His silence was damning.
“That’s what I thought,” she whispered.
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“This isn’t fair,” he finally said. “You know how much pressure we’re under. The entire country is watching, waiting-”
“You think I don’t know that?” Her voice rose despite her best efforts. “I can’t walk into a room without feeling eyes drop to my stomach. I can’t hold a child without someone making a comment about how ‘natural‘ I look. I can’t escape it for a single day!” Maria had really pissed her off.
“Amelia-”
“Do you know what it’s like?” She continued, unable to stop now that the dam had broken. “To take that test every month, praying for a different result? To feel like a failure as a woman, as a wife, as a princess? To see the disappointment in your eyes, even when you try to hide it?”
“I’ve never been disappointed in you,” Niko insisted, reaching for her.
She stepped back. “Haven’t you? I see how you look at me, Niko. I see how your eyes go to my waistline every morning, how you pull away a little more each month. I’m not imagining it.”
Pain flashed across his face. “Is that what you truly believe? That I’m pulling away from you?”
“Aren’t you?” She challenged. “When was the last time we had a real conversation? When was the last time you told me what you’re actually feeling?”
Niko’s shoulders sagged slightly. “I’m trying to be strong for both of us.”
“I don’t need your strength,” she said quietly. “I need your honesty. I need to know if you resent me for not giving you a child yet.”
“God, Amelia, no.” He crossed to her, taking her hands in his despite her resistance. “I could never resent you.”
“Then why does it feel like we’re drifting further apart with each negative test?” Her voice broke on the last words, tears finally spilling over.
Niko pulled her against his chest, his arms encircling her tightly. “I’m sorry,” he murmured into her hair. “I didn’t realize… I thought I was protecting you by not showing my own disappointment.”
She clutched at his shirt, her composure finally crumbling completely. “I need to know what you’re feeling. I can’t bear the silence, the careful words. It makes me feel so alone.”
“You’re not alone,” he said fiercely. “We’re in this together. I promise you.”
But as she cried in his arms, Amelia wondered if promises were enough anymore. The weight of expectation, the pressure of producing an heir, had slowly transformed their once–blossoming love into something strained and fragile. She couldn’t help but wonder if it would eventually break them completely. Because she had believed they were building feelings for each other even though they had not said the words.
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Chapter 232
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Later that night, lying beside Niko in their massive bed, both pretending to sleep. Amelia stared at the shadowed ceiling and contemplated a truth she hardly dared acknowledge for the first time since their marriage, she was beginning to wonder if she’d made a terrible mistake.
The following week brought no respite from the constant pressure. Amelia maintained her royal schedule with the perfect poise expected of her, visiting schools, attending ribbon–cuttings, hosting diplomatie teas. She smiled for the cameras, answered gracious questions about her charitable work, and steadfastly ignored the frequent, pointed inquiries about the royal nursery’s readiness.
On Thursday afternoon, she returned from opening a women’s health clinic to find King Theodore waiting in her private sitting room. The unexpected encounter made her stomach clench with anxiety.
“Your Majesty,” she curtseyed slightly, “this is a surprise.”
Theodore rose from his seat, his expression warm but concerned. “Forgive the intrusion, my dear. I thought we might have a moment to speak privately.”
Amelia’s heart pounded. In nearly two years of marriage, her father–in–law had never sought her out like this. “Of course. Would you like some tea?”
“Thank you, no.” He gestured for her to sit. “I’ve just come from a meeting with Niko. He seemed… distracted.
She perched on the edge of the sofa, hands folded in her lap to hide their trembling. “The trade negotiations with America are complex. I’m sure they’re weighing on his mind.”
“Amelia,” Theodore’s voice softened, “you needn’t pretend with me. I’m aware of the strain you both are under.”
The kindness in his tone nearly broke her. “I’m trying my best, Your Majesty.”
“I know you are.” He sighed deeply. “I’ve come to apologize.”
Of all the things she’d expected him to say, that wasn’t one of them. “Apologize? For what?”
“For the pressure my position has placed on you both.” Theodore’s eyes, so like Niko’s, held genuine regret. “When I arranged your marriage, I believed it would bring strength to Wystovia. I still believe that. But perhaps I underestimated the personal cost.”
“I’m sorry,” Amelia whispered. Not sure what else to say.
Theodore reached out and patted her hand, his touch surprisingly gentle for a man who commanded a nation. “No need for sorrow, my dear. The point is that sometimes there are no explanations, no clear answers. But that doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you.”
17:28 Sat, Oct 4
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