Revenge: Start by Not Loving Him

Jessica found herself momentarily at a loss for words. Should she express her hatred? Deep down, she felt she didn't have that right. After all, it was her father who had broken the agreement between their kingdoms, annihilating his nation and even ordering him to be castrated. They had committed unspeakable crimes against him first, so what right did she have to claim hatred?

"Jessica, do you love me?" Jeremy asked, his voice steady.

"Can we even talk about love anymore? My father destroyed your entire family, and now you're wiping out mine. How can we still speak of love?" Jessica avoided answering his question directly, her heart heavy.

"If we stripped away all of this, if it were just you and me, would you still love me?" Jeremy pressed on.

Jessica managed a faint smile, but the weight of their shared history hung heavily in the air. How could she pretend that everything that had happened was erased?

Jeremy's heart sank as he waited in vain for the words he longed to hear.

"On the day after tomorrow, we're getting married!" After a long pause, he dropped the bombshell and turned to leave.

It took Jessica a moment to process his words. "Married?"

But the only response she received was the echo of her own voice in the empty room.

Two days later, she donned the wedding gown that Jeremy had sent her. Deep down, she still loved him, even if his hands were stained with her family's blood. In the end, she chose to wear the dress for him.

As she gazed at her reflection in the mirror, she couldn't help but think that perhaps no one in the world was as heartless as she was.

Yet, despite her seemingly unfeeling exterior, she hadn't achieved her dreams. The wedding she had yearned for was not hers; she was merely another concubine he was taking into his palace on the same day he married someone else.

That night, but she found herself sitting alone before a pair of flickering red candles, waiting for dawn to break. That night felt unbearably long, and the dancing flames seemed to weep with blood.

The following day, she changed back into her usual clothes and made her way to the Peace Palace to pay her respects. After all, the king had just married, and she was expected to greet the queen.

However, when she arrived at the Peace Palace and laid eyes on the woman seated high above, Jessica froze. She had never imagined she would encounter a familiar face again.

The queen, the mistress of the Peace Palace, was none other than her former maid, Cate Blanchett.

No one could fathom the bitterness swirling within her as she knelt before the queen, forcing a smile. "Your Majesty, I pay my respects and wish you long-lasting happiness."

Now, she had lost everything—her kingdom, her family, her lover, and even her dignity.

Cate, lounging in her royal seat, finally spoke after a long pause, "You may rise." Her demeanor mirrored that of the once-mighty queen of Unikon, and Jessica felt as if her life had spiraled into a cruel cycle of despair.

Jeremy was busy rebuilding the kingdom, leaving only Jessica and Cate in the harem. Cate was the queen, while Jessica remained a mere concubine without a specific title or rank.

Jessica spent the entire morning in the Peace Palace, and it wasn't until Cate dismissed her that she was allowed to leave.

Only when she returned to her own quarters did she dare to stretch her limbs. Sitting for so long had left her aching; ever since her injury, her body couldn't endure much.

After sipping some water, she lay down on her bed, utterly exhausted, planning to rest a bit before hunting for something to eat.

In this palace, she had to do everything herself; there was no one to serve her, and in her little courtyard, she was all alone.

Just as she was about to drift off, she heard footsteps—familiar footsteps. She quickly sprang out of bed.

When Jeremy entered the room, Jessica felt a rush of panic as she hurriedly adjusted her clothes.

Despite her fluster, she composed herself and knelt, performing the proper greeting.

In the palace of Kinston, Jessica felt like nothing more than a humble ant; her perspective drastically shifted. Suddenly, she understood the torment Jeremy, once a mere servant named "Jery" in Unikon's palace, must have endured.

Jeremy approached her, pulling her to her feet. "No need for such formality, Jessica," he said. His tone wasn't exactly warm, but it was a far cry from the coldness she'd grown used to.

This shift in demeanor made Jessica momentarily dazed, and she whispered, "Jery?"

The sound of that name struck Jeremy like a lightning bolt.

His face darkened, and with a sharp push, he sent Jessica stumbling. "Slap her!" he barked, his voice cold and commanding.