Xerxes guides Lady Isabella to the office, slamming the door behind. In a frustrated tone, he asks" what are you doing here? We agreed to cut things off."
" No, you did, I never agreed to it. Tell me Xerxes does she like it rough. Does she take you whole like I do" she approaches him seductively. But he pushes her away. " Tell me why you are here."
Knowing she won't get her way, she admits " I am pregnant... I wasn't sure but I got checked out.And so far, I am thirteen weeks"
Xerxes' face pales as he processes the news, his mind racing with implications. "Pregnant?" he repeats quietly, running a hand through his hair.
Lady Isabella nods triumphantly, mistaking his shock for something else entirely. "Yes, and it's yours. Can you believe it, us being parents?"
Her voice carries a mix of desperation and calculation as she steps closer again. "We both know what this means,marriage, legitimacy for the child..."
"Legitimacy? You are mistaken Isabella. This child is nothing but a mistake, a creation from our mistake. This child could never be my heir, the only heir I will ever have is with my wife "
His words send a jolt of pain to her heart. How? How could he say such a thing. "I will have a royal doctor exam you with my presence involved. Regardless I will not marry you, if enforced by the King I will only take you as a concubine and nothing more. Now leave "
Lady Isabella's face contorts with rage and humiliation at being reduced to a concubine. "A concubine? You think I would accept that?"
Xerxes' expression hardens. "You have no choice. The child will be provided for financially but you will never hold any title or influence in this kingdom."
Lady Isabella feels defeated, she has managed to capture him with her looks but just like that she had lost him. From day one of their affair she knew all dreams of becoming his wife would never happen. Now pregnant she hoped maybe that would change.
But of course she fooled herself. "Whatever you seek for I hope you find it, but not before you crumble to your knees. Princess Esmeray isn't as dumb as me, I see that, but she is indeed more cunning than you. I hope she plays with you like a toy, the same way you have played with me. I hope she makes a fool out of you. Don't worry, I won't bother you....you won't be a father to my child. " before Xerxes could say a word Lady Isabella walks out.
Xerxes stands alone in his office, the weight of Isabella's words settling over him like a shroud. Her threat about raising the child herself hangs in the air, a complication he hadn't anticipated.
He pours himself a drink, his hand shaking slightly as he processes everything - the pregnancy, Esmeray's anger, the tension between them that seems to grow with every passing day.
Upstairs, Esmeray hears the front door slam shut and knows Isabella has left. Part of her feels relieved, but another part wonders what just happened between them.
She changes out of her bloodstained dress sliding into the bathtub before changing into something more comfortable. Sitting by the window overlooking the gardens below, her hand throbs where Gentle Oso's blade nicked it earlier.
The pain seems to bring some kind of comfort. Yet, the pain in her chest still pounding like drums. It's times like these she wishes her sisters were here, maybe with everything going on she can visit them soon. The cold air, makes her skin shiver.
She gets up from the position, turning back to her room, not far Xerxes stands. He's been there admiring her beauty, reminiscing the moments they shared. Hating himself for hurting her. As Esmeray turns, she finds herself face to face with Xerxes, his eyes dark and intense as they meet hers. The air between them crackles with tension, a mix of anger, hurt, and something else - something primal and undeniable.
Xerxes reaches out, his fingers gently brushing against the bandage on her hand. "You're in pain," he murmurs, his voice low and husky.
She flinches away from his touch, her eyes flashing with a storm of emotions. "It's nothing, like I haven't felt before."
His hand drops to his side, but he doesn't step back. "Esmeray, we need to talk about what happened. About Isabella."
She scoffs, turning away from him. "There's nothing to talk about. You made your choice, Xerxes. You chose her over me."
He steps closer, his body heat radiating against her back. "It's not that simple."
Esmeray turns back to face him "We have been married for almost a year now, nothing about you is simple. Nothing about your actions is simple, you are complicated, you are hard to deal with. You like to make your presence known, to people who are fine without you "