instead, it went deeper into her chest.


    "How could this..." she fell on her knees. "I can''t end my life like this. I am Hecate the Great, and this should never have been my end because I should be able to fight against those who try to defile me. I should be able to get through them. I should..."


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    Iughed as I stood up shakily, holding my bleeding stomach with one hand and the bow tightly with the other. As I approached, my vision blurred, but I kept moving, knowing I had to do one final thing.


    Iughed and dropped the bow at her knee. "For only light exists and overshadows the darkness. Hecate, your rules as the goddess of the dark hole havee to an end!" I screamed at her.


    "Who the hell are you to decide my fate? You can''t! You''re not even a god!" she yelled.


    I spread my arms wide. "Even the gods don''t want to have anything to do with you because you made them turn their backs on you. I, a mere mortal, will be the one to decide your fate, Hecate!"


    Hecateughed. "Do you think you can defeat me with this!" she yelled. "I am much more powerful than you could think. I am..."


    "Worry not, for you won''t be locked this time. Your existence will cease, and no one will know that a goddess named Hecate ever existed!"


    "Impossible! I am Hecate, and I am supposed to bnce the mortal world and thend of the dead. I am the goddess of the dark hole, and this shouldn''t be happening to me!


    I shouldn''t be like this!" she screamed as the bow started to take effect, slowly consuming her body as she turned into dust. "How can you defeat me... I still need to be here! This is my home. I am Hecate, the one who had..."


    She didn''t get to finish as she disappeared into the air. The bow and arrow also vanished with her. As soon as she was gone, the doors to the cell began to open, and all the people started toe out.


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    They embraced one another and began chanting amongst themselves. "What is happening?" I heard the King say as he regained his senses. "Randy, how are you..."


    "Mum, Dad!" Randy shouted as he hugged them. "I am happy you are alive, and nothing is wrong with you. I am happy and I wouldn''t have to worry about anything any longer."


    I smiled as I watched them embrace each other. Even Anthony found his lover, and they both started speaking with one another. I had freed all these people, and it would have never been possible if I didn''t get help from Randy and Anthony.


    I heaved a deep sigh and continued to look around until my eyesnded on the little girl who cried for my help. She had no one there, and I felt terrible for her. So, I walked towards her, and as I almost reached her, the light in my hand glowed, and that was when I saw the writing, and a ne appeared in my hand. The man in the taxi was writing that on my hand, and I had no idea.


    "I love you, Akosua. Daddy will always be at home waiting for you."


    I looked at the writing in my hand and then at the little girl. I walked towards her and tapped her. "Hey," I muttered to her.


    "Where is my father?" she asked.


    "Everyone is reuniting their families, but I can''t find my father. Do you have any idea where he might be, please?"


    I shook my head in response as I smiled at her. Then I ced my hand on her hair and rubbed it gently. I raised my hand and showed her the writing.

 Chapter 129

    "Akosua, your father was the true hero who helped everyone out here, and wherever he is, I believe he will be proud of you," I told her and handed her the ne. "Your father is proud of you and wants you to be fine."


    "Really!" she shouted excitedly, and I nodded in response. "Thank you."


    I rubbed her hair again and nodded in response. Then I heaved a deep sigh as I tried


    to get up from her side, but instead, I fell to the ground, groaning in pain. "Hello, mister!" she shouted. "Please wake up!"


    Her cry for help might have attracted others as Randy rushed to my side, holding me in his arms. "Are you alright? Is everything okay with you?"


    "We did it," I muttered to Randy, then blinked as a lone tear escaped my eye. "I thought it would be hard, Randy, but look at us. We made it," I said and then heaved a deep sigh. "We havee far, and if anything was to..."


    "Nothing is happening to you!" Randy yelled at me. "We are returning to our world, and you will be by my side."


