CHAPTER 396. A CAGE FOR THE QUEEN. RejectionChiara sat on the bed with a sigh, trying to focus her vision. She had barely slept the night before and felt utterly exhausted. The first trimester of her pregnancy was hitting her hard, and even though her room was cozy and didn't resemble a prison cell at all, it didn’t take away the pain of everything that had led her there.She made herself some tea and sat by the window, watching the weather turn colder outside. “Are you feeling unwell? Do you want me to call the nurse?” Viktor asked as he approached, but Chiara wiped her tears before turning toward him. She didn’t like showing her vulnerability, not even in front of a friend like Viktor. He had been the one helping her through the last few days, making everything somewhat bearable, but that didn’t mean she could easily trust anyone again like she had trusted Jhon. “It’s nothing, just the usual dizziness from the pregnancy,” she muttered. “Thanks for your concern.” “It’s nothing,
CHAPTER 397. A CAGE FOR THE QUEEN. I’ve got a job for you.“The man responsible for her being here says that?” Viktor growled. “I’m also trying to get her out.” “Then you clearly haven’t listened to her. You don’t even respect her.” “Excuse me?” “If you respected Chiara’s reasons for being here, she wouldn’t have gone to prison in the first place!” Viktor hissed, stepping up to Jhon. “But let’s be honest, you don’t care about anyone’s opinion, not even hers. So I don’t care what you know about me or what you want. I’m not letting you see Chiara because she doesn’t want to see you.” “I’m the father of her child!” “Congratulations on your sperm donation! But the best thing a man can do for his child is love their mother, and you didn’t do that,” Viktor stated coldly. “The moment Chiara tells me she wants to see you, I’ll personally send for you. But until then, get out of my damn prison before I accuse you of the first thing that comes to mind.” Jhon was about to respond when a g
CHAPTER 398. A CAGE FOR THE QUEEN. A Personal HellChiara was exhausted. She sat on her bed, head in her hands, feeling the pregnancy like a heavy weight on her tired body. The baby left her drained and without energy; yet, even though it seemed like her strength faded more each day, it was also her biggest reason to be happy.It had been a week since Jhon had visited the prison, and just knowing he had been there caused her to become unbalanced. "I don’t understand what more he wants..." she murmured to herself. "Why can’t he leave me alone?"She didn’t want to see him—not just because of what had happened between them, but because she didn’t want to keep falling into that vicious cycle of incomplete apologies that no longer meant anything.She hadn’t slept well in recent days, and her stomach was upset. She had been vomiting regularly and felt a strange pressure in her chest. She couldn’t help it—she had to vomit in the kitchen sink because she didn’t make it to the bathroom in tim
CHAPTER 399. A CAGE FOR THE QUEEN. Something written in my book"It's completely insane, boss! Don’t even think about it!" Billy exclaimed as he watched Jhon prepare.Jhon took a deep breath and looked at the ceiling while adjusting his harnesses. "It's either this or I'll write on the front wall: 'READ MY LETTERS, FOR GOD'S SAKE!'" Jhon retorted. "Besides, it’s just a minimum-security prison, we've been in worse places." "I know," Billy muttered, having assisted him on far more dangerous missions. "But… well… why not give her more time? It’s obvious your wife is hurt, and not without reason! Maybe she just needs to be alone for a while!" Jhon shook his head insistently. "I can't give her time, kid. My son is on the way, and if I don’t fix this soon, he'll be born with another father or, worse, without one at all. And I would deserve it for not trying harder."Realizing they couldn’t change his mind, his friends and subordinates focused on supporting him however they could. By mi
CHAPTER 400. A CAGE FOR THE QUEEN. PremonitionsChiara nodded as she said goodbye and went to bed wrapped in a blanket. She didn’t sleep any better or worse than any other night, since between the pregnancy and bad dreams, she wasn’t resting much. But the next day, she couldn’t stop thinking about it."Chiara? Chiara!" Viktor snapped, seeing that she was spaced out. "Are you alright, Braids? You seem distracted." She took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes, it’s just that… Look, this might sound crazy, but could you check the prison cameras? I mean… make sure no one’s entered my room when I’m not here or… when I’m asleep?"Viktor's face darkened. "Of course, but why? Did you see someone?" "No, no, it's not that, it's just a feeling… but don’t mind me, I’ve got hormones all over the place and I’m feeling unwell, that’s probably it," she murmured. "I *do* mind," he replied. "Here’s what we’ll do: while you go to your doctor’s appointment, I’ll check all the security footage. I promise
CHAPTER 401. A CAGE FOR THE QUEEN. I love youChiara stared at that letter over and over again. She hadn't dared to open it, but she also couldn't bring herself to throw it away. She didn't know why. She didn't fully recognize the handwriting as Jhon’s, but something inside her told her that the passage in the book had been written by his hand.Many things had been making her uneasy lately, but she was alert enough to know that Jhon hadn't sent any other letters.Three days later, she finally opened the book and pulled out the envelope. Even though her whole soul trembled, her hand was steady as she tore it open, and on the other side of the cameras, Jhon held his breath.Chiara closed her eyes for a moment, summoning the courage to read its contents. Only then did she realize that the handwriting in the book was very similar. She sat on the sofa, afraid she might collapse, and began to read:"Chiara.I don’t even have the right to call you 'love,' 'dear,' 'my beloved,' even though I
CHAPTER 402. A CAGE FOR THE QUEEN. A ProposalBilly had to remind him over the intercom not to risk too much or he wouldn’t be able to return. But the next morning, when Chiara woke up and sat on the bed, that scent of Jhon still lingered.Maybe it was just pregnancy hormones. Maybe it was her imagination, but Chiara swore his scent was in the room. The day dragged on as slowly as all the others, but at least she had a pleasant surprise when Viktor appeared with Noémi behind him.The twins hugged, and the warden gave them space to talk.“Are they treating you well here?” Noémi asked as she sat down and sipped her coffee.“Yes, Viktor takes care of me as if *I* were the baby,” Chiara sighed. “I thought I’d miss seeing people, talking to others, working... but I don’t, Noe.”“Don’t you miss me?” her twin pouted.“Of course, and our brothers, and my nieces and nephews... and Mom and Dad.” For a second, her eyes welled up, but she shook her head to stop the tears. “But that’s not what I m
CHAPTER 403. A CAGE FOR THE QUEEN. A Game for the QueenChiara flinched, startled, and on the other side of the cameras, Jhon jumped up from his chair, breathing as if he were swallowing his tongue. —“Go... go out...?”— she murmured, trying to find a way out— “Where to?” —“For a walk,”— Viktor replied, and Jhon exhaled— “There are beautiful gardens here, and we even have a small orchard. Don’t tell anyone, but we’ve got strawberries.” Chiara smiled and accepted the invitation to go for a walk. A weight lifted off her shoulders because at that moment, any romantic proposition would have made her faint—and not out of excitement. They left the main building, followed by one of the guards, and headed down a path toward one of the side gardens. As they walked, Chiara felt herself relaxing more and more. The pleasant chill in the air, the scent of herbs and flowers, the soft breeze on her face… She began to feel good and remembered why she had always loved walking outdoors as a child. V