Mated To The Cruel Prince novel Chapter 529

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Chapter 529: A Tantalizing Offer

"It would happen!" Valerie growled aggressively, his voice laced with a fierce determination that caught Islinda off guard. She instinctively took a step back, startled by the sudden intensity of his outburst.

"What?" Islinda gulped, her voice quivering with a mixture of surprise and apprehension.

Valerie’s power seemed to surge causing the temperature in the room to rise abruptly, enveloping Islinda in an oppressive heat that made her skin prickle with discomfort. Sweat beads formed on her forehead, and she instinctively raised a hand to fan herself, only to freeze as Valerie’s sudden movement caught her unprepared.

Before she could react, Valerie’s hands cupped her face with unexpected gentleness, sending a shiver down her spine. She stiffened, her breath catching in her throat as she found herself locked in his intense gaze. The world seemed to pause in that moment, leaving Islinda acutely aware of the warmth radiating from Valerie’s touch and the tension that crackled in the air between them.

Oh no.

He drew uncomfortably close, his presence looming over Islinda, who could practically feel the heat radiating from his body. Sensing her unease, Valerie paused, his hands still gently cupping her face, as he seemed to respect her boundaries despite their proximity. His voice, strained with emotion, broke the tense silence that hung between them.

"Didn’t I tell you," he said, his words weighed down by the gravity of their shared past and uncertain future, "I would free you from Aldric?"

Islinda swallowed hard, her throat dry with apprehension. This was not the way she had envisioned this conversation would go. As she looked up into Valerie’s eyes, their gaze locked and held, she couldn’t help but feel a rush of conflicting emotions wash over her.

In Valerie’s eyes, Islinda saw sincerity and genuineness, qualities that warmed her heart, yet simultaneously stirred feelings of guilt within her.

The idea of Valerie freeing her from Aldric filled Islinda with conflicting emotions. While the prospect of liberation from Aldric’s enslavement was undeniably tempting, she couldn’t ignore the weight of the indebtedness it would bring. She knew that accepting such a monumental favor from Valerie would bind her to him in a way she wasn’t sure she was prepared for. Despite knowing that the summer prince was nothing like his twisted brother, Islinda couldn’t shake the fear of owing him a debt she might never be able to repay. More than anything, Islinda knew what Valerie truly desired from her was something she could no longer give him: her affection.