    I smiled at him, reached my hand to touch his face, and then blinked. "I love you, Randy. I..." I stuttered as my eyes started closing. "I can''t keep them open for long. I am trying to, but I just can''t, and I am sorry because you are my world, and I..." My hand suddenly dropped from his cheek as I slowly entered into the world of unconsciousness, and before I could finally ckout, he yelled out my name.


    "Desmond!"


    ~Randy''s POV~


    Three weekster...


    "Are you ready?" he asked, wrapping his arms around my waist.


    "I''ve been waiting for this day all my life, and I''m happy that finally, I am going to see it happen with you." I turned around to face him and kissed him on the lips. The kiss was short, and I soon turned back to face the mirror. "What do you think the world will think about us, Desmond?" I rubbed my face and adjusted my tie as I stared at myself in the mirror. This was it. I had made the decision, and there was no turning back. I made the decision myself when we arrived from the dark hole because it was my decision, and I would never regret it.


    Today was the day I would reveal myself to the world, not just myself. I was also showing my boyfriend for everyone to see.


    "Everyone must ept us for what we are, Randy, and if they don''t, we can always run away without caring about what anyone thinks. This is our time, and now that both our parents have agreed to it, who else can stop us from bing what we want?"


    I chuckled as he nibbled on my ear. I remembered everything, and when we arrived from the dark hole, Desmond was heavily wounded and had suffered internal wounds that left him bedridden for days. I was by his side, unable to survive being without him. Then, I made the decision and went to meet my family, letting them know what I had decided.


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    "I love Desmond, and no matter what you say to me, it still wouldn''t change the fact that I love him more than life itself and will be with him."


    My father sighed at first, and I thought he would be against me like he always was, but instead, he pulled me into his arms. "I am sorry, Randy," he had said to me, and his words brought tears to my eyes, and I let them stream down. "I should have epted you as any father would," he rubbed the tears off my side as he pulled away from the hug. "As a family, we should have supported you, but instead, we let you face it all alone, which is not what a family should do."


    "Dad," I sniffled. "I thought everyone in the family hated me because of what I was, and I wanted to be truly epted by everyone, but instead, you..."


    "I had thought that I was protecting you from the world that might judge you terribly because of what you are. As a father, I made itpulsory and tried to force you both apart, but fate always has something else, and I couldn''t even stop you from being together. I am sorry."


    I cried loudly as I remembered everything Desmond and I had gone through. We had to pretend, and I hid him from everyone because I wanted to be the perfect son.


    But Desmond taught me that I could be so much more, which made me change from what i was to someone better. He taught me how to love and the meaning of life.


    Everything I had be was all thanks to him, and I couldn''t ask for something else except that I wanted to be in his heart forever.


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    "I also failed as your mother," my mother said as she stood up and joined the group hug. "When I knew about you and Desmond, I should have tried to ept you instead of trying to make you be somebody else and force your father''s decisions on you.


    I am sorry, son, and you and Desmond had rescued us from the dark hole, even though we started the cycle of hatred created by Hecate."


    I sniffled and nodded in response. "It''s okay, mother. You were only looking out for me, and I appreciate it because that is what great mothers do. I couldn''t be more grateful to you for everything."


    My motherughed and tapped me on the shoulder. Next came Noah, who didn''t say anything but hugged me and whispered, "I was a jerk. I am sorry, dear brother."


    "Me too," I replied to him and rubbed his back. "We will always be Randy and Noah." "Plus, Sonnia," she joined andughed. "I can''t forget that you three almost forgot that


    I am your shadows, and we are supposed to do things together."


    Noah and I both pulled away from the hug and exchanged looks.


    When everyone was already seated, I made another announcement. "Father, I no longer want to be the crown prince.".


    "Randy?" my father called out my name and then exchanged looks with my mother. "I am no longer against what you have with Desmond, and I am going to continue to protect you because you are my son, and that is what a father does. You and Desmond are free to be whatever you want, and I will speak against anyone who doesn''t want you as their King!"


    Iughed and shook my head at him.

