Chapter 260: The honest confession

Words : 1239 Updated : Oct 3rd, 2025

Chapter 260: The honest confession Anne stepped quietly into the hospital room, and the moment she saw Audrey lying motionless on the bed, her heart clenched. The steady beeping of the monitors echoed through the room unrelentingly. Audrey’s face was pale, and it was a sight Anne could hardly bear. Her eyes filled with tears. She walked over slowly and sank into the chair beside the bed, reaching out to take Audrey’s hand in both of hers. "Audrey, I’m so sorry. This is all my fault." Emotion surged in her chest, tightening her throat. "I dragged you into this. You are lying here because of me. I should’ve known better. Patricia and Lorie had already tried to drug me once—I should’ve seen it coming again. I shouldn’t have trusted those cupcakes. I should’ve thrown them out..." A sob slipped past her lips. "You collapsed right in front of me. I feel like I failed you." Her grip tightened around Audrey’s limp hand. "Please wake up. Please yell at me, blame me, anything... Just open your eyes. Let me know you are okay." But the only answer was the beeping of the machines and the faint rhythm of Audrey’s breathing. Then came the sound of the door opening. Anne turned and saw Augustine step inside. "Let’s go home," he urged quietly. Anne wiped her eyes quickly and nodded. She rose to her feet, gently releasing Audrey’s hand. "I’ll come back tomorrow," she whispered. "I promise." She left with Augustine. Audrey’s fingers twitched as soon as Anne released her hand. Her lips parted, dry and barely able to form words. But with a faint breath, she whispered, "Anne... don’t eat..." She slowly drifted out of the heavy fog of unconsciousness, her mind groggy, her body sluggish. Her eyelids fluttered open, only to be met by the harsh glare of the overhead light. With a quiet groan, she raised her hand to block it, squinting as her vision struggled to adjust. Everything felt too bright, too loud; the persistent beeping of machines rang in her ears like sirens. She turned her head slowly, disoriented, and realized she wasn’t home. It was a Hospital. Then, in a rush, the memories came flooding back. The cupcakes. The sudden dizziness. The tightness in her chest, and then she convulsed and lost consciousness. Panic jolted through her like a spark. She sat up, urgency creeping in. "Anne," she rasped. "Where is Anne? Is she okay?" She fumbled for the nurse call button and pressed it several times. Within seconds, a nurse stepped in. "You are awake. Let me call the doctor—" "Wait," Audrey cut her off. "My friend. Her name is Anne. Is she okay? Please, tell me." The nurse’s expression remained calm. "Yes, she is perfectly fine. Just a bit overwhelmed. Nothing happened to her." Audrey blinked, trying to process. Relief loosened the grip on her chest, but her voice was still tight with concern. "So... she was rescued in time?" The nurse shook her head with a soft chuckle. "No, your friend never ate the cupcakes. She got you here quickly—she saved your life." Audrey’s eyes softened, a shaky breath leaving her lungs. She leaned back on the headboard, the tension in her limbs slowly easing. "She passed out from the stress, but she is doing well," the nurse added reassuringly. "Now rest. I’ll bring the doctor." With that, she exited the room, leaving Audrey alone. Audrey let out a shaky breath, her chest rising and falling as the relief washed over her. "Thank God you are okay, Anne," she whispered. The door creaked open again. She turned her head, expecting to see the doctor. But the second her eyes landed on the figure entering, her entire body went still. The tall figure, the broadness of his shoulders, and the glint in his eyes – everything was too familiar. Her heart skipped. "You?" she gasped in disbelief. The man, dressed in a white coat with a surgical mask covering the lower half of his face, quietly closed the door behind him and turned the lock. But no disguise could fool her—not those eyes. That intense, sharp gaze was burned into her memory. "Do you really think a doctor’s coat and a mask could fool me? I’d recognize you anywhere, Lucien." He pulled down the mask, revealing the face she once loved—too familiar, too painful to look at. He moved in closer, one step at a time, and reached for her face, his fingers inches away from her cheek. Audrey jerked back. "Don’t touch me." She slapped his hand away. "Why are you even here?" He didn’t flinch. "I came to see you." She clicked her tongue and slapped his hand again when he tried to touch her once more. "Stop acting like you care." "I came because I care. Can’t you talk to me without biting my head off?" Audrey gave him a hollow smile. "Wow. Thank you, Mr. Sinclair, for this significant hospital visit. Now that you’ve confirmed I’m breathing, you can go." She turned away from him, shifting under the blanket and facing the wall, her back stiff with cold rejection. Her silence was louder than any insult. Lucien didn’t care about her repulsion. He leaned down and hugged her. "Get off me," Audrey snapped as she nudged him sharply in the stomach. But Lucien didn’t budge. Instead, he slid into the bed beside her, wrapping his arms tightly around her from behind. He had no plan on letting her go. "Lucien. I mean it. Leave me alone." "Just let me hold you," he murmured against her ear. Audrey went still, her body frozen in his grasp. Her fists clenched, fury flashing in her eyes, but she stopped struggling. "You are the one who left me," she said bitterly. "You said we were done, that I’d never see you again in this life. So why are you here now?" He didn’t answer. He just held her tighter. Audrey knew that silence. It was his way of shutting the world out when he didn’t want to answer. Her chest tightened, but she stayed quiet, too. Then, he spoke. "When I found out you were poisoned, I panicked. I’ve never been that scared in my life. The idea of losing you wrecked me. That’s when I realized how much you mean to me." His arms squeezed her tighter. "I can’t lose you, Audrey." Something in her cracked. Her rage wavered, her wall beginning to crumble. But the wounds were still fresh. She scoffed, turning her head slightly. "Didn’t you say you had found a new pet? Someone else to entertain you? Why don’t you run back to her? Maybe she’ll be more obedient. More... submissive." "There is no ’new pet.’ It’s only you." He turned her face toward him, his fingers firm on her jaw, and before she could speak again, his lips crashed into hers. Audrey stiffened, caught off guard. She fought it at first, her hands pressing against his chest. But the fire in his kiss, the urgency, the desperation, and the part of her that still loved him—it all blurred together. Her resistance broke. She melted into him, returning the kiss, her hands tangling in his shirt. Between their kisses, his voice rumbled low against her lips. "This time, I’m not letting you go. No more distance. You are coming with me. You’ll live with me as my queen."

Chapter 260: The honest confession

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