Chapter Twenty five

"Come on child, open the door" Catherine said for the umpteenth time knocking at the door to the master bedroom.

"It's almost midday and you haven't had breakfast, this isn't good for your health Aimee" she spoke up but all her words fell on deaf ears as I still lay on the king sized bed wrapped up in the duvet. The windows shut and the curtains were let down giving the room a dark look. Grief lingered in the air snuffing out my life.

It had been this way for a week now since I had found out I couldn't bear anymore children, everyday I would lock myself up in the master bedroom opening the door to no one except the maids who came to drop my meals. Sorrow lurked through the walls of the Savedra mansion and suffocated me to death

Luca hadn't come home since he walked out on me a week ago. The first two days I was worried sick over his whereabouts, I remember asking Raffaelle numerous times if he knew where Luca had gone to but he too equally had no idea. I decided to let him be realizing he didn't come home anymore because he couldn't stand the sight of me.

There was a brief pause from the knocks on the door.. I heard whispers from the other end before the lock turned and the door was pushed open

"What's this I'm hearing of you not having breakfast yet???" Raffaelle said walking into the room holding a tray of food

"You know I've let you stay cooked up in this room for a week only because you were eating. Com'on get up let's have breakfast" he placed the tray carefully on the side table

"I don't feel hungry"

"I'm not taking no for an answer Aimee" he strictly said " it'll aid your healing process"

"What's the need of healing if I would still remain barren??? You heard Doctor Nevio, nothing can be done to help my ruptured womb" a fresh trail of tears rolled down my eyes

"You have your whole life ahead of you A, you're a strong woman and I know you can make it past this"

"maybe I'm not strong enough" I buried my head in my pillow not wanting him to see my broken soul

Raffaelle moved away from the side table and sat on the bed

"I know you're strong Aimee and I know what you're going through and how you feel but don't give in to it, don't give in to those demons" he placed a kiss to my head

Raffaelle had no idea but that simply act of placing a kiss to my head somewhat gave me a reason a smile, a sense of belonging, it was a ray of light to my darkness.

"Where's Luca???" I suddenly asked

"He- uhm he's out on an important meeting" he lied through his teeth

"More important than me?? I lost a child and he still doesn't feel even the slightest pity for me???"

"You have to understand he's doing this for you too. You both own this empire"

"empire?? What empire do you speak of??" I laughed sarcastically " the empire that stole my happiness??? I want no part in this devilish empire"

"Don't be like this, I'm sure he'll be home soon" he tried assuring me but it wasn't like I even cared

"And Monica???" I hadn't seen her since I was at the hospital, Mona still hadn't visited after my discharge as promised

"I have no idea where she wondered off to, haven't seen her in a while now"

"Please inform me if you meet her by any chance"

"Ya, definitely. Now get up and eat" he dragged the duvet off my body exposing my strawberry pink pijama.

"I need to shower first" I protested.

"You sure you'll eat immediately you're done showering??

" Ya I will, it's a promise" I forced a smile.

Raffaelle gave me a skeptical look before nodding his head, it was obvious he didn't believe me wholeheartedly but nevertheless he didn't stress on. Getting up from where he sat beside me, he made his way out of the room closing the door behind him.

Sitting up on the bed, my eyes dashed through the room and stopped at a particular picture. It was taken while Luca and I were on our vacation.

I was dressed in a lovely faux wrap dress in mint with floral prints, my hand placed on my baby bump. Luca stood behind me dressed in a black leather bomber jacket with ripped Jean. He had his hands wrapped around me, touching the baby bump also. Our both faces were decorated with genuine smiles but Luca had this glint in his eyes that showed fulfillment.

A wave of sadness suddenly washed over me and I lost whatever appetite for food Raff had pressured into me.

I was reminded I had lost my baby and my inability to conceive children. I stretched my hand and picked up the picture frame with trembling hands and so much hate in my heart. I thew it forward with such force that it hit the wall and shattered into pieces just like my whole world shattered the day I had received the news.

I wanted no part anymore in the Savedra empire, I didn't want to be anyone's queen. I didn't want their stupid crown, that cursed crown had brutally taken away all my happiness.

Maximiliano

My baby

And now my womb

These important things were snatched away from me by my crown, by my so called position of being Queen.

I sat on the bed staring at nothing in particular as my life from these past Thirteen months flashed before my eyes, every single moment flew through my eyes like I was in my death bed.

