"STOP DOING THAT"

"Doing what?" He stuffed his chest as he walked through the field and the tents with her.

"Doing that victorious smile as if you had won a race." Bellatrix rolled her eyes.

"Well, but I didn win, didn't I?" Anthony Bridgertom smirked as he continuously showed off his fiancé.

It was a scorching day, and people were taking boats, promenading and joining events. It was the first time that Bellatrix was seen with Anthony Bridgerton in public since their engagement news. People were excited to see them, take a peak or just bump into the astonishing couple. Whenever they passed by there would be rumous, gasps and smiles of admiration.

Bella rolled her eyes at the attention, her mind was rather conflicted over Benedict to even think about those people. But Anthony, he lived for it. He liked to be watched since he was a bachelor, but being able to pull off a princess just as gorgeous, outstanding, smart and elegant as her, he felt like the fucking winner of the season, of all seasons.

The Bridgerton family was also preseng all scattered around the field, that included Benedict, who watched intently as Bellatrix passed by.

"Brother" Anthony nodded to him as as they passed by, and the artist did the same.

Her glance met Benedict's for an instant before she passed by him, her pinky finger lifting up as he did the same, almost touching, igniting the suffering flames that consumed them both.

Cleared her throat, trying to ignore the hidden feelings stuck in her chest, persisting to prolongue that pain as Anthony helped her get into the boat, so everybody could acknowledge them as the perfect recently engaged couple.

"Do we really need to do this?" Bella scoffed as she watched the other people taking a stroll by the tents.

She watched as Anthony grabbed both paddles and with no effort began to conduce the boat off the shore into the lake. His muscles hidden beneath the well built suit, buy tight enough to notice their shape and strentgh. The thought made her swallow dry, unaware of her botherness.

"Although we are forced to marry, we need to convince them we are in fact in love, your highness." He says with great satisfaction as he noticed her blank stare at his arms and wide shoulders. "Besides, what is the problem about having a day by the lake? The sky is very much clear and pleasing." He gave that crooked smile that always maneged to get into her nerves.

She rolls her eyes with annoyance, trying not to let the fresh breeze of the perfect day alter her mood. She did not dare look at the shores, or the people by the tents, where Benedict was. His eyes were stuck to her image, burning, glued, and even more when he noticed his brother's smile to the princess.

Suddenly the viscount thre a paddle to her. "What?!" She reacted angry. "What is this?!"

"Are you going to help me or what?" He raised an eyebrow in teasing.

"Are you really asking a member of royalty to row a boat?" Bellatrix reacted in shock.

"I am asking my fiancé to simply help me." He smirked. "Or are you too weak to move some paddles?"

She clenched her jaw. "I can perfectly lift a paddle. But do not expect me to become a maid once we marry."

"I never dreamed of it." He shook his head. "The quite opposite, I shall treat you as you deserve, and expect only to share many moments with you." He chuckled. "Such a this." He then rowed the boat fastly making the boat tilt and spin.

"Hey!" She laughed. "You're going to make us fall!"

Ypu better move those arms then, princess!" He mocked.

Bellatrix couldn't help but laugh at his challenge, rowing at the same time making the boat change directions uncontrollably in an edless competition. She liked that, those moments of equal teasing and non caring about anything else in the world.

In those moments she could see Anthony as who he was, that vexing little boy who used to get stuck insid eher thoughts and shake her world. The same man who would soon become her husband and turned to be such great company.

Oh she hated him. Hated him to be so conceited and full of himself, to push her to her limits, to always be so unpredicatble. But also caught herself admiring slowly those flaws, managing to always make her smile back to those sparkling chestnut brown eyes.

"What are they doing?" Colin chuckled as he watched the two at the lake, the boat stuck since each of them leaded it to a different direction.

"Did you see your brother's smile?" Violet said sweetly as sh ewatched her son challenge Bellatrix and menacing to throw water at her. "I haven't seen such a smile from him for so long..."

Benedict instead took a sip of his lemonade and avoided speaking. His semblant never seemed so serious, and Eloise notoced that. The mouth a straight line, the eyes as warm as fire. She hoped he had solved the situation, but little did she know that it only got worse, and would continue on.

Anthony finally managed to drag the boat back to the shore, and without any warning sign, he noticed his brother approach them.

"Oh, hello, brother, how may I help you?" Anthony said, still with a silly smile on his face as he got off the boat.

Benedict's eyes traveled immediatly to the princess, who turned serious and quiet at his presence, attempting her best to hide their situashionship to the ton's eyes.

