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"It\'s a good thing the stab is shallow."

Joaquin let out a sigh and gazed at Aries from the edge of the bed. She was sitting up on the bed with her back against the headboard, eyes on her bandaged hand.

"You overdid it," he said, waiting for her to raise her eyes to meet his. "I told you to trust me. You didn\'t have to —"

"You think it\'s all for show?" Aries inquired, halting him. "You think I stabbed myself?"

Joaquin pressed his lips and sighed quietly. "Circe."

"Joaquin, you know very well Inez is dangerous. You will not warn me about her if you don\'t think she is capable of doing this." She looked away. "I wanted us to stop. I told her I cannot continue meeting her… but she didn\'t want to. She killed Cherry just because she was jealous. If she could kill people — my people  — she will also harm you."

"I trust you, Joaquin. But just as I\'ve said in the past, I cannot afford to entrust my life to other people\'s hands." Aries looked back at him with a cold expression. "Even if it\'s you. I cannot do that."

Joaquin sighed once more while scrutinizing the resolve in her eyes. This… was the woman he married. She might wear different faces and had a soft side of her behind closed doors. The crown princess was an overall decisive person.

"I know and I understand. Forgive me if I upset you." He expressed. "You should rest, for now, Circe. It\'s best to do that to recover quickly."

"Joaquin," she called before he could help her lie down.

"Hm?"

"Do you want a child with me?" she asked, causing his brows to furrow. It was an out-of-the-blue question, and he laughed slightly when her words registered in his head.

He laughed weakly. "Of course." Joaquin held her hand, and his other hand cupped her jaw, brushing her cheek with his thumb.

"I love you. So of course, I want to have a child with you whom we will raise together." He smiled subtly as his eyes softened at the thought of having a child with his wife. "It makes me happy that you\'re asking such questions. You used to avoid it in the past."

Aries lowered her eyes. "You love me?"

"Yes." Joaquin pinched her chin and guided it up, searching for her eyes. "Don\'t you believe me?"

"You\'re my wife, my crown princess, and my empress. There is no greater honor if you also become the mother of my children," he continued and smiled subtly. "Shall we try once you recover?"

Aries remained silent but kept her eyes fixed on him. "There\'s no greater honor than becoming the mother of your children, huh?"

"Yes."

"Alright, Joaquin." She nodded and smiled subtly. "Once I recovered, we shall do it. Have a child…"

His eyes softened as warmth filled his chest. Joaquin stretched his arms and wrapped his limbs around her, pulling her in a gentle yet secure embrace.

"You made me happy, Circe," he expressed sincerely while she rested her chin on his shoulder. "You don\'t have any idea how overjoyed I am."

Aries remained silent as she gazed up. She wasn\'t smirking like usual and showing other emotions aside from bitterness. All she did was bring up a discussion about a child and it sincerely made him happy.

\'I didn\'t make you happy,\' she thought. \'You made yourself happy with the beautiful scenarios in your head. But it will be also you who will take that happiness away, not me.\'

When Joaquin pulled her away, he flashed her a gentle smile and tucked her in. He stayed for a while and made sure she was comfortable before leaving her with a promise he would return in the evening.

Aries laid flat on her back with her eyes on the ceiling for a long time. She could remember the relief in Inez\'s eyes when Joaquin struck her, and how the ninth princess reached her hand while she was dragged to the infirmary, where they would keep her temporarily. Her mind then shifted to Joaquin\'s face when she brought up having children with her.

One thing was for sure. Joaquin… truly loved Circe. Aries never saw that in his eyes in the past. The past… the more she thought about the past, she could not help but relive a particular nightmare.

<strong>*** [ flashback ] ***</strong>

Just like in the present, Aries was lying flat on the bed, eyes on the ceiling. Her eyes were blank and her expression unchanging. When she glanced to her right, her eyes landed on a charming gentleman sleeping soundlessly next to her. The light from the lamp danced on the side of his face, giving her enough light to see his defined jaw, pointy nose, and deep auburn hair.

Joaquin was charming. Whenever he was asleep beside her and she would stare at him like this, it made her search for that monster who forced himself into her. He just looked different when asleep and when he was awake.

It was unbelievable… but she experienced it firsthand. He was a man who was sheltering a monster under that beautiful facade.

\'I will kill him…\' Aries clutched the covers over her bare chest, mustering her courage to assassinate him for the umpteenth time. This had been their routine and each time, she never succeeded. But she couldn\'t stop trying to let him know she loathed him to the bones.

But just as she raised her hand, her stomach churned, and she felt dizzy. Before she knew it, she sprung up and threw up on the side of the bed, clutching the pillow as she felt sick — the type of sickness she never felt before. While she was retching, she felt movements on her back.

"What\'s going on there?" came out a coarse and irritated voice. "Hey, why are you…"

Joaquin trailed off as he checked, only to see her pale complexion while breaking out in sweats. Aries carefully clutched his arms tightly, gazing at him with shaking eyes. But before she could speak, he narrowed his eyes.

"You\'re… with a child?" he asked and her heart instantly sank with the sheer thought of it.