 Chapter 130

    "Father, you are the king known to make the best decisions. I know you and the rest of


    the family have epted me, but you must also know that not everyone will ept us. Moreover, the Akuffo family needs to continue growing, and that can''t happen because I love Desmond, and he is not a female. So, father, being the crown prince, should go to Noah. He deserves it."


    "What are you saying!" Noah said. "You know that I can''t be as perfect as you are, Randy, and I don''t think I can ever..."


    "No," I interrupted him before he could finish. "You are your person, and you shouldn''t let anyone tell you that you are different because, Noah, you are not. Besides, I want to travel the world with Desmond once we graduate from college. Since we returned from the dark hole and I had to watch him on the bed, I decided. I want to be with him forever, stay in a simple home, and build my life with him."


    My mother burst into tears, and I rushed to her side, thinking that she was taking what


    I had said badly. Instead, she said, "I am d that my son has grown. I am proud of you, Randy, and seeing you act like this makes me so emotional that I cant stop crying," she muttered.


    "It is okay, Mum," I rubbed her back. "You taught me well," I added.


    "Randy," my father called and I turned to face him. "Do you truly believe that you won''t regret your decision of not being the crown prince?" he asked.


    I chuckled and nodded. "I won''t regret it, Father."


    PRESENT DAY


    "Hey!" Desmond''s touch on the shoulder made me flutter my eyes as I had closed them before while thinking about the past, and I looked at him. "Are you alright?" he asked.


    I chuckled and nodded in response. "I am just d that I met you, Desmond, and now,


    it is a new beginning for the both of us. We are here together, announcing to the world that we are together. Three weeks ago, I had thought that you may never wake up again after we returned from the dark hole, and then I knew that Desmond, I never want to part with you again."


    "Huh," Desmond responded and turned me around to face him, then he ced both his hands on my face and rubbed it gently.


    "We are now epted, baby, and I must tell you that we are never going to part again," he leaned in closer and kissed me.


    "I missed kissing you," he said between the kiss and bit my lower lip.


    I moaned into his mouth and wrapped my arms around his neck. The kiss got intense


    as he carried me and ced me against the wall, wrapping my legs around my waist as he started to kiss me everywhere.


    The way he kisses me makes me miss our sessions in the bedroom, and it''s been a long since we have been together.


    I wanted him now!


    He should have me now.


    "I want to make love to you," he whispered into my ears as if he was reading my thoughts. "I wish I could do it right now, but we have an interview. But I am going to make everyone know that you are mine," he muttered into my ears and then sucked on my neck, cing his mark right there for everyone to see.


    As we both walked into the hall for the announcement, I was grinning from ear to ear, unting the hickey on my neck for all of them to see.


    "What is your advice for people like you who don''t dare to be what they want to be?" The reporter asked.


    "ept yourself first before anyone will ept you. If you don''t, you will keep wanting to hear others'' opinions about you, and that is where the problem will start. Always be you," I replied to the interviewer and touched Desmond''s hand. "I met my man, and even though the world didn''t want to ept us at first, we made sure that we epted ourselves first and didn''t think about what the world had against us, which has kept us going." I looked at Desmond and smiled. "I love him so much."


    "I love him," Desmond replied, drawing closer as he kissed me before everyone. This


    was our deration that there was no need to stay hidden any longer since we were epted, and it was just the beginning.


    The beginning that will change everything.


    Desmond''s POV


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    Two yearster, I frowned as I checked the watch in my hand for the time and hissed again. The ne should havended, but it hadn''t, which made me question why I had arrived two hours earlier. I hade when the sun was about to set, and now, it was dark, yet the ne showed no sign ofnding.


    I shook my legs, stood up, and rubbed my hand on my forehead. I couldnt concentrate and only think about seeing him again after two months. That was the longest we had been away. He had gone on a royal prince''s assignment, even though he was not the crown prince anymore. I should have gone with him, but I stayed back to finish some school projects, leading to our separation for two long months.


