Note:

This chapter is dedicated to Maude Fluckiger. Thank you for sending a spacecraft to Emmelyna and  Mars yesterday. I hope you'll like this chapter. oxoxo

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Emmelyn didn't know what to do when she saw Mars shed tears for what she said. She didn't realize how much the man was feeling guilty and blaming himself for everything that happened between them.

And now... when she openly utter forgiveness and showed her understanding, her husband couldn't hold back his emotions any longer.

Gosh.... he loved this woman so much. She was truly the kindest woman he had ever met. Emmelyn was the best!

"Thank you," Mars whispered tenderly to Emmelyn's ear. Then he kissed her forehead. "Does this mean, you will go home with me to Draec? My mother is missing you so badly. As for my father... he really, really wanted to see you so he can apologize in person for all the bad things he did to you..."

He looked at Emmelyn with a pleading look. Mars knew how horrific was his father's treatment of his wife and even if Emmelyn wouldn't forgive him, Mars would understand.

The king touched his wife's hand dotingly and added, "But I will understand if you don't want to see my father ever again. What he did to you is unforgivable..."

Emmelyn sighed. Mars's statement got her thinking about all the sufferings she endured under Jared Strongmoor's order.

Thinking of that ruthless man, her heart felt like it was pressed by a very heavy object. It's true that Emmelyn could forgive the man for Mars's and Harlow's sake, but she really didn't want to see Jared Strongmoor ever again.

But, would her forgiveness count if she made it a condition that Jared never showed himself before her? Emmelyn felt conflicted.

Deep inside, she felt horrible for being unable to completely forgive and forget her father-in-law's crimes.

Emmelyn bit her lip and was silent for a long time. Mars understood her dilemma and he squeezed her hand. His voice was gentle and filled with understanding when he spoke.

"Honey, don't feel bad if you can't forgive my father and if don't want to see him ever again. You are NOT the bad person here. He is the one who did all those things to deserve your anger and resentment," Mars said to Emmelyn. "My mother and I don't and won't ever blame you if you decided to cut ties with him."

Emmelyn took a deep breath. She finally felt relieved. Maybe it was for the best. Slowly tears brimmed in the corners of her eyes. She, too, had been holding back so much pain, anger, and resentment for almost one year.

She couldn't share what was in her heart with anyone because it was too painful and traumatizing. What she told Maxim or Kira was only the short and glossed version.

She believed she needed to talk about it in order to start her healing process, but she couldn't just talk with anyone.

Now that Mars showed understanding, acceptance, and even expressed that he would definitely take her side, Emmelyn slowly opened up.

"Thank you for understanding me. Those days when your father locked me up in the Grey Tower and caused so much suffering for Harlow until she was born prematurely and couldn't experience what it's like to have a mother for so long have been haunting me and given me nightmares for a really long time... " Emmelyn spoke in a hoarse voice.

She looked very hurt and despondent. "I-I... don't think I can forget that, ever. I cannot see your father and pretend that I don't hate him. I hate him so much... I really do.." Tears started rolling down her cheeks.

Emmelyn didn't even mention how Jared Strongmoor slapped her so hard in front of everyone in the palace courtyard.

It was truly the scariest day of her life. After she escaped from her kidnapper and killed someone for the first time, she was faced with a furious ruthless king who accused her of killing his wife.

Jared Strongmoor's bloodshot eyes when he screamed at her and slapped her with all his might reminded her of the devil himself.

Emmelyn was shocked, traumatized, and shaken to the core, fearing for her life. No... not just for her life, but for the baby's in her womb.

If it wasn't for Mr. Vitas and John who pleaded to the king to spare her, for the sake of the baby she was carrying, Emmelyn might have lost her head now.

"I would never ask you to forgive my father or to see him again if you don't want to," Mars said solemnly. He raised on hand to show his seriousness. "I promise."

"Then... I don't want to see your father ever again," Emmelyn lowered her head and said with a suppressed voice. "I hope you are okay with it."

Mars nodded. "Of course. I understand. I am okay with it."

The man knew Emmelyn was such a kind woman. That means, if she really couldn't accept seeing his father again after what happened in the past, she must be feeling traumatized and hurt so deeply. 

Mars wouldn't care about what his father would feel if he knew Emmely refused to see him. Jared Strongmoor only reaped what he sow. People sometimes thought they were allowed to make mistakes and to hurt other people, because they could ask for forgiveness and a second chance.

They didn't realize that forgiveness or second chance were privilege, and not right. People who did bad things to others were not entitled to forgiveness.

If the victim decided to forgive their abusers, then it's something that they had to be grateful about, but they were not entitled to be forgiven, not at all.

"Then... it's settled," Emmelyn nodded. "I will go home with you."

"Really??? You will really go home with me?" Mars was beaming with happiness when he heard the words he had been dying to hear. Gosh... he almost jumped in joy when he heard her words.

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