CIATB Chapter 645: NOTHING WOULD EVER FEEL COMPLETE
Chapter 645: NOTHING WOULD EVER FEEL COMPLETE
She picked up her cup and took a sip. Her eyes followed the prince as he lifted the cup to his lips. Normally, she wouldn't give much thought to how someone drank their tea, but something about the way he did it caught her attention. His brow creased ever so slightly, and his fingers trembled as they clutched the delicate porcelain, as if he were about to sip something far deadlier than mere tea.
Like poison or something.
Wait— poison?
A ridiculous, yet amusing thought suddenly crossed her mind. If she was wrong, no harm done. But if she was right, she might just have the chance to make this arrogant prince more uncomfortable than he'd ever been in his life. And wouldn't that be worthwhile? That's a small price to pay for daring to covet her son.
"Is it the tea to your liking, Your Highness?" she asked in a gentle voice.
"...Yes."
Frankly, Wulfric couldn't taste a thing. He wasn't even sure if he had actually sipped the tea or merely pretended to. The irrationality of his own anxiety left him bewildered—why was he so on edge over the thought that Aster's mother might have poisoned his drink?
If he were an ordinary person, it would make sense. But he wasn't. He was one of only two royals left in the Empire. Assassination attempts, including poisoned food, had been a part of his life since childhood. So why would the thought of a poisoned cup of tea unsettle him now?
He could think of only one reason: her identity. And it wasn't about her being a Grimaldi—it was because she was Aster's mother.
Poisoning his drink was no different from trying to kill him. On the battlefield, two opposing forces trying to take each other's lives was understandable, even expected. But here, in a peaceful garden, sipping tea? Such an act was nothing short of an assassination attempt on a prince—a crime punishable by death.
"Your Highness, you've likely realized by now that I've added something to your tea. It's tasteless and odorless, so I doubt you noticed. It will take effect in about ten minutes. In that time, I suggest you convince me that you're worthy of my son. If you fail to do so, well, I'm afraid you'll have to endure some discomfort.
Don't worry, it won't kill you—you'll just experience pain beyond anything you've imagined. Surely, Your Highness doesn't mind that, right?"
She delivered her words with a gentle smile, her tone light and almost casual, as if she were discussing something as mundane as the weather. Yet, beneath that warm exterior, there was an unmistakable edge, a quiet warning woven into every word. Her eyes gleamed with a steady assurance, making it clear that, despite the playful delivery, the threat was very real.
Wulfric put down the cup. He had meticulously prepared a long speech in his mind, yet in the moment, not a single word came to him. Instead, he found himself speaking not from memory, but from the heart.
He took a breath, his voice steady but filled with emotion. "I know I've made mistakes, and I know I'm not perfect, but I love Aster more than I can put into words. He's changed me in ways I didn't even realize were possible. I've never cared about being better, never felt the need to change for anyone. But with him, it's different."
He glanced down briefly, then looked back at Aster's mother. "Aster makes me want to be better, but only for him. When I'm around him, I'm not the same person. I'm not that entitled, reckless person who does what he pleases without thinking. Around him, I want to be someone who listens, who respects his boundaries, who sees the world the way he does.
I'm trying, not because I have to, but because I want to. Because he deserves that from me."
His voice softened, a hint of vulnerability creeping in. "I know I didn't deserve him in the past, and maybe I still don't, but I'm working to be better. He makes me see my flaws, but he also makes me want to fix them. Not for anyone else—just for him. When I'm with Aster, I feel like I can be someone better, someone worthy of him. It's like he opens up a side of me that I didn't even know existed.
If it's me in the past, I would have hated this. But surprisingly, I don't. All because it was Aster who brought this change."
He leaned forward slightly, his expression earnest. "I love him, more than I've ever loved anyone. I'll do whatever it takes to prove that, even if I have to keep showing it every day for the rest of my life. Aster is like the missing piece of my heart, the one that makes everything feel whole. Without him, nothing would ever feel complete."