    I missed him so much, and even though we did video calls, chatted, and had phone calls, I still couldn''t stop thinking about him, knowing that I was going to bed alone without his warm hands around my waist.


    Today was his birthday, and I had nned a massive surprise for him, which he would never seeing.


    Everyone was in on it, even the King and Queen. They had supported me in nning the big surprise, and I couldn''t wait to show him. But the ne had notnded yet.


    I groaned in frustration, dropped the rose flower by my hand, and lowered my head. I ced my hand around my neck and yed with my ne. Our ne. Then I smiled as I thought about our first outing and how we had professed our love for each other under the moonlight, the beginning of our journey.


    "What are youughing at?"


    "Just..." I wanted to reply until I saw the pair of brown shoes. I slowly raised my head until our eyes met....

 Chapter 131

    "Randy, you are here?" I shouted and jumped to my feet. "You are here!" I hugged him tightly and kissed him. "I can''t believe that you are here, my dear pumpkin," I kissed him swiftly on the lips and ced him on the ground."I am so d that you are here."


    Randyughed and wrapped his arms around my neck. "You missed me greatly because I can tell by your attitude. And I must admit that I also missed you," he said, kissing me. When he pulled away, he picked the flower by my side and inhaled it. "Wow! Roses," heughed. "Smell nice."


    I smiled and didn''t say anything but just stared at him. I had truly missed him, and seeing him again made my heart flutter.


    For someone who doesn''t know us, it would seem like we were newly married. "Happy birthday, my love," I muttered into his ears. "I can''t wait to have you in my bed as I pound inside of you, wishing you over and over again."


    Heughed and winked at me. "I am ready for you," he whispered back. At that moment, I could feel my length hardening, and honestly, I couldn''t wait to have him. "Let''s go home, my love," I held his hand as we started to walk out, but when we reached outside the airports, many reporters had gathered, and when they saw us, they rushed towards us."Randy," I called out. "Can you run?"


    "Sure," he answered as if he already knew what I wanted to say, and we both bolted away before the reporters could reach us.


    Ever since day one, they had been following us everywhere, giving us no room to breathe because they wanted an exclusive about our lives.


    Before they could reach us, we entered a waiting limousine from the royal home andughed.


    "That was amazing, I have to say," Imented.


    "Crazy," Randy looked at me, sat on myp, and attacked me with kisses. He kissed me like he had been starved of kissing for months.


    He ced my hands on his butt, and I squeezed it gently. "Hmm, I missed this," he moaned and sucked on my neck.


    "I wish that I could fuck you right now," he muttered into my ear.


    "What do you say we do here with the driver driving?" Lasked him. nibbling on his ear.


    "I missed you, and missing your sex is the best." I grabbed his belt buckle and yanked


    it out, throwing it to one side. Then I pulled down his trousers and grabbed his erection, rubbing it while he let out a scream, forgetting that we were not the only ones in the car. Not that I cared about that anyway.


    "Oh fuck, Desmond," he moaned, grabbing onto my shoulders as I continued jerking him oft. "I want you inside of me fast and hard," he cried out and pulled down my pant trousers, and unlike him, I didn''t have any belt on.


    He pulled down my briefs real quick and climbed on top of me with his hand around my dick, thrusting it into himself. "Hmm," he groaned


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    "Are you alright?" I asked him, removing the strands of hair from his face.


    "I''ve never been better," he panted and then started riding my dick, going slowly at first and then fastening his pace.


    I grunted, unable to take it any longer, and wrapped my hands around his waist as I took over, thrusting faster and deeper inside of him. His moans resounded in the car, mixed with my low moans.


    Our heartbeats synced as one, and he ced his chest against mine. I didn''t care that we were both entwined in passion while the driver was within earshot. I had missed him so much that I couldn''t think about anyone other than him.


    When we reached the peak, we were out of breath, lying in each other''s arms, too tired to talk. We had gotten what we wanted, and it was terrific. I wouldn''t have to lie.


    Randy had no idea about the other surprises I had nned for him.


