Published at 3rd of May 2026 8:59 am

Chapter 944: Another Love

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

Claire shuffled her feet out the door not taking one look back at what lay behind it. The moment she exited she found her two closest friends standing there with smiles on their faces.

Judging by the chaotic energy of the von Zehntner twins, they were going to go all out to make their temporary farewell as memorable as possible.

Or they would have if Claire were filled with tears, struggling her best not to let them fall. It didn’t take much effort on their part to guess why the girl was crying.

They had noticed it: the subtle shifts in Claire’s behavior towards their little brother, especially over this last year.

But neither Maria nor Theresa had said a thing. Because they knew exactly what was at the end of that road.

They had subtly tried to steer Claire off it, but had failed to do so. They simply hugged the girl and grabbed the luggage from her hands.

"It’s okay, Claire..."

Maria said, for once her voice not playful, but filled with solace and understanding.

"It’s okay...."

Claire wiped the tears from her eyes and nodded her head. A bittersweet smile on her face, forceful but sincere.

"Yes, it is... It simply wasn’t meant to be, right?"

Neither Maria nor Theresa said anything, they simply helped escort the girl to the car. They had planned to talk about nonsense, something to keep the conversation light and the moment as long as possible.

After all, they would be saying farewell to a close friend today, with no horizon in sight for when they would meet again.

They were, after all worlds apart, briefly in conjunction and now pulling away once more. But whatever levity was intended was drowned in somber realization.

The car ride felt longer than a lifetime, a dreadful silence existed between the two of them until the driver looked back at the grim scene and reminded them of what was ahead.

"We will be pulling into the station in about five minutes...."

When Claire heard this, she laughed... Not joyfully, and not manically. It was the bitter laugh of one who couldn’t realize that the end was truly arriving.

She looked up at Maria and Theresa and once more forced a smile.

"I suppose this is it then... I just wanted to say, thank you so much... These last few years have been the best of my life. And no matter what the future may have in store for me, I will always treasure the time I spent with both of you, and the friendship we share."

Maria and Theresa didn’t say a word, they simply hugged Claire until the car came to a stop. They then stepped outside and helped the chauffer, and leibe garde with the girl’s bags.

They helped Claire get her ticket and accompanied her to the platform. Where they waited until the train finally arrived. Once the door had opened, they stood there in silence for a moment... Two... perhaps even three. Until finally one of them broke.

Maria rushed forward and hugged Claire. Saying her goodbyes with tears flowing down her eyes.

"I don’t want to say good-bye! Because goodbyes seem so permanent! You are like the triplet we never had! And don’t you forget that! If I don’t hear from you at least once a week, I’ll bother grandfather until he marches an army into France to force you to pick up the phone!"

Claire broke out into laughter when she heard such an absurd threat. One that she was certain Maria would, with her best effort try to fulfill. Theresa also found it absurd, but hugged the girl too.

"That is double for me! Grandfather has never been able to say no to us both when we put our foot down! So for the good of France you better accept our calls! Or at the very least return them!"

Claire could no longer be sad that she and Karl weren’t meant to be together. Because even if their romance could never be, she had still made two of the best friends she could ever ask for in his sisters.

She no longer laughed bitterly but with genuine joy. As she nodded her head in acceptance while letting go.

"Alright, I’ll speak to you both soon... I never wanted to return to France after getting to know you both, but if there is one thing your family has taught me, is that when Duty calls, it is not our place to reject it. We will meet again, I promise this. I just don’t know yet when that will be, or who we will all be when that day comes. Good-bye Maria, Theresa. I look forward to our next meeting."

Claire then picked up her bags and waved the girls good-bye before stepping foot on the train.

Her smile slowly vanished with each step she took, gazing at her ticket she looked for the specific car and seat where she could stash her things away and get some much needed rest.

It already felt like a hole had been punched through her chest, but she didn’t have the luxury to break down and cry. She had to get home to her family.

For the life of her, she couldn’t find her seat, and she was quick to seek out an attendant to help her.

