Fated Hearts: Reborn to be His Duchess

Chapter 125: Chapter 125: Stay With Me

After struggling for a bit, Elysia finally steeled herself.

"My lord, please wait here. I’ll go fetch a physician."

The moment she moved to stand, Cassiel’s hand shot out and caught her wrist.

Elysia stopped and looked down at him.

"My lord?"

His palm was rough and searing against her skin.

He didn’t answer her. Instead, his grip tightened, and with a gentle tug, he drew her towards him.

Elysia stumbled forward.

Before she could regain her footing, she landed squarely in his lap.

She froze.

Although they had shared a bed for some time, slept beside each other, and even held each other before, sitting on his lap felt far more intimate.

Instinctively, she tried to get up but Cassiel gave her no such opportunity.

One arm slipped around her waist, holding her against him with deceptive ease.

"No physician," he said, his voice strained.

Elysia’s brows drew together.

"But you just said you don’t feel well."

Cassiel looked at her, a faintly wounded expression in his eyes.

"It’s because of the aphrodisiac."

"Then a physician is even more necessary."

Her answer came without hesitation.

A memory surfaced in her mind.

"That sort of thing can harm the body. My brother was given an aphrodisiac once by a scheming maid. Fortunately, he realised what had happened in time and sent her away."

She paused, apparently trying to recall the details.

"Afterwards, my sister-in-law took care of him. But they stayed in their chambers for an entire day and night."

A trace of concern appeared in her eyes.

"When I saw my sister-in-law afterwards, she looked completely exhausted."

Cassiel gave her a long, meaningful look.

She’s far too innocent.

She clearly had no idea what Asher and his wife had actually been doing behind closed doors.

Elysia continued trying to reason with him.

"My lord, please let me go. I’ll fetch a physician, and you’ll feel better soon."

Cassiel shook his head.

"No."

"But why?"

"I don’t want a physician."

She opened her mouth to protest again, but Cassiel continued before she could speak.

"In my current state, I cannot let outsiders see me like this. Not even a physician."

Elysia lowered her voice.

"I remember there’s a royal physician... I can’t recall his name, but Bran knows which one. He treated you during your illness."

Cassiel shook his head again.

"If we summon the royal physician, the King will inevitably hear about this."

Cassiel’s expression remained calm.

"I don’t want to cause him unnecessary worry."

Elysia nodded slowly.

"I see..."

She was completely convinced.

Instead, she felt a faint warmth in her chest at the apparent depth of feeling between Cassiel and the King.

He was clearly concerned about his elder brother and didn’t want to pull him away from important state affairs.

Cassiel’s palm shifted slightly against her waist.

"Stay with me."

He rested his head against her, his warm breath brushing against her neck.

"Just stay here for a while like this. It will pass."

His heated exhale ghosted across her skin.

Elysia’s body stiffened.

She couldn’t think of a suitable reason to refuse him.

Nervousness slowly took hold.

Sitting rigidly in his lap with one hand resting tentatively against his shoulder, she had no idea what she was supposed to do.

After a moment, Cassiel spoke again.

"I thought you might suspect me."

Elysia blinked.

"Suspect you of what?"

"Of coming here to meet another woman."

Elysia’s expression relaxed slightly.

"Why would I suspect you of that?"

"You seemed rather certain."

"I was" She nodded.

"Why is that?"

"Because Bran is your man. If you really intended to meet another woman in secret, you wouldn’t have sent him away to find me. You would have kept him outside the door to stand guard."

As she explained her reasoning, her attention shifted away from their awkward position, and her body gradually relaxed.

Cassiel’s eyes held a trace of amusement.

"You really are clever."

Elysia’s lips curved faintly.

"And..."

She hesitated before continuing.

"You have someone you love, don’t you?"

Cassiel didn’t deny it.

"I do."

He lowered his eyes towards her.

"Would you like to guess who she is?"

Elysia was taken aback.

She couldn’t guess.

She had once suspected Adela, but Cassiel had denied it.

After thinking for a moment, she offered cautiously, "She must be... a good person?"

"She is."

A faint smile touched Cassiel’s lips.

"Very good."

He looked at her for a moment.

"She’s clever, too. And once, she was an excellent rider."

Elysia followed the thread of conversation, completely unaware of where it was leading.

"A rider?"

She brightened slightly.

"I like riding too. If I ever meet her, perhaps we could become friends."

"But she was injured later." Cassiel continued, his voice softer now.

"She hasn’t ridden in a long time."

Elysia’s expression immediately became sympathetic.

"How was she injured?"

"While saving someone."

"What a pity."

Her sympathy was genuine.

Perhaps because she, too, had once experienced the danger of putting herself at risk for someone else.

Yet as soon as the words left her mouth, an odd feeling stirred in her chest.

Something about Cassiel’s description felt strangely familiar.

An excellent rider.

Injured while saving someone.

For some inexplicable reason, it almost sounded as though he were describing her.

But that couldn’t be right.

Could it?

Before she could dwell on the thought, Cassiel suddenly changed the subject.

"I recall your childhood name was... Lysa?"

Elysia blinked.

"Yes."

She nodded.

"My parents and my brother called me that. The King and Queen do as well sometimes."

The name stirred old memories.

Back then, Vaelen had called her Lysa too.

When she was young, she often accompanied her grandfather to the palace.

Vaelen would always brighten at the sight of her.

"Lysa’s here."

During her grandfather’s lessons with Vaelen, she would often sit nearby and listen.

More often than not, the long lessons would lull her to sleep.

Vaelen would laugh and point it out, "Master Hartwell, Lysa has fallen asleep again."

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!