"It's because I did not know whether I love you or not."

Alex's words surprised Catherine for a moment.

"I have been with Riya for so long and the moment I woke up, I felt quite familiar with her."

"And slowly and steadily, the more we spend time together, the more I fall for her."

"While with you all, I always felt calm and peaceful."

"I would not lie that I was not attracted to your figure."

"You are beautiful in your way and have been embedded with great proportions throughout your body."

"I didn't fall in love with anyone at first sight and the times we have spent were also quite less for me to fall in love with all madly."

Alex's hands wrapped around Catherine's waist and he put his head on her bouncy chest.

The soft, silky and bouncy sensation that passed through his body was beyond something that he could describe.

It was paradise for a man and luckily he had been blessed with five pieces of paradise to enjoy.

Catherine tried to suppress the moan escaping from her throat and asked with a blush on her face.

"Now, how do you feel about us?"Catherine asks, hitting her lips.

Alex raised his eyes and could see the nervousness and anxiousness in her eyes and her hands seemed to be shaking as if her life depended on the next words spoken by Alex.

"We have been quite busy in recent years and hardly spend time with each other properly."

"I was not sure.."

Alex paused for a moment.

"Until..."

"I watched Riya taken away from me."

"I have been thinking about what would be my reaction if it was anyone other than Riya."

"And the answer is I would feel the same. Each of you has left a deep impression in my heart and each day I don't see you, I feel emptiness and hollow."

"I am not saying this because I miss Riya, but rather I can finally acknowledge my feelings and your existence in my life."

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"The more I accept my feelings, the more afraid I become."

"Catherine, I fear being separated from you all."

"I fear being madly in love with you."

"The more I fall for you all, the more I fear losing myself if something happens to you all."

Catherine's eyes flicked and her heart seemed to be filled with different emotions.

Their marriage did not happen by choice but rather by chance.

However, the feelings that she had for him cannot be rephrased into words.

She did not know when it appeared and started to grow.

But for her, this man had become her world without which she may not be able to live anymore.

"So, Catherine please take a peek into my eyes and listen to my heartbeat."Alex held Catherine's hands and placed them on his heart.

Alex raised his eyes filled with warmth and looked at Catherine's deep silky eyes.

Her face flushed and she took a deep heavy breath.

"Catherine, I love..."

Catherine's heart which was about to melt suddenly froze as Alex's expression darkened.

Her heart skipped a beat seeing those frightening bestial eyes with immense killing intent.

Gulp!

Catherine swallowed her saliva and asked frighteningly," Alex, what happened?"

"Did I do something wrong?"

"No!"Alex shook his head.

"The fish has reached its master and the goose has laid all its eggs."

"Since it had lost its value, it was time to kill it."

"...What are you talking about?"

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Alex suddenly felt chilling cold and only then he snapped out of his thoughts.

His head was covered in sweat as he finally remembered that he was in a very important phase of his life.

'Shit! I messed up.'

"Catherine, I...I am so...."

"Ahhhhh!"

Alex screamed in pain as Catherine bit his neck and snorted"Dummy!"

"Idiot."

She got up from Alex's lap and stomped his legs wanting to drill a hole in his toes for ruining such a precious moment.

However, at the next moment, she felt a bit depressed.

'It's my fault. I should not have raised this topic. I just wanted to comfort him but I might have hurt him by making him remember the painful memories.'

She felt that the reason Alex was pushing himself, running here and there was to stop overthinking so she decided to calm him down and if possible he would let him enjoy eating her.

However, she was not able to speak it and just let the conversation around.

"Haaa.....Sorry, I reacted too much."

Alex pretended to be hurt and muttered"It's okay."

"After I bring back Riya, I will formally propose to you all and have a grand wedding."

Catherine's eyes lit up and she gave Alex a faint smile" We will wait."

............

People's Palace, the residence of the Emperor.

The largest conference room in such a people's place where many people have gathered there to greet each other.

The number was over one hundred, and it might seem like a lot at first glance but each and everyone one of them was indispensable to the National Assembly held here.

It could be said the people present here were the ones who moved the Kinley Empire.

"Hahaha, long time no see Arnold Raizroford."

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Among them, Nathan Helis, the first heir to the Helis clan who was called the master of magic and one of the five highest powers in the Empire opened his mouth to the blunt middle-aged man sitting next to him.

Despite Helis's greeting, the middle-aged man called Arnold only nodded his head and did not respond.

The bluntness of the middle-aged man was already widespread; however, everyone knew how his daughter and grandson were thrashed around by Prince Alex so everyone was looking for a chance to rub salt in his wounds; however, none of them was courageous enough.

Nathan shrugged his shoulders and spoke, "It seems the Royal family have not yet arrived."

"Perhaps, it will be the same as the last time."He spoke with a sigh and looked at the conference hall with those words and his eyes stayed on the nine seats and the largest chair next to it.

Each seat had been reserved for each member of the Imperial family years ago, however till now only the First Prince, Second Prince and Second Princess were the only ones who had attended it.

Surprisingly even though the Fifth Prince was disowned, his seat had always been present here.

"Then, unless there are any surprises, this meeting will be the same as before."One of the nobles muttered.

"No, before there was a three-way battle but it will be four."

"Oh Yeah, I remember rumours about Prince Alex running for the Thorn."

"Sheesh! I am not talking about him."

"I am talking about Prince Shion."He spoke and glanced at Duke Raizorford.

"Hmm! Prince Alex might not be able to attend the meeting, "Simon muttered.

At that time, Nathan who was conversing happily suddenly noticed something amiss.

"!I didn't find Duke Cion."

"Where is he?"

Nathan's words roused everyone's suspicion.

Everyone knows Cion belongs to the neutral side and has always attended the meeting however he sends his faction members toward the Imperial family through shady deals and makes a lot of profits.

For a greedy person to be absent like this was quite unnatural.

It was then their murmurs stopped when a loud announcement was heard.

"First Prince Sean is entering."

A loud servant's noise echoed through the conference room causing everyone to stand up.

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