The Emperor's Only Love

At some point, Dorian had walked over. When he reached out to pat my head like he always used to, I instinctively flinched back in terror, avoiding his touch.

His hand froze mid-air, and he gave me a strange look before chuckling softly and lowering it.

I did not care how he felt about me pulling away from him. This time, I would not interfere in their relationship anymore.

...

It was the festival. My mom came to my room and looked completely shocked to find me still there.

"Seraphina, why didn't you go out and have fun today?"

She was right to be surprised. In my past life, I would have been running around after Dorian without a care in the world.

"Mom, what are you doing here?" I stood up and walked over, linking my arm through hers and resting my head on her shoulder.

My mom knew I liked Dorian, but she had advised me, saying, "His Highness may be an exceptional young man, but Seraphina, he doesn't have any feelings for you."

I replied, "Mom, I know. I won't have feelings for His Highness anymore."

My mom finally patted my head and said, "Seraphina, you've finally grown up."

On that same day in my past life, I had ignored my mom's attempts to stop me and gone out with Celeste and Dorian anyway. I had almost driven her mad with anger.

Back then, my mom had told me earnestly, "Seraphina, I don't need you to be rich or powerful. I just want you to find an honest man who'll treat you well. His Highness isn't right for you."

At the time, I had not listened to a word she had said because my mind was completely consumed by him. In the end, I regretted it with every fiber of my being.

The day the bandits assaulted me, I did not die. Instead, they dragged me back to their camp and kept me locked in a cage like an animal, stripped naked, letting them have their way with me day and night.

My hair was a tangled mess, my skin filthy and rough, and my throat could not make a sound anymore. My body was covered in disgusting fluids that would dry and then be replaced with fresh ones, reeking of something foul.

Sometimes I was conscious; sometimes I was passed out.

In my delirium, I heard them saying, "She had a miscarriage. Wonder whose kid it was?"

The listeners burst into laughter.

"Probably everyone's, since we all had a turn."

"I wonder what she did to offend the Emperor. Can't expect a good ending when you cross him."

...

After they finished their outing, Dorian walked Celeste back to the Vale Manor. He especially brought me a honey cake, believing it was my favorite, to thank me for covering for them.

The truth was, I hated honey cakes. It was sickeningly sweet, and it was actually Celeste's favorite.

I took the honey cake from his hand and thanked him politely. I did not cling to him or pepper him with questions like I used to.

"Seraphina, are you feeling unwell?" Dorian asked with concern.

"I'm fine. You two should head back now. It's getting late."

I could sense my own distance and coldness toward them, my whole attitude screaming for them to stay away. Yet, whenever I saw them, my body automatically went into defense mode, my fists clenching silently, my lips pressed tight.

Lily said, "Miss, are you afraid of His Highness?"

In this life, I was going to let them have each other and stop being an obstacle, just to prevent the tragedy from my past life from happening again. But every time I remembered it, I could not help the cold dread that seized my body, the trembling, the fear, the helplessness, the grief, the despair.

As I watched them walk away, Dorian suddenly stopped and brushed a flower petal from Celeste's hair, then they clasped hands with their fingers intertwined, looking every bit like lovers deeply in love.