Chapter 123: I Don’t Like It!

Lauren woke up the next morning with a heavy head. She rose from bed with half-opened eyes and saw Alec having blood tea while reading a newspaper on the sofa.

"Good to see that you are awake now," he said coldly.

While holding her throbbing head, Lauren wondered how she went back to the castle. She remembered she drank in Sullivan’s establishment, but she couldn’t recall how she went home last night.

"Did Ethan send me back last night? Or was it Julian?" She asked and slowly got off the bed. She went to the table in the corner and poured herself a glass of water.

Alec put down the newspaper on the center table, crumpling it on the process. He looked at her with a frown.

"What made you think it was them who sent you home?" Annoyance was dripping in his tone like acid.

Lauren put down the glass and leaned on the table, her brows furrowed.

"I took you home, dear wife," he confirmed what she was thinking. But his dark tone made her wonder if she did anything silly. She wasn’t the type who ran wild when drunk but sometimes she talked about nonsense or broke a few things.

"You went to Sullivan’s establishment?"

"Yes, and I found you in Mr. Sullivan’s arms, drunk and unconscious." The sharp look he was giving her and his incredibly quiet tone made her taste his displeasure on her tongue.

"In Ethan’s arms? What do you mean?" She was a little nervous that she might have done something. She didn’t usually drink that much, only on certain occasions, and the last time she got drunk was when her third engagement was announced.

"He said you fell asleep on the floor and he was taking you to bed."

He stood and walked towards her, his every step synchronized with the loud beat of her heart. Lauren felt like an outlaw who committed a grave crime because of how dark his stare was.

"Oh, I must have passed out after drinking too much. We were celebrating Vivian’s birthday and we usually drink together. You should have just sent Matthias instead of bothering yourself. It would have saved you from distress," she said the last sentence in a lower voice when Alec stopped in front of her.

"You are the King’s wife, Lauren. Tell me, should you be staying late at night at an unmarried man’s property and drinking alcohol?"

"I suppose it is improper, but I am not flaunting it to the public. I went to Sullivan’s establishment discreetly. Besides, it doesn’t happen every day. I told you, we were celebrating our friend’s birthday. You didn’t have to go there and fetch me." She tried to get away with him but he held her elbow and pushed her to the table.

"I’m not yet done talking."

"My head is throbbing, Alec-"

"Of course, it would. You didn’t drink some sweet wine, Lauren. You drank strong liquor, so what do you expect?" He arched his brow cruelly.

Remembering Alec’s attitude back in Abalone village and with her head aching due to hangover, Lauren snapped.

"Why do you seem so pissed about it? I have my own life, Alec. Do you expect me to stay in the castle all day sitting pretty while waiting for you to finish your business? Sure, a typical wife would do that. But I am not your typical woman. I have my own matters to attend to. Yes, I got drunk, but am I supposed to stop having fun just because I am married?"

"That’s not what I meant," he growled.

"Then why are so pissed-"

"Because I don’t like it!" He cut her off harshly.

"I don’t like it when I see you with other men, let alone being in someone else’s arms." He took a step back and sucked in his breath as if he was trying to calm himself.

She was surprised at his blunt words.

"Don’t ask me if I’m jealous because I am," he said and stormed out of the room, leaving her breathless.

Lauren felt her knees wobble. She drank more water and stayed in the same spot for a few moments before she went to the bathroom to take a warm bath.

While in the tub, she couldn’t help but think that Alec never admitted his jealousy before. She knew he was possessive over her because she was his ’meal’, but this time why did it feel more than that?

The thought got her worried.

He couldn’t be growing feelings for her, right? He couldn’t be. He shouldn’t.

Lauren felt better after her bath. A servant told her that Alec was in a court meeting so she sat at the dining table alone.

"This is a chicken soup, Your Majesty," said Isobel, the head maid, and laid the bowl of hot soup on the table. "This will relieve your headache. King Alec told the kitchen maids to cook this for you."

"He did?" Lauren was surprised. The moment their gazes met when she woke up earlier, she could tell he was pissed at her.

After eating the soup, she felt a lot better. Perhaps her stomach just needed something hot to soothe her gut from all the alcohol she drank yesterday.

She wanted to talk to Alec about the rose they found in Abalone village to know if Dr. Bentley had reported to him, but when she finished her breakfast, he was still in the courtroom.

Lauren just went to his office to wait for him. While waiting, she looked around the room. This time she was careful not to damage anything. The last time she was a little careless and ruined a case report.

As she walked towards the shelf filled with political books, a hawk came to the window.

It was Darius’ hawk.

She immediately took the missive it carried and the hawk fled away.

I have finished the task, Your Majesty... it said. However, it was written through a spell that wouldn’t allow anyone else to read it.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read