    "That was the most amazing birthday sex," he said, bursting outughing, then ced his head on my chest. "We better dress up; it seems like we''re nearing the house now," he said, rising from my chest and finding his pants to wear. I also found my pants and wore them before we arrived at the house.


    "We are here!" I announced excitedly as the limousine stopped in front of the royal mansion. "I''d like it if you could close your eyes, please."


    Randy chuckled and gave me a questioning look. "Surprise, huh?" he winked at me. "Is there anything I should know about it?"


    "No!" I replied sharply, cing my hand on his face as I led him to the house. "Please remember not to open your eyes unless I tell you."


    "Alright, love," he responded,ughing. "I can''t wait to see the surprise," he told me.


    I heaved a deep sigh and didn''t say anything as we headed towards the mansion. Then,


    I pulled out my phone and texted everyone that we were there already, hoping they got the message and had everything prepared.


    It was dark when we entered the room, indicating they had received the message.


    I took it as a cue to remove my hands from Randy''s eyes. "You may open your eyes now," I told him.


    "Okay," he said. "Where is the surprise?" he asked. "Is darkness the..." He stopped talking as soon as a screen showed our pictures. The pictures spanned from our childhood to our first date to private moments and the present. Each picture had a message, and the one that stood out was what we had said to each other under the moon on our first date.


    "You are my moon, and I will always be your sun."

 Chapter 132

    "Oh, goddess!" Randy eximed. "This is beautiful, Desmond! I..." he stopped talking again as candles began to light up: He followed the lit candles and there were at least ten of them, and then soft notes started ying on the keyboard in the dark, followed by the gentle sound of a violin ying a warm, romantic tune. "You nned all of this?" he shouted excitedly.


    "How is... I don''t believe this. I just..." he sniffled, and I knew he had already started to cry when we hadn''t even gotten to the best part yet. "Desmond, you went all out for me, and I..."


    "Of course I did, baby. Will you marry and be with me forever, my dear pumpkin and sun?"


    He lowered his head and burst into tears.


    "This is the happiest day of my life, Desmond! I never expected that you were nning on proposing. This is great, and I..." he sniffled, wiping the tears off his face as he raised his head to look at me. "Of course, I will marry you, Desmond!" he epted, and everyone started pping. Trumpets were blown as I ced the ring on his finger and stood up.


    He jumped into my arms and screamed excitedly. "I love you, I love you," he kissed me all over my face. "I love you so much, Desmond. In my next life, I will always love you."


    "I love you too, Randy. We''ll be together forever." I chuckled and kissed his forehead. "Desmond loves Randy," I muttered, cing both hands behind his ears and kissing him.


    "Everyone, I am getting married!" Randy shouted, waving at everyone who pped and cheered for us.


    I smiled as I looked into everyone''s faces.


    Two years ago, I was supposed to die. Two years ago, I was hidden as his boyfriend because the world didn''t want us. Two years ago, we fought a formidable opponent and won. It''s funny how the two years went by so fast; now, it is our future.


    "Randy,e with me," I said, pulling him outside the mansion. "I have a final surprise for you," I announced, standing behind him and wrapping my arms around him. "This is our story, Randy."


    "Oh, goddess!" Randy screamed excitedly as the fireworks began. The fireworks read, ''The moon and the sun love each other, Randy''s screams matched the noise as it went out. Finally, when it got to thest part, he burst into tears.


    In the dark sky were our names, written.


    Randy loves Desmond.


    "Desmond, thank you so much foring into my life," he turned around to hug me. I am happy to meet someone like you, my love. I truly love you more than life, and we will forever be together."


    I chuckled and kissed his forehead. "Desmond loves Randy," I muttered, kissing him.


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    Love knows no boundaries or limitations.


    To the world, we proudly proim our love.


    Love knows no gender. It is a force that unites the soul. Love is love, and it deserves to


    be celebrated by all.


    Desmond and Randy...


    THE END


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