Chapter 250: Lost Hope

Lydia sat quietly by the balcony, her hands resting on her lap, her eyes lost somewhere in the orange glow of the setting sun. The light spread across the palace roofs, soft and golden, but she didn’t see it. She was thinking — or rather, she was trapped in her thoughts. No matter how much she tried, she couldn’t push Tatiana’s words out of her mind.

They echoed again and again.

"His Highness will never abandon me. He trusts me. I’m carrying his child."

Lydia’s fingers tightened around the edge of her seat. Her heart felt weak, almost too tired to beat. She kept staring at the fading light as if the sky could calm her. But nothing could.

Her chest rose and fell slowly. Every breath felt heavy. The wind blew gently, brushing through her hair, but even the cool air brought no comfort. Her thoughts were louder than the wind.

A soft knock came on the door. It broke the silence.

"Your Highness?" It was Katherine’s voice. "Are you alright? You’ve been here all morning."

Lydia didn’t respond. She didn’t even move. Her eyes were still on the horizon.

Katherine waited, her voice now gentle. "If there’s anything troubling you, I’m here for you. Please don’t stay alone like this."

Still, Lydia said nothing.

After a quiet moment, Katherine sighed softly and left the room, closing the door behind her. The silence returned, but now it felt heavier.

Lydia’s eyes dropped to her hands. They were trembling slightly. She thought again about Tatiana — her voice, her smirk, her cruel words.

Lydia pressed her palm to her chest. Her heart hurt so much it almost felt like something was tearing inside. She whispered to herself, "Did he really abandon me?"

The question sounded strange out loud, but it was all she could think about.

She thought about the letter. The one that ended everything between them. The one that said it was over. But that letter... it wasn’t him who wrote it. She knew that now. It had been a lie. Someone else wrote those words.

So what if... what if he never meant to leave her? What if he was forced to? What if there was another reason behind it all?

Maybe he didn’t abandon her after all. Maybe everything she believed was wrong.

Lydia slowly stood up. Her legs were weak, but her heart suddenly felt alive again. A spark of hope lit up inside her — small, but real.

She whispered, "Maybe if I tell him... everything will be fine. Maybe he’ll understand."

She looked around her room for the necklace — the one she had kept hidden so carefully. The one that reminded her of that night, of their love, of what they once were. She searched the drawers, pulling them open one by one, her hands trembling. Then she found it. The silver necklace lay at the bottom of the drawer, shining softly even in the dim light.

She held it tightly in her palm. "If I show him this, he’ll remember. He’ll believe me. He’ll know the truth about our baby."

She looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were still red from all the crying, but she didn’t care. There was only one thought in her heart now — she had to see him. She had to tell him before it was too late.

She hurried toward the door, her heart beating fast. Every step felt like a mix of fear and hope. She didn’t even stop to think about what she would say. She just knew she had to go.

The halls were quiet, the walls bathed in the warm light of the setting sun. Her slippers brushed lightly against the marble floor as she walked faster and faster.

She reached Ivan’s chambers. But when she opened the door, he wasn’t there. The room was empty. Her eyes darted around the space, then she remembered — he often spent his evenings in the study.

Without thinking, she turned and hurried there, her hands clutching the necklace close to her chest. Her heart was racing now. Her lips trembled as she whispered, "Please... please let him listen to me."

The long corridor stretched ahead. Every sound — the echo of her steps, the faint whispers of the maids far away — felt distant, unreal. All that mattered was reaching him.

Finally, she stood before the door to his study. Her hand reached for the handle. Her fingers were shaking. She took a deep breath.

But then she froze.

A voice came from inside. A soft, pleading voice that made her heart go still.

It was Tatiana.

"I know I made mistakes," Tatiana’s voice said quietly. "But I’m the one carrying your child. Please... please don’t turn away from me, Your Highness."

Lydia felt something twist deep inside her. Her fingers slipped slightly from the door handle.

Then she heard Ivan’s voice. Calm, quiet, heavy.

"You should rest, Tatiana. You shouldn’t move around in your condition."

Lydia’s breath caught in her throat.

Tatiana’s voice trembled. "So you still care."

There was a pause. Then Ivan answered softly, "Of course I care. I can’t ignore what’s happening. You’re under my protection now. Just take care of yourself and the child."

Lydia stood still.

Her heart broke silently.

Her eyes filled with tears, and before she could stop them, they rolled down her cheeks. She bit her lip, trying not to make a sound, but her whole body shook.

Those words — "you’re under my protection now" — burned in her chest. He cared. But not for her.

Tatiana was right.

He really did abandon her.

The hand holding the necklace loosened, and it slipped from her palm, hitting the floor softly. She didn’t even notice.

Everything felt quiet. She could hear nothing but the sound of her heartbeat — slow, painful, heavy.

She turned away from the door slowly, her eyes blurry from the tears. Her legs felt weak, but she walked. One step at a time.

She didn’t know where she was going. She just wanted to get away — away from that voice, that room, that truth. Away from the pain.

The halls around her were quiet and cold. Her tears kept falling. She covered her mouth with her hand, trying not to sob, but her body shook so hard she could barely breathe.

She whispered to herself, "He promised me. He said he’d never leave me again..."

Her words faded into the air, swallowed by the silence.

She stopped by one of the tall palace windows and looked outside. The last bit of sunlight had faded. The sky was turning dark, and so was her heart.

She pressed her forehead to the glass, closing her eyes. Everything she hoped for, everything she believed in, had fallen apart again.

For a moment, she wanted to scream. She wanted to hit something. She wanted to break the walls that kept her trapped in this endless pain. But instead, she just cried. Quietly.

Her tears slid down her face, dripping onto her hands.

She thought of the night Ivan had held her close, the warmth of his arms, the way his eyes softened when he looked at her. She remembered the way he kissed her forehead and said, "You’ll never be alone again."

But now she was.

Completely alone.

The sound of her quiet sobs filled the empty corridor.

She leaned against the wall, covering her face, whispering, "Why did you do this to me... Ivan? Why?"

The necklace lay forgotten on the floor behind her, its silver chain glinting faintly in the dim light.

Somewhere inside that room, Ivan still spoke with Tatiana, unaware that Lydia had come — unaware that the woman he truly loved was walking away, broken, believing once again that she had been left behind.

And as Lydia slowly disappeared into the quiet halls, the sun finally sank below the horizon, leaving only shadows behind.