Hiding My Twin Heirs from the Ruthless Prince novel Chapter 10

Laughter and music filled the crisp autumn air as nobles from across the realm celebrated the Harvest Moon Festival.

The castle courtyard blazed with torchlight and the warm glow of countless lanterns, while lords and ladies in their finest silk and velvet gowns danced beneath the star-scattered sky.

But for Prince Sebastian, the festivities felt like a crushing weight on his shoulders.

His father, King Edward, had insisted he attend tonight, sending him as the royal representative as he so often did.

It was no secret that the King and Duke Alexandro had maintained a close friendship for decades—more like father and son than mere political allies.

Sebastian stood at the edge of the celebration, a goblet of untouched wine in his hand, his gaze drifting toward the center of the courtyard where Duke Alexandro held court.

The Duke stood with obvious pride and joy radiating from his weathered features.

A stunning woman with auburn hair and kind eyes stood beside him, and as she leaned into his embrace, her face tilted toward his with unmistakable adoration, Sebastian understood immediately.

Duke Alexandro had found love again.

“Lucky bastard,” Sebastian muttered under his breath, turning away from the couple whose happiness seemed to mock his own miserable existence.

As much as he hated admitting it, he couldn’t deny the sharp pang of envy that pierced his chest.

He should feel genuine joy for Duke Alexandro, who had suffered such devastating loss.

Instead, all Sebastian could think about was his own emptiness—the hollow ache that had consumed him for five long years.

He excused himself from the festivities with a quick bow to nearby courtiers and slipped toward the quieter sections of the castle grounds, hoping to find some measure of peace among the shadowed gardens and ancient stone walkways.

The cold mountain air hit him like a physical blow, and Sebastian breathed it in deeply, trying to push aside the tumultuous emotions that threatened to overwhelm him.

His father would be expecting a detailed report of the evening’s diplomatic exchanges, expecting him to play the role of the dutiful crown prince.

But how could he maintain such pretenses when his life felt like nothing more than scattered fragments of broken dreams?

Five years had passed since that terrible night when he had discovered Evangeline’s pregnancy and her subsequent disappearance.

Five years of sleepless nights, of sending agents across every kingdom and duchy searching for any trace of her whereabouts.

Five years of wondering about the children he had never met—his legitimate heirs who had vanished into the night like ghosts.

As he walked deeper into the castle’s gardens, he decided to seek out the servants’ quarters where he might find a basin of water to clear his head.

Perhaps cold water on his face would help him regain the composure necessary to fulfill his royal duties.

But as he rounded the corner near the castle’s ancient chapel, he collided with something small and solid, something soft, something unmistakably human.

“Forgive me, young sir,” Sebastian said instinctively, reaching out to steady the small figure.

His mind reeled, struggling to process the impossible reality unfolding before him.

These were his sons. His legitimate heirs. The twins Evangeline had been carrying when she fled into the night.

The boy named Marcus tilted his head with curious innocence. “I am Marcus, Your Highness,” he said with the careful politeness that had obviously been drilled into him. “This is my brother Adrian. We live here with Uncle Alexandro.”

Uncle Alexandro.

The words hit Sebastian like a war hammer. Duke Alexandro, his father’s closest ally, had been harboring his missing wife and children for five years.

Then, as if fate had decided he needed an even greater shock, a figure appeared in the garden archway behind the boys.

Sebastian’s breath caught in his chest as he slowly raised his gaze.

There, illuminated by torchlight and moonbeams, stood the last person he had ever expected to see again.

Evangeline.

She stood there looking even more beautiful than he remembered, more mature, more regal, with an inner strength that had not existed during their troubled marriage.

Her golden hair cascaded over her shoulders in soft waves, and her eyes, those emerald eyes that had once held such love for him, now reflected something far more guarded and cautious.

Evangeline’s gaze locked with his across the garden pathway, and for one eternal moment, the entire world seemed to stop turning.