# Chapter 156: Don't Push Me Away
Hello everyone, it's me again! How are you all doing? Today I will continue to walk with you and review Chapter 156 of "Forgotten Wife: Let the Traitors Kneel Down" — a chapter brimming with tension, dark magic, and heart-wrenching decisions. So settle in, dear listeners, because this chapter will take you on an emotional rollercoaster from the very first breath to the final tender kiss.
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There was something about Duke Vampel that made April's skin crawl. It wasn't just the strange, lingering way his eyes rested upon her — as if he were searching for a ghost in her features — nor was it the unsettling resemblance she bore to her own daughter, which seemed to drag up the darkest of memories every time they crossed paths. No, it was something deeper, something instinctual, a chill that slithered down her spine and refused to leave. She had learned to trust that feeling, for in this palace, danger wore many faces.
As she turned and walked away from the Duke, her mother's voice suddenly echoed in her mind, clear as crystal:
*April, there is a seed of darkness threatening the palace.*
April froze mid-step. *What?* Her heart pounded as she silently replied, *Retrace your steps, use your power to find it.*
She closed her eyes, reaching within herself, searching for the familiar warmth of her magic. But there was nothing. It was as if her power had vanished, swallowed by a void inside her soul. Again and again, she tried to grasp it, but it remained elusive, just out of reach.
*But how do I do it?*
*Aby, until now you have only used your magic unconsciously,* her mother's voice replied patiently. *You have not yet broken all the seals that lie within you. Remove your limiters and concentrate. Visualize your power flowing through you like a river breaking free from its dam.*
April's hands trembled as she reached up and removed the delicate earrings that served as her limiters. She closed her eyes once more, focusing her mind, willing herself to feel the magic within. Suddenly — it was as if a lightning bolt of pure energy struck her, surging through every vein, every nerve, flooding her entire being with a power so immense it took her breath away. The world around her shifted, and she could feel it now: something evil, dark, and writhing, pulsing at the heart of the palace. It was the same vile sensation she had felt when those monsters born from darkness had attacked before.
Her eyes snapped open. Alessandro. His life could be in danger.
She ran. Through marble halls and ornate corridors, her footsteps echoed like thunder as she raced against the rising tide of fear. And then she saw him — Alessandro, standing there, whole and unharmed. April launched herself at him, her hands cupping his face, searching desperately with her senses. A wave of relief washed over her. There was no darkness within him.
"Thank God you're okay," she breathed.
Alessandro gripped her shoulders, concern etched deep in his features. "What's wrong, Aby? Why are you running like that?"
"It seems there is a seed of darkness in the palace." April pointed toward his office, her voice urgent. "It seems it comes from there."
And in that very moment, a scream tore through the air. Gabriel. The office.
Guards stationed at the doors unsheathed their swords and burst inside, with Alessandro and April close behind. What greeted them was a nightmare made manifest — a horrible, slimy creature that seemed to have crawled out of the darkest pits of human terror. Its body oozed and shifted, grotesque and pulsating with shadows. The guards attacked without hesitation, their swords slicing through the air — but the blades passed through the monster as if it were made of smoke. Useless. Their weapons were utterly useless.
But April was not useless.
She stepped forward, light magic blazing to life at her fingertips, a radiant dawn against the suffocating darkness. Beams of pure, searing light shot from her palms, and the creature recoiled, screeching in agony, terrified by the power of the light. Alessandro tried to summon his own magic, desperate to aid her, but he couldn't. The pressure of April's magic was so overwhelming, so absolute, that it completely nullified his own powers. He stood there, fists clenched, teeth grinding — hating, utterly hating, how useless he was while she fought alone.
And fight she did. With every surge of light, the monster withered, until at last it collapsed onto the ground like a puddle of putrid sludge, its stench unbearable. Silence fell over the room. Every eye was fixed on April — the woman who had just single-handedly destroyed a nightmare.
She walked to Gabriel, who was still frozen in shock, a deep gash on his forehead. April placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, and white-gold light pulsed from her palm. The wound knitted itself closed, disappearing as if it had never been there. Then she turned to the two guards.
"Are you okay?" she asked softly. They both nodded, stunned.
Alessandro took her hand, his voice strained. "Let's go."
Before departing the ruined office, he looked over his shoulder at Gabriel, his tone cold as iron. "Change my office to another room. And make sure no one else learns what happened here."
Gabriel, still shaken, nodded distractedly. "I will do so, your majesty."
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Alessandro led April through the endless halls of the palace, his grip on her hand firm and unyielding. He didn't stop until they reached one of the gardens, far, far away from that accursed room. And then he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a tight embrace.
