Chapter 4 — Between Love and the Crown
“ADRIAN!”
Maya’s scream tore through the palace.
The ballroom had become chaos.
Guests cried.
Guards shouted.
Doctors rushed in.
Somewhere in the distance, Arthur barked orders with the force of a king at war.
“Seal every exit!”
“No one leaves!”
“Bring the royal surgeon NOW!”
But Maya heard nothing clearly.
Her entire world had narrowed to one thing.
Adrian.
His body lay half in her lap, motionless, blood spreading across the white marble like spilled wine.
Too much blood.
Far too much.
Her hands pressed desperately against the wound.
“Stay with me…”
Her voice broke.
“Please… stay with me…”
The baby cried uncontrollably beside her.
Maya could barely breathe.
Not like this.
Not after everything.
Not after the truth.
Not after his confession.
No.
This couldn’t be the end.
The royal surgeon arrived within seconds.
“Move!”
Two medics knelt.
One checked Adrian’s pulse.
The surgeon’s face turned grim.
“He’s fading.”
Arthur dropped to his knees beside his son.
For the first time in decades—
The king looked terrified.
“Save him.”
The surgeon hesitated.
“Your Majesty…”
Arthur’s voice shook with fury.
“That was not a request.”
The surgeon nodded.
“Yes, sir.”
They lifted Adrian onto a stretcher.
Maya tried to follow.
A guard blocked her.
“Your Highness—”
She shoved him away.
“MOVE!”
The entire hall froze.
Her voice no longer belonged to the timid woman they had mocked.
It carried something else now.
Authority.
Power.
Blood.
Royal blood.
The guard stepped back immediately.
Maya walked beside Adrian as they rushed through endless palace corridors.
Blood dripped from the stretcher.
Each drop felt like a countdown.
No.
Please.
Not him.
Not Adrian.
The operating room doors burst open.
Doctors flooded in.
Machines activated.
The surgeon turned.
Only one person may stay.
Arthur looked at Maya.
His voice softened.
“Go with him.”
She stared.
“What?”
Arthur stepped closer.
“He needs a reason to return.”
Tears streamed down her face.
The king’s eyes glistened.
“And right now…”
He looked at his unconscious son.
“That reason is you.”
Maya’s legs nearly gave out.
The doors closed behind them.
Hours passed.
Or maybe minutes.
Maya no longer understood time.
She sat beside Adrian’s bed, still wearing the bloodstained maroon gown.
Her tiara had fallen somewhere.
Her hair was messy.
Her makeup ruined.
She looked nothing like royalty.
Only a woman trying not to lose the man she loved.
The heart monitor beeped steadily.
Too slowly.
Too weakly.
She held Adrian’s hand.
Cold.
Too cold.
Tears slipped silently down her face.
“You idiot.”
Her voice trembled.
“You absolute idiot.”
She laughed through tears.
“You lied to me.”
Pause.
“You manipulated me.”
Pause.
“You stole my choices.”
Her grip tightened.
“I should hate you.”
Silence.
She lowered her head.
“But I can’t.”
A tear landed on his hand.
“I tried.”
Another tear.
“I really tried.”
Her voice cracked.
“But every time I look at you…”
She broke.
“I still love you.”
The machine continued beeping.
No response.
Maya sobbed quietly.
“I hate that I love you.”
Pause.
“I hate that even after everything…”
Her lips trembled.
“…my heart still chooses you.”
Nothing.
Still nothing.
She leaned closer.
Her forehead touched his hand.
“Please.”
A whisper.
Raw.
Broken.
“Don’t leave me alone again.”
Silence.
Then—
A knock.
Maya lifted her head.
Arthur entered.
He looked older.
Ten years older.
The king closed the door.
“There’s something you need to know.”
Maya wiped tears.
“What?”
Arthur remained silent for several seconds.
Then he spoke.
“The assassin talked.”
Maya stiffened.
“What did he say?”
Arthur’s expression darkened.
“He confessed.”
Pause.
“He worked for Isabella.”
No surprise there.
But Arthur continued.
“And…”
His jaw tightened.
“There’s more.”
Maya’s stomach twisted.
“What?”
Arthur looked directly at her.
“He wasn’t sent to kill you.”
Silence.
Maya blinked.
“What?”
Arthur repeated slowly.
“He wasn’t sent to kill you.”
The words made no sense.
“No…”
Arthur’s voice lowered.
“The target was Adrian.”
