New start

In the study room, their conversations were still going. They both were unaware that a third person had overheard their conversation.

Her Highness noticed the look of guilt on Leo's face. She got up from her chair and walked over to him. She put a comforting hand on his shoulder, "Leo, I know you are feeling guilty And I also know that you wanted to save Damien but no one can change the destiny!! Many months have passed you need to forgive yourself now."

Without saying anything Leo got up to go, but he looked at the SD card that was still in his hand, he wanted to give it back to Her highness. Leo turned to return the SD card to Her Highness. But before he could return Her Highness said,

"Keep it to yourself, what will I do with this," she smiled and asked, "by the way did you ever find out how Becca came to know where you and Damien were?"

"Yes, I asked her once, Becca said that an anonymous caller tipped her off," Leo replied.

"You know that's a lie! Right!"

"Hmm, I know." Leo bows in front of Her highness and left the study room.

---

After leaving Her Highness's study room Leo went downstairs to look for Andrea. He didn't see anyone there in the hall, he was about to text Andrea but he heard a female voice from his behind.

"Looking for Andrea?" Amelia asked.

Leo turned around and look at Amelia, "hmm..."

"She was also looking for you but I think you and Her Highness were busy that's why she went to her room," Amelia gave a pat on Leo's shoulder "go she might be waiting for you".

Leo quickly rushed towards Andrea's room. When he opened the door of Andrea's room, he saw she was lost in thought and had a blank expression on her face. By looking at her face he knew something was wrong.

Andrea was still in a shocking state. She didn't know what to do. She was unaware of Leo's presence and watching her affectionately at the sad at the same time seeing her blank, lifeless face of her which was used to be vibrant.

"Andrea" Leo called out her name to get her attention, but Andrea was so lost she didn't give him any response in actual she didn't hear him at all.

"Andrea, what happened?" Leo asked after getting no response when he called out to her.

Andrea snapped back to reality, she said in a very low voice, "Leo, take me home, I have a headache."

Leo nodded and both left.

---

When they were driving home Andrea felt that today she had lost everything. She looked at Leo who was driving and thought to herself, 'why Leo...why..why you didn't tell me the truth?' She was having so many questions in her mind but she didn't have the strength to ask Leo. She felt guilty for treating Leo badly for so many months.

The whole drive both remained silent. When they reached the Smith Manor, Leo get off the car and waited for Andrea to come out but Andrea was still in the car. She was so lost that she didn't know when they reached home.

Leo walked to the other side and opened the gate for Andrea. "Andrea, Is something bothering you?" Leo asked after opening the gate.

Andrea snapped out from her thoughts and said, "we reached home already?"

"Uh-huh, what happened? Do you want to share it with me? Leo asked again but Andrea didn't reply. He looked at her upset face and said, "let's go inside."

"You go, I'll come after some time," after saying that Andrea gets off the car.

Leo didn't say anything and went straight to his room to change.

Andrea walked towards the garden and started crying, an endless stream of tears made their way through her cheeks.

Suddenly the sky turned dark as slate and it started raining, the rain was blowing straight into her face. Andrea did not seem to care as she walked through that rain. The truth she heard in the Royal Manor echoed in her mind and blasted every neuron of her brain, she grasped her head tightly and sat on the bench which was in the garden. She seemed to have no strength to walk as she felt weak, her tears mingling with the rain. She sat there trying to regain enough power in the rain to walk and go in inside the Manor but she could not.

Leo took a shower and changed his clothes. He heard the sound of rain outside and reached to the window to enjoy its freshness as he always liked watching rain rather than getting drenched in it. He looked through the window, the lush green lawn outside with a fountain at its center presented a scenic view.

He smiled at it peacefully as he was watching rain but then something caught his attention, what is it he thought as he tried to look more carefully through the heavy rain, the very knowledge of it sent a shiver down his spine, he shoved off towel aimlessly which landed on the ground beside the bed but he didn't bother to care about it and rushed out to the garden. It was already an hour since they had reached home and he was surprised to see Andrea was still in the garden.