"I’m sorry, but did I somehow board the wrong train? I don’t see Cabin D anywhere?"

The woman looked at the ticket, and her eyes opened wide in astonishment. But Claire didn’t notice it as she was quick to hurry her along."

"Of course, dear, you’re on the right train. Follow me, I’ll lead you to your car."

Claire sighed in relief and picked up her bags, following the attendant, crossing between multiple cars before arriving in the very middle of the train. There the door opened and revealed a familiar face sitting not in a chair, but a booth, having women pour him coffee and serve him lunch.

The scar beneath Bruno’s cheekbone raised with his smile as he saw Claire standing there in the doorway, frozen like a marble statue.

"Madam, do you mind fetching my friend’s bags and putting them safely away for me?"

The woman who was attending Bruno looked over at Claire and smiled.

"Not at all, sir, it would be my pleasure."

She then went off and did exactly as Bruno said, leaving Claire alone with Bruno who nodded to the seat in front of him.

"Sit. We need to talk."

Claire didn’t know how or why she ended up on the same train as the newly crowned King of Alemannia. But she didn’t refuse his request. Sitting down in front of him, Bruno got a good look at her, and his smile faded, a heavy sigh escaped his lips.

"I should apologize to you. You have had a rough day, I can’t begin to imagine what you must be feeling. You have my sympathy. I too know the pain you feel right now all too well."

Claire scoffed and rolled her eyes. How could he possibly know? She had seen his marriage to Heidi over the last few years of her life. It was a damn near picture perfect romance. One that, as she understood it the two of them had been in their entire lives.

Bruno could tell the girl didn’t believe him and sighed as he placed his cup down and folded his hands, looking her directly in the eyes.

"Surely you have heard the rumors about me and the late Grand Duchess of Luxemburg?"

Claire went silent... deathly so. That is until she took a sharp breath.

"The rumors were true?"

Bruno shook his head before averting his gaze. Looking out the window as the maglev began to take off down the track.

"Not entirely... People have a tendency to exaggerate things. But there is enough truth to them that my heart still bleeds for what could have been. If I didn’t already have Heidi, and a duty towards her, it is entirely possible I could have grown to love her. Just as my grandson could have grown to love you, if he didn’t have a duty to Isabelle."

He knew... Of course he did... Was there anything that Bruno hadn’t known in the years that she had known him?

Claire remained seated, frozen, and silent as Bruno continued.

"I should apologize to you... It would have been best for you if I had cut off your growing relationship with Karl when it started.... But he needed to learn what that choice cost. It wasn’t fair to you... It wasn’t right. And yet it was necessary all the same. For that... you have my sincere apology. And a debt I intend to repay."

Debt? Claire’s eyes opened wide when she heard these words. She had thought this was simply fate, not something permitted.

And when she realized that she felt like she was walking into a trap. And was quick in her attempt to shut it down.

"That won’t be necessary, your Highness. I was just-"

But Bruno shut her down quickly. His gaze was sincere, but grave nonetheless.

"I failed to repay what I owed to Marie before she passed... It will haunt me until my grave. Do not make me bear another sin that I can’t atone for...."

There was utter silence between the two of them as Bruno returned to his coffee, sipping it in silent contemplation. What he thought about only he knew, but Claire could tell the sincerity behind his words.

Ultimately, Bruno sighed and shook his head.

"You’re still young... And a favor of this gratitude shouldn’t be repaid immediately. Think upon it... But so long as it is within my power and ability. When the day comes for you to ask me to repay what I have taken from you, I will do my best to fulfill it. You have my word.... Not all debts can be repaid immediately, but they must be remembered."

Bruno then stood up and headed towards his personal cabin within the private car.

"Now, you’d best get some rest... The maglevs don’t go straight to Paris yet... We will have to transition to a high speed train when we reach the station in Burgundien."

Claire looked up at Bruno in confusion, he was headed to Paris too? What possibly for? But she couldn’t ask. He had already sealed the door behind him, while she sat there alone with her thoughts.

Share