Maya stopped breathing.
No.
No.
That couldn’t be right.
“What?”
Arthur continued.
“The assassin received only one order.”
Pause.
“Kill the crown prince.”
Maya’s mind went blank.
Adrian?
Isabella wanted Adrian dead?
Her own son?
Impossible.
Arthur whispered:
“I didn’t believe it either.”
Maya shook.
“No…”
Arthur’s eyes filled with horror.
“But it explains everything.”
The pieces began falling together.
The humiliation.
The setup.
The attack.
The gunshot.
Maya’s voice trembled.
“Why?”
Arthur closed his eyes.
“Because Adrian betrayed her.”
Maya stared.
Arthur opened his eyes again.
“She no longer trusted him.”
No.
There had to be more.
Arthur delivered the truth.
“Isabella never wanted Adrian to become king.”
Silence.
Maya frowned.
That made no sense.
“He’s her eldest son.”
Arthur gave a bitter smile.
“No.”
Pause.
“He’s useful.”
Maya’s blood ran cold.
Useful?
Arthur continued.
“She wanted power.”
Pause.
“She never cared who sat on the throne.”
Pause.
“As long as she controlled them.”
Maya understood.
Adrian had stopped obeying.
Which made him—
Disposable.
Her entire body shook.
“She ordered her own son’s death…”
Arthur whispered:
“Yes.”
Maya stared at Adrian’s unconscious face.
All those years.
All that pressure.
All that manipulation.
He had grown up under a monster.
Arthur’s voice softened.
“When Adrian was seven…”
Maya looked up.
Arthur continued.
“He tried to protect a palace maid from Isabella.”
Maya froze.
“He stood in front of the maid.”
Pause.
“He told his mother to stop.”
Arthur’s jaw tightened.
“She beat him.”
Maya’s eyes widened.
Arthur looked away.
“With a cane.”
Silence.
Maya’s heart broke.
“What?”
Arthur nodded.
“He had bruises for weeks.”
No.
No…
Arthur whispered:
“I failed him.”
Pain filled his face.
“I knew she was strict.”
Pause.
“I didn’t know she was cruel.”
Tears formed in the king’s eyes.
“I was blind.”
Maya looked at Adrian.
Suddenly so many things made sense.
His emotional walls.
His guilt.
His fear.
His desperate need for control.
His silence.
He had spent his whole life surviving.
Just surviving.
Arthur spoke again.
“There’s one more truth.”
Maya tensed.
“What?”
Arthur inhaled slowly.
“Adrian asked me for permission to tell you everything.”
Maya froze.
“What?”
Arthur nodded.
“Three days ago.”
No.
Arthur continued.
“He came to my office.”
Flashback filled his eyes.
Adrian standing rigid.
Determined.
Afraid.
Yet resolute.
Arthur remembered every word.
“Father,” Adrian had said.
“I’m done hiding.”
Arthur had frowned.
“What changed?”
Adrian answered instantly.
“Her.”
Maya’s chest tightened.
Arthur returned to the present.
“He planned to confess tonight.”
Maya stared.
“No…”
Arthur nodded.
“He intended to reveal your identity himself.”
Tears rolled down Maya’s cheeks.
No.
That couldn’t be.
Arthur’s voice cracked.
“He said…”
The king swallowed hard.
“He said if you hated him after the truth…”
Pause.
“He would accept it.”
Maya’s breathing shook.
Arthur continued.
“But he also said something else.”
“What?”
Arthur looked directly into her eyes.
“He said…”
Silence.
“‘Even if she leaves me, I want our son to grow up knowing his mother is a queen, not an orphan.’”
Maya broke again.
Completely.
She covered her mouth as sobs escaped.
No.
No.
Adrian…
Arthur’s voice softened.
“He loves you.”
She cried harder.
“I know.”
Arthur looked at his son.
“So the question now isn’t whether he loves you.”
Maya wiped tears.
“Then what is it?”
Arthur’s expression changed.
Heavy.
Royal.
The king spoke the words that changed everything.
“It’s whether you’re willing to become the next queen.”
Silence.
Maya froze.
“What?”
Arthur stepped closer.
“Legally…”
Pause.
“As Elena’s daughter…”
Pause.
“You hold a stronger royal claim than Adrian.”
The room spun.
No.
No no no.
Arthur continued.
“If Adrian dies—”
“Stop.”
Her voice shook.