Leo runs towards the garden and found Andrea laying unconscious on the table. He quickly carried her in his room and called the servants.

Two servants rushed to his room. Leo told the male servant to call the doctor and maid to change Andrea's dress as her body shivered due to her cold and wet clothes. The maid changed Andrea's clothes and left Leo's room. Then the doctor arrived, he started examining Andrea.

"What happened to Andrea doctor?" Leo asked.

After examining Andrea the doctor told Leo, "princess had fainted due to staying in rain for an hour, I gave the injections, she will be fine till morning, I advise you to keep her warm as possible." After saying that doctor left the Smith Manor.

Leo did his best to keep the room warm and it seemed to work as well, but not for long as he saw her body shivering again. Leo sat beside Andrea and rubbed her hands and feet but it all seemed in vain, instead, her hands clasped his hands strongly her body curled in a circle, trying to absorb every inch of warmth it could get from his proximity. Andrea's condition was pitiable enough to melt even the hardest rock. Her shivering did not seem to stop and her body too was getting colder. Leo moved nearer to Andrea letting her body to have his as its sole comfort, his warmth eased her and she slowly curled around him like a creeper to a tree.

Leo felt a deep sense of satisfaction, as he felt every inch of her body rejuvenating from his warmth. He kissed her forehead and slowly moved the strands of her hairs to see the beautiful face of his princess in slumber as she had rested her head on his chest, her body now normal and at peace with his.

The next morning, the sun seemed to be in a hurry as it came out its fullest through the windowpane, making Andrea shrink her eyelids. Andrea rose up all surprised to find herself in her nightclothes with Leo laying on her side, with his hands around her waist. She pushed aside Leo 's hand and rose up from the bed, her memory seemed clouded as she remembered nothing except that she fainted by the bench.

Leo woke up and was relieved to see Andrea has woken up. "Are You fine now" he inquired. Andrea looked at him confused she didn't say a word and left Leo's room

---

The next few days went by quickly. Andrea was still trying to come to terms with the latest revelation. She couldn't believe how wrong she was about Damien. She constantly recalled all the times she spent with him. Was it all a lie, she knew that she had to move on, but she couldn't figure out her next step.

Leo was very worried about Andrea. She had become really quiet in the last few days. Her taunt on him had come to a full stop, no that he was complaining. She had even lost her appetite. He wondered if she was falling into some kind of depression.

Whenever Leo tried to talk to her, she would just stare at him and not say a word. Whenever he suggested she should look for a doctor or maybe a psychiatrist, she'd say in low voice 'Leo, I'm not ill.'

---

Andrea was in her room, after a lot of pondering, she eventually came to a decision, she's going to let go of the past. She trusted Damien so much but lied to her about loving her. She just wanted to erase her past; the only way to do that was to focus on her present. She had to accept that her present and future involved the man she had once vowed to hate forever; Leo.

No more, she decided, Things are going to change for the better. 'I will make sure of it!!' she promised to herself. "Leo is sweet and kind, and he is my husband!!" she announced as she saw the bracelet box on the drawer which Leo had gifted her on their quarter anniversary.

Andrea had never accepted her marriage- so there was no point in wearing the gift she received from Leo. But now she wanted to make a fresh start, she took out the bracelet from the box and wear it.

The Andrea that was lost for so many months was beginning to resurface and she was genuinely happy about it.

That day Andrea couldn't wait for Leo to come home. She needed to apologize to him and then she will tell him that she knows the truth. She will tell him that she has accepted him as her husband and wanted to start a new henceforth, she'll give him the respect a husband which he deserved from the start. However, even now it seems, that Andrea was trying to suppress the feelings she had developed for him a long time ago just because she thought that Leo was behind Damien's death.

Andrea was getting anxious as the time for Leo's arrival came near. She felt as if something was wrong somewhere.