~ Isabella’s POV

Eight month later

When the day finally came for me to give birth, the air in the palace was thick with anticipation. For months, I had carried the weight of not just my growing belly but also the hope and expectations of our entire kingdom. Lucian, ever the attentive husband, had barely left my side throughout my pregnancy. Even when his duties called him away, he made sure to return swiftly, always bringing gifts or stories to make me smile.

But this day was different. The ...