Madness

Lila's mind spun as she tried to process Heather's shocking words. The room around her seemed to blur, the sounds of the baby's cries fading into the background as her thoughts raced. 'Axel?' The name echoed in her mind, clashing with the reality she had always known. It didn't make sense—none of it made sense. She felt as though the ground beneath her was shifting, threatening to pull her under.

"No," Lila whispered, her voice trembling with a mix of disbelief and desperation. "That can't be true."

But Heather's expression remained unchanged, her bitter smile lingering as if she had been waiting for this moment to break Lila. There was a darkness in Heather's eyes, a cruel satisfaction that sent a chill down Lila's spine. The possibility of Axel being involved in this twisted situation was too much for Lila to bear. She shook her head, refusing to accept it.

"You're lying," Lila said, her voice growing firmer, though her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might burst from her chest. "This is some kind of sick joke."

Heather's smile only widened, though her exhaustion was evident. "Believe what you want, Lila," she murmured, her voice laced with malice. "But the truth is staring you in the face."

Lila's gaze fell back to the baby in her arms, the innocent child who had become the center of this storm. The baby's dark hair and red eyes were undeniable, traits that did not belong to Mateo or Heather. 'But Axel?' The thought made her chest tighten with a mix of fear and confusion. 'How could Axel be involved in something like this?' It went against everything she knew about him.

"No," Lila repeated, more to herself than to Heather. She clung to her disbelief like a lifeline, refusing to let go of the version of reality she had always known. Axel couldn't be the father—he wouldn't do something like this. There had to be another explanation, something she was missing.

But as she looked into Heather's eyes, Lila saw the certainty there, the cruel assurance that left no room for doubt. Heather wasn't backing down, and that terrified Lila more than anything.

Lila's grip on the baby tightened as if holding onto the child could somehow keep her anchored in this moment of confusion and denial. Her thoughts swirled, each one clashing with the next, leaving her unable to form a coherent understanding of what was happening. The world she had known was slipping through her fingers, and she was powerless to stop it.

"I… I need to think," Lila stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. She could feel her resolve crumbling, the weight of Heather's words pressing down on her until it was almost suffocating. She gave the little baby back to the doctor.

Heather simply watched her, the satisfaction in her eyes growing as Lila struggled to maintain her composure. The room felt smaller, the walls closing in, and Lila could hardly breathe. She needed to get out, to escape the suffocating atmosphere and clear her head.

Without another word, Lila turned and fled the room. The corridors of the palace felt cold and unfamiliar as she hurried away, her mind a whirlwind of fear, confusion, and denial. She couldn't believe it—she wouldn't believe it. But the seeds of doubt had been planted, and no matter how hard Lila tried to push them away, they began to take root, growing into a terrifying reality she couldn't escape.

As she finally found herself alone in a quiet chamber, Lila sank to the floor. Tears welled in her eyes as she tried to reconcile the world she thought she knew with the one that was unraveling before her. The truth, or whatever twisted version of it Heather had presented, was too much to bear.

Lila was lost, caught between denial and the harsh reality that was slowly, cruelly coming into focus.

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As Theo prepared to leave the room, his anger barely contained, Empress Lamaine stepped forward, her presence commanding and cold. She caught his arm, stopping him in his tracks. Her grip was firm, her eyes sharp as they bore into his with an intensity that made him pause.

"Theo," she said in a low, measured tone, "you will not tell Lila everything you know. Do you understand me?"

Theo's eyes narrowed, a flash of defiance crossing his face. "And why shouldn't I? She deserves to know the truth."

Empress Lamaine's expression hardened, her voice dropping to a whisper that carried an undeniable weight. "Because some truths are more dangerous than lies. If you care for Lila as much as you claim, you will keep silent. For her sake."

Theo's jaw clenched, the tension between them palpable. The unspoken threat in the empress's words hung in the air, and for a moment, it seemed as though Theo might challenge her. But then, with a sharp breath, he wrenched his arm free from her grasp.

Without another word, Theo turned and stormed out of the room, his anger simmering just below the surface. The doors slammed behind him, the echo reverberating through the hallways as he disappeared from sight.

Empress Lamaine watched him go, her gaze cold and calculating. She knew Theo was unpredictable, but she also knew how to wield power—and secrets—like a weapon. With Theo gone, she turned her attention back to the baby in Heather's arms, her demeanor shifting from steely to almost tender.

She approached Heather's bedside with slow, deliberate steps, her eyes softening as they fell upon the newborn. The baby's tiny form, with its dark hair and striking red eyes, seemed to captivate her. Gently, she reached out and took the child from Heather, cradling him with an almost reverent care.

"My precious grandson," Empress Lamaine murmured, her voice a mix of affection and possession. She rocked the baby gently, her gaze never leaving his face. There was a sense of pride in her expression, a deep, almost obsessive love that bordered on something darker.

As she held the child close, Empress Lamaine's lips curled into a small, satisfied smile. The baby's lineage was unmistakable, and she saw in him the future of the northern empire—her empire. She would protect him, mold him, and ensure that his place in the world was secured, no matter the cost.

The empress's gaze flicked back to Heather, who watched with tired, wary eyes. Lamaine's smile grew, though it didn't reach her eyes. "He will be great, just as he was meant to be," she whispered, her voice carrying a weight of expectation and control.

Heather, too weak to respond, could only nod slightly, her exhaustion overtaking her. Empress Lamaine, however, was far from finished. She had plans—plans that extended far beyond the walls of this room, and this child was at the center of them all.

As she continued to cradle the baby, Lamaine's mind whirred with thoughts of the future. The pieces were falling into place, and she would ensure that no one—not even Theo—would stand in the way of what she intended to achieve.