Rebellious Love

The door suddenly burst open, crashing against the wall, and a swarm of royal guards flooded the room. They began combing through every corner,

"Philip! What's the meaning of this?" I demanded, my voice sharp with anger and disbelief as he stormed in after them.

His eyes blazed with fury as he closed the distance between us. Without hesitation, he grabbed my shoulders, his grip firm and almost painful.

"Where is he, Abigail" he shouted at my face like a madman, giving me a rough shake "Where is my brother. And don't even think about hiding him!"

I flinched at his sudden action, this wasn't like him at all and I know, he wasn't asking for answers, he is demanding them.

Around us, the guards overturned furniture, opened cabinets, and left no corner unchecked, following Philip's bellowing orders to leave no stone unturned. 

The room was quickly becoming chaos, my sanctuary invaded by them.

"Can we just calm down for a moment and explain what's happening?" I shot back, pushing him away "Bursting in here like this is a clear sign of disrespect, especially when you're accusing me of a crime without evidence!"

"You don't understand," he retorted, stepping closer again. His voice was strained, almost desperate. "I know he's here. I know you're keeping him. Something is telling me so."

He reached out, his hands rougher than usual as they cupped my face. "Please... don't let him manipulate you again, Abigail. Okay?" His eyes softened for a brief moment, almost pleading, as he pulled me close

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm. "Philip, Edward isn't here. I don't know where he is, if I did, I would have turned him to the king the moment I got my hands in him" I assured him, even as my heart raced... afraid his eyes might dart toward the large painting behind me.

A secret small room hidden behind the painting... built for any sudden emergencies

I had heard the commotion from the first floor earlier and acted quickly, hiding Edward in the secret room I'd created behind the painting

And every second felt like an eternity as I stood between him and discovery.

"Philip, you need to stop this," I continued, my voice softer now. "Calm down. Don't let your emotions cloud your judgment. You know I wouldn't hide a criminal in my mansion." I reached up to caress his cheeks, mirroring his touch, as I tried to reassure him.

He hesitated, then let out a heavy sigh, signaling his men to stop. Relief washed over me as the guards paused their frantic search.

"Fine, I'll believe you, Abigail," he said, his tone a little weary. "Don't let me regret this." He took both my hands in his, gently lowering them but not letting go.

"I just thought... If my brother couldn't be found anywhere in the kingdom, the safest place he could turn to would be you or someone loyal to him." His voice wavered slightly as he raised my hand to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to my knuckles. "I'm sorry for doubting you."

But then, his eyes darted toward the large painting behind me, which had been tilted slightly out of place. His expression shifted, suspicion flashing across his face as he studied it closely.

I knew his keen instincts were telling him something wasn't right. My heart pounded, and I realized I needed to act quickly.

Letting out a sharp grunt, I clutched at my still-healing wound on the side and doubled over slightly, feigning pain. "A-ah..." I winced, drawing his attention as I sat on the nearest chair