The words hit Erorn like a hammer to the face. He felt something inside him snap. It was like the internal walls he had built up over the last month finally broke. He felt like he was gonna cry, but by this point he was so emotionally exhausted that he couldn't even find the strength to do that. The flood gates were opened and he couldn't close them now. "I love you, but I can't do this anymore, Marcus. We're both the victims in this and we're both to blame. I can't pretend anymore. I've tried to be okay with everything that's been going on, I really have, but I'm not. I'm killing myself trying to act like everything is fine, but it's eating me from the inside out. I can't pretend that it doesn't kill me not to be able to tell you I love you and that sometimes have to go weeks between telling you so. I can't pretend that I don't want the whole fucking world to know I love you. I can't pretend that I want to marry Harper tomorrow, when we both know I want to marry you. She doesn't even need me to marry her, a hand maiden isn't required to be married. It's just another way for you cover up our relationship. I can't pretend that what you did with Romilly didn't bother me. I know she's your future wife and you love her, but it still fucking hurt and I don't care how selfish that is, it's how I feel. I can't pretend that all your teasing and flirting isn't slowly breaking my spirit. Every time you tease me or flirt, I know that it isn't going anywhere and it's just a painful reminder that you're just afraid of being caught." He sighed. He didn't yell, he didn't scream. He spoke calmly and in a level tone. "I know I brought this on myself and I can't pretend that that fact isn't hurting me either." He lowered his head in shame. "I would do anything for you. I'm willing to risk my life for you, I would give up anything to be with you for the rest of my life. My career, my home my family if I had one, all my money, anything just to be with you. But, if I stay, I'll risk exposing you. I can't do that. I can't ask you to expose yourself and lose your kingdom either. So the only option I can see is for me to go. You'll still have Romilly and she'll still have Harper. I love you and I always will, but for once let me do something for your own good instead of the other way around. If you value your kingdom, don't come after me, I won't think any less of you." He stood up, didn't take anything at all and just walked out of the bedroom to the front door.