The 7th Prince stood victorious, but his heart remained as cold as ice. No joy, no pride—only an unshakable desire for power.
But fate had a cruel sense of irony.
She returned.
---
The Shadows of the Past
As he left the arena, stepping into the moonlit palace corridors, a familiar voice whispered behind him.
"Your Highness…"
He stopped.
Standing there, tears in her eyes, was Lian Mei—the woman who had betrayed him with his own brother.
For a moment, neither spoke. The air was thick with regret, pain, and something darker.
"I…" Lian Mei hesitated, then fell to her knees. "I made a mistake."
The 7th Prince said nothing. His expression remained empty, unreadable.
"I was foolish," she continued. "I was weak. But I never stopped loving you…"
Her words were desperate, pleading, as if she could undo the past.
She reached for his hand—but he did not move.
---
The Prince's Brutal Form
"Love?" His voice was cold, emotionless.
Lian Mei flinched. This was not the boy she once knew.
"You speak of love after crawling into my brother's bed?" he continued, his eyes sharp as blades.
Tears streamed down her face. "I was wrong!"
He knelt, lifting her chin with two fingers, forcing her to look into his merciless gaze.
"You want me to forgive you?"
She nodded, her breath shallow.
A cruel smirk touched his lips.
"Then prove it."
Before she could react, he grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her into the darkness of his chambers.
The palace servants averted their eyes, pretending not to hear her pleas and gasps.
That night, she became his—not as a lover, but as a pawn in his game.
And in the depths of his heart, he vowed:
"Love is nothing. Only power remains."
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