Hellbound Heart novel Chapter 9

Elle's entire world seemed to spin dizzily before screeching to a full-on halt at the things Alexander had just revealed. Her mouth was partly hanging open and her eyes circled wide as she looked at him. Anyone looking at her could clearly tell that she was in total disbelief at the news she had just received.

"Th-there's no way King Rudy would agree to my father's demands… right?" she asked Sebastian who was currently unmoving and still wearing that poker faced expression of his. Elle could not even guess a single thing from the way he was behaving. She had hoped to gather some hints but alas, she had better chances looking elsewhere.

"Ah, don't worry about King Rudy, princess." It was Alexander who respond to her, smiling like he was so happy about what was going on. "The old man had been really dying to finally see Sebastian get married already. That way, he would finally be at ease once he passed on the throne to him. This actually came as a great welcoming news to him and also to us. Oh, wait a moment." he broke off as his phone vibrated inside his pocket.

He swiftly took his phone out and checked the screen to see who was calling. Before answering it, he looked at her and smiled. "My wife's calling… so, excuse me." He said and then turned around, patting Sebastian on the shoulder before he and the red-haired man left the room.

As soon as the door was closed after them, a silence so heavy it was nearly suffocating filled the room. Neither of them spoke to the other and neither seemed to want to be the first one to break the silence.

Sebastian did not say anything and just quietly walked towards the table by the bed and grabbed something that was on top of it. A lighter and a… cigarette. He smoked? Elle did not peg him for a man who smokes, given his clean-cut look and also there was no lingering scent of tobacco smell on his during her interactions with him earlier.

He perched himself at the edge of the table, his long legs crossing over the other at the ankles relaxedly as he lit up his cigarette. A click, then the flame brought near to his cigarette followed by a long drag and a puff of smoke. His movements were so precise, without any stumbling or extra movements. He was clearly a person that did not like to waste – be it in time, actions, or intentions.

He was doing his things so casually, as if she was not in the room with him at all. The worse thing was that she still could not read anything in his expressions at all. Even now when he was seemingly looking more relaxed.

However, Elle really did not need to read anything. She knew that he must be raging within him right now. There was no way this crown prince would want to be tied in a political marriage when he was still in his prime. More so, to a woman that he was not even in love with at all. And to top it off, a woman that he must have thought who had deceived him and orchestrated this marriage trap. He must be full of loathing at her by now.