Awakening Love Reborn to Be His Duchess (Elowen Hale) novel Chapter 603

Chapter 603 A Fool’s Delusion

Valessa spoke leisurely, her lips curved with lazy amusement as though she were indulging a child.

“Yes, His Majesty decided to spare you. Not only that, he intends to keep you as Crown Prince, and in a few years the throne will pass to you as planned. As for me, I’ll be wed to you in alliance, which means all of Nordia will one day stand behind you as well.”

Alaric stared at her blankly for a moment.

But when his eyes settled on Valessa’s radiant, captivating face, confidence surged through him all over again.

She admires me. A woman like her would never deceive me.

In his mind, she must have done everything within her power inside the royal chamber just now, arguing desperately beside her grandfather to protect him no matter the cost.

And besides, Theodric was his father.

No father would truly destroy his own son.

He had remained outside the hall the entire time, pleading again and again for mercy. Surely his father’s heart had softened in the end. Surely he had relented before it was too late.

Which meant there was only one possible explanation.

He had been forgiven.

He was still Crown Prince.

Still heir to the realm.

And soon, he would marry the Nordian princess and use Nordia’s influence to strengthen his position forever.

A slow smile spread across Alaric’s face as low laughter escaped his throat,

Once I’m back in the Crown Prince’s Wing, things are gonna change. After the wedding. After the throne’s finally mine.

Elowen, Cassian, I’m not forgetting any of this. Every second of today’s humiliation is coming back to you eventually.

And especially Elowen.

Chapter 603 A Fool’s Delusion

He would build a magnificent gilded aviary and lock her inside it like a prized songbird so that from then on, she would belong to him alone.

And she would be forced to watch Cassian die with her own eyes.

The more he imagined it, the louder his laughter became until it twisted into something almost unhinged.

The members of the King’s Guard exchanged uneasy looks.

Had the former Crown Prince finally gone mad?

“What are you all standing around for?”

Alaric abruptly stopped laughing and lifted his chin arrogantly.

“I am still the Crown Prince. How dare you handle me this way? His Majesty will be coming out shortly, and when he does, every one of you will answer for this. If you have any sense at all, you’ll let go of me now.”

The guards glanced at one another again.

They belonged to the emperor’s personal guard and answered only to Theodric himself, yet Alaric sounded so certain that hesitation crept into their minds despite themselves. Combined with the strange commotion that had come from inside the royal chamber earlier, doubt slowly took hold.

What if His Majesty truly had changed his mind?

Without realizing it, their grip loosened slightly.

The instant Alaric felt the pressure on his arms weaken, triumph swelled inside him. With a violent jerk, he broke free from the guards‘ restraint and staggered upright.

After catching his balance, he smoothed out his rumpled court robes before arranging an elegant, gentle smile across his face. Turning toward Valessa, he looked at her with unmistakable eagerness.

“My princess,” he said warmly, “when shall we hold the wedding?”

The woman he truly wanted had always been Elowen,

But Elowen hated him. Worse still, she had even tried to strip him of his place as heir.

How childish.

Chapter 603 A Fool’s Delusion

How unreasonable.

Only Valessa had stood by him. Only Valessa had gone so far for his sake, charging into the royal chamber and risking herself to save him.

A woman capable of that was someone worth keeping close.

The smile on Alaric’s face softened further as he stepped toward her, his expression full of practiced affection and tenderness.

“To be honest, I fell for you the moment I first saw you. Your beauty, your grace, your courage… every part of you captured me completely. I swear I’ll treat you well for the rest of my life and make you the happiest woman in all the kingdoms.”

He reached toward her hand, his voice dropping low and intimate.

“I’ll stand beside you for the rest of our days and never let go of your hand…”

A sharp crack cut through the air.

Before he could finish, Valessa drove her boot directly into his stomach.

The kick landed hard and fast, backed by the strength she had built from years of riding and hunting across the northern grasslands.

Alaric never saw it coming.

His entire body flew backward before he crashed onto the stone courtyard with a painful thud. He sat there stunned, eyes wide with disbelief as he stared at her.

“You… you dared to strike me?!”

Valessa burst into laughter.

“What Crown Prince? You’re just another prince now. Who exactly gave you the right to throw your weight around?”

Alaric froze.

The color drained from his face so quickly it was almost frightening.

“What do you mean prince?!” he shouted hoarsely. “I’m the Crown Prince! I’m the heir! Didn’t His Majesty forgive me? Didn’t you plead for me?!”

Valessa laughed so hard she nearly doubled over.

3/4

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