Chapter 19
He stood there, his presence commanding and powerful as ever. Dressed in attire that bespoke his regal status, he looked every bit the formidable figure I remembered. Damn it... What the hell was he doing here?
Was he here the whole time? In that very carriage?
"Greetings, grand duchess," he greeted, his lips curving into a smile that held a hint of warmth, but his eyes were unreadable.
"You..." I said, this time with a stronger resolve, rising from my knees. "What are you doing here?" An instinct, I stepped forward to hide them with my heart pounding so fast.
His gaze shifted to my children, his expression softening as he observed them with a mix of curiosity and something else that I couldn't quite decipher. "I am the one who fetched them to the Cloveshire Citadel and br
