Kian's POV

"Papa, is this all your place?" Gia questions as I walk around the whole palace with her in my hold.

This late morning, I was woken up by Gia. She came to me and started tapping on my back. I opened my eyes and parted myself from Archie who was sleeping in my hands. Sitting up, I saw Gia and asked her what happened. She said she's not sleepy anymore and that she wants to go out. So, after taking her to wash her face and after doing her morning routine, I brought her out of my chamber to walk all around the palace.

"Yes, baby. Why do you ask?" I respond, curious as why she doubts.

"This place is so big, papa. The place where we lived before, our house was small." She says while eyeing the place with awe.

I chuckle at her cuteness but feel bad because she's the Princess of my kingdom but had to live like no one. However, I don't need to worry about that anymore because today I'm going to introduce Gia as my daughter to the whole kingdom. I already asked the person in-charge to go and announce to people that I have something to inform and that they all have to attend the meeting.

"Baby!" I call her and she turns to look at me.

"Yes, papa." She states with her sweet voice.

"We have a meeting to attend in sometime, should we go and get ready?" I ask to know if she's ready to leave or needs some more time.

"I too need to come to the meeting?" She queries and I nod, "why me? I never went to a meeting."

"This meeting is for you, baby. No one here knows that you're my daughter. So, I'll announce it to everyone about you." I smile while answering.

"Okay, papa. Let's go." She agrees with a wide smile and I walk us back to my chamber.

Stepping into the room, I find the bed empty. Maybe Archie already left the room, I think and close the door behind us. Walking into room, I set Gia on the bed.

"Sit here for a while, baby. I already called the lady to wash you up. She'll be here in few minutes. Till then, I'll take my bathe, okay?" I tell her while gently tucking the strings of hair behind her ears.

"Okay, papa." She replies and I nod before leaving her and going to the bathe area.

Opening the door, I get inside and lock it back. I open the strings of my overcoat and just as I go to slide it down by body, I hear a voice and look up to find Archie standing at the other side of the room. He stands there without any clothes and seeing me, he immediately pulls the robe and puts it around him.

"W-why did y-you get in when I'm already here?" He questions while looking everywhere but at me.

"What would one think when the door isn't locked?" I resort back.

When the door is open anyone would think there's no one in the room. He's the one who didn't lock the door, why is he even questioning me?

"I don't usually lock the door, it's just an habit." He mumbles but in this silent room, I hear him well.

"Are you saying not locking the door while you bathe is your habit?" I query confused, like does that what he mean?

"Yes." He states and before I could say anything he proceeds to explain the reason why he does that, "it's because of Gia. She's still a baby, if she doesn't find me she would start crying. So, I leave the door open for her."

"I understand." I say with a nod, "if you're done bathing, can you leave the room? I have to take bathe. Also, I left Gia on the bed, go and look after her and get her ready." I tell him, he stares at me confused but still nods and walks to the door.

I move aside so that he could walk out. He takes a peek at me before opening the door and leaving the area. I sigh before locking the door back and taking a much needed bathe. After getting fresh, I walk out and get dressed. While I get ready, rema bathes Gia. Archie was reluctant saying he'll do it but as he already bathed, he might get dirty so rema insisted and bathed Gia. They dress Gia in the clothes which I specifically asked my people to get it for her. Once we're ready, we eat breakfast and head to attend the meeting.

By the time I reach, everyone is already there waiting for me. I see my parents sitting in their seats. When they hear my footsteps, everyone including my parents, turns to our side and stare at us in shock. Knowing it's because of Archie and Gia, I just let it go and walk to the centre. Archie walks by my side while carrying Gia. He sticks close to me and stops next to me when I stop in front of the crowd.

"Good day, everyone." I greet and when they bow at me in return, I continue to talk, "today I called everyone here because I have an important announcement to make."

I stop for a second and turn to Archie, taking Gia from him. She comes to me happily with a big smile and I smile back at her.

"She's Gia, my daughter. The Princess of my kingdom." I announce and hear gasps and whispers from everyone.

I sigh before glancing at the guard who stands at the buzzer. When I give him a nod, he gives the buzzer making a loud siren ring in the area. And that silences everyone. Once everyone becomes silent, I take over my speech again.

"There's going to be some celebrations in the kingdom during tonight because of her arrival. Hope, everyone takes part." I end the speech and turn around to leave.