"That knot will never hold." He said wuthout looking away from her.

"And what could you possibly know about knots, Benedict?" Anthonys scoffed ss be tried to knot the boat to the shore.

"I did join you and father in many endeavours at the lake in Aubrey Hall." He insisted.

"You used to get in the boat, eat an apple and sketch the waters. You never touched the rope once." Anthony chuckled as he finished.

Benedict in the meantime, unbothered by his brother's answer, stood out her hand to help Bella get out of the lake.

"Your highness." He muttered with an undertone only they knew.

The air entered her lungs in a tormenting process as she thought about his proposal. The touch of his hand was just as addicting as the touch of his lips, and just thst thought made her face heat up. That solemn moment gave enough time for Anthony to also step forwars and stood out jis hand.

"Do not bother, I can help her." He told his brother and turned to the princess with a smile. "Come with me." He said.

That had to have stepped out of her nightmares. Two hands out for her and she needed to get out of that damn boat.

"I can get out by myself." She insisted.

"You could trip on your dress." Benedict replied reasonably. "You're also wearing heels."

She exchanged glances and subliminal angry messages with the artist. Then turned to the viscount, who remaines at the same position.

"Oh, please, don't be stubborn." He had that cynical tone. "We know you need a hand."

That was enough. She grabbed the edges of the wodden boat, and managed to get balance, glancing at the shore and measuring the distance to stretch her leg to.

"Princess-"

With no notice she lifted the edge of the dress and stretched her leg to the shore, managing to fastly jump to the land, making the boat shake a bit but remain her dry and just fine.

"Your highness, that was so imprudent you could've-"

"Watch out!" She pointed to the vehicle starting to escape.

Before Anthony could advert her, the boat's knot started to become loose and untie itself. Anthony quuckly tried to hold it, and Benedict, in the same united anxiety, went for it at the dame time.

"Wait!-" both of them collapsed against each other, losing balance and falling on the lake, splashing water around, including at the princess herself.

"Your highness!" Yvette ran to her, quickly wrapping a fabric arounf the princess to cover her.

Bellatrix's hair was wet, the dress tight as she watched the two brothers emerge from the waters even in a worse state than her. The white shirts had become see through, the ties tigter, both breathless and irritated to the sudden fall.

Bella could not even care about her dress at that moment, her mouth only had that small gap as she watched with amusement the two get out from the water showing off their bodies dripping by the sunlight.

"God bless the Bridgertons' genetics" she muttered under her breath as a slight smile of smugness formed on her lips.

"Your highness!" Yvette blushed. "It is inappropriate to stare."

Bella didnnot even listen to her, she only smirked, crossing glances with the viscount, whose eyes traveled down her dress in a short moment, a split moment of lust in their shared stare.

"Come, we must get you cleaned off." Yvette hushed her, embracing the princess and guiding her to the carriage.

Bella looked back at Benedict, who gave a tired longing sigh from distance.

No one would ever know what passed through that troubling princess' mind.

...

"I wonder if he is as hot as the rumors say"

"Careful, sister, he might fall in love with me instead"

"No one would fall for a nitwit as you, Augusta." Sophia mocked as she helped Mary with her corset.

Bella rolled her eyes as Yvette brushed her hair, her image at the mirror was flawless as always, the jewels that adorned her neck glew matching with the dark violet dress prepared for her. One could mistake her beauty and grace for peacefulness, when in fact, a storm raged in her consciouness.

That evening, Anthony Bridgerton and his mother, Violet Bridgerton, were invited to join the royal family at the palace of Buckingham for dinner, where the viscount would be properly introduced as the princess soon to be husband.

But few would know the weight Bella varried on her shoulders, or the troubled feelings she felt that conflicted her mind between duty and passion. Her own father would be present at the occasion, and that made her hold her breath. What if he didn't approve Anthony? Or worse, what if he noticed that Bella wasn't in fact in love with the viscount?

She only wished not to displease him, she'd hate to cause him any sort of sadness and distress.

"If I only I knew mama would make Trixie marry a man like the viscount, I'd have voluteered myself to be in her place." Sophia said with great humor, as she took a portrait of the viscount in her hands. "Look at that jawline!"

"As if he would ever agree to marry you." Elizabeth, the only married one with no children, rolled her eyes. "None of you moved a finger when mama ordered you to marry, and now you wish to take our sister's fiancé." She grabbed the portrait out of Sophia's hand by force. "Know your place."

