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Chapter 147: Chasing Her – Open Your Heart Part!
Chapter 147: Chasing Her – Open Your Heart Part I
Ruby’s POV
“I must be losing my mind.”
It was supposed to be a throwaway comment.
Something I’d said half–jokingly over tea, when missing Mikael became too heavy a weight to carry alone.
“Sometimes I miss his castle,” I murmured with a wistful smile that day. “Not the place itself. Just… that feeling of being home.”
I hadn’t meant for Killian to take it seriously. But Killian Rudwick never did things halfway. He immediately treated it as a
request.
I was such a fool. What on earth had I been thinkin
“Mom!”
The twins called out together, racing toward me with their dresses in hand. Each one held up her choice proudly.
Alice stepped forward first, showing off a bright pink dress, one of the gifts Killian had sent anonymously. I had known for a while now that all those nameless presents had been from him.
“Mom, do you think this looks pretty?” Alice asked eagerly.
“Yes, darling. It’s beautiful. You can wear it,” I said, smiling.
“Yay!“.
With a squeal of delight, Alice ran off to her room to change. Next came Anna, clutching a dress identical to Alice’s, except hers was a soft, powder blue.
“I have one too, Mom! Do you think it looks good on me?” she asked, blinking up at me with wide, hopeful eyes.
I smiled warmly and stroked her hair.
“Yes, Anna. It’s perfect for you. Go on, get dressed with your sister twin. I’ll be in soon to do your hair,” I said gently.
Anna’s face lit up like the sun, and she bounced off excitedly to join Alice.
“Alice! We’re going to be princesses today!” she shouted.
Alice’s excited squeal echoed from the bedroom. I shook my head, laughing softly at their endless energy.
They had long dreamed of visiting the Kingdom of Sundrench, back when Mikael was still alive. But with the surge of vampire populations and the rising tensions, they hadn’t been able to accept Killian’s invitation to the palace.
“Are you girls ready?”
I called as I stepped into their room. They were already spinning around in their dresses, giggling. Both had managed to put on their outfits by themselves, adding little bracelets to their arms.
“My beautiful little princesses,” I praised.
My heart is swelling. Giggling, Alice and Anna threw themselves into my arms.
“I want braids, Mom!” Alice demanded.
“And I want ribbons!” Anna chimed in, her eyes sparkling.
“Alright, alright,” I laughed. “Come sit in your chairs, my little royalty.”
I guided their small shoulders toward their chairs and gently began to work on their hair. Alice got her wish: neat braids trailing down her back. Anna beamed happily as I tied a ribbon into the side of her hair. Watching their faces light up filled me with a bittersweet joy. For once, it felt like they could forget even for just a moment the sadness they carried over losing their father.
Once the twins were taken care of, I turned back to Elias. The little boy was the perfect image of Mikael so much so that sometimes it physically hurt to look at him.
“My handsome little man,” I whispered, brushing his soft, round cheek.
Elias giggled, clutching his toy with chubby fingers. Thanks to Killian’s help, he was so much healthier now. I owed that man more than words could say. Elias hardly cri
hunger that made me smile.
“Mom, when’s Uncle Killian coming?” Alice ask Successfully unlocked!
“In a little bit. It’s only eight in the morning,” I replied.
Moments later, the doorbell rang. I shifted Elias on my hip and made my way to the door, only to find him standing there. Kilian wore a brown coat over a white shirt, the top two buttons left undone. A small, almost sheepish smile tugged at his
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Chapter 147: Chasing Her – Open Your Heart Part!
lips. His hands stayed buried deep in his coat pockets, as if he didn’t quite know what to do with them.
“You’re early,” I said, lifting Elias slightly.
“Couldn’t stay away.”
He answered with mock exhaustion, making me almost laugh. I couldn’t remember the last time Killian joked without a sharp edge to his voice.
How much of this man did I really know anymore?
Before I could gather my thoughts, Anna and Alice tumbled into the foyer, practically vibrating with excitement.
“UNCLE KILLIAN!”
“Are we going to the palace now, Uncle?!” Anna exclaimed happily.
Killian chuckled and nodded. “If you’re ready.”
Alice tugged insistently at my sleeve, pouting. “Come on, Mom.”
Before I could adjust Elias again, Killian knelt down and stretched out his arms.
“Come here, little princess,” he said.
I caught my breath. It was too easy to forget behind the cold titles, the mistakes just how gentle Killian was with children.
Alice hesitated for only a heartbeat before launching herself into his embrace with a peal of laughter. Killian lifted her effortlessly, as if she weighed nothing at all. When he turned to look at me, there was something shy in his eyes, almost like he expected me to scold him.