My father had me engaged to Luca Savedra in exchange for more wealth and fame

The wedding that legally tied me to this monster

the way Luca raped and beat me up every time like I wasn't human

When he brutally killed Maximiliano before my eyes

His funeral and how empty each day felt waking up to nothingness

The way he mindlessly shot that innocent waiter before my eyes

He shot at me and chased me out of his house only to bring me back and assault me

He had given his men the order to have their way with me and later shoot me to death

But then amidst these sorrow I was given a gift, my baby

Luca somehow found a way to take away my rights of being with my son

As if that wasn't enough, I Lost my son and also any other chances of bearing children.

All these memories came crashing down on me like a heavy burden

"No!" I exclaimed out loud shaking my head with tears flowing down my eyes. I refused to believe any of these were true, I refused to believe Maximiliano was really dead, I refused to believe I had lost my child in a miscarriage, I refused to believe my uterus had been damaged.

These were all lies, I kept telling myself this wasn't real, it was a dream and I was going to wake from it any moment now

~Denial

I screamed out in rage as the tears poured out my eyes. I felt bitter at myself for not fighting for my happiness, for not standing up to Luca and rejecting his crown. I hated myself for being a weakling and a cry baby, for sitting put and watching my life collapse into an abyss of emptiness.

I felt furious at my mother, for not defending her daughter when she needed to. I hated the fact that she stayed quiet and watched everything unfold without fighting for me

I hated my father for his greed, I was vexed at him for sending me to this hell hole and sealing my fate, he was the highest bidder to my suffering

But worst of all I despised Luca Savedra for everything he had put me through. He had forced everything on me and pushed my life down the wrong road.. I hated him with every fiber of my bone, right at this moment if given a knife I could plant it in his heart without any regret.

I pulled my hair furiously wailing out, my eyes stung from all my tears but I just couldn't pull myself together.

~Anger

Maybe if I had learnt to love Luca or worked towards getting his love my life would have been better.

Maybe if I left a little bit earlier that day with Maximiliano we wouldn't have gotten caught by Luca

Maybe if I hadn't provoked him on intervals there wouldn't have been any need for him to beat me up

Maybe if I hadn't betrayed him and left with the anti mafia squad my baby would have still been here with me

Maybe just maybe if I was enough for Luca he wouldn't have treated me this way

~Bargaining

I felt my mind open up and a black suffocating substance engulfed me, filling my whole body up to the brim. I welcomed the darkness with open arms as I sat there weeping and regretting everything in my life.

An image of Maximiliano's lifeless body hitting the ground flashed through my eyes yet again tormenting my soul. That was when I realized what I needed. I needed peace. The rest that only God could give.

As I stared blankly into space with tears rolling down my eyes continously, I lost the urge to fight and strive for happiness that so clearly didn't belong to me, I was right when I told Raffaelle I wasn't strong enough.

~Depression

This was the part of redemption everyone was expecting, the part where she accepts what life had thrown at her and stood her ground with strength rising like the Queen that she was, but that never happened because she would never accept the fact that she had lost everything she held dear to her.

' Forever and always'

The thought crossed the queen's mind as she sat unmoving on her bed staring at nothing in particular ahead of her.

"Forever and always Maximilano" she murmured.

Rising from the bed for the first time in a week her destination was already set, she moved as if being controlled or maybe she was.

Walking to the door, I turned the door knob and locked it shut from the inside. I then took trembling steps towards the huge floor length window which always remained closed.

For the first time since I had moved into this house, I pulled the curtains up letting daylight flood and light up the room.

My hands glazed the fine sophisticated glass for a few seconds before I opened the window peeking out taking in the view and looking down at the ground of our two story building mansion.

With the cool breeze hitting my face, a drop of fresh tears rolled down my cheek but to my surprise the tears only flowed out my right eye as my other eye remained void of any tear.

My hand came up patting my left cheek which was dry, a sad smile lit up on my face almost immediately.

"I guess I've cried out my bank of tears" I mumbled to myself.

Taking a step closer to the window, I climb onto it holding the sides for support.

I turned around giving the room a thorough look as if I was searching for something. My eyes met the shattered picture frame and I stared at it for what seemed like an eternity in only a second.

Turning back around, I closed my eyes welcoming what I was about to do. taking yet another step, out the window I went falling to pieces.

This way, I would get back the happiness my crown had stolen from me.

____________________________

The kingdom was in an uproar as guards hurried over to their Queen who's body hit the floor lifeless few minutes ago.

Murmurs and whispers filled the area as no one had the audacity to speak up whatever they had in mind.

Alfonso was given the privilege of carrying the dead Queen in his arms.

Scooping the body which had already started turning cold and heavy, he trailed behind Raffaelle who took large furious steps up the stairs and to the hallway.

Unlocking the door to the master bedroom, he walks into the deserted room looking around for nothing in particular.

