"Hand," He said, but I hesitated to take it, knowing him, but I still did. "Good girl," he said as his fingers wrapped around my hand.

Please, Sam turned his head in Stefan's direction. "Your Majesty, it seemed that my wife is not feeling well."

Stefan cast me a brief look, making me grip Sam's hand tightly.

"Is that so?" Stefan nodded in understanding. "Should I send the royal physician to your quarters?"

"There's no need. Just a little rest will do."

"Alright, take care of your wife." Stefan approved, surprising me a little as to how easily he approved was suspicious in its own way.

"You don't have to tell me that," Sam replied bluntly before assisting me up. As he did, my attention shifted to Claude as he held my hand while looking up at me.

"Little crumb, my wife needs rest," Sam uttered in a slightly annoyed tone. I nearly elbowed him, as he needed to be more soft talking to a child.

"Auntie Lilove, you will leave already?" Claude inquired dejectedly, ignoring Sam as his eyes were fixed on me.

I smiled and patted his head lightly. Claude was such a cute child and had this innocent aura which was hard to come across in this place.

"Auntie needs to rest, but I will see you tomorrow, alright?"

Claude pursed his lips and only nodded in response. I then picked up the small box he gifted me and thanked him once again.

"I will savor every bite," I reassured, and that seemed to make him feel a little better.

"Let's go?" Sam cocked his head as he guided my hand around his arm. I nodded in response and he took the lead.

"Hell, the duchess needs rest," Klaus yelled, and I instinctively turned my head in his direction. "Don't exhaust her too much."

I frowned as part of me didn't like his remarks on top of not liking Klaus entirely. The memory of his visit to Cunningham had etched in my mind and it won't be forgotten easily.

"Hold your tongue, Klaus," Sam warned after glancing at me and noticed my displeasure. Klaus seemed to understand Sam's tone, so he zipped his mouth.

With that being said, Sam and I walked away. However, as we did, my eyes instinctively glanced at Stefan and our eyes instantly met. My shoulders tensed up as I immediately averted my gaze.

'What's with that look?' I wondered internally, finding it hard to describe the emotions glinting across Stefan's eyes. It was neither calmness nor madness, but something else.

I unconsciously pondered about it, as I couldn't think of any reason Stefan would look at me like that. It was too complex and inexplainable. Come to think of it, Stefan also looked at me like that during our wedding ceremony.

'He's really someone who I can't figure out.' I shook my head, and stopped in my steps when Sam halted in the middle of the hallway. I turned my head to him with a furrowed brow.

"Sam?"

Sam slowly faced me, staring at me intensely, and suddenly cupped my cheek. "You're always lost in thoughts, love."

I pursed my lips in a thin line, feeling a little guilty about it.

"I was just thinking about a lot of things." My answer wasn't a lie as there was more going on inside my head, which had been giving me a headache.

"Like?" His thumb caressed my cheek as he tilted his head to the side. "Mind sharing what was inside your mind, Gorgeous?"

"I… I'm just thinking why the King —" I couldn't finish my sentence as he suddenly bent over, his lips crashing against mine, shoving my words back in my throat.

I instinctively held on to his chest as I shut my eyes, feeling his strong arms circling around my waist. He stepped forward, making me step back until my back was against the wall.

His kiss was a little aggressive, with him biting my lower lip. I pounded his chest lightly, letting out a protesting moan.

"Sam…" I whispered when Sam started trailing kisses on my jaw down to my neck. "… we're still in the hallwa —" My breath hitched when I felt his hand lift my skirt and his hand grabbed my thigh up.

"Sam…!" I slapped his shoulder, but he wouldn't budge. He seemed angry so suddenly and I'm growing anxious as we're still in the hallway, keeping my eyes alert. Any second, anyone could come in here and witness this debauchery.

I froze when Sam suddenly grabbed my bottom and I squeezed his shoulder tightly. My breathing growing slower as every kiss with his tongue flicking against my skin heightened my sensitivity.

Despite that, I could feel my body surrendering to him. I gasped and my mouth fell open as I felt his fingers gliding up on my thigh.

"Sa… ah…" I bit my lower lip, finding it hard to fight the urge to moan. "… not here," came out a whisper as I felt more restraint doing it here instead of continuing behind closed doors.

Sam slowly withdrew his head away from my collarbones and held my gaze. His crimson orbs were glinting fiercely, as if there was fire burning behind them.

"Lilou," He called, and I gulped, panting as I unconsciously tightened my grip on his shoulder.

"Yes?"

"This is exhausting," he said, confusing me with his statement before he added, "Don't think of another man around me, or even with my absence. What else do you want me to do just so you can live in the present?"

"Sam?" My heart thumped loudly against my chest as he gnashed his teeth. "What are you saying, husband? I'm just… just…" I couldn't continue as my lower lip trembled to see him hiss helplessly.

Why did he look so heartbroken? My heart ached as Sam was obviously angry... and helpless, but still restrained himself.

I reached my hands to him, cupping his cheek as I placed soft pecks across his face.

"Don't cry," I muttered, uncertain for the reason I said that, but that's what I felt. "I'm sorry, love. I'm sorry." I placate him with as many kisses as possible until he rested his forehead against mine.

"Don't leave me, Lilou," Sam muttered under his breath, wrapping his arms around me as he buried his face in my shoulder.

"Because if you do, I won't be able to stop you."

I had never seen Sam feel so terrified, but right now, he was vulnerable. As if the impregnable walls around him suddenly collapsed and it was just all too sudden. All I could do was pat his back and say a few words;

"I will never, ever do that."

Little did I know, I would soon understand his fear of the past that continuously chased after us like a shadow and finally catching me by the foot.