But I didn’t do that. Strangely enough, I didn’t even think to stop him.
What surprised me even more was how naturally Killian had bonded with the twins deeper than any casual acquaintance. Even during family gatherings, Alice and Anna would proudly declare Uncle Killian as their favorite person.
Aku meraih tas popok, memeluk Elias, dan berkata, “Kita sudah siap.”
“We’ll use a portal,” he explained. “It’s too long time to approach the borders and pass through the magical shield.”
The portal loomed before us, a massive whirl of light, shining so brightly it hurt the eyes. Its swirling energy crackled through the air, an eerie hum that could easily frighten anyone unfamiliar with it.
But I remembered this portal vividly. The way Killian’s eyes now glinted with a trace of mischief told me he remembered it too. How could I forget dragging him to the family vault, only to end up tangled in something much less innocent?
That bastard had the nerve to flirt even then.
“Let’s go.”
Alice and Anna didn’t hesitate for even a second. They squealed in delight as they darted through the portal’s glowing
center.
We landed right at the border of Sundrench, where members of the royal staff were already waiting. I found myself puzzled, why not just portal directly to the palace itself?
But it quickly became clear: Killian wanted to indulge the twins‘ curiosity. And he did patiently answering their endless stream of questions along the way: Were there towers at the palace? How many rooms? Did the kitchens still bake chocolate cakes shaped like wolves? Were there secret passageways?
Killian met each question with a dry, unhurried response, never losing patience not even when Anna asked whether they could replace the royal guards with puppies.
Elias babbled contentedly from my arms, and Killian even found time to humor him too.
As the palace gates finally rose into view, my chest tightened. My heart hammered painfully against my ribs.
was here again. At the place where it had all happened: Love, loyalty, grief, and betrayal.
Each memory etched deep into the stones of that place. I couldn’t look away.
The banners still snapped high in the wind. The towering spires still clawed at the sky. Despite everything it still looked beautiful. Like a memory I hadn’t yet managed to destroy.
A place where I had once died. Killian pulled the car up near the grand staircase. He came to my side, Alice perched securely on his hip, while Elias snored softly against my shoulder.
Only then did I notice the changes.
The heart of the palace remained the same, but the edges bore the signs of time and renewal.
Beatrice, the old head maid a mortal werewolf would be long gone by now. Unlike Killian and Leonidas, her time had always been finite. And now the palace moved on without her, just as it had moved on without so many others.
I shifted my focus to where two figures stood waiting. Leonidas was at the entrance, practically vibrating with excitement.
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Chapter 147: Chasing Her Open Your Heart Part!
Next to him stood a shorter man with jet–black hair, someone I didn’t recognize at first glance.
Killian leaned down and murmured, “Come. They’re waiting for you.”
He offered his free hand to me. I glanced at him briefly before slipping my fingers into his. A small step, a fragile offering of
trust.
Leonidas greeted me as though I were a long–lost friend, bowing low with a dramatic flourish that made the twins squeal with laughter.
“My queen of hearts! How I have missed your glorious tyranny!” he proclaimed.
I laughed, the tension in my chest loosening slightly. “Hardly a queen these days, Leo.”
“You’ll always outrank me,” he said, grinning.
Then he turned and tugged the unknown man forward by the arm.
“This is Sean,” Leonidas announced proudly. “My mate, the one I told you about.”
Sean extended his hand with an easy smile. There was something immediately warm and welcoming about him. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, my lady,” Sean said.
“And you as well, Sean. I’m Rosalyn Torrance,” I replied, shaking his hand firmly.
“And I mourn the life you’re about to endure, tied to that one,” I added with a teasing smile.
Sean sighed dramatically. “At last, someone who truly understands me.”
“My love! How could you say that?!” Leonidas wailed. “I thought you loved me beyond the seventh heaven!”
Sean shot him a look, the kind that suggested he was seriously considering throwing Leonidas off the nearest balcony.
“Come, my
Sean said smoothly, turning back to me. “Let us show you around the palace once again.”
And just like that, Sean and Leonidas appointed themselves our tour guides. The twins quickly wrapped Leonidas around their little fingers, dragging him into a full–fledged castle tour. He scooped Anna into his arms while Alice clung tightly to Killian’s coat, bombarding them both with questions about the royal kitchens, hidden gardens, and secret passageways. I caught Killian’s eye across the corridor. Instead looking at me, he was watching the girls.
The way they clung to him so naturally, and they trusted him.
And something in his expression softened.
It made me wonder, quietly: How much have you changed, Killian?
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