The Prince's Fiancée | ✔

Chapter 4

Chapter 4 is dedicated to ArushiSingh199

Thank you for your support ❤
-----------------------------------------------------------

Ashton looked up and his eyes held a million emotions, but he carefully masked his expression and nodded. He handed Beau his computer and then led me upstairs. We walked into the room where just a few days ago, I had played chess with Jackson.

"I like you, Elizabeth. You always think of the kingdom. I just wish things were different."

If only I had known what had been going through his mind at the time. I felt bad for not realizing how sad his eyes had been. There was no way I could stay behind. I desperately wanted him to come back. He'd had to put up with so many things, especially after his soulmate died and he was forced to leave his friends.

"Let's talk here," Ashton said, closing the doors.

I walked to the sofa and sat down. "It's about yesterday."

"I had a feeling it was," he sighed.

I patted the space beside me. He was hesitant, but he sat down, still keeping his mask up.

"I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings," I mumbled.

"Why are you the one apologizing?" he frowned.

"I'm not here to point fingers about who's wrong or who's right. I just want to put this behind us."

"I already put it behind me."

"Ashton... what are we?"

He rubbed his jaw as he thought of an answer. "You're my girlfriend."

Okay, so in his mind, we hadn't broken up. Now that I'd had some time to think about it last night, I was happy that we didn't. I breathed a small sigh of relief.

"I thought you weren't going to care anymore." He sounded disappointed.

"I want to make us work. You're the first guy I've ever felt this way about."

"I don't have to be the last," he muttered. "I was hoping you would hate me."

"What?" I took in his upset expression. Did he really want me to hate him that badly?

"Does this have anything to do with me wanting to help Jackson?" I asked incredulously.

"No, but now that you're mentioning it, please reconsider. It's too dangerous for you."

"Jun said I would be fine," I protested.

"That's not a guarantee, anything can go wrong."

"I'll make sure that if anything does go wrong, you won't have to save me again. Since you obviously don't want to."

"Don't you get it? I don't want to have to save you, Elizabeth. I don't want you to be in this position again." He motioned to my cast.

"Jackson leaving was somehow my fault too. I want to help him," I said through gritted teeth.

"And then what? He comes back and everything goes back to the way it was? No, he's going to be labeled as a traitor who betrayed his kingdom. He'll be a criminal." His mask dropped and his face twisted with pain and anger.

I winced at that. "It wasn't just one thing that made him leave though. It was a lot of things that piled up until he couldn't take it anymore. Won't they take that into consideration with whatever punishment he would get?"

Ashton chuckled darkly. "Don't hold your breath waiting for their mercy. Jackson loved this kingdom more than anything. And even he's had enough. Do you want to put yourself through all of that too?" He didn't wait for my answer. "I won't let anyone else suffer. Elizabeth, I'm breaking up with you."