Comrade 16

Posted by Florence, ? Views, Released on September 3, 2025

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CHAPTER 16

Jul 11, 2025

The moment Prince Maximilian stepped out of his palace, his imposing figure dominated the courtyard, his dark eyes fixed on Sebastian like a predator ready to strike.

The tension between them was suffocating, a silent battle already brewing in the royal gardens.

The palace guards nearby stiffened, sensing the rising hostility. Even the playful laughter of the children had died away, replaced by an ominous silence that hung heavy in the morning air.

Prince Maximilian’s voice was smooth yet sharp as a blade drawn from its scabbard. “Remove yourself from my sovereign territory immediately.”

Sebastian turned to face him fully, his piercing blue eyes burning with barely suppressed rage. “I am not here to wage war,” he growled, his royal bearing unwavering despite the obvious threat. “I merely wish to see my children. And Princess Evangeline.”

The mention of her name made Prince Maximilian’s jaw twitch visibly. His lips curled into a mocking smile, but his eyes held no trace of amusement.

“Your children?” Prince Maximilian scoffed with obvious disdain. “You speak of the boys you abandoned for five long years?”

Before Sebastian could formulate a response, the palace doors opened with a resounding creak, and Evangeline appeared, looking desperate like she was in search of something.

She frowned the moment her eyes fell upon Sebastian, her arms crossing defensively over her chest. “Sebastian, what are you still doing here?” Her voice held no warmth, only bone-deep exhaustion.

Sebastian’s expression softened slightly as he turned toward her. “I came to see you. To see my sons. To offer you my protection.”

Prince Maximilian let out a cold, bitter laugh. “They require no protection from you, Your Highness. They are perfectly safe within my care.”

Sebastian’s jaw clenched, his hands forming fists at his sides. “Are they truly?”

Prince Maximilian’s smirk vanished entirely. His dark eyes flashed dangerously, and his muscles coiled as if preparing to strike, but before he could lunge forward, Evangeline stepped decisively between them.

“Enough,” she commanded with regal authority. Then, turning to Prince Maximilian, she added more gently, “Please, Your Highness, return to the palace. I shall handle this matter personally.”

Prince Maximilian looked at her with obvious reluctance, his expression hardening. “Evangeline—”

“Please,” she repeated, her voice softer now, carrying a quiet plea that seemed to pierce through his anger.

Prince Maximilian’s nostrils flared with barely contained fury, but after a moment of tense silence, he exhaled sharply.

Without another word, he turned and strode back toward the palace, though his entire frame remained rigid with suppressed violence.

Sebastian faced Evangeline directly, his eyes still blazing with intensity. “You should not place your trust in that man.”

Evangeline let out a dry, humorless laugh, shaking her head in disbelief. “Those words ring hollow, coming from the man who betrayed me so thoroughly. Why the devil are you still here?”

Sebastian flinched slightly but quickly masked his reaction. He sighed deeply, rubbing a hand across his face. “I am truly sorry, Evangeline,” he said, his voice low and raw with emotion.

Evangeline crossed her arms more tightly, her emerald gaze unwavering. “Sorry changes nothing, Sebastian. Sorry does not undo the years I spent in solitude, raising our children without a father.”

Sebastian swallowed hard, his hands trembling slightly at his sides. “I understand that completely. But that does not mean I forfeit my right to be present now.”

Evangeline shook her head firmly. “No, Sebastian. You forfeited that right long ago.”

Behind them, two small voices interrupted the heated exchange.

“Mama?”

Evangeline turned sharply to see Marcus and Adrian standing several feet away, their innocent faces filled with confusion and concern.

“Marcus, Adrian, return to your chambers immediately,” Evangeline said quickly, her heart racing with panic.

Marcus hesitated, his young brow furrowing with childish curiosity. “Mama… is he truly our papa?”

The question struck Evangeline like a physical blow. Her breath caught in her throat, and she glanced at Sebastian, whose expression had become completely unreadable.

Adrian tugged at her silk skirts. “Mama?”

Evangeline drew a deep breath, then straightened with renewed resolve. “Inside. This instant.”

“Is he truly our papa, Mama?”

The small voice sliced through Sebastian like a dagger to the heart. He barely had time to brace himself for the overwhelming pain that followed. His heart shattered into countless fragments, and for the first time since arriving at Prince Maximilian’s court, he felt utterly powerless.

He had missed five precious years—five years of laughter, of first words, of watching his sons grow from infants to young boys. Five years where he should have been present, where they should have known their father’s identity without question.

Instead, they doubted it.

Instead, he was a stranger to his own flesh and blood.

Sebastian’s throat constricted painfully, but before he could speak, Marcus and Adrian hesitated, then slowly obeyed their mother’s command. They disappeared into the palace, leaving him standing alone in the courtyard.

Evangeline remained behind, her empty gaze locked onto his—eyes that had once overflowed with love and warmth he had foolishly taken for granted.

She said nothing.

She simply stared at him, unblinking, her posture tense and guarded.

Sebastian released a slow breath, attempting to steady himself. He needed to repair this damage, to mend what had been so thoroughly broken.

“When will you tell them the truth?” he asked, his voice quieter now, filled with something dangerous—not anger or desperation, but profound hurt.

Evangeline’s lips parted slightly, but no words emerged.

She hesitated.

“I do not know,” she finally admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Sebastian’s jaw clenched as he stepped closer, his blue eyes locking onto hers with desperate intensity.

“Return home with me, Evangeline.”

She stiffened visibly.

“Our sons deserve to know their father.”

A bitter laugh escaped Evangeline’s lips as she shook her head, her expression becoming unreadable.

“Cease this pretense, Sebastian.”

Sebastian’s brows furrowed as she stepped toward him, her eyes flashing with old pain.

“They survived perfectly well without you.”

Her words were like a slap across his face, but Sebastian did not flinch.

His fingers curled into fists at his sides. “That does not mean they should have been forced to do so.”

Evangeline’s eyes burned with something between rage and sorrow, her breathing becoming uneven. “And whose fault is that reality?”

Sebastian opened his mouth to argue, to defend himself, to say anything that might make her understand—but suddenly, Prince Maximilian appeared behind Evangeline again, like a shadow.

Without warning, he grasped her shoulders and pulled her against him, pressing his lips to hers in a possessive, claiming kiss.

Sebastian’s vision exploded with red fury.

Florence

Florence is a passionate reader who finds joy in long drives on rainy days. She’s also a fan of Italian makeup tutorials, blending beauty and elegance into her everyday life.

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Comrade

Score 9.9

Status: Ongoing Type: Alpha

Comrade

Summary & Review: Comrade

Princess Evangeline of Morwyn sat in the quiet waiting room of the royal physician’s office, her mind a whirlwind of fear and fragile hope. The grand palace, bathed in soft afternoon light, felt both like a home and a cage. She had been married to Crown Prince Sebastian of Valdris for three years, but their union was nothing more than a political arrangement—an alliance forged by their fathers to secure peace between their lands.

From the very beginning, Sebastian made it clear that his marriage to Evangeline was purely out of duty, not affection. They slept in separate chambers, exchanged only polite words in public, and maintained a cold civility that masked the emptiness beneath. Evangeline had once dreamed that time might change things, that she might earn his heart, but years of distance had buried that hope deep inside her.

Recently, however, her body had begun to change. She felt nauseated in the mornings, dizzy, and uncommonly tired. These signs, though subtle, stirred a small flame of longing within her—a desperate wish that she might finally be carrying his child. Perhaps, she thought, a baby could soften Sebastian’s heart and give meaning to their lifeless marriage.

When the physician, Master Aldrich, appeared at the doorway, his kind smile gave her both comfort and dread. He led her into his study, a cozy room filled with the scent of herbs, the warmth of a crackling fire, and shelves of ancient medical texts. Evangeline sat nervously as the old man took a sealed parchment from his desk.

With a gentle voice, Master Aldrich delivered the news that would change everything: “Your Highness, I’m delighted to tell you that you are indeed expecting.”

Evangeline’s breath caught in her throat. Her trembling hands broke the royal seal and scanned the words written neatly across the parchment. Pregnant. She was truly with child. Before she could even absorb the shock, Master Aldrich continued, beaming with joy—she was not carrying just one baby, but twins.

The revelation sent a rush of emotion through her—relief, disbelief, joy. Twins! Two heirs for the royal family. The weight of that realization made her dizzy, but it also filled her with warmth and purpose. For the first time in years, she smiled with genuine happiness. Perhaps this was the miracle she needed to mend what had long been broken.

In that moment, she imagined Sebastian’s face lighting up with pride and excitement. She pictured him embracing her, maybe even thanking her. The thought filled her with renewed courage. She thanked Master Aldrich graciously and insisted that she would tell Sebastian the news herself. This moment, she decided, must belong to them alone.

Walking through the grand marble corridors of the palace, Evangeline’s heart felt light for the first time in years. Servants bowed as she passed, but she hardly noticed them—her mind was focused only on Sebastian and the life growing inside her. She wanted to see him, to share the joy, to believe that maybe, just maybe, love could still bloom between them.

As she approached the door of Sebastian’s private study, her steps quickened. She called out softly, “Sebastian! My lord, I have the most wonderful news to—”

But her voice faltered.

Through the half-open door, Evangeline froze at the sight before her. Her husband stood with Lady Cordelia Ashworth, daughter of the Duke of Greymont, wrapped in his arms. The woman’s fiery red hair cascaded over Sebastian’s shoulders as he held her close. Evangeline’s heart stopped when she saw him tilt Cordelia’s chin upward and press his lips to hers—a tender, passionate kiss filled with the warmth and love she had begged the heavens for all these years.

It was everything she had ever wanted—and it wasn’t hers.

For a long, unbearable second, Evangeline could only stare. The parchment with her pregnancy confirmation still trembled in her hand. Then, in a broken whisper, she said his name: “Sebastian…”

The Crown Prince turned sharply, surprise flashing across his features before being quickly masked by his usual calm. Cordelia paled and stepped back, though Sebastian’s arm lingered protectively around her waist.

“Evangeline,” he said evenly, as though she were a stranger interrupting him, “what brings you here?”

Her throat tightened. She forced herself to stand tall, even as tears burned behind her eyes. “I… I live here,” she managed, her voice quivering. “I’m your wife.”

Sebastian’s cold gaze didn’t soften. “Is there something you need?” he asked, the same way he might address a court official.

Something inside Evangeline broke. Just minutes ago, she had been radiant with hope, ready to tell him that she carried his children—the future of his line. But now, staring at the indifference in his eyes and the woman in his arms, she realized the truth she had avoided for too long.

He would never love her. Not even their unborn children could change that.

A calmness settled over her—a cold, regal resolve that masked the chaos in her chest. Straightening her shoulders, Evangeline met his gaze with all the dignity her title demanded.

“Yes, my lord,” she said clearly. “There is something I need.”

Sebastian raised a brow, perhaps expecting her to plead, to cry, to beg for an explanation. Instead, she spoke words that shattered the silence of the study.

“I want an annulment.”

Both Sebastian and Cordelia froze. The shock in their eyes was almost satisfying. Cordelia gasped aloud, pressing a hand to her mouth, while Sebastian’s expression turned dark and unreadable.

“What did you say?” he asked in a dangerously quiet voice.

Evangeline’s chin lifted higher. Her hands no longer trembled. “You heard me perfectly,” she said. “I want our marriage annulled.”

In that instant, the timid princess who had once waited for scraps of affection was gone. What remained was a woman who had found her strength—not through her husband’s love, but through the pain he had caused.

Inside, she knew she carried the next heirs of the throne—his heirs—but she would not allow that to bind her to a man who treated her like a political pawn. She would raise her children with dignity, even if she had to walk away from the palace to do it.

The silence that followed was heavy, filled with the crackle of the fireplace and the unspoken consequences of her declaration. But Evangeline didn’t wait for a reply. Gathering her skirts, she turned toward the door, her heart broken yet unburdened.

Her steps echoed through the marble halls as she walked away from the man who had never seen her—and toward the freedom she was finally claiming for herself.