"No, I didn't do it. I didn't," Lucian cried out, his knees buckling as he realized the true nature of her betrayal, "It was Lady Celine. She gave the necklace to me. I'm innocent, please. Believe me. I didn't do it. I didn't steal anything."

  "Silence," the guard hissed, punching him hard in the stomach.

  The commotion had drawn a crowd, the nobles and servants whispering amongst themselves. The banquet was a grand event, and they had not expected to witness such an interesting sight.

  "Look at the gall of that servant," someone said, "Stealing from the Rocheforts. What did he take?"

  "Such a reckless boy. He must be looking for death."

  The guards dragged Lucian away. His feet moved, but his mind was unable to process what was happening. His features were unrecognizable, covered in tears, snot, and blood.

  Tossed into a cell, his body hit the cold stone ground.

  The night was cold and dark, and the wind whipped at his skin, biting into his flesh.

  "Celine," he gritted out, his eyes stinging with tears. He couldn't stop the memories from flooding his mind, the pain ripping through him like a knife.

  He sat in the corner, curled up in a ball, his hands clutching his knees to his chest. His whole body trembled, his breath coming out in ragged gasps. He could feel the cold seeping into his bones, freezing him from the inside out.

  "I'll punish him myself," her voice echoed through the dungeon, her footsteps ringing in his ears, "and make him pay for what he did."

  Lucian's eyes snapped open, his breath coming out in a shudder. He slowly lifted his head and looked at her.

  She stood before him, her face hidden by the shadows. She was holding a whip, the handle made of polished wood and the thong braided with leather. She raised her arm, her fingers gripping the whip tightly, and swung it down.

  "No, Celine..." he pleaded as the guards held him down.

  The crack of the whip reverberated through the dungeon, the sound echoing in his ears. His body jerked, his eyes widening in shock.

  "Argggh," he groaned, his fingers clawing into a fist, his nails digging into his skin.

  She brought the whip down again, the tip biting into his skin, leaving a trail of angry red welts across his back.

  The next lash cut into his shoulder, leaving a deep gash. Blood trickled down his arm, pooling on the floor. "Celine, I beg you," he rasped, his voice barely audible, "Please...arghh!"

  The smell of blood and sweat filled the air.

  She couldn't hear his screams anymore. All she could hear was her own heartbeat, thumping loudly in her ears. "Throw him out," she ordered, her voice cracking slightly.

  The guards nodded, their faces grim. They dragged Lucian's broken, bleeding body out of the cell, dumping him outside the gate.

  He was still alive, his breathing shallow and ragged, his face twisted in agony.

  The gate slammed shut behind him, the lock clicking into place.

  If he stayed here any longer, he would surely die.

  He forced his eyes open, the effort causing pain to shoot through his skull.

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  All he could think about was the pain, and how much it hurt.

  The betrayal.

  The humiliation.

  The torture.

  The memories were too fresh, the wounds still too raw. His vision started to blur, the world around him fading to black.

  The last thing he remembered before losing consciousness was the sound of his heart breaking, shattering into a thousand pieces.

  · · ─────── · ???· ─────── · ·

  The sound of chirping birds woke Lucian from his slumber. He groaned, his muscles aching.

  He was lying in a bed, his body wrapped in bandages. He tried to move, but his limbs felt like lead.

  "Don't try to move," a familiar voice said, "you've lost a lot of blood."

  He looked up and saw a young man standing beside the bed, a tray in his hand. The man had curly brown hair, tanned skin, and green eyes.

  "Jax?" Lucian rasped, his throat parched, "How...?"

  "I found you outside the gate, your body barely clinging to life," Jax replied, his expression grim, "The store sold out earlier than usual, and there was still one large order left unfulfilled. Only you had the key to the storage house, so I came to fetch you, and that's when I saw you lying there."

  Lucian grimaced, remembering the pain and humiliation he had endured. "Did anyone come looking for me?" he asked quietly.

  "No, not a soul," Jax said, his eyes narrowing slightly, "Why, did you expect someone to come?"

  Lucian closed his eyes, fighting back the self-mocking laugh. "No, I didn't," he lied, his heart breaking all over again, "I'm glad you found me. Thank you Jax."

  "Me too," Jax agreed, a faint smile appearing on his lips, "Have you heard about the engagement? Lady Celine is betrothed to the Crown Prince."

  Lucian's eyes flew open, his pulse quickening, "Who?"

  "The Crown Prince, the first son of King Henry and Queen Marie," Jax repeated, "Lady Celine will be the future queen of the Kingdom."

  Lucian's stomach lurched, bile rising in his throat. He rolled over, retching violently.

  Hate, jealousy, and sorrow swirled inside him, a maelstrom of emotions threatening to overwhelm him. He didn't want her to be happy with another.

  No, at that moment, he wanted her to suffer, just as he was suffering. He wanted her to feel the pain of betrayal, the agony of heartbreak. He wanted her to know what it was like to lose the one you love, the one you had sacrificed everything for.

  The thought of vengeance gave him strength, fueling