Mated To The Barbarian King Who Is My Ex-husband's Father.

Chapter 12: You Have Been Lying, Princess.

The cool breeze brushed across her face, warning her of the demands of the lunatic standing before her.

Arianna knew his stupid ass would never want her to be with his father.

The thought drove him to the edge, yet he was with another woman—her closest friend.

She didn’t want to think about the betrayal and everything that had happened in the past. How foolishly she had confided in Selena about Ethan, never knowing they were already sleeping together.

Pushing the memories to the back of her mind, she turned to Kane and asked with an innocent expression, fluttering her long lashes.

"Do you really want me to leave, Your Highness?"

The king looked at her as though he was trying to choose between her and his son. She hated that she had put him in such a position.

"Father, do not listen to her. She is like a snake who whispers lies and leaves people confused," Ethan shouted, taking a step forward.

Arianna could see the fear in his eyes. Did he think she was capable of turning the king against him?

She was glad he thought so highly of her.

"Why would you speak of someone you just met in such a way?" the king demanded, his brows furrowing in confusion and annoyance.

Arianna quickly answered before her plan came crashing down after all her effort.

"We do not know each other, Your Highness. Your son doesn’t like me, and he will say anything to make sure I’m out of here."

"I am not wrong about her, Father. The sooner she leaves, the better for everyone."

"I do not take orders from you, Ethan. Who are you to tell me what to do?" Kane asked, his jaw clenched. His hands were balled into tight fists behind his back.

"N-No, Father. I am not telling you what to do..." Ethan replied, stunned that his father hadn’t taken his side. It was the first time Arianna had ever heard him stammer with fear.

"Of course you weren’t telling me what to do. I told you earlier that we would discuss this tomorrow, yet you insisted on talking about it here... in front of everyone," the king thundered, his voice tense with anger.

Arianna felt a chill run down her spine. Wrapping her arms around herself, she took a cautious step away from him.

He was beginning to sound different. Maybe that Alpha side of him was trying to take over, and it was all because of that stupid Ethan.

"Forgive me, Father," Ethan said, lowering his head in shame. He knew better than anyone what the king’s anger was like.

"Now go to your tent quietly before I break your heart with words," Kane commanded.

Before Arianna could even lift her head, she noticed everyone dispersing toward their tents.

Ethan shot her a murderous glare, making it clear that they were now at war.

She swallowed instinctively but ignored his warning.

There was no better feeling than being his stepmother.

Whatever problems came later would be dealt with later. Tonight, she had escaped this one. Tomorrow, she would find another way.

"Go inside and wait for me," Kane said, his gaze lingering on her for a moment too long.

She didn’t want to go in without him. Her fear was obvious.

What if Ethan told the king the truth after she left? What would become of her?

As the king turned to leave, she wrapped her hand around his arm, leading him to the door.

Arianna caught sight of the horror written plainly across Ethan’s face.

The satisfaction nearly made her jump with excitement.

Instead, she simply winked at him before making her way toward her husband’s tent.

The moment she stepped inside, Arianna released a shaky breath. Letting go of the king’s arm, she rubbed her throat and took several deep breaths, trying to calm her racing heart.

"Do you need water?" Kane asked, watching her closely.

Arianna was surprised by the question. It was unexpectedly thoughtful of him.

"Yes, I do."

He walked over to the table, picked up the jug, and poured some water into an iron cup before handing it to her.

She accepted it gratefully and drank almost everything before setting the cup aside.

"Thank you."

"Do you feel better?" the king asked, running a hand through his hair.

"Yes... much better."

She forced a smile, but the way he kept staring at her made her uneasy.

What was going through his mind?

And why was he looking at her like that?

A suffocating silence settled between them.

Arianna stood there for a moment before moving to sit at the edge of the bed.

Her heart pounded relentlessly in her chest.

It was obvious that the king had his doubts, but why wasn’t he saying anything?

"Say what’s on your mind, Your Highness. I can tell there is something you want to ask," she said, finally breaking the silence.

Kane stood with his arms crossed over his chest, drawing attention to his thick biceps.

Despite everything, Arianna found herself stealing glances at him.

He was a handsome man, but there was a darkness lurking beneath the surface that no amount of beauty could conceal.

"I still do not understand how you and my son have never met," he said. "He studied in the West, and your father hosted him. Something about that doesn’t add up."

Arianna swallowed hard.

A lump formed in her throat, but she forced herself not to flinch. The last thing she wanted was for him to realize she was lying.

With a shrug, she plastered a confused smile on her face.

"I-I don’t understand."

"What I said was straightforward, Princess. There is absolutely nothing difficult to understand," Kane said calmly, his gaze never leaving her. It was as though he was trying to read her like the pages of a book.

"I never met him because my father kept me hidden. He wanted me to marry a prince from the East, so he was afraid I would fall in love," Arianna began quickly. "That’s why they kept me locked away."

"Did his fear come true?" he asked. "I mean, you didn’t marry the prince. You married me instead."

"I married a king, so I think that’s better," Arianna let out a small, nervous chuckle, lowering her head. She knew she had little time left before this conversation turned against her. "I didn’t fall in love, but..."

"But what?" Kane stepped closer. "Why did you choose to leave your modern life and everything it had to offer, and come live in the forest with a man you’ve only heard terrible stories about?"

There was no answer.

Arianna’s hands moved to the edge of the bed as she gripped the wood tightly. Her chest rose and fell in uneven breaths as those piercing blue eyes burned into her.

"You see, Princess... I hate to investigate you, but something is obvious," the king said, brows furrowing. "You have been lying."