“If he dies—”
“I said stop!”
Arthur fell silent.
Maya trembled violently.
She looked at Adrian.
No.
She refused.
She refused that future.
Arthur spoke softly.
“The council already knows.”
Her heart sank.
“What does that mean?”
Arthur answered.
“By sunrise, the kingdom will know who you are.”
Maya whispered.
“No…”
Arthur’s expression hardened.
“The council wants stability.”
Pause.
“They will demand a decision.”
“What decision?”
Arthur said it plainly.
“Crown you.”
Silence.
Maya felt sick.
Queen?
No.
She never wanted power.
Never wanted a crown.
Never wanted this life.
She looked at Adrian.
Then at Arthur.
Her answer came instantly.
“I don’t want the throne.”
Arthur studied her.
“What do you want?”
Her voice broke.
“Him.”
Tears fell again.
“I want my husband.”
No hesitation.
No politics.
No ambition.
No greed.
Just love.
Arthur’s eyes softened.
For the first time, he truly saw her.
Not Elena’s daughter.
Not an heir.
Not a political threat.
Just Maya.
A woman who loved his son.
Suddenly—
BEEEEEEEEEP.
The heart monitor screamed.
Maya turned.
No.
Adrian’s pulse dropped violently.
Doctors rushed in.
“Move!”
“Cardiac crash!”
“Charge now!”
Arthur stepped back.
Maya froze.
“No…”
The surgeon shouted.
“Clear!”
Shock.
Adrian’s body jerked.
No response.
Again.
“Clear!”
Shock.
Still nothing.
Maya screamed.
“ADRIAN!”
Nothing.
The surgeon’s face went pale.
No pulse.
The machine screamed endlessly.
Flatline.
The surgeon whispered the words no one wanted.
“We’re losing him.”
Maya stopped thinking.
Stopped breathing.
Stopped fearing.
Only instinct remained.
She ran to the bed.
A doctor grabbed her.
“No!”
She broke free.
She climbed onto the bed.
Took Adrian’s face in both hands.
And screamed through tears—
“You do NOT get to die!”
Silence.
Everyone froze.
Her voice shook the room.
“You hear me?!”
Tears fell onto his face.
“You lied to me!”
Sob.
“You manipulated me!”
Sob.
“You made me fall in love with you!”
Her whole body shook.
“So you don’t get to leave now!”
She pressed her forehead to his.
Voice breaking.
“If you die now…”
Pause.
“I’ll never forgive you.”
Tear.
“Because I love you.”
Silence.
Raw truth.
No pride left.
No walls.
Only love.
“I love you, Adrian.”
Her voice shattered.
“I choose you.”
Pause.
“Not the throne.”
Pause.
“Not the crown.”
Pause.
“You.”
She kissed his forehead.
And whispered:
“So come back to me.”
Silence.
One second.
Two.
Three.
Then—
BEEP.
A tiny sound.
The surgeon froze.
BEEP.
Another.
The flatline broke.
Pulse returning.
Doctors stared.
Arthur stopped breathing.
BEEP.
BEEP.
BEEP.
Stable rhythm.
The surgeon gasped.
“He’s back.”
Maya froze.
No.
No way.
She slowly looked up.
Adrian’s finger moved.
Once.
Then again.
And his lips parted.
A weak whisper escaped.
Barely audible.
“…I heard that.”
Maya stared.
“What?”
Adrian’s eyelids fluttered.
A faint smile formed.
Weak.
Painful.
Still annoyingly him.
“You said…”
Small breath.
“…you love me.”
Maya burst into tears.
Then smacked his shoulder.
Hard.
“Ow.”
He winced.
Arthur laughed.
Actually laughed.
For the first time that night.
Maya sobbed and laughed at once.
“You idiot!”
Adrian weakly smiled.
“Yes.”
She grabbed his face.
“You nearly died!”
He whispered:
“Worth it.”
She glared.
“No.”
He looked into her eyes.
Even half-dead, his gaze held only her.
“No?”
“No.”
Tears streamed down her face.
“You’re staying alive.”
She leaned close.
Voice trembling.
“Because we’re not done yet.”
Adrian’s smile faded.
He sensed something.
“What happened?”
Maya and Arthur exchanged looks.
The truth remained.
The council.
The throne.
The succession.
The storm outside this room had only begun.
Maya held his hand tighter.
May you like
And whispered the words that changed everything again.
“The kingdom wants me crowned.”
