Vampire's Veil Of Obsession-Chapter 158: Bath..

Rose fell silent, her lips parting and closing as if in disbelief. Those words alone told her that Zethan knew about her lies. Then why had he played along, making her look like a fool? Her face flushed with embarrassment, a light pink tint creeping into her cheeks. Without a word, he stood up and walked into the bathroom, leaving her in silence.

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Rose stood in front of the mirror, as usual, while the maid helped her with the rest of her gown. Her blonde hair flowed down her back, and she wore a dark blue dress for breakfast with the king.

Then the maid spoke, "Queen Roselina, the head maid is wondering why you don’t want anyone to bathe you."

Rose fell silent for a moment. She wasn’t used to such customs. The idea that maids bathed princesses and queens didn’t sit right with her—it made no sense. How could grown women, royalty even, be treated like children in that way? What kind of rule was that?

But beyond the confusion, there was fear—something deeper she couldn’t ignore. She couldn’t let them bathe her. What if... just what if they... No. They wouldn’t. She had thought of many ways to explain it to His Highness, but each time, the words failed her. How could she possibly tell him?

Rose then spoke quietly, "I wouldn’t want that. I’m okay bathing myself."

The maid gave a small nod. "As you wish, my queen."

The most they could do was prepare her bath.

The maid, who had been assisting with her gown, straightened and stepped back with a bow. "Queen Roselina, I’ve finished. You will be heading to the dining hall for your breakfast with His Majesty. The head maid will lead you there."

Rose smiled as she curtsied quietly.

The maid looked startled. "Queen Roselina, I am just a maid—you are not supposed to do that."

"You’re not just a maid," Rose replied softly. "You’re a royal maid. There’s a difference."

The woman paused, clearly touched. She bowed deeply, as though those simple words had reached somewhere she didn’t expect. Then she excused herself, turning to step out.

Another maid stood at the door.

As Rose and the maid walked through the hallway, Rose remained silent. Her heart was restless. She didn’t know how she would face the king. The thought of meeting him again made her heart race. How was she going to face him after that incident?

Then the maid beside her spoke, "Queen Roselina, the hallway ends just ahead. I cannot cross that line."

She bowed respectfully.

Rose nodded, understanding the unspoken rule, and continued walking alone. Her thoughts wandered. She stared at the floor absently, questioning everything.

If the king knew I was lying all along, why did he tease me like that? she wondered. Was he waiting for me to expose myself? Was it all a game to him—to make me look like a fool?

Oh goodness, not to mention she had said a lot of things she never thought she could say. Oh no.

Lost in thought, she suddenly collided with something firm. Her body jerked backward, and she nearly stumbled—until a strong hand caught her wrist in time.

Her eyes widened as she looked up into the face of a tall man with dark hair and intense, dark eyes. He steadied her effortlessly.

Embarrassed, Rose quickly straightened her posture and curtsied. "Thank you," she said with as much grace as she could muster.

A small smile tugged at his lips.

"Anytime... Queen Roselina. I am Zack, Royal Commander of the King’s Guard."

Then Rose nodded as she spoke. "Lord Zack," she said, offering a soft smile. "It’s a pleasure to meet you, Royal Guard. I could learn a few skills from you." She added.

A soft chuckle escaped his lips. "Very well, my queen. There’s a lot of training that goes on here at the palace—especially from me and my cousin."

Rose paused, a little curious now. "If I may ask... your cousin—is he here too?"

Zack nodded. "Yes, my queen. My cousin is the king—King Zethan."

Rose’s eyes widened, her steps slowing. "You mean... my husband?" she asked, almost in disbelief.

Zack’s lips pulled into a knowing smile. "Yes, my queen."

Rose exhaled in quiet astonishment. "It was a pleasure speaking with you, Lord Zack. I will be heading to breakfast with the king now."

"I’m headed there as well," he replied with a polite nod.

"Very well then," Rose said softly, and they began walking side by side, a comfortable silence falling between them as they made their way down the palace hallway.