He gazed at the bed in disbelief, the duvet which held onto Aimee few minutes ago was now vacant. The food at the side table remained untouched just as when he had brought it. The shattered frame caught his attention and he moved to it picking up the picture just as Alfonso walked in with the dead woman.

He carefully placed the body on the bed as if afraid to wake her up from her slumber. Sparing her one last look, he places a kiss to her forehead which was a tradition in the Savedra empire before making his way out the room.

Raffaelle put his hand into his pocket. bringing out his cellphone he dialed Luca's number while looking at the picture.

"Cos'è Raffaelle? Non può un uomo avere una pausa ??"

(What is it Raffaelle? Can't a man have a break ??) he grunted from the other end of the line

"You need to come home immediately Luca, it's important"

"Perché??"

(Why?)

"È morta, si è suicidata"

(she's dead, she killed herself)

"fucking tell me you aren't talking about Aimee!!!" he yelled pushing the naked female off his body. She yelps in surprise as he sits up from the bed

Raffaelle in return didn't reply confirming Luca's suspicions

"fuck! I'm on my way" getting off the phone, Luca hurriedly starts getting dressed

"Why in such a hurry, stay a little longer Luca" the bare blonde purred as she inched closer towards him

"Don't touch me!" he spat wickedly before quickly exiting the room leaving a rather dazed lady behind.

Raffaelle moved towards the bed where his dead Queen laying peacefully, her face was as pale as ever. The thought of Aimee being depressed or considering suicide never crossed his mind, if he had known he wouldn't have left her alone in the first place.

"why'd you let the darkness pull you in Aimee?? Suicide is never the answer" he whispered under his breath closing his eyes.

"No! It's not true, it can't be!! ' a faint breaking voice made him open his eyes

" Raffaelle it's a lie right, what the others are saying. Aimee isn't dead right!! " Monica said weakly as she caught a glimpse of Aimee's body

" Pull yourself together!" he said as she walked into his embrace "We have to be strong now, for our kingdom, for Luca"

"I didn't even get to spend time with her" she cried burying her head in his chest

"You know she asked of you earlier today" he placed a kiss to her head

"I messed up Raff I wasn't here when she needed me" she wailed

"shhh, you need to calm down Mona please"

Just then, four maids walked into the room to fix up Aimee's body in order with the traditional rights.

"I'll be outside if you need me, Luca is on his way" Raff said.. Breaking away from her, he made his way out the master bedroom closing the door behind him.

Monica sat at the chair by the side in shock as she watched the maids move up and down doing their job. While one worked on undressing Aimee from her pink pyjama, another cleaned her body with warm water and myrrh. There was a blood stain all the way from the side of her head down to her neck. From the view Mona got, it seemed Aimee's neck got broken.

Once they were done with cleaning and preparing her body, another maid brought clean cloths and the queen was dressed up in a white dress suitable for a wedding which was quite an irony seeing as on her wedding day she was dressed in black. An exact replica of the crown of thorns in the painting Luca had in his office was placed on her head.

Giving the dead queen a final look, they exited the room leaving Monica behind as the whole kingdom awaited the arrival of their king - Luca Savedra.

Bringing out her cellphone, she dialed a certain number and held the mobile to her ear

"Monica" the male spoke

"È morta" her voice quivered saying those words (she's dead)

"Questa è una fantastica notizia"

(that's fantastic news) his joy showed clearly in his tone

"Mi piacerebbe vedere Luca e il suo impero riprendersi da questo"

(I'd love to see Luca and his empire recover from this) he added

"You're a vile man Carlos Monero" anger flared through her

"I know Mona. Return home immediately your job is done" Carlos the capo to the Monero empire said before hanging up the call.

Guilt washed over Monica as she stared at Queen Aimee laying lifeless on the bed. She had never expected Aimee's motive to be suicide just as she never intended to cause this much damage when she drugged the juice that day.

Yes, an abortion was expected but she didn't know it would cost Aimee her womb.

Monica's whole aim of being sent by the Monero's was to put an end to the house of Savedra and she played her part so well not drawing any attention to herself.

She was sent to sent to eliminate Luca and whatever Son would be born to him.

Her job was completed now seeing as Aimee couldn't continue the Savedra race.

Mona was just a con in the crowns wish for Aimee, the crown which ended the dreams of its bearer. Indeed happiness did end here for Aimee.

Rising from the seat, she took slow regretful steps toward the dead woman.

"I'm so sorry Aimee. Please wherever you are I pray you forgive me mia regina" she placed a kiss to her forehead before walking towards the exit.

Turning around and giving Queen Aimee one last look, she walks out the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

She had an escape to carry out after all.