Betryed 153

Posted by AdminM, ? Views, Released on February 24, 2025

Chapter 153

SAGE

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I was startled when I heard a rustling sound coming from the door. Panic surged through me, and I quickly distanced myself from the two. They looked confused but seemed to understand the situation when the door suddenly opened.

I was holding my breath when I saw Titus walking through the door. He was eyeing me intently. I gulped as my throat felt dry as I stood before his scrutinizing gaze.

“What’s going on here?” Titus asked as he eyed the three of us suspiciously.

Deep inside, I was praying hard that my twins completely understand my instructions and they will go along with my plan without a problem.

“Well, they barged in here, and they were looking for you. I find them cute and offered my help,” I replied.

He raises his eyebrow as he looks at me intently, weighing my every word.

“This is Harper and Cooper. They were brother and sister. They were looking for their mom. They stumble upon a very dangerous place. What kind of mother would allow her children to wander around? She’s probably somewhere out there partying, leaving her children alone,” he commented.

My blood boils upon hearing that. “What makes you think it was her intention to leave them alone? Did it ever cross your mind that their mother was probably in a tight situation that she couldn’t go back even if she wants to?” I expressed angrily.

Titus looked at me suspiciously, judging by my reaction. It was too late before I realized how I sounded.

“You’re talking as if you know who their mother is,” he said.

I chuckled nervously, trying to mask the fear in my voice. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I have no idea who these kids are,” I replied before looking at my kids, hoping they wouldn’t think it seriously.

I’m sorry, kids.

I silently pleaded.

Titus didn’t look convinced. His sharp, assessing gaze flickered between me and the twins, his expression unreadable. My heart pounded in my chest, so loud I was sure he could hear it.

Harper and Cooper stood perfectly still, their tiny faces carefully blank, but I could see the way Cooper was clenching his little fists, how Harper’s lip quivered ever so slightly. They were trying. They were trying so hard.

“Is that so?” Titus murmured, his tone laced with suspicion.

I forced myself to hold my ground. “Yes,” I said, injecting as much indifference into my voice as I could muster. “They were lost, and I felt bad for them. That’s why I offered to help. I’m sure you have plenty of things in your hand already. Let me be the one to help them find their mom.”

He took a slow step forward, and instinctively, I wanted to move back, to put space between us, but I stood firm. I couldn’t show weakness.

Titus narrowed his eyes, his gaze sharp and calculating. The air in the room felt heavy, suffocating, as he studied me. I willed myself to remain calm, but my heart was hammering against my ribs. Did he suspect something?

Titus let out a slow, deliberate sigh before turning his gaze to the twins. “Is that true?” he asked, his voice smooth yet laced with an undertone of danger.

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16:04 Mon, 24 Feb

Chapter 153

My breath hitched. This was it. The moment of truth.

For a split second, Harper hesitated. My heart nearly stopped. But then, she did something that nearly broke me–she lowered her gaze, pouting just a little as she nodded. “Yes, mister,” she said quietly. “We don’t know her.”

Cooper followed, nodding along. “She was just nice to us,” he added, his voice so small.

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I clenched my fists at my sides, willing myself not to react. Not to pull them into my arms and tell them they didn’t have to lie. But they did. And they did it for me.

Titus hummed, still watching them closely. Then, without a word, he turned back to me. “How kind of you,” he said, his tone unreadable. “Helping lost children find their mother.”

I forced a tight smile. “I suppose I have a soft spot for kids,” I said.

His lips quirked slightly, as if amused by my response. “Soft spot or not,” he said, “they’re not your problem.”

His words cut deeper than he knew.

Before I could respond, Titus straightened and turned toward the door. “I’ll have someone take them to the servants‘ quarters until we figure out what to do with them,” he announced.

Panic shot through me. No, no, no. They couldn’t be taken away. I needed them close.

I forced myself to stay composed. “Why not let them stay here?” I suggested quickly. “At least until you find their mother. I mean, you trust me, don’t you?”

Titus stopped in his tracks. A smirk played on his lips as he turned back to me. “Trust you?” he echoed, tilting his head. “You immediately escaped as soon as I allowed you a little freedom. So, you tell me, Sage. Do I trust you?”

I swallowed hard. “I just mean… I can keep an eye on them. Make sure they don’t cause trouble. In return, I promise I won’t try to escape ever again.”

He regarded me for a long, agonizing moment. Then, to my surprise, he nodded. “Fine. But don’t get too attached,” he warned. “Once we find their mother, they’re gone.”

I forced a smile, nodding in agreement. “Of course.”

Titus gave me one last lingering look before turning on his heel and walking out the door. The moment it shut behind him, I let out the breath I had been holding, my whole body trembling from the sheer tension of the moment.

Harper and Cooper stood frozen, their little faces unsure, their eyes filled with questions they couldn’t ask out loud.

The silence stretched between us, thick with the weight of my earlier words. Guilt clawed at my chest. I had denied them. I had looked them in the eyes and pretended they weren’t mine.

I sank to my knees and opened my arms. That was all it took. They ran to me, their tiny bodies crashing into mine as I wrapped them up in a fierce hug.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, pressing kisses into their hair. “I didn’t mean it. I love you both so much.”

Harper clung to me tightly, her little hands gripping the fabric of my dress. “We know, Mommy,” she whispered back. “You were just trying to keep us safe.”

Cooper nodded against my shoulder. “We understand,” he mumbled, though his voice wavered just a little.

I pulled back, cupping their faces with my hands. “You were both so brave,” I told them. “And I promise, I won’t let anything happen to you. But we have to be careful, okay? We have to keep pretending.”

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16:04 Mon, 24 Feb

Chapter 153

Harper bit her lip, nodding. “Like a game?” she said, trying to make sense of it all.

I nodded, forcing a smile. “Exactly. Just like a game. And I need both of you to be the best players, alright?”

“But for how long, Mommy?” she added.

“I don’t know, sweetheart. But what’s important now is that you’re both here with me. I’ll think about what to do next.”

Cooper straightened his back, determination settling in his big, round eyes. “We can do it.”

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My heart swelled with love and pride, but beneath it all, fear still gripped me. Because this wasn’t a game. It was real. And if Titus ever found out the truth, I didn’t know what he would do.

A soft knock on the door made us all jump.

I quickly stood, smoothing down my dress, and turned just as Pantene peeked her head inside. “My lady, His Majesty has requested your presence,” she said cautiously, her eyes flicking toward the twins with curiosity.