Then Zack spoke quietly, his voice calm and sincere. "I’m very impressed by the good things you did for the village before coming to the palace. Even I heard about the case of the lost chicken—how you helped settle the dispute among the chiefs."

Rose blinked, surprised by his words, then smiled softly. "Oh, that situation," she chuckled lightly. "It turned out the chicken wasn’t stolen at all. It had simply been the cause of the two neighbors’ fight and had brought misunderstanding."

She continued, "The chicken just loved wandering over to the other neighbor’s house to lay her eggs there. So, when one of them saw the egg in the other’s yard, they assumed it had been stolen—and that led to weeks of arguing."

She shook her head slightly, amused at the memory. "Honestly, I didn’t do anything extraordinary. I just stated my observation, and everything became clear after a while."

Jack raised a brow, clearly impressed. "Your observation skills must be remarkable, then."

He paused briefly before adding, more softly, "It is not just remarkable but impressive."

Rose turned to him slowly, touched by the sincerity in his tone. "Thank you very much, Lord Jack," she replied, her smile holding a hint of quiet joy.

She wasn’t quite sure why she felt so happy—perhaps it was because someone had spoken to her about the village, about home, rather than palace rules, etiquette, and titles. It felt... comforting.

Rose couldn’t believe it. She was actually talking about a chicken. And here she was—now a queen talking about chicken.

The thought alone made her lips twitch. How had she ended up discussing chicken drama with the king’s cousin?

Just as she was about to continue walking, a deep voice cut through the air. freeweɓnovel.cøm

"Bunny."

Her heart stopped.

She froze, her entire body going still. She didn’t need anyone to tell her who that voice belonged to.

Her heart began to race in her chest.

Slowly, she turned.

It was him.

Z... Zethan.

The moment was overwhelming—something between surprise and... something she couldn’t quite name.

She caught herself, steadying her expression. "Your Highness," she said politely, voice composed.

Zack, still standing by her side, stepped forward and bowed slightly. "Your Majesty," he said with composure, "Queen Roselina and I were heading to the dining hall for breakfast. We thought you’d already be there."

Zethan said nothing at first, his expression blank. He simply walked toward Rose, stopping directly in front of her. His gaze lingered for a moment before he gently raised her chin with his fingers.

"I went to your chambers," he said, his voice deep and quiet. "But you weren’t there."

Rose blinked, startled. She hadn’t expected that.

"I... I apologize, Your Highness," she said softly. "I didn’t know you would come to check on me."

His tone shifted, a little softer, yet still commanding. "You don’t need to apologize, my wife. Let’s go."

Her cheeks flushed at the word wife, especially with his cousin still beside them. Why didn’t I know he was coming? she wondered, heart skipping.

Zack respectfully said nothing.

Rose began walking, silent and composed on the outside. But inside, her emotions twisted.

The atmosphere had changed.

It was no longer warm or light.

It had become something else entirely—cold, suffocating, intense.

As soon as they reached the dining hall doors, Zack stepped forward and pushed them open. But before they could all enter, the Titan’s voice rang out firmly.

"You may go inside. I need to have a brief word with my wife."

Zack paused, glanced between them, then nodded respectfully with a faint smile. "As you wish, Your Majesty." He gave Rose a small bow before stepping inside, the large door closing behind him with a soft thud.

Rose turned toward the Titan, her heart beginning to beat faster—only to be pulled into a sudden embrace.

The hug was firm, unexpected. So sudden, her hands hovered awkwardly in the air, unsure where to go.

Then he spoke quietly, voice low and possessive against her ear. "I will be the one picking you up for breakfast every morning, lunch every afternoon, and dinner every evening. Is that clear?"

Her eyes widened, stunned. The only word that slipped from her parted lips was a breathless, "Huh...?"

He slowly pulled back, his dark gaze never leaving hers. Then his fingers moved to her jaw, brushing softly along her lips. His touch sent a strange shiver down her spine.

"I don’t want to see you close to any man other than me," he said, his voice barely above a whisper, but the warning was clear. "Is that clear, Rosalina?"