CHAPTER 164: THE HIDDEN PAIN

Lydia walked slowly through the hallway. Her steps were quiet, almost floating, but inside her heart was raging. She was trying not to think about Ivan, not to remember the warmth of his arms, not to recall how her body had rested so easily against him.

She reached the door that led to her chambers. Just as her hand touched the handle, one of her maids came running down the corridor. The girl bowed quickly and said in a careful voice, "Your Highness, do you need anything?"

Lydia did not even look at her. She only said in a low and cold voice, "Prepare a bath for me."

The maid froze. Her eyes widened in confusion. For a moment she did not know what to say. Then she asked carefully, "Do you want the bath in His Highness’s chambers? Because... because your own room is still under renovation."

At once Lydia’s head turned, and her eyes were like ice. Her voice was sharp, cutting, "Are you a fool? Why would I have my bath there?"

The maid’s face drained of color. She stumbled over her words. "I... I only thought... Forgive me... I only thought because... because you have been..."

Her words trailed off.

Servants who were nearby stopped in their tracks. They looked at each other with wide eyes. Whispers began to spread quickly among them. They had never seen Lydia like this before.

Just at that moment, Katherine came walking down the corridor. She stopped when she heard the commotion.

The young maid, still trembling, tried to explain herself. "You... you have been having your bath in His Highness’s chambers these past days. I just thought—"

Lydia cut her off sharply. "You thought wrong."

The words were cold and heavy, and they pierced through the maid like a knife. Her lips trembled. She didn’t know what to do. Her eyes filled with tears. And before she could stop herself, she began to cry.

Katherine hurried forward. She bent her head respectfully and said quickly, "Forgive her, Your Highness. She is new. She didn’t know any better."

Lydia said nothing. Her gaze was still sharp as she looked at the girl.

Katherine lowered her voice and continued, "I will arrange everything. The servants will prepare a room for you to stay in until your own chambers are finished. And I will see to your bath personally. Please, Your Highness, let me handle this."

The maid bowed again, crying softly. Katherine touched her arm and guided her away.

Lydia pushed open the door and entered her chambers without another word.

Behind her, the other servants still whispered to each other. Their faces were pale. They had never seen her so cold, so harsh, so unlike the calm and untouchable figure they were used to. Something had happened. They could all feel it.

---

Far away, in Tatiana’s room, the sun was just peeking in through the curtains. Tatiana had only just woken up when her maid, Yelena, entered carrying a basket of freshly washed grey clothes.

Yelena’s eyes were wide with excitement. She quickly set the basket down and rushed to Tatiana’s side. "My lady," she whispered, almost out of breath, "you don’t have to worry anymore. I think things are working out for you."

Tatiana frowned, confused. "What do you mean?"

Yelena leaned in closer, lowering her voice like she was about to reveal a precious secret. "Her Highness finally left His Highness’s chambers."

Tatiana’s lips parted slightly.

Yelena went on quickly, "The servants are all whispering. They said she seemed very angry this morning. She even yelled at one of her maids. I think something happened between them."

She smiled brightly, her eyes shining with excitement. "This is good news, isn’t it? It means maybe His Highness is beginning to turn away from her."

But Tatiana’s face remained unreadable. She didn’t smile. She didn’t speak. She only sat in silence, her thoughts hidden.

---

Meanwhile, Lydia had finished her bath. The hot water had done nothing to soothe her heart. She dressed in a simple brown robe, her hair falling down her back, her face pale and quiet.

She walked out onto the terrace, where the air was fresh and the sky bright. The table was already set with her breakfast. She sat down alone. Her fingers lifted a piece of bread, but she hardly tasted it. The food was only there to fill the silence.

Her thoughts were heavy. The sound of birds singing in the garden felt far away, like they belonged to another world.

Then she heard soft footsteps approaching.

Without turning her head, she spoke quickly, her voice flat and cold. "Leave. I want to be alone."

The footsteps stopped. A soft voice replied, "Forgive me for disturbing you, Your Highness. But I just wanted to talk to you."

Lydia finally turned her head. It was Katherine. Her face remained cold. "About what?" she asked sharply.

Katherine hesitated, then spoke in a quiet but firm voice. "About your attitude."

Lydia’s eyes narrowed. "What?"

Katherine took a step closer. "I don’t understand why you are being this way, Your Highness. I truly don’t. What could he have possibly done to make you so full of hate?"

Lydia’s hands tightened around her cup. Her voice was sharp. "Then don’t understand."

Her eyes flashed. "I warned you, didn’t I? Not to cross your boundaries. You are nothing but the head servant. Stop acting out of place."

Her voice dropped lower, bitter and cold. "Stop speaking when you don’t understand."

Katherine’s eyes softened with pain. But she didn’t stop. She spoke again, almost pleading. "Then make me understand. Tell me. Please."

Lydia’s lips curved into a bitter chuckle. Her voice shook with anger and pain. "You really want to know, don’t you? Then tell him to bring him back to life."

Katherine froze. "Him? Who?"

Lydia’s voice rose suddenly, sharp and trembling. "My son! My baby! Tell him to bring him back to life!"

Her chair scraped loudly against the floor as she stood up. Her eyes were burning. She wanted to leave, to end the conversation, but Katherine quickly reached out and grabbed her arm.

Her voice was desperate. "I don’t understand. What do you mean by baby? I don’t understand. I have never heard anything about this."

Lydia turned her face away, but a tear slipped down her cheek. Her voice was low and trembling. "Of course you didn’t know. When I left... I found out I was pregnant."

Katherine gasped softly.

Lydia’s lips trembled, but her words were sharp. "But it doesn’t matter, does it? He died. Days after he was born."

Her shoulders shook, and she tried to walk away, but Katherine held her tighter.

"Why didn’t you tell him?" Katherine asked, her voice breaking.

Lydia turned her head slowly. Her eyes were red, wet, but filled with bitterness. Her voice was like ice. "You think I didn’t?"

She pulled her arm free with force, wiping her tears quickly with the back of her hand. Her voice was trembling, low, but full of pain. "It doesn’t matter. None of it matters now."

And with that, she walked away, her steps fast, almost fleeing.

Her robe brushed against the ground as she disappeared through the door, leaving Katherine standing there in shock, her hands still trembling from the weight of what she had just heard.

Katherine’s lips moved silently, trying to repeat the words. "Her son... her baby..."

She had never known. None of the servants had ever known. And now the truth felt heavier than anything she had ever carried.

---

And Lydia—Lydia walked alone down the hall, wiping her tears bitterly, her heart breaking and hardening all at once.