Sophie remembered she felt a slight pain in her head on that night Jan was hurt. She was also suddenly engulfed with worry. Maybe... Nicholas' own pain and distraught masked the bond he had with Jan. That's why he didn't feel it? And so he didn't try to come back here and insisted on seeing his son...
It was the only explanation.
However, what about the future? Would he feel the children's pain next time?
And... what about Luciel and Jan? Would THEY feel their father's pain?
Wouldn't killing Nicholas would inflict that pain on the boys?
Would Leland really do it to the kids?
Thinking of this made Sophie want to cry again. She caught sight of her stomach that had slowly shown her pregnancy. If this baby was born, s/he would also feel Leland's pain if Nicholas did anything to him.
Both men were at war and they were determined to hurt and kill each other.
Didn't they understand that the pain they inflicted on the other man would hurt the children too? Hurting the children would hurt Sophie by extension.
Why didn't they see this?
"Mom... why are you crying again?" Jan touched her arm worriedly. "I will get better. I promise tomorrow I will be healthy again and I'll recover 100 percent."
"Ah... no, Jan," Sophie forced a smile and rubbed the boy's hair dotingly. "I've got something in my eye. This has nothing to do with you. I am no longer worried because you are such a strong boy and all the doctors and healers already told me you will recover soon. You did well."
Jan narrowed his eyes suspiciously. This made Sophie feel guilty for lying to her son. If Jan could feel her pain and distress because of the bond they had as parent and child, denying things would make the boy confused and doubt his own feelings and intuition.
She hurriedly added, "I am a bit unwell because I am thinking of something sad. However, it's not about your health. You are an amazing boy. It's an adult's problem."
She shouldn't lie to Jan.
"Mommy..." Jan decided to hug Sophie tightly. This gesture greatly touched the woman's heart. She felt grateful to have such wonderful children. Maybe they were given to her to make up for her misfortunes.
***
A servant came and knocked on the open door. "Luna."
Sophie was moved from her reverie. She was sitting on a sofa, trying to knit something for Leland and her sons because winter was approaching. She thought she needed to keep herself busy to distract her mind from so many problems that she was facing. However, she ended up daydreaming and didn't get anything done.
"What is it?" she asked the servant.
"A woman wants to meet you. She claims to be Princess Karenina Verhoven."
Sophie furrowed her brows. She remembered that Karenina Verhoven was Nicholas' fianceé. Why did she come here and want to meet Sophie?
Sophie put down her yarns and knitting sticks, then walked out of her room. "Where is she?"
"She is still outside the gate."
"Did she come with anyone?"
"She came with a carriage. There was a coachman and two servants, but no one else."
Sophie didn't understand what that woman wanted. As a princess, surely Karenina should have come with more protocol and royal officers to accompany her, but again... what for? Why did she come here in the first place?
When Sophie arrived at the gate, she was a little surprised to come face to face with Karenina.
"Yes?" she looked at the uninvited guest and asked her flatly. Sophie tried to be polite because Karenina was a princess, even though she despised that woman.
"Sophia..." So unexpected, Karenina immediately knelt down and hugged Sophie's legs while sobbing. In order to prevent Sophie and Nicholas from getting back together, Karenina would do anything including dropping her pride to the lowest possible place.
She was determined, if she couldn't have Nicholas, then no one could.
"What are you doing?" The surprised Sophie immediately let go of her legs from Karenina's arms and helped the girl up.
"What are you doing?" Sophie asked again when Karenina had stood up.
"Tell me what should I do?" Karenina croaked, tears streaming down hard to her cheeks. She looked at Sophie pleadingly. "I've been patiently waiting for the king to marry me for five years. We were about to get married in the near future, but because of you the king canceled the wedding."
The girl's tears flowed profusely and she continued to sob. Sophie was surprised at what Karenina had just said.
"Sophia." Karenina wiped the tears off her cheeks roughly before she added, "Please help me as a fellow woman, get out of here, stay away from the king and never come back into his life. I am pregnant with his child but he didn't want to acknowledge this baby because he wants to still gain your favor."
"Wh-what did you say?" Sophie's heart thundered when she heard Karenina's plea.
"I am pregnant with the king's child. We did the deed because it was only a matter of time before we are wedded. However, when you suddenly appeared, everything turned into a mess," Karenina bit her lip so hard, it started bleeding. Sophie winced when she saw it.
Her body suddenly trembled. She understood if Nicholas and Karenina had consummated their relationship because they had been engaged for such a long time, and like Karenina just said, they were about to become husband and wife.
Sophie couldn't blame Nicholas if he slept with another woman, especially his fiancee. He didn't remember her. In his mind, he was a bachelor who didn't have a wife and children.
But why did this knowledge feel so painful?
"I have checked with many doctors. I am now ten weeks in, with his child. We were supposed to get married and have a wonderful life together..." Karenina cried pitifully. "However, you just have to come at the wrong time and ruin my life. Why can't you go back to where you were? We were so happy before you reappeared in his life."
"I-I don't understand what you are talking about..." Sophie tried to deny there was any relationship between Nicholas and her. She didn't want to give any information to Karenina. "Please leave. You are talking nonsense."
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