"I should just kill you now, then. It would save me a lot of trouble," the Crown Prince said, gaining back his composure.
"Does killing your family members run in the blood? You are truly his son, no wonder you have his temper too." She said, creating some distance, her mocking tone turned into something darker, "I was taking it easy on you because of our blood ties, but I'm starting to regret my choices again."
"..." The Crown Prince's face twisted as he tried to contain his disbelief. What the hell was this about?! Did she really fawn all over him because she viewed him as her relative?!
Celine walked toward the exit, holding the handle, "That look on your face reminds me of my late brother, except he was more handsome. And smarter too. And more charming as well."
Ridiculous. The Crown Prince tried to recollect their time together, and realized that she had indeed been playing him the whole time. His face burned with humiliation, reddening all the way to the tips of his ears. "Is this what you were aiming for, from the beginning? Turning me into your lackey? Forget about it," he said coldly, "I'm not someone you can use however you please."
"You've already served your purpose." She waved her hand dismissively over her shoulder, driving the last nail into the coffin, "Whoever marries you will have the worst life. I feel sorry for the unlucky woman."
"Same to you." He gritted out, "If you ever find a man who'll be willing to put up with you."
'Shut your mouth! Don't wish bad things on my man!' she screamed in her mind, slamming the door shut after her.
Bam!
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Celine hugged her shoulders to warm herself up, recollecting the tongue that licked her bruises, the hands that embraced her. It instantly brought her comfort, and she closed her eyes to savor the feeling.
She didn't know why her rationality was stone dead on her and Lucian taking a rest instead of cuddling the hell out of each other. It was a once-in-a-blue-moon event, and her head decided to get in the way of her heart at the worst possible moment.
She almost melted at the memory of the warm, fuzzy sensation of his nose nuzzling the back of her head. How did she survive it back then? How did she have the willpower to push him away?!
Did she build some immunity against him again? She remembered when she would get tongue-tied by just looking at him. And then one day, she suddenly stopped feeling nervous. Her body didn't feel like it would go into a meltdown at any second. For a while, she could finally breathe and think clearly.
She hit her head with her fist, wondering if there was a way to go three months back in time and get to experience it again. She swore she wouldn't let it go to waste the second time.
If his revenge included these little treats from heaven, she needed more of it, but the chances of that happening were slim. She would have to do something about it.
Trying to make amends with Lucian didn't work, as Celine had found out.
Lucian was extremely vengeful since he was a kid. He didn't forgive, he didn't forget.
She showed the same cruelty the tanner did, and she knew it. He wouldn't stop until he destroyed her. That was the kind of man he was.
He seemed to obey the King, and was even taking orders from the Crown Prince. Was that the only way to make him submit? It had to be.
He didn't respond to reason.
He didn't respond to threats.
He didn't respond to affection.
The only thing left was authority, and so she would get it.