Chapter 3
In the days that followed, Lena stayed shut away in the princess’s castle, preparing quietly for her wedding.
Until one day, a maid burst in, flustered and breathless.
“Your Highness, Earl Sterling is here to see you!”
“I won’t see him,” Lena replied without even looking up.
The words had barely left her mouth when the door was kicked open with a loud bang-
eyes
Ethan stormed in, his white shirt stained with blood, bloodshot.
16:
“Lena, why did you poison Flora?!”
Lena froze. “Poison? What are you talking about?”
“Just because I said I admired her that day, you stooped to this cruelty?” Ethan seized her wrist, gripping it so tightly it felt like he might crush the bone.
“You’re coming with me!”
Lena stumbled from the force of his pull, fury rising. “How dare you!”
But Ethan paid her no mind and dragged her straight to Castle Vivian.
The moment they entered, Lena saw Flora lying in bed, blood trickling from the corners of her mouth. Her face was as pale as a sheet.
A doctor knelt by the bedside.
“Miss Vivian has been poisoned with a toxin especially made by the Fords. The only antidote requires the blood of the one who administered it. Without it… she won’t live more than three days.”
Ethan stared at Lena coldly. “What do you have to say for yourself? Flora hasn’t stepped outside these walls. You were the only Ford she met.”
“Why would I poison her?”
“Because you fancy me, and I fancy her!”
Lena stood rooted to the spot, stunned by the absurdity.
Flora suddenly began coughing violently, staining the sheets red with blood.
“Hurry!” the doctor urged. “If she doesn’t take the antidote now, it’ll be too late!”
Ethan shut his eyes. When he opened them again, there was only grim resolve.
“Forgive me.”
With that, he gave an order, and several servants stepped forward to restrain Lena by her shoulders.
“Ethan!” Lena struggled. “I am the princess! How dare you—”
“Don’t forget who you serve,” Ethan said, his voice cold as ice,
“I’ll take full responsibility.”
The servants didn’t dare disobey and held Lena down with force.
“Let me go!” she cried, struggling with all her might.
“I didn’t poison her!”
Ethan didn’t respond. He drew a dagger, and its cold gleam flashed in the light-
“Ah!”
The moment the blade sliced across her wrist, Lena trembled in pain.
She had always feared pain the most. Her tears flowed uncontrollably.
Ethan’s hand seemed to falter for a split second, but he quickly steeled himself, silently collecting bowl after bowl of her blood.
“You’ll regret this…” Lena’s voice was barely audible, her mind blurred by agony.
Chapter 3
“I won’t,” Ethan said firmly.
“If I can save Flora, I’ll do whatever it takes.”
Before darkness claimed her, Lena thought she heard the sound of her own heart breaking.
When she woke again, she was back at the princess’s castle.
“Your Highness!” Alice threw herself at the bedside, her eyes red and swollen from crying.
“Earl Sterling went too far! You’ve been terrified of pain since you were little…‘
11
Lena looked down at her wrist, now wrapped in layers of gauze. The pain was excruciating.
“Where’s Ethan?”
“He’s outside… asking for ninety–nine lashes to atone for what he’s done to you.” Alice sobbed.
“But what’s the use of atonement when you’ve been hurt like this?”
She clutched Lena’s hand and cried harder.
“Princess Lena, I beg you–please, stop loving him… He’d risk his life for Miss Vivian. Why should you…”
Lena closed her eyes and murmured softly,
“I stopped loving him a long time ago.”
Before she could finish, the door suddenly swung open.
Lena looked up–and there stood Ethan, covered in blood, his wounds raw and ugly, his face pale as death.
“What did the princess just say…?”
