Hera POV

"Just keep your head up," he said.

I blinked a few times, realizing that we had arrived at Haersley.

"There's something you should know as the Duchess of Haersley. You must adapt. This place is very different from your home. You're not coddled here. You must be independent, not rely on anyone. And you must also be brave. There is no fear here."

I had been educated to be the heiress to the throne who could stand on my own feet with or without the name of my kingdom.

But instead of refuting his words, I nodded. "I need your help. I won't be able to survive here without your help," I said in a sad tone.

"Then you should obey me. But I won't always be by your side."

"Where are you going? Didn't you say you'll stay here with me?"

"That's true. But to be with you 24 hours, I can't."

He touched my shoulder. "Give a wider smile to the people here like you did in the city."

I got out of the car, accepting Alexander's hand.

We greeted the people lined up behind the waving barrier that shouted our names.

Alexander, who walked beside me, bent a bit to whisper. "Our kingdom has different rules than yours. So instead of asking about the reason, it's better to just try to fit in. Your teacher will teach you tomorrow. And there will be no dinner tonight. You can go straight to your room to rest."

My room? Does that mean we won't be sharing a room?

"You think I'll sleep with you, Marry?"

He smiled discordantly and brought his lips to my ear. "I don't sleep with women I don't want to. You wanted this marriage, not me. So know your boundaries."

"Can't you try to love me? My face and Hera's are the same. I'm sure when you look at me you'll see Hera too. I also don't mind if we sleep together but you think of Hera. I won't mind that."

"Bury your desire deeply."

"But you said you wanted to have a child with me. You even caught me when I was about to fall off the carriage because you said I couldn't get hurt as I would be the mother of your children."

Alexander was silent for a few moments before he tightened his jaw. His eyes were full of an emotion I couldn't read.

"I said it because I thought of Hera. I only love Hera. Even if you had the same face as her, you wouldn't be able to replace her."

What he said managed to leave me frozen in place.

With all the misunderstandings that happened between us, I didn't think he would maintain his feelings for me.

I thought he had stopped loving me after I warned him back then that I already had a boyfriend.

I thought he'd backed off from fighting for his feelings.

"Since when did you love Hera?"

"So you don't know yet? Well then I'll tell you."

He pulled me into a deserted hallway after we entered the castle.

"It was because of you that I finally met Hera. I fell in love with her after that, after you went undercover at Petunia Academy and introduced yourself as Hera."

He eroded the distance between us.

"I looked for her after that. But when I met her, I was really confused because you two are so different. So I looked into it further. Even then Hera kept saying that she had never met me. I didn't care anymore at that time. The point is that the Hera I know more deeply is the Hera who has a sincere heart, not you."

So since then? That's how much he loves me? Oh Alexander, he made a big mistake.

"So obviously what I told you today, that I want you to be the mother of my children and about the honeymoon, that was all a lie. I don't really want to do that with you, Marry."

"So what are you going to do now? Are you going to reveal my identity as Marry to everyone?"

He chuckled then stepped back, giving me space to breathe.

"No, I won't. I'll keep it hidden. Like you said, you're twins. No one will know that you switched roles. And also..."

My hands trembled as he whispered the next words to me.

"I want you to regret your plan to trap me into this marriage. You should feel what it's like to be ignored by someone who doesn't love you, Marry."

I bit my inner lip. I didn't expect him to have such evil thoughts towards Marry.

Even if Marry was also wrong, hearing her being hurt like this made me hurt too.

"Then divorce me."

"No, I won't. You just started your hell. You'll be my fake bride until I can explain all this misunderstanding to Hera."

My body was pushed until it was trapped between the wall and his burly body.

Alexander slipped his foot between my legs and lifted my chin with his fingers. "If you really want to sleep with me, I can do it. As long as you're able to make me hard.”