Chapter 478 Shared feelings
No. Not Paulina too.
Through tear-filled eyes, Alicia pleaded weakly, "Please... you've been with me through everything. Help... help me..." She closed her eyes, seeking strength, before continuing, her voice tired, "...take care of the child when I'm gone."
Paulina's heart shattered at Alicia's request, tears streaming down her cheeks as she replied, "I... cannot do it." Her voice quivered with emotion, shaking her head as she added, "I won't do it."
"P-Paulina..."
"I have lost too many people I cared for!" Paulina cried loudly.
"My family! Queen Anne! I don't want to go through it again. I can't bear to go through that pain over and over again. I won't care for the child if you're not here. I won't live if you are not here!"
Alicia's heart sank at Paulina's refusal, knowing the deep pain she carried. Tears streamed down her own face as she stretched her hand out to her. Paulina didn't waste time approaching her and taking her hand as she sat beside her on the bed, sobbing quietly with her head down.
"I feel... saddened to burden you with this. But you... will live. You have Williams." Alicia forced out a smile. "You have a dream that I believe is going to be realized.
Paulina shook her head, refusing to meet her eyes.
Alicia gazed at Paulina, her voice barely above a whisper. "You... have been... my rock," she said, her voice filled with love and gratitude. "I couldn't... have asked for a better friend."
Paulina burst into tears and hugged her tightly. "I don't want you to die!" she wept bitterly.
"I won't die," Alicia assured her softly. "My soul is returning. I can already hear the voices in my head. I am going back to where I came from."
The room was filled with heart-wrenching emotions as Alicia's life hung in the balance. Paulina clung to her, desperate to keep her by her side, but she knew that sometimes fate had other plans. The weight of their shared grief was almost unbearable, and yet they found solace in each other's embrace.
"I love you, little girl," Alicia spoke softly, making Paulina cry even louder.
The door creaked open, and Harold slowly entered the room again, his eyes now a striking shade of blue and heavy with sorrow. Paulina's heart sank as she excused herself and fled from the room, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Alicia looked at him with sorrowful eyes. Whatever emotion he was feeling, she could feel a double dose of it.
Harold spoke to Alicia, his voice trembling with pain: "Don't... you pity me?"
Alicia hesitated for a moment, her heart aching at the vulnerability in his voice.
"I... I have no one else," he added softly, his own eyes welling up with tears.
"I've lost everyone," he continued, his voice cracking with emotion. "When I thought I finally had family and friends to rely on... My only sister... betrayed me."
A deep sense of loneliness engulfed Harold, and he couldn't hold back the tears that began to flow.
He was a man.
He was a prince.
He was an Alpha.
For his entire being, he was not supposed to shed tears, no matter what the reason was. But he could not stop it. The pain in his heart was far more than he could handle.
"For the first time... I felt what it's like to have a mother. However... I broke her heart. Susan... she pledged to support me with her life, but she... died." He wiped away his tears, trying to regain his composure, but he could not.
"Alvin has always been with me. My pain was his pain. I thought... it was great there was Susan who was willing to give him the love I knew he deserved." He paused, his voice broken as he said... "But I... watched her body burn..."
"It was all just a cruel mockery. Everything." His voice cracked.
Alicia could see the torment in Harold's eyes, and her heart broke for him. She could not even find any words of comfort for him because she knew that deep down, she would be breaking his heart too. She could only shed silent tears as she watched and listened to him.
"When... when will this end for me?" Harold's voice wavered, filled with despair. "My entire life has been filled with nothing but betrayal and heartbreak."
"I SUFFER FOR THINGS I NEVER DID, AND I'M HATED UNJUSTLY! PEOPLE I CARE ABOUT KEEP LEAVING ME!"
Alicia's tears continued to flow, mirroring the pain she saw in Harold's eyes. She wanted to take away his suffering, to heal his wounds, but she knew it wasn't within her power.
He reached out and embraced her gently, his grip tightening as if afraid to let go. "We will find a way, Alicia. I'll do everything to protect you. I can't bear to lose you too... please..."
In a moment of tenderness, Harold cupped her face in his hands, his desperation mixing with anger. "I can't bear the thought of losing you," he whispered, his voice raw with emotion. "I love you more than anything in this world."
Alicia's heart swelled with love for him, but she knew deep down that she had to make a difficult decision. She leaned into his touch, her heart torn between her love for him and the hard choices they faced. "I love you too, Harold," she said, her voice filled with agony. "But sometimes, love demands hard decisions. This is one of those times."
He held her close as if shielding her from the pain surrounding them both. "Please don't leave me," he pleaded, his voice breaking. "I can't bear to lose you. You... are my life."
Alicia hugged him back, feeling the weight of their shared sorrow. It was a heartbreaking moment as they clung to each other, seeking solace in their love amid the trials they faced. The room seemed to grow darker, and their tears merged in a shared pool of sadness.
In that moment, Alicia knew that love wasn't always enough to mend all wounds, and she feared the path they were embarking on. Yet she couldn't ignore the depth of her feelings for him or the pain he carried in his heart.
They remained in each other's arms, finding solace in their shared grief as they navigated the turbulent waters of love and loss. The pain they felt was palpable, and their emotions were raw and exposed, their vulnerability evident in every touch and every tear shed.
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