Chapter 90: A Time Bomb 

Ruby’s POV 

“You don’t want to answer?” 

As Nora’s spell sealed the room in absolute silence, she turned to me, her emerald eyes blazing with furious wrath. 

“Or was my guess correct?” she snapped. 

“I don’t know, Nora.” 

“WHICH PART DO YOU NOT KNOW, RUBY LUCIENNE?!” 

Her arms were crossed, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she seethed with anger. 

“You did it, and now you’re acting as if you’ve forgotten? For the seventh hell’s sake!” 

I couldn’t answer. My mouth opened, but no sound came out. My hands trembled as I placed them over my stomach, as if confirming what Nora had just told me. Anyone besides Nora would have already known the identity of the father of this unborn child. Killian Rudwick. 

“Say something,” Nora demanded, pacing back and forth in front of me. “Please, I’m going insane here!” 

“GODDAMNIT, LUNA!” 

I jolted backward, shaking my head frantically. “I–I’m sorry, Nora. That’s not what I meant. I just… I don’t know what to say.” 

“How about you start with the prologue of this terrible story?” she shot back, her voice sharp. 

“You know exactly how it happened!” I snapped without thinking, pressing my trembling fingers to my lips. 

“Oh, my moon goddess!” 

My breath came in short gasps, my heart pounding against my ribs. “Nora, he’s going to kill me!” 

Nora’s anger twisted into coll & “Who? Killian? Why would he want to kill you?” 

“Because he hates children!” I sobbed. “He never wanted them, never even mentioned them. We had an agreement, and this… this was never part of it!” 

My voice cracked as my vision blurred. “What if he thinks I did this on purpose? What if he thinks I planned this to trap him?” 

Nora stared at me, her expression dark and stormy. The witch’s fury swelled even greater than before. My eyes widened as I felt her magic surge through the room, shattering small objects around us. 

I screamed, clamping my hands over my ears. I begged her to stop, until finally, the wild magic began to fade. 

She collapsed into a chair, exhaustion carved into her features. “Things like this shouldn’t happen. You just escaped your own hell, Ruby.” 

“I never meant for this to happen either, Nora. It’s all beyond my control,” I choked out, sobbing. 

Silence filled the room. Nora buried her face in her hands, stifling a frustrated scream. 

Tears streamed down my cheeks. I felt quilty–toward her and toward myself. I should have been more careful! Now, I was carrying a living soul inside me. I was happy to be a mother again, but not like this. Not this way. 

What confused me the most was that I hadn’t noticed any signs of pregnancy until today’s visit. It was strange. Unlike the first time I carried Alicia, my late daughter. And yet, it would have been a disaster if those signs had appeared while I was there. Too many eyes watched–some even from the walls. 

“Ruby,” Nora rasped, her voice hoarse. “That bastard may not have a heart, but you still have to tell him.” 

A cold shiver crawled down my spine. Horrifying memories surfaced in my mind. Instinctively, I wrapped my arms protectively around my stomach. 

“No. No way, Nora.” 

Nora’s 

eyes 

flared. “What do you mean, Ruby?!” 

“I’m scared, Nora!” 

“Then I’ll do it for you.” 

“Nora, please! Don’t!” 

I got out of bed and grabbed her hand. “I can’t tes 

Successfully unlocked! 

now how I feel about this! Just now, I was 

finally starting to understand what I felt for him., and now h 

My breath came in ragged gasps, my entire body trembling. “It’s too much!” 

Nora sighed, rubbing her throbbing temples. “If you’re not ready to tell him, then you need to figure out what you’re going to do. You can’t hide it forever.” 

1/2 

Chapter 90 A Tyre Bare 

She hesitated, then looked at me seriously. “Unless you’re thinking of getting nd of ** 

“No” The word tore from my throat before I even had the chance to think. 1 would never do the 

“Then do you have any other reasonable solution besides those two? Think about the snapped 

My sobs grew louder. Meanwhile, Nora wrestled with her frustration. She ran her fingers through her hair, then banged her head against the table 

“Alright, alright.” She raised a hand in surrender.” didn’t mean to be harsh. You’re my friend, my only one, and I already see you as family. This news hit me so hard I feel like my head’s going to explode. But you have to tell him. It’s the best solution? 

I collapsed back onto the bed, rubbing my tear streaked eyes. 

Of course, I was considering a third option, one that had only just crossed my mind. Running away. 

But that was an impossible plan. Killian would find me, even if I fed to the ends of the earth. 

“I need time,” I answered weakly. 

Nora let out a long sigh before getting up from her spot and collapsing into the chair beside me 

“God, I need a drink. She pinched the bridge of her nose. “I never imagined you’d be the one to get knocked up by a tyrant, but here we are.” 

I let out a short, humorless laugh. “Me neither.” 

*And you still have the nerve to laugh? You’ve got some guts,” she scoffed. 

A knock on the door made my heart nearly stop. 

Nora and I exchanged glances before she whispered a quick incantation, dispelling the silence that had cloaked the room “You two have been in there for a while, Leonidas‘ voice called from outside. “You’re not killing each other, are you?” Nora rolled her eyes before standing up and casting me a glance. With a flick of her hand, the soundproofing spell lifted. She whispered, “Fix your face. He’ll know something’s wrong.” 

I took a deep breath and straightened myself up, forcing my expression into something as neutral as possible. Then, with one last glance at Nora, I opened the door. 

Leonidas was leaning against the wall, his signature smirk still in place. “That took a while. Are you sick?” 

“Just a little exhausted. Ruby and I had something to discuss, Nora replied smoothly before giving me a pointed look.” Something very important.” 

Leonidas eyed us but didn’t press further. “Alright, are we heading back, or are you two planning another secret meeting?” I managed a weak smile. “We can go back now.” 

Leonidas offered me his arm, and I took it. Nora waved her hand with her signature smile, but I could see the worry reflected in her emerald eyes. I shook my head as if to say, “I can handle this.* 

In truth, I couldn’t. Not at all. 

As we walked back to the palace, a deep unease settled in my stomach. 

How much longer could I keep this a secret? 

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