Sophia hissed at her sister like a cat, meanwhile Augusta wandered through her youngest sibling's room. "As far as handsome as he is, I am not interested in marrying at all. Once Trixie does, she'll lose all her freedom, imagine that!" She exclaimed horrified as she explored a shelf. "Oh, I could never."

"He won't control me." Bellatrix commemted as she looked at her own reflection on the mirror. "We have an agreement, we have mutual respect."

Elizabeth scoffed. "All of them say that, just wait until the nuptials..."

"Oh, how beautiful is that?" Augusta exclaimed as she held a yellow page on her hands. "Is this a star?" She asked as Bellatrix heartbeta instantly stopped inside her chest.

The princess got up abruptely, running over the other side of the room and taking the paper from Augusta's hands in a possessive and scared gesture. Her hands' trembled as she looked at Benedict's sketch, the only proof of the dreamy reality she lived in the shadows.

"Woah, calm down, sister." Augusta said bothered. "I won't steal it."

Bella felt speechless for a moment, as all the other sisters looked at her in surprise. "I..."She mumbled trying to recover her composure. "Don't touch my belongings." Was her only answer before she put the sketch in a drawer and locked it with a key.

Elizabeth glanced at her youngest sister with the corner of her eye. The others continued careless about the matter, but something about Bella's behaviour made her slightly suspicious of it all.

Before anyone could express their thoughts, there was a light knock om the door, then a pause, followed by three fast knocks.

"Papa!" All of the princesses exclaimed as they promptly opened the door, revealing the smilong figure of the white haired man they loved.

"Hellp my dearests" George said with a kind tone as Reynolds stood behind him as a loyal shadow. "Oh you all look just splendid!" He complimented as they all dragged him inside in an excited mannerism. "Okay, calm down, calm down." He chuckled. "Where is the main lady of the evening?"

Bella stepped forward as she gave her father a small but scared smile, feeling the weight of the duty over her shoulders to finally realize he was there to meet her future husband.

George carefully held her hands as if them were more precious than his whole kingdom. "My little star" he smiled sweetly, as tears came over his eyes.

Bella quickly hugged him, feeling the warm of his touch and caring. She knew he wasn't the easiest to take the news, she could imagine the hard time her mother must've had to tell him that his youngest daughter would marry, but still, he was there, doing his very best to support her.

And that was enough.

"Now, let's not get so emotional." He chuckled and wiped away a tear wuth his hand. "I wish to know everything about this mate. Your mother could only babble about his properties and title." George explained. "I wish to know him as a person, as a man, and most importantly: as the one who'll make you happy."

She took in a deep breath as he mentioned her happiness. What was happiness anyway? Her life was only attached it to her duties, so far she has never thought of it any other way. And when she looked into those kind eyes and wrinkled skin that resembled home, she could only mutter a lie "He is the one for me, father." Bellatrix smiled. "And you shall meet him tonight and agree with me."

"I'll trust whatever you choose, Bella." He caressed her cheek, but couldn't help but motice the slight nervousness in her eyes. "As long as you are sure about your choice..." Reynolds suddenly whispered at George's ear and stepped back once he finished. "Looks like our guests have arrived." Bella' became rigid by those words, while her father offered his arm to her. "Shall we meet them, dear?"

The girl only nodded, swallowing dry and keeping a poker face expression to keep her family pleased. Whatever would be of that dinner, she needed to maintain attached to the crown, to the kingdom...and away from her heart.

...

"I've heard you have many prospects, Lord Bridgerton." Ernest, who should always keep his mouth shit at any occasion, attempted to start a conversation with Anthony.

Anthony nodded politely, by his side, he was stuck to obnoxious Edward, and at his left, Adolphus, who seemed to lack a brain at most times.

The dining room was delightful, fully decorated in golden and velvet, the table large enough to receive all the queen's offspring and a few guests, making them quite distant from one another depending on the location.

"Indeed, the administration of our properties have increased over the past 2 years-"

"Not just the properties, 'innit'?" Enernest laughed loudly as his brother joined him "I believe I've seen you many times over at White's, got quite a reputation." He smirked in an undertone, turning the atmosphere much more awkward and uncomfortable.

Anthony looked over at Bella across the dining table, clenching his jaw at the comments who only made him look worse to her family's eyes.

"I do know many bussinessmen there." He tried to fix the situation.

"Not just bussinessmen, I remember that woman...that singer, what was her name?" Ernest continued, as the viscount suddenly realized the damned name he would mention, it made him freeze, as if the poison of that name and that old feeling intoxicated him again. "Sien-"

"Why are you in my seat?" Bella suddenly interrupted him before he could babble nonsense.

