226 DISCONTINUED SERVICE

Their wanting lips were only an inch away from each other when the coachman shouted from in front of them.

"Here we are, my lord." He slowed down the pace of the horse until it stopped as they were already at the gates of the Hou Residence. 

Erin's eyes immediately opened her eyes and saw Azra's face scrunched up as if he was disappointed that they were already at their destination.

She bit her lips in amusement and decided to push on anyway. She pouted her lips and gave him a quick smack before she dashed outside mischievously, leaving a stunned Azra behind. 

Azra scratched his head at what just happened but he rotated his head and his shoulders before he came down from the carriage as if he was instantly energized.

He went to the coachman and bowed down to him. "I apologize for involving you in this. Thank you for your service. You can just leave your address behind so we can contact you in case -"

Azra was about to go on when the coachman fell on his knees. 

"Please let me be of service to you until you are declared innocent, my lord. The royal guards might have known that you are gone. I could keep watch over here for you."

Azra was taken aback at his display of loyalty which he has not often seen since he was accustomed to being the one who always did it for others.

He agreed to him as they need all the help they can have right now. 

After making sure that there were no royal guards around, he went inside where Erin was waiting for him. 

An unconscious smile crept up his face as he saw her lovely face grinning at him. 

He was about to lead her to where the vault is when Lord Hou stepped outside of his house. To add up to their shock, he saw both Azra and Erin.

Lord Hou immediately ran towards Azra. In a flash of lightning, Azra bolted towards him so that he won't have to exert himself. 

Lord Hou quickly embraced Azra in his arms as he wailed. "What did they do to my poor grandson?"

Azra's lips trembled as he closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of his grandfather's love surrounding him at that time.

Erin stepped backward as she allowed the two to have their moment together. 

"Is this the Queen's doing again?" Lord Hou pulled Azra away from him so he could stare at his eyes as he told him the truth.

Azra's eyebrows knitted together as he reiterated back to him. "Again?"

"You were too young to understand then. But she was the reason why I left the Castle. She thought I was influencing the King to choose Lady Asha over her."

Erin's hand shot up as her eyes bulged open.

"Do you mean the Crowned Prince's father and Lady Asha's mother had an affair before?"

Lord Hou nodded. "They were each other's' first and true love. But they were ill-fated and the King has no choice but to marry the Queen."

Erin heaved out a deep sigh. "Just like the Crowned Prince has no other option but to marry Lady Thana."

And then she added. 

"I know! Maybe it's because she thought Azra was influencing her son now to choose the same path. Now I understand why her blood was boiling over Azra even though he is innocent." 

Erin gritted her teeth as she concluded the scenario. 

On the other hand, Azra almost lost his balance at the revelation that the parent of the person that he served is the one who made his grandfather lose his duty to the royal family. 

And now his own service is also in danger of dying in the hands of the same person.

And he has taken pride in the Hou clan for being the most loyal to the royal family. How could he live after this when the Queen seemed to be hell-bent on destroying his service to the Crowned Prince, the one he's been serving all his life?

They were in this situation when the coachman dashed towards them and announced the dreaded news. 

"Royal guards are coming!"

"Hide in the basement!" Lord Hou ordered him 

Erin's face turned ashen white as Azra pulled him into the basement where they usually store their foods.

Beads of sweat fell on their face as they awaited what could possibly happen now.

"What are you doing in my residence at this hour?" Lord Hou yelled in his authoritative voice as he put his hands on his waist. 

The royal guards immediately roamed around while one of them pulled out a letter and gave to Lord Hou. 

Lord Hou swallowed hard as it hurts him that his grandson was in the hunted list. But he didn't allow them to see it. 

"My grandson would never commit such a crime. The cupcakes were made in my house. If you got a problem with them, you should have taken me!"

His voice rang even inside the basement that Azra immediately stood up and was about to go outside when Erin put his arms around his waist and stopped him. 

"No, please don't!"

"That's my grandfather!"

He could not let anything happen to him as long as he is alive!

Azra pulled her hands away and was about to climb up when they heard a hooting sound from the other royal guards commanding them to retreat from wherever they were.

Azra and Erin gazed at each other in curiosity as they tried to make a sense of what was going on outside.

After some time, the door of the cellar was thrown open. Azra pulled Erin behind him as he hid in the shadows.

Erin's heart was banging so loud it seemed like it would burst her ribcage open. 

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"The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well."

― Ralph Waldo Emerson