In the Throne room, the atmosphere was chilling as a ferocious father glared daggers at the door of the secret pathway that the King had used to take his daughter away.

The secret pathway was exposed, making it easy for Rutherford St. Claire to follow the pair but sadly, the door wouldn't budge even after he tried his best to force it open.

"You have to stand down, Earl." The Royal Steward begged the man to stop lest he damaged the Palace property.

Only those with royal blood coursing through their veins and know the location of these secret pathways could access it.

Thus, the Steward was trying his best to stop Earl St. Claire from forcing his way in.

However, no words were going through to the man who was livid and raging at what had taken place.

How could Rutherford be alright when the King had practically stolen his child and ran away with her?

Therefore, he ignored the Steward and focused on prying the door open so that he might get to his Vonna at the earliest.

The Steward had limited options on what he could do in such a situation.

Since the King wasn't in any danger that threatened his life, the Black Shadow knights would not make their presence known, exposing themselves to those present here in this room.

The next choice he had was to summon the Royal guards standing outside to restrain the Earl who was beginning to get out of control.

However, he was someone who held a high position in the economy of their Kingdom along with being a proud son of nobility.

To add to that, the St. Claires were guests personally invited by the King so he could not do something as disrespectful as calling the guards to hold him down.

Therefore, the Steward, having heard numerous rumors about the Earl from his subordinates, turned his eyes to the one person whom he was sure would be able to control him before he went berserk.

With an imploring and helpless look in his eyes, the Royal Steward turned towards the Countess with a wordless request to help him out of this sticky situation.

He knew that the King had acted out of line but there was nothing that he could do but settle the chaos and wait for their Ruler to return with the little girl.

'Hopefully soon!' He prayed while shooting pitiful glances at the Countess waiting for her to take notice and aid him.

Raylene had long caught sight of the Steward's plea for help but continued to ignore him as she too was equally annoyed with what had taken place just earlier.

Their Vonny was snatched away by the King and there was nothing that they could have done in that situation.

As much as she too wished to rage out like her husband was doing right now, she knew that it could have adverse effects on their and their children's future and hence had been silent until now.

However, this did not mean that she was alright with what had taken place.

She was quite peeved but being a lady she chose to hold it in for now.

Glancing at her son who was frozen in place, bewildered by what had taken place, she sighed before letting him be for the moment.

Her focus needed to be on calming her husband down who seemed to burst with anger at any second now.

"My Lord…" She whispered as she continued to remain standing in the same place, next to her son.

The best way to pacify her husband's anger right now would be by calling out the name she would call him when they were at their estate.

However, she would never allow others to know that the scary Earl responded to the adorable name 'Ruthy' as her family was the only one who was privy to that knowledge.

Therefore, she addressed him in a more formal manner which was appropriate for their current time and place.

The Royal Steward was overjoyed when he found that the Countess was willing to help him out but hearing the soft whisper coming from her, his joy dropped as there was no way that the raging man would hear her during his budding rampage.

Much to his awe-filled astonishment, he saw the seething man stop at once.

The Steward and the other few members of the King's council of ministers watched with widened eyes as the Earl took a step away from the secret passage and returned to his wife's side.

This miracle made them look at the Countess in a new light.

Raylene ignored the numerous pairs of eyes on their incomplete family as she stroked her husband's hand in an attempt to calm him down.

Howard finally snapped out of his jumbled thoughts and realized that his sister was still nowhere to be found.

To him, the King was the epitome of righteousness, nobility, and magnificence.

When he had felt the King's imposing aura flowing in their direction, he was left in awe with its potency.

However, realizing that the King had sent this aura to restrain his father while walking away with his sister, the young boy's impression of the King took a nosedive.

He watched in a daze as the Monarch left with his baby sister and contrary to what he had promised while taking her away, they still hadn't returned even after many minutes.

Rutherford was still shaking in anger but since his wife had called him back, he chose to stand in silence right next to her.

The Royal Steward bowed in gratitude to the Countess who had helped him out today.

Raylene gave him a dismissive nod as she wasn't bothered about him but her child who was still not around.

Their time for visiting the King should have come to an end by now but the King himself was nowhere to be found.

There were still other families who had to meet the King after them and she did not know what gossip would already be spread due to their delayed stay inside the Throne room.

'Is Vonny alright?' She squeezed her husband's hand, asking him for reassurance when she was the one who salvaged the situation just earlier.

Rutherford smiled at her when he noticed that she was just as worried as he was but had to hold it in because there needed to be at least someone who was being sane at this moment.

For this, he was thankful for having such an understanding wife and he squeezed her palm gently in his calloused hand, reminding her that everything would be just fine even if he was worried otherwise.

While the husband and wife were comforting each other, Howard's eyes widened when he saw the same passageway opening up.

The sounds of the stone wall moving alerted the rest and they too looked in that direction, only to find the King walking back all alone.

'What did you do with the child, Sire!?' The Royal Steward was afraid of the scary Earl who might do something unthinkable once again.

Thankfully, before anyone could move even an inch, the King stepped sideways, allowing the little girl's figure to be seen.

Yvonne had insisted that she walked back on her feet rather than clinging in his arms.

Earlier, after their conversation, a long pause of silence took over them.

During this contemplative session that the King and the little girl partook in, Yvonne had come to a conclusion.

'This man only looks like my father.' She declared and there was nothing more to add to it.

On the other hand, the King had also decided something integral.

'Yvonne St. Claire is someone I need to keep an eye on.' He was determined to watch over her as his heart ached at the thought of being separated from her.

He still had no valid justification for feeling this way but at the same time, he felt that he needed none.

All he wanted to do was watch her grow and be happy and that was the only wish he had for her.

Therefore, while Yvonne was deciding to stay far away from this man lest she begins to have confusing thoughts about the familiar-looking man, the same man was planning something entirely contradictory.

Rutherford saw his Vonny and the King share a glance as they made their way out of the passage and he could not help but rush ahead.

'To hell with propriety!' He growled and the burning rage in his chest was blazing once again.

Yvonne had not even noticed it when her father had appeared before her and picked her up right before the King's watchful eyes.

His protective arms held her close to his chest as though he was afraid that the King would snatch her away once again.

King Ophire first frowned with a jealous feeling bubbling up in his chest at this sight but regained his composure before anyone could notice the anomaly in his expressions.

'What was that just now?' He was surprised to see that he was capable of such emotions for someone else's child.

Shaking this absurd emotion away from his mind, he raised his brow and watched the scene before him in amusement.

"May I ask what Your Majesty had to say to my daughter which could not be said in our presence?" Rutherford dared to question the King as his protective instincts for his Vonna were still at an all-time high.

Raylene widened her eyes and so did the others at the brave man who was fearless enough to interrogate the King himself.

'As forthright as ever…' The Countess sighed at her husband's candid nature and dislike for anyone who got too close to their daughter.