Betrayed By The Hero, Loved By The Lord-Chapter 257: Pay attention (2)

Natalie tried to fight smiling so she wouldn’t let it show how much she was enjoying this moment. She couldn’t wait to see Vivienne’s reaction to the truth being out.

Vivienne should have never thought it would be so easy to get rid of her friends.

Natalie enjoyed the way Darius held her so intently as they walked together. With Darius fully accepting the child, Natalie was a little less concerned about her safety.

Upon exiting the room, Natalie glanced at her brother and Juliana, who still lingered around. As promised, she would find a place for her brother to be in the palace, followed by her father.

Natalie acknowledged Juliana for a moment. Juliana smiled like all her problems had been solved, and for a moment, they would be.

"It surprised me that you would pick Juliana over me. Is she wonderful company?" Natalie asked.

"I would pick you over her any day. Her place in the palace was decided by Vivienne. You were my first choice when she suggested a friend. If Juliana isn’t with child, I will soon send her out of the palace and bring in another woman," Darius shared his plans.

"If you don’t mind, I would like to keep her at my side. It would save you from Juliana pleading to get back into the palace, and I will have a friend to keep me company. I don’t want to meet with others until it is safe for this child. Will you let me have her?" Natalie asked.

Darius didn’t like this since he was bored with Juliana and didn’t want to see her anymore. "She is the jealous kind. How can you trust you will be safe around her? All she does is question me about the other women I am with as if it is her place."

"I will silence her for you. There are other ways to get women to behave rather than just killing them as Vivienne does. When I am done, she will not seek to be at your side or try to harm me. You must trust me," said Natalie.

"Do as you wish, but she must not go around presenting herself as one of the king’s women. Once enough time has passed, she will just be your friend," Darius replied.

"That is only fair. I will make her one of my ladies in the palace. With your permission, of course," Natalie quickly added. "She will be of use that way, and I can keep an eye on her. You cannot have her speaking carelessly about her time with you."

"Do it," Darius allowed Natalie.

Darius was reminded of how much of a sensible woman Natalie was. She was never too emotional and never spoke on matters she shouldn’t concern herself about. If only Vivienne could act more like Natalie.

Natalie was enjoying herself. She smiled, not because she was having her way, but by looking forward to Juliana’s reaction she would become a servant.

Natalie intended to keep her promise to let Juliana stay in the palace, but she hadn’t forgotten how Juliana was so quick to turn her back on her the second she got welcomed to the palace.

Once Natalie got rid of Vivienne, she would go for Juliana.

"Where is the queen? Tell her to come to her husband now!" Darius ordered the guards.

Darius didn’t want to burden Natalie with walking too far since she looked weak.

"Bring me blood. A lot of it," Darius ordered the servants.

Darius led Natalie to take a seat so she could be off her feet as they waited for Vivienne and the blood.

It wasn’t too long before Vivienne arrived with two lines of maids behind her. Vivienne’s mood turned sour when she saw Natalie sitting beside Darius and Darius holding her so lovingly.

"What is this? I banned her from coming to the palace, yet here she sits beside my husband. You are sitting so close to her that I am only to assume there is something between you two, but that couldn’t be. Right," Vivienne said, seeking answers from Darius..

Vivienne was away from Darius’s side for a moment and that was all it took for Natalie to wiggle her way back into the palace.

Seeing the two together, Vivienne thought of what Juliana had told her and Darius’s interest in Natalie when she suggested he be with Natalie.

"Get up, Darius. Get up before others misunderstand why you are sitting beside her. Get up now!" Vivienne yelled, angry he wasn’t moving.

Darius had done some foolish things before, but Vivienne would hate to think he would embarrass her like this. She had been inviting Natalie to the palace or other social gatherings and smiled with her.

"Vivienne," Darius said in a calm tone as he stood up. He knew he had to calm her before Vivienne could celebrate the good news with him. "You shouldn’t act like this when others are watching. It isn’t a good look for the queen."

"And my husband shouldn’t be with my friends, but you still do it. I want her out of the palace. Get rid of her right now," Vivienne said, frustrated she had to say this.

Darius should already know that Natalie wasn’t welcome in the palace. Why did he feel the need to do this to her over and over again?

"I don’t see how this is any different from you offering me Juliana-"

"It is different and you know it. You were sneaking around with my friend behind my back. If you had to sneak, then you know that it is wrong. I can forget about this if you send her away now. Send her away before this gets out of hand," Vivienne said, giving Darius a chance.

Vivienne glanced at Natalie, who was strangely smiling. Why was she so confident?

Vivienne looked away from Natalie but was quick to face her again after noticing something was off.

"No," Vivienne said, stepping away from Darius. He had gone too far once again. "Tell me that she isn’t."

"She is," Darius confirmed for Vivienne. "You will welcome her to the palace since the child is mine. She is no longer banned and I will find her a room close to my own. She is not to be hurt and neither will that baby. You must hold your anger and celebrate this moment."

Vivienne laughed. Darius had truly lost his mind. "Celebrate? You want me to celebrate that you will have a child with her? I was more than willing to accept the others, but not her. You will make me out to be a joke amongst our peers."

"No one can laugh at you. I will cut out their tongues if they try to. Natalie is not going anywhere while she carries my child, and if you get in the way of that, you will be going somewhere. Natalie wants nothing more than to get along with you. You should try to be like her," said Darius.

Vivienne’s laughter grew after Darius’s suggestion. He had some nerve to say this to her face whilst Natalie was right there. "I’m sorry, but I can never be like someone who sneaks around with their friend’s husband. I can never be a dirty little whore. I am the queen."

"You are," Darius agreed, nodding his head. "But she is also my woman, so quiet down before you upset me."