Two days ago was Gia's birthday but as we were in the carriage, traveling, I couldn't celebrate. So, I thought I can arrange a party both for her arrival and birthday.

Archie follows my suit and from the corner of my eyes I see my father and mother chasing after us. I know what they're, more like my mother, going to ask so I head to my chamber so that Gia will be more comfortable as she stayed in the room from the time we arrived here. When we reach my room, I settle Gia on the bed as Archie stands beside me while my parents stay at the door curiously looking at Gia.

"Is there something you want to ask?" I question while folding my hands over my chest.

"Y-you said s-she's your daughter. Her resembles are too accurate to deny the fact." My mother starts while shuttering, "w-we want to know who her mother is?"

She queries while my father just continues to stare at Gia with so much love that I haven't seen in his eyes for many years now. He seems to be so happy to see his granddaughter.

"He's my mama." As I think about my father, Gia answers my mother's question while pointing to Archie.

"K-Kian, what's she saying?" My mother asks while diverting her eyes from Gia to me.

"It's true, I'm the father and Archie gave birth to her." I reveal while glancing at Archie and see him looking down at his feet.

"I-I don't understand what you're saying, Kian." She says while loosing her balance and holding onto my father for support.

"I don't know what you're not understanding. I'm clearly saying Gia is our daughter, Archie's and mine." I reply feeling headache crawling to me.

"Now, please leave us. There's going to be celebrations soon, Gia needs to rest for sometime." I tell them wanting to be alone with my daughter.

"Okay, Kian. We'll meet you at the celebrations." My father nods and leaves the room while pulling my mother with him.

Once they leave, the guards close the doors and I get on the bed beside Gia. She smiles before hugging me and I rub her back with a content smile with my eyes closed. I was always said children are very difficult please and it's hard to get in their good terms. It's even hard to make them like us and make them talk to us. But Gia seems different. She got close to me so quickly, even if it's because she found out I'm her father, it still amuses me. It's not only me but she talks easily with everyone. I don't know from whom she got this trait as neither Archie nor I are like this.

"Kian." Archie's voice brings me out of my thoughts and I open my eyes to see him.

"What?" I ask and look down to find Gia sleeping.

She's still sleepy, I don't know why she got up early saying she's not feeling sleepy anymore.

"Um..rema said y-you didn't marry Jane. I thought you married her and you two already h-have children together." He mumbles as speaks.

"How would you know what actually happened that day when you weren't present? You ran away without telling anyone, without telling me, so it's no surprise you didn't know what happened." I state while laying Gia on the bed, "a piece of advice I want to give to you. Please stop assuming things, that not just ruins your life but others as well."

"I-I'm sorry for what happened that day and for running away from here. But Kian I didn't have any choice." He pleads with tears forming in his eyes.

"Your sorry can't bring back the time I lost with my daughter, can it?" I voice out but he stays quite, "also, don't say you didn't have a choice. If you just told me what was bothering you, I would gladly help you. You knew you meant everything to me and I only agreed to marry her for you, so that you'll stay with me. But you broke the promise and left me."

"But Kian..." He goes to say more but I stop him.

"Don't talk anymore. I'm not going to dwell on the past anymore. If you can't stay here, you can leave but just know that I won't let go of Gia." I tell him sternly and lie beside Gia as I rest my hand on the small of her back and slowly I drift off of to sleep.

By the time I wake up I don't see Archie in the room while Gia is still sleeping peacefully. Did he really leave? I think and hurriedly get down the bed to search for him. Even if I said he can leave, I didn't think he would really go. I mean he should stay atleast for Gia, right? He said she would cry if she doesn't see him, also he pleaded me alot not to take Gia from him. So, why? Why did he go now?

After asking rema to look after Gia, I walk along the hallways to see if Archie is there or not. Hurriedly walking everywhere, my steps halt when I hear his voice. I turn and move to the door of the room from where he's voice is audible. Peeking into the room from the little gap, I see my mother and Archie standing in the middle of the room as they talk.

"It's okay, king mother. You don't have to apologise to me." He says addressing my mother as how everyone else calls instead of saying mother-in-law, his usual way of calling her.

"No, Archie. Everything that had happened was because of me. Infact I don't even deserve forgiveness from you after arranging Kian's marriage with others and taking the promise from you to leave him." She says making me hate her more than I ever did before.

So it was her as why Archie left me even after promising me?