The Crown's Fire - Chapter 174

Chapter 174: It Was Me
Days passed by, and Elijah remained in turmoil about how to approach Greta and tell her the truth. He stood outside the door of her office, hesitating whether to proceed. King Ezekiel had given him an ultimatum to clear things up before the misunderstanding caused any problems upon his future queen’s arrival in Ebodia.

With that, he took a deep breath and gathered enough strength to knock on the door.

“Minister Greta, it’s me, Elijah. Can I have a word with you?” he called.

“Yes, come in,” Greta answered, and with that, he opened the door. It was the first time he had seen her office, and she was seated in her chair, scanning some petition scrolls.

He coughed to emphasize his presence. Greta put down the scroll and looked at him with her bright smile. Elijah gulped because his heart always skipped a beat whenever she smiled at him like that.

But then, Greta was in love with their king, so he knew well that her smile towards him was nothing but a friendly one. “Why do I grace this sudden visit from you, milord? Please, have a seat,” she said kindly. Elijah sat on a vacant chair and watched as Greta served him tea herself.

“Greta, last time when we had a drink, there’s actually something I want to tell you,” Elijah started.

“Tell me? What is it?” Greta asked, looking at him intently with a frown.

Elijah gulped and pursed his lips.

“Lord Elijah?” Greta called.

“It wasn’t King Ezekiel you had your first kiss with nine years ago,” he stated without blinking an eye at her. “It was me!” he burst out.

Greta’s frown deepened as she hissed, “What kind of sick joke is this, Lord Elijah?! I remember clearly that it was King Ezekiel who held me that night and helped me to my feet!”

“Yes, but don’t you remember that I was the one holding you on the other side? He released you and tasked me with bringing you back to your quarters that night. I clearly remember everything you said.” Elijah elaborated.

“‘Your Highness! I like you so much! I know this is sudden, but I feel like it’s the only time I can confess my feelings for you because I feel confident, maybe because of the alcohol’s kick. I like you and you are my first love!'” Elijah mirrored every word Greta had said that night.

His face turned red, as he murmured, “Then you kissed me, thinking I was King Ezekiel.”

Greta’s face paled. She was not stupid. Elijah stating every word like that was enough proof that he was telling the truth.

“And I kissed you back because your lips tasted good,” he shamelessly added.

“You!” Greta screamed. “How could you?!” Her eyes burned with rage, and if looks could kill, Elijah would have been dead by now.

“I will not apologize because I’m not sorry that you kissed me nor that I kissed you back. Why would I say sorry when I liked it?” Elijah confidently stated.

“Who cares if you liked it or not! How dare you snatch away my first kiss!” Greta barked.

“I didn’t snatch it! You offered your first kiss to me. Is that my fault?!” Elijah shot back.

“Leave me alone right now! I don’t want to see your face!” Greta chided with greeted teeth. Her face was so red in anger but in Elijah’s eyes, she still looked so stunning and even hot.

‘I’m nuts,’ he thought. He wanted to stay longer, but knowing Greta, she would kill him for good if he didn’t leave her be right now.

Elijah stood, a mix of regret and defiance in his eyes. “Alright, Greta. But you needed to know the truth. I’ll leave you alone for now, but know this… I will have my eyes on you from now on.”

He meant every word he said. After their conversation that night over drinks, Elijah sensed Greta’s determination to do whatever it took to undermine Lady Katelina. Her fixation on Ezekiel worried him, raising concerns about what she might be willing to do to win the king’s favor. This was precisely why he had opened up about Greta to Ezekiel—to ensure the king was aware of his Minister of Justice’s feelings and potential actions.

With that, he turned and walked out, leaving Greta seething in her office.

He was honestly feeling bitter. He liked Greta, and to be honest, he had developed deep feelings for her after that kiss nine years ago. But he ignored those emotions, knowing Greta had feelings for Ezekiel. He had no chance, so he thought it was better not to entertain his feelings, getting involved with other women without any attachment.

But now reality sank in, hitting him hard. His feelings for Greta remained, evident in how broken his heart felt right now. Greta’s reaction and the disappointment vivid on her face were like a sharp knife struck directly into his heart.

Meanwhile, Greta’s body shivered in anger. How could Elijah turn her sweet dream into a nightmare? Balling her hands into fists, she vowed, “Nothing has changed. This is just a mild setback! This doesn’t mean that I should just accept defeat without even trying and fighting for it.”

She had already instructed her men to collect all available data regarding this Queen Regent Katelina. She needed to find fault in this woman and let their king know. Her plans were already in motion, spreading rumors across the kingdom so no Ebodian would accept a foreign woman as their king’s future queen.

That day, Greta became extra busy, instructing her assistant to make arrangements for her travel back to Zion. She had heard that the kingdom’s judicial system was still unstable, so she saw no issue in extending extra help there like she did in Helion. Additionally, she wanted to meet this Katelina face-to-face, to have a word with her and see what kind of woman she was for their king to choose her.