Selene's body tensed like a violin string, her heartbeat fiercely within her chest as if it were about to burst out of her body. It was the strangest sensation she had ever experienced, an unease she couldn't explain as she felt her heart pounding like drums.Why was she so unlucky? Why did Frederick have to arrive at that very moment? Destiny seemed conspiring against her, that had to be it. There was no other explanation. The universe hated her so much that it left her in the middle of that terrible situation.Selene tried to remove her hands from Henry's waist, however, he wouldn't let her go. This action caused Frederick's blood to boil inside him and freeze within Selene."Let go of my fiancée, Henry, and get out of here," he ordered coldly, without even looking at Selene.Frederick feared that by doing so, he wouldn't be able to contain himself, especially when he saw Henry's face; he was silently challenging him, provoking and fueling the enmity that had existed between them fo

"Lady Selene. Open immediately," Frederick's voice demanded. Selene's body tensed like the string of a violin upon hearing his demand, her eyes widened with surprise and fear that pierced through her body. She was aware that if the king found Henry in her room, she could be accused of infidelity. She could be cast aside as a promised bride, and not that it would be a bad thing, it would actually be great! However, she was risking being condemned for the crime of..."Lady Selene," Frederick called again, this time accompanied by several knocks on the door.Selene snapped out of her daze and looked at Henry, the window, and the bathroom. "Neither of those is an option, Selene. I am not going to hide," he whispered."You have no choice if you love me as you say. Make this sacrifice for me, I will lead the king away from my room. Leave without being seen by anyone, Henry, please," she pleaded, pushing the man into the bathroom and closing the door.Trusting that Henry would not betray her

Frederick, for a moment, remained motionless, trying to process what was happening, until the heat and anxiety of Regina led him to reciprocate that kiss. For a few seconds, the king lost track of where he was and let himself be carried away by temptation, he was surrendered, until the memory of the kiss with Selene crossed his mind again, causing him to push Lady Regina away with a more abrupt movement than he would have desired. The woman complained at being rejected, her ego had been hurt, but she restrained herself from showing her dissatisfaction, as that would only work against her. "Lady Regina..." Frederick whispered, unable to look at her for a few seconds. "Forgive me, that shouldn't have happened, it was disrespectful of me," he excused himself, even if she had started it, he reciprocated and if they hadn't stopped, they would likely have continued kissing, and that was not the appropriate behavior for a man with a woman who is not his fiancée or wife, especially when they

Reality struck Frederick in an instant, leaving him stunned by his own actions as he pulled away from Selene, as if his very body were aflame. The king's gaze remained fixated on Selene's swollen, reddened lips. He swallowed heavily, and if it weren't for the faint knocks on the door, he might have stayed there all night, watching her sleep. The king exited the room after hearing one of the guards' calls, who had approached to inform him that the inn had been checked and secured. Frederick felt his cheeks flush in embarrassment, fearing discovery of his indiscretion. "She's my betrothed," he reminded himself mentally, trying to calm down and feel less ashamed of his actions. He hurriedly made his way to his own room, paying no heed to its small size. Meanwhile, Selene lay still on the bed, her fingers caressing her lips. What had happened? What had led her to remain motionless, prolonging Frederick's kiss? The truth was, she didn't know, and no matter how hard she tried to find a log

Frederick stormed into his chamber as if chased by demons. His heart pounded erratically within his chest, even to the point of discomfort. He had to recline on his bed and await the calming of his breath, along with the wild beats of his heart. "What the devil is happening with Selene?" He pondered to himself. How was it that she could drive him to act irrationally and less than gentlemanly? He was the king; he had to maintain composure, and he was in love with Lady Regina. How could he forget those feelings? How was it possible for Selene to hold such power over him? He shook his head vigorously to dispel those thoughts. Placing a hand over his chest, he closed his eyes. It was a mistake, for doing so only drew him into recent events, and the discomfort within his trousers made him feel even worse about Selene and Lady Regina. He prided himself on always having control. Now was the moment to exert that self-control and behave as was proper. However, saying it was one thing; doing