In the weeks to follow, to an outsider Daman was basically Hera's lap dog who jumped when she said how high. The duke was indeed trying to do better and priorotise his wife. Hera and Daman finally went to their first scan when the doctor told them that she was about 2 months pregnant.

The duke still felt as if this was surreal, unable to actually take his eyes of the ultrasound screen looking at the blob of what was their baby. All Hera felt was protective over her little being and a heart full of love. She vowed to give her baby the mother's love he or she deserved.

Every single day Daman spent good time obsessing over his child to be. Mentally planning his life out and what he can do to give his child everything he or she would ever need. Ikbal reached a point where he was sick of catching Daman in his office continuously staring at the ultrasound pictures.

After 2 days, Hera asked Daman to show her the houses that he spoke of. The first being a beautiful modern art deco styled house in the middle of the main island by the city. It was gorgeous according to Hera but way to rigid for her liking. Therefore when Daman drove her to the beach, her face instantly lit up.

"You have a beach house?" she asked like a kid in a candy store all excited.

"It's a house by the beach, yes," the duke smiled and phrased it differently.

Hera yanked the car door opened and it was love at first sight. A Hampton's style double story house that would be perfect for raising their baby. It had a huge front yard with lots of greenery and the back of the house was separated from the beach with the promenade. Hera instructed Daman to move in immediately since she was eager to make this into their home.

Slowly but surely things we're beginning to set with Daman and Hera. The duke's constant acts of service were another way of him trying to make up. He'd pick up all of Hera's snacks before he gets back home, he'd draw a bath for her, he'd play her favourite music around the house, he'd give Hera a massage when he could see her having a difficult day and he'd nurse her when her morning sickness got too much. Daman also often snuck out with her during the night to go out and eat or visit the tourist sites super careful not to get caught just yet. Hera didn't want the nation to know that she had married their duke. She'd decided that in a month she'd be ready to make the announcement. For now though, all she wanted was to enjoy her time uninterrupted with Daman and build more love and mend the trust that went unstable.

Arriving back into their house well over 2am after wandering around the city, Hera and Daman were frisky with each other as they entered. Daman was whispering dirty words into her ears as Hera blushed like a rose.

Both were peeling of their clothes eager to get to their bedroom and sink into each other when an ear-piercing gunshot rang through causing their outside patio glass to shatter into a million pieces. Hera screamed with terror and coward away into Daman who immediately held both her and her tummy protectively.

However, the sound of the gun cocking into place and being placed right to her head made Hera tremble in fear while Daman was trying his utmost best to stay calm and get his phone out.

"Move!" yelled out Amaani and then pointed the gun directly at Hera's stomach. The princess' eyes were red and her pupils dilated. Her clothing was rumpled and the usual kohl eyeliner she wore on her lashline was smeared all the way down to her cheeks. "I said move!" Amaani yelled again with the gun threatening.

Just wanting to protect her baby, Hera slithered out of Daman's protective hold and stepped away from him hoping and praying that Amaani who was clearly on drugs didn't pull the trigger.

"What fucking madness is this?" Daman seethed out loud at the princess who only laughed hysterically. All too suddenly she pointed the gun at Daman eyeing him just like a predator does to its prey.

"If I can't have you Daman then nobody can," Amaani said determinedly but then again pointed the gun towards Hera, more specifically her stomach.

"That's your bastard child right? First I'll kill you Daman and then that baby growing in her. You wanted to get with this whore and now you pay the price!"

All the duke saw was red at that statement, therefore not even comprehending his actions he pounced onto Amaani causing them both to fall to the floor with their hands fighting for the gun but ultimately slipping away from them.

"Grab it, Hera!" Daman yelled as he restrained the princess who kicked and bucked with strength he didn't see coming.

As quickly as she could in her shocked and fearful state, Hera retrieved the pistol however Amaani drew out a dagger from her pocket and plunged it straight into Daman's torso.

Again, another gut-wrenching scream escaped from Hera with so much panic within her. Tears streamed down her face and she immediately rushed to Daman's aid when Amaani grabbed the gun from her. "Fuck," Daman cursed in pain he had never ever felt in his life. Rolling over, he placed his hand on the wound trying to keep things as stable as he could and not ultimately bleed to death.

"I'll kill you all!" Amaani screamed deliriously clearly on an extravagant high.

"I've had enough of you! Just enough!" Hera yelled in her direction so completely done for with the bitch of a princess. With newfound adrenaline, Hera tackled with Amaani for the weapon as Daman finally managed to get to his phone and call for help despite blood pouring out of him.

However, the duke shivered in fear when he heard multiple gun shots ring out.

For Daman, everything went silent except a ringing noise in his ears. He dropped his phone and basically crawled to the 2 women who lay on the floor in blood while trying to not rip his own self in half as he moved. In that moment, Hera's lifeless body flashed before his eyes and his worst fear of losing her and his baby flickered as he blinked.

"Hera?" Daman called out softer than a whisper.

He'd never had parents to begin with and he'd just lost his grandmother, so to lose Hera and his child now would just be cruel. Maybe he deserved it he thought again. He was so cruel to her, he betrayed her and now the universe was betraying him.

He wouldn't survive without her. He just wouldn't. Daman wouldn't stand not being with his qiTa. He knew the exact moment his eyes landed on her when they were in Bahrain that he was gone head over heels for the gorgeous Indian beauty who grabbed at his heartstrings in one go. Daman loved her more than life itself. If Hera was gone now, Daman had made up his mind to let himself bleed to death because god knew the way he was fighting on for dear life right now.

"Hera?" Daman again called out softly as he went to her side. He'd pulled her face of the floor to face him and shook her gently. "Wake up, my qiTa."

During that millisecond, Daman thought that perhaps the universe didn't hate him that much because he hadn't felt relief in his existence as he did when he saw a pair of pretty brown eyes slowly struggle to flutter open.