He felt completely, utterly useless.
He was supposed to be her protector. He had promised her — promised that he would shield her from every danger, that no harm would ever befall her while he drew breath. And yet, time and time again, it was she who stood between him and the darkness. She had been the one to fight. She had been the one to win. He had only been a burden.
"I'm sorry," he choked out, his voice breaking. "Sorry for not being able to protect you, even when I promised I would. Right now, the palace is not a safe place. There are too many dangers lurking around every corner." He pulled back, looking into her eyes with torment and resolve. "It would be best for you to go somewhere else."
April's heart clenched. "Lessan, I understand that you want to protect me. But understand this — I also want to protect you. I want to shield you from all danger. That's why... that's why you must not push me away from your side."
Alessandro cupped her face in his hands, staring deep into her eyes as if memorizing every detail. "I don't want to be away from you either. For me, you will always come first. That's why I want you in a safe place — even if that place is not with me." His voice hardened with painful determination. "You will go with Sirius to the wizards' tower tomorrow morning. You will be safe there."
April's hands balled into fists. "Why do you decide everything without taking into account what I want?" She began to pound against his chest, grief and frustration bleeding into every word. "Because you don't understand that I don't want to be away from you! I understand you perfectly, but you also have to understand — I'm afraid of losing you if I stay in the palace. You still don't know how to control your magic. You need someone to teach you. And that someone is not me."
"But—"
"It will only be for a while," he insisted, cutting her off. "Until the palace is a safe place again."
April's eyes glistened with unshed tears. "And if it never is? Will you be away from me forever? Will you abandon me again?"
"Of course not." His voice cracked. "I don't want to go."
It broke his heart — truly shattered it — to push her away, especially when it was painfully clear how much she hated the idea of leaving. He leaned forward and gave her a soft, gentle kiss on the lips.
"It will only be a while. Until you can control your magic properly, okay?"
April knew then that the decision had already been made. There was no room for argument, no door left open for her desires. She nodded stiffly and stepped away from him, her voice cold with hurt and anger.
"Okay. I'll do what you want."
Alessandro reached for her hand, desperate. "Aby, I know you're upset. I don't want you to leave like this."
"Then don't ask me to leave." She looked away, her jaw tight. "Then don't ask me not to be upset."
"We'll be away for a while," he said, his voice pleading now. "Do you really want to leave like this?"
April was seething inside, a storm of fury and sorrow warring within her breast. But the thought of parting on such bitter terms was unbearable to her, and so, at last, she whispered, "No."
Alessandro pulled her into his arms once more, pressing small, tender kisses across her face, before capturing her lips in a series of soft, sweet, fleeting kisses. When he finally drew back, there was a question on his lips.
"Let's go back to the room."
But April had spent far too long trapped within those four walls. She shook her head stubbornly. "I don't want to go back to my room. We can go somewhere else."
"Where do you want to go?"
April's eyes flickered with a spark of hope. "Can I go back to the house I was living in?"
It was the place where the elves Ethan and Dantriel had been staying. But with them and their army positioned in the western part of the palace, there was no danger of running into them if they headed in that direction. Alessandro considered this, then gently caressed her cheek.
"Okay. Let's go to that place."
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And so, hand in hand, they walked away from the shadows of the palace — two souls bound by love and fear, torn between protecting each other and keeping each other close. There was no resolution yet, no happy ending just around the corner. But in that moment, at least, they were together. And perhaps, for now, that was enough.
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**Reader's Impressions & Star Rating:**
What an emotionally devastating chapter! The action scene with the slimy monster was absolutely gripping, but the true heart of this chapter lies in the heartbreaking push-and-pull between April and Alessandro. His feelings of inadequacy are so painfully real, and her desperation to stay by his side tugs at every heartstring. The way she defeated the monster alone while he stood powerless — and how that moment shattered his pride — was masterfully written. You feel both characters' pain, their love, their fears. The ending is bittersweet, a fragile moment of peace before the storm of their impending separation. This chapter earns a well-deserved **⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 4.8 / 5 Stars**.
**Next Chapter Prediction:**
Now that April has agreed to leave for the wizards' tower, I predict the next chapter will show the painful morning of departure — and, of course, something is bound to go terribly wrong. Given the "seed of darkness" still lurking within the palace, I suspect that the danger will not wait for April to leave. A confrontation may be brewing, and Alessandro might find himself facing a threat he cannot handle alone. Will April really be allowed to leave, or will fate force her to stay and fight? Moreover, with Sirius escorting her, we may finally learn more about the wizards' tower and the mysterious seals within April that have yet to be broken.
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