The table turned silent for a koment as Ernest tried to clean up his throat "I was only-"

"Your sister is right." George supported his daughter. "Ernest, please switch seats with Bella, she should be by her betrothed's side."

The son audibly groaned a she got up from his seat and Bella did the same, and when both of them passed side by side, he only whispered in her ear "dad's favorite as always, aren't you, Trixie?" She turned to respond but he simply ignored, pullibg hus seat with noise and sitting on it.

Bella took in a deep breath and held her chin up high as he met Anthony's surprisingly comforting gaze as she sat by his side.

"Thank you." He whispered on her ear.

"I didn't do this for you, it was only for my ears' safety, I hate to hear Ernest talking." She mocked but gave a tiny smile to the viscount.

The dinner developed itself with the same protocols and ettiquete, Lady Bridgerton talked with the queen, and Bella often talked with her father about stars in general. Anthony found that small exchange quite sweet, and he liked to see that soft alternate version of his fiancé by his side.

"Do you have any single sons, Lady Bridgerton?"

"Augusta!" Charlotte called her out.

Violet chuckled. "Indeed, I do." She smiled politely. "You see, my second oldest son, Benedict-"

Bella audibly choked on her wine as she mentioned his name. She landed a hand on her chest not to choke to death as she tried to take air into her lungs.

"Are you alright?" Anthony asked worried, almost daring to touch her.

She waved her hand in mention that she was fine, shaking her head and clearing her throat in a repeated process over and over, until she was finally better. "My apologies, I was careless for a moment."

"Trixie's always been like that." Edward mocked. "Remember when she fell off her horse when she was 7 and landed on mother's favorite daisies?"

Charlotte laughed with nostalgia, and Anthony couldn't help but picture a small Bellatrix coming back home fully covered in grass petals and mud.

"There was also that time where she took a weapon from an armor and ran around the palave holding it." Elizabeth remembered.

"She is already scary, but with that weapon she managed to become worse." Adolphus laughed and the others joined.

"And she'd often help me steal cookies from the kitchen, still does." Augusta this time revealed ad she winked and the tw9 sister chuckled at each other.

"So you were a little troublemaker, huh?" Anthony looked at his fiancé with a tender smile that made her melt inside. "It hasn't changed much, I suppose."

"Why, my lord? Are you backing away from your decision now?" She teased as her dark eyes twinkled against his, brrighter tham the candlelights in the room.

"Never" He answered in a grin full of certainty, and that gesture felt like butterflies didn't fly but devour her stomach.

"But of course, Bella never managed to get into trouble." Ernesg suddenly cut the warm atmosphere, making all the eyes in the room turn to him. "She has always been the little jewel of the royal crown." She said lifting up his glass and taking a huge sip from it. He seemed already drunk by now.

"We all are after all..."Sophia faked a laugh to push away the tension.

But Ernest wouldn't stop, he shook hus head and moved his fingers, the cheeks already pink from drunkness. "No, no, you know thats not wyat I meant..."He continued. "Bella's always been the most...spoiled...cared...and protected one..."A hiccup interrupted his sentence."...since she's our father's..." He quoted wuth hsi fingers "...little star!"

"Ernest-" Charlotte tried to stop him.

"We've all been equally ignored by mother our whole life, but father? ....he's always been to 'busy' to see us...unless it was Bellatrix." He pointed to the youngest. "Oh she is the only one whi's patient with him, she's the only one who understands his condition... hell with it! What about us?!" He slammed the tanle making the guests tremble. "I'm his son too!"

For the princess surprise, her fiancé discretely held her hand beneath the table, the comfort of his touch slightly drifting her away from the scene as she heard her brother's words become more aggressive.

"Ernest, this is completely inappropriate, I suggest you to stop-"

"There goes the iron lady, Queen Charlotte, who holds and entire kingdom on her shoulders, but held her children for barely minutes after they were born!" Ernest exclaimed loudly. "Now her focus is on marrying her daughter to a stranger of lower rank only so she can get pregnant as fast as possible to maintain the fucking lineage. You think she loves you by doing that mother?" He softned his tome on purpose. "Bellatrix hates you, just as all of us!" The table shivered by his punch on the hard surgace again.

"That is enough, Ernest." Charlotte demanded as she noticed George beginning to shiver by her side, his gaze already facing oblivion as he couldn't react to his son's words. "Ernest-"

"And Trixie." Ernest finally turned to his sister. "You can play pretend as the good daughter, the nice sister all you want, but we know that deep down all you want is a way faster to the throne line." He hissed. "You think I don't know you took this chance only so you can get your son as the new king?"

"I never wanted the throne." Bellatrix said as her whole body trembled in a silent rsge that only Anthony could feel by the cobtact of his hand.

"Liar, liar, liar!" He screams. "Why else would you try to be so perfect? Why else would you be so prompt to be dad's favorite, or help mom in her greediness to keep the family line intact? You are nothing but a social climber, a title thief, a-"

"I believe that is enough." Anthony suddenly stood up, but still not letting go of her hand. He turned to Ernest. "I shall not admit more offenses to my fiancé or her family...even if they come from her own brother." His eyes narrowed against the prince. "Princess Bellatrix's intentions are as pure as herself, and if you don't see that, your highness, I can only feel pity for your ignorance." The table gasped.

"How dare you?" Ernest furrowed his eyebrows. "You are just some gold digger, a libertine, you don't even love my sister, so shut-"

"I love her." Anthony suddenly said, making the whole room stop for a moment. Bella could feel her breathe scape her lungs and hear the beat of her own heart. "I love each, and every part of her. I love her for her stubborness, kindness, smartness and playfulness. I love her eyes, her smile, and the way she manages to always challenge me, even make me become a better version fo myself." Anthony continued. "I love her from the moment I first saw her, and fell in love even harder when I got to be rejected by her." He gave a small smile. "And I am honored to be by her side, to honor and serve her for the rest of my days.... So I shall not admit any of your offenses to the woman I love."

Violet felt her chest warm by the words, snd the look in her son's eyes gave her an instant comfort od being sure he made the right choice. George's eyes stopped on Anthony for a moment, he did not say a word, only stared at him, as if he thought about something verg deeply and carefully.

"I-"

"Take him." Charlotte snapped her fingers as some guards grabbed her son.

"Mother!" Ernest complained as he shook his arms widely, but still was dragged out of the room.

The queen took in a deep breath, and, with that perfect cover of ettiquette she always wore, she pretended nothing happened and gave a gentle smile. "Who would like some dessert?"

The offspring looked at ecah other awkwardly but agreed, and even Violet tried to shake away the tension. "Oh...me please, your majesty." She smiled nervously.

Anthony settled down next to Bella again, but before she could mutter a word, he only squeezed her hsnd and whispered. "Enjoy the evening."

...

"Lord Bridgerton" Bellatrix asked before he could leave with his mother. "Can I have a word with you?"

Violet looked at her son and patiently nodded in return. "I'll meet you later at the house." The viscountess said as she left the room.

Anthony followed Bella down to an office where they could both be alone, the light was weak, and the night was dark, and she looked at the hallways to make sure no one would hear them.

When the princess looked at him, she couldn't help but feel strange, uncertain and confused about what in fact happened that evening, or worse, about what he said.

"Thank you...for your words at dinner." She muttered with a great difficult to express her gratefulness. "I must assure you that nothing you've heard-"

"Your brother is an idiot." He let it go and she widened her eyes. "My apologies to use this term but...what he said is nonsense and I'd never believe a word he says." That made her quite relieved, a slight smiled formed on her lips. "Is it true that...your mother was absent though?"

She looked dowm for a moment thinking. "Yes. That is true." Bella muttered. "A queen's child is ber kingdom, not a blood one."

Anthony nodded. "I see." He noticed how fragile the topic was for her. "If it is...of any comfort, I believe you were very well raised on your own." Her gaze lifted to his surprised.

"My lord..."She failed to speak. It was almost as a magnent connected them btoh, pulling and pushing as his words echoed in ghe back of your mind "what you said earlier...about...about your feelings.."

"That was all for appearances" he lied blantly. "I did not wish for Ernest to keep talking badly of us and-"

"So was it all an act?" She cut the tension like a knife. He paralyzed. "Were all your words...a lie?"

Anthony felt cornered by her attitude. "It is best if they are."

"What do you mean?" She looked at him confused.

"We have a deal, your highness, to marry with no feelings-"

"But what you said-"

"Forget what I've said!" He sudeenly exclaimed making her shudder by the sudden tone. "I shouldn't have said that."

Something about his posture, that was now so vulnerable, made her curious about the veracity of those facts.

"Then why did you?" She took a step forward, raising her chin.

"To defend you" He tried to give a contained answer.

"I can defend myself, if that is what troubles you." Her eyes met his.

"Stop misunderstanding my words." He clenched his jaw. "You always do that."

"Do what?"

"Modify what I've done, judge me." He spoke with annoyance. "It is aggravating."

"But defending me isn't?"

"No." He inhaled deeply. "Because I want to defend you." Anthony continued. "As far as I'm alive, I want to defend you."

"As your duty as my husband."

"As my duty." He lied through his teeth. "All we have tied to one another is a duty, an alliance. Nothing else."

She was now only inches away from him, tge words of the dinner resomating inside her mind as Anthony's breath became slower, deeper.

"Would it be so terrible to love me?" She suddenly asked, letting her impulses take control.

"What kind of question-"

"Answer me." She demanded.

His gaze fell onto her lips as if they were under a spell and he gathered all courage to mutter the next sentence. "It would be a nightmare." He spoke, but instead he cpuld only feel this eletric pulse pulling him towards her.

"Then why don't you marry another woman?" She asked instead. "Why tie yourself to me?"

That sentence made his blood boil. "Because I am forever stuck to you." He hissed. "Do you really think there is a corner of this world far enough that I could go to, or a woman as loveable enough to free me from this torment?"

"So I am a torment." She says in a bothered way.

"Yes, you are." He spoke with clear letters. "You..."He inhaled in ardoring minute, feeling his whole body burn as he put those words to her. "You are the bane of my existence...."He leaned very close to her face, his breath mixing with hers, eyes hald closing as he immersed himself into those feelings he begged to ignore. "...and the object of all my desires." The touch of his hand against her dark skin was smooth, tempting and soft. "Night and day, I dream of you." He lets a warm whisper touch her lips. Their noses almost touched, Bellarrix felt herself loose, breathless, overheated at his words. "And what I..."He suspended the sentence, attempting to censor himself to not startle her by his fantasies. "...do you even know all the ways a lady can be seduced?"

"My lord-"

"Shh..."He whispered, as his finger brushed her lower lip and he closed his eyes, i inhaling her floral scent as a way to tattoo it on his lungs. "Do not reject me just yet...let me have this one moment"

She looked back at the submission, the devoted expression on his face. Bellatrix couldn't understand what was taking over her, she did not want to back away from his touch, but couldn't help but question how this all happened. Did he truly love her? What was he going to do?

If only she leaned forward and closed the tiny gap between them both...

"It would be so much easier to hate you..."He whispered.

"Then hate me..." She asked "...hate me, but hate me more than anyone you ever did." It seemed more like begging. "Hate me most ardently."

"You'll be the death of me." He groaned as he finally looked into those sparkling eyes he called home. "You contradict all I stand for, all I committed to my whole life..."His thumb stroke her cheek slightly. "I despise the idea of marrying you. And yet I am selfish enough to not wish you to be with anyone else other than me."

"Anthony..."

"I'd like to hear you say my name more often...I'd like to make you scream it..."He clenched his jaw. "If you'd like to reject me, now is the time to do it." But she didn't back away. "Do it." But Bellatrix didn't follow his orders. "Why must you be so damn stubborn?" He said annoyed. "Don't." His rage was mixing with a love not even the greatest poets could put into words. "After we marry, I shall be connecred to you our whole lives... so not make it more torturing than it already is, take a step back."

"Why don't you take it?"

"My body feels like an anchor when with you" He shook his head slightly. "Instead, I can only move forsward, and forward..."His gaze was lost in her lips. "And if I do fulfill what my heart craves at this moment, I'll wreck both our lives..."

Her lashes failed to hide the visible desire reflected in her eyes. "What if I want you to wreck my life?"

"Bellatrix..."He sighed as if that was his very last breath, his fingers briefly touched her waist, as the other hand gripped softly her chin.

But just then he backed away suddenly, umable to fulfill their desire that pumpd into their veins. He shook his head, as if a huge bucket of iced water was thrown upin him, waking up to reality.

"No." He continued to refuse his feelings. "No...I...I must go." Anthony mumbled as if he was lost.

"Anthony, please-" she tried to touch him but he avoided her poisonous touch. If he stood there jsut a minute longer he'd make her his, and the moment he'd make her his, it would be too damn late.

"Ignore all I've said and all that happened." He ordered in a hushed whisper. "I shall bid you good night." He barely gave her time to look for him, as he disappeared thrpugh the door and did not come back.

All that remained there was a conflicted princess, whose husband promised himself not to love her.

But now, as she felt her heart beat inside her chest, he had only made the situation worse.