PRIVACY MATTERS

As I prepared for work, a soft sound of sniffles wafted towards the door, an unsettling melody that tugged at my heartstrings.

It was the unmistakable sound of someone crying, or perhaps struggling to suppress their tears. My brows knitted together in concern, and my heart raced with worry as I waited to discover the source. To my dismay, it was Emily.

My diary was missing, and if there was anyone capable of such a betrayal, it had to be her — after all, we were the only ones in this room.

I felt a tightening in my chest as the wooden door creaked open, revealing Emily with tear-streaked cheeks. She stepped inside, her eyes glistening with sorrow.

"What happened?" I asked, even though a sinking feeling told me I already knew the answer. The king must have done something to her; just last night, she had been soaring with happiness, even mocking me, and now she returned heavy-hearted as if the world had shifted beneath her.

Her gaze met mine, but the flood of emotions behind her eyes drowned her voice, and I raised a brow in anticipation.

"What went wrong, Emily?" I pressed, striving to keep my tone steady. The whereabouts of my missing diary would have to wait.

Suddenly, she crumbled, dropping to her knees as her head hung low in defeat. My lips parted in disbelief, and I felt my jaw drop at her unexpected surrender.

What could she possibly confess? Perhaps an admission of guilt for her misdeeds?

"I'm sorry, Hazel," she gasped, the words tumbling out between sobs. "I've done you wrong."

"What did you do?" I interjected, crossing my arms tightly, waiting for the confession I dreaded but felt compelled to hear.

Emily lifted her tear-streaked face to meet my bewildered gaze. "The person who framed you for the necklace… it was me," she admitted, her words hanging in the air like a dense fog.

Shock washed over me, washing away any lingering trust I had in her. How could she betray me so deeply? A wave of disbelief rolled through my mind. I thought we shared a bond, one forged through months within the castle's walls. How could she turn against me?

"I'm sorry..." she continued, straightening her skirt that had become dusty from the floor. "I wanted the king to be mad at you, to drive you out of the castle." Her voice quivered as she uttered the harsh truth.

"Don't you think that's a bit much, Emily? Why would you want me gone? I came here to work, to earn a living. Why would you betray me like this!?" I demanded, my voice rising in confusion. I found myself pacing the room, overwhelmed by the whirlwind of emotions crashing inside me.

"I was jealous of you," she confessed openly, her vulnerability raw. "You and the king — that you're mates."

I shook my head vehemently. "I told you he rejected me, didn't I? He has no interest in me; we're done!" My breath hitched, though I lowered my voice, mindful of the possibility that others outside our shared space might overhear.

Emily gazed into my eyes, shaking her head slowly. "I don't believe that, Hazel. He asked me about you recently. It means he's starting to feel something, and I regret saying bad things about you." Her shame was palpable, her head hanging low once more.

I shut my eyes, trying to block out the gravity of her words. "Just… get up and prepare for work, Emily. I can't deal with this right now. We'll talk after the day's tasks are done," I instructed, needing to escape the confines of the room and the weight of my thoughts. I craved the calm of the morning air to stabilize my racing heart. How could someone I thought was a friend let me down so completely? The betrayal felt ludicrous.

"Your diary," she said softly, "I took it too. I gave it to the king."

My feet froze, and disbelief gripped my insides as her words echoed in my mind. "Have you lost your mind!?" I shrieked, my heart racing as panic flooded through me, and my eyes narrowed with indignation.

"I must have gone mad, Hazel," she exclaimed, tears streaming down her face. "I never wanted to hurt you. I was obsessed with the king; I wanted him to be with me instead. I'm so sorry, Hazel. Truly, I am," she pleaded, reaching for my hand, desperation lining her voice.

As her words collided with my thoughts, I was swept back to the secrets penned in my diary. Had he read my innermost thoughts? Did he now know that I was a white-haired girl in disguise, merely seeking to work?

My intentions were pure, but the thought of his fury looming over me sent chills down my spine.

I jerked my hand away from her grasp, a storm of emotions swirling within me as I turned to flee. "Hazel!" Emily called after me, but my mind was in turmoil, and I didn't have the energy to respond. I needed to retrieve my diary immediately.

But what if he had already discovered my secrets? I was stepping deeper into danger, not away from it.

I should have been long gone from the castle, my belongings hastily packed and my heart set on freedom. But a troubling sense of betrayal gnawed at me, an unsettling realization that he, of all people, shouldn't have trespassed my privacy.

He wasn't an ignorant child; he was a king renowned for his wisdom. Instead of resorting to theft—taking my diary without permission—he could have simply approached me with any questions he had. Anger simmered within me, directed at both him and Emily.

As I sprinted through the dimly lit corridors of the castle, adrenaline surged through me, fueling each frantic step.

I brushed past the guards, shoving aside their outstretched arms meant to halt my escape, racing toward his chamber with a singular focus. My heart thundered in my chest, fear coiling around me like a tight, suffocating blanket. I leaped over the wide staircase, the marble steps echoing under my hurried movements. When I reached his door, I paused. There were no guards in sight—could it be that he had slipped away?

With a surge of determination, I flung the door open, bursting into the room, panting and breathless. My eyes widened in shock at the sight before me—he stood there, bare and unguarded.

He turned his sharp gaze toward me, his expression a tempest of anger and annoyance, an all too familiar look. But then, almost imperceptibly, a flicker of surprise danced across his features, swiftly replaced by an arrogant smirk that tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"Are you now intruding on my privacy?" he questioned, a teasing lilt in his voice, his brow arched as he nonchalantly reached for a towel, elegantly wrapping it around his waist.

"You did it first," I shot back, my voice tinged with the wildness of an unhinged woman.

But a gasp escaped me as I realized the audacity of my words. I lowered my gaze, cursing my recklessness. I was foolish to confront him like that; even though he was my mate, he was also the king.