Hope's POV:

"I was afraid this would happen."

The first thing I see after regaining my consciousness was my dad, seated beside my bed on a stool, with his face buried in his hands.

I look around and see that I'm back in my room before rubbing my eyes and slowly try to sit up.

I glance at my dad who was still in the same position, but don't say anything.

Does he even care for me?

If he did, he wouldn't force me to marry someone I don't want to. He wouldn't have betrothed me to Anton.

Anton. Even his name brings me anger. My dad thinks that he is "perfect" for me.
I, for one, don't think so. We went on one date. One date, and all he talked about was himself and other royal matters. Any sane person wouldn't want to marry him.
I don't know why my dad doesn't understand that I dont want to marry him.

Unsure of what to say to him, I bring up the most classic awkward greeting.

"Hey."

His head shoots up like a spring.

Panic takes over his face and he hurriedly leans over and takes me in his arms.

"Hope! Oh god, I was so worried. Are you okay? How are you feeling?"

"Apart from lack of air due to that hug.... I'm feeling okay." I say and he releases a sigh of relief.

"What happened?" I ask.

He shifts uncomfortably on the stool.

"Urm.. so you fainted. We called the doctor and he ran many tests. And.." His voice starts to crack and he bites his bottom lip.

"Uh.. I can't find the right words to say."

Tears start spilling from his eyes and he tries to hide them by looking away.

I get a strange feeling in my stomach.

"Dad." I put my hand on top of his.
He turns his head to look at me.

And I see those teary eyes of his. They seemed familiar to me, because the last time I saw him cry like this was when..
A giant lump forms in my throat as I recall what happened that day.

I blink away the tears just as they were threatening to leave my eyes, and gather the courage to say something.

"Dad, just tell me."

He takes two deep breaths to calm down.

"I'll start from the beginning. So you think your mother died a natural death." He takes a short pause. "She didn't. She... Had cancer."

Just as those words leave his mouth, it felt like, my life is a big joke. I don't know what's happening in my life. I've never known. I can't find a way to respond to his words.

He looks at me for some sort of response. When I stay silent, he continues,

"And... You inherited it from-"

He couldn't finish his sentence and hid his face again, most likely hiding his tears.

"I've inherited it from her. I have cancer." I say with no emotion in my voice or on my face. Because that's how I feel.

"How much longer do.. do I have?"

"8 mont-"

The door is suddenly pushed open by a certain person. He looks at us both.

"Urm.. sorry. I heard some voices and I wondered if she was awake. I couldn't wait to see her." He says with an innocent face.

Ah, there's the idiot named Anton pretending to care about me in front of my father.

"It's okay, son. I'll just leave." My naïve dad tells him.

If only he would listen to me and believe me. He thinks that Anton is some kind of Angel. When in reality, he's the opposite.

Anton's dad and my own have been good friends for quite a long time. I've met him. He's actually very nice and kind. Much unlike his offspring.

My father gets up from his stool and leaves the room, not before planting a kiss on my forehead.

After he leaves, Anton comes and sits on the stool. He takes my hand in his and brings my knuckles to his lips.

I snatch it away from him as soon as he lets go.

He starts talking, but I don't pay an ounce of attention to what he was saying.

How could I? All the previous events were replaying in my head.
Mom. Cancer. Death. 8. Freaking. Months.

I was on the verge of crying, but somehow maintained to keep my composure and said to Anton in an almost inaudible voice,

"Anton, I think I need to rest. I'm very tired."

Thankfully, he doesn't question anything and leaves after muttering an 'okay'.

The moment he closed the door, I couldn't help myself anymore and burst into tears.

My life was over before it had even properly started. All my life, at least after mom's death, I have been feeling trapped. I've been unable to make my own choices.

I have always wanted to make my choices. Be free. I don't want to marry Anton! But dad never gave me a choice. I want to be away from all these rules and formalities.

Just... fly away like a bird.

But all my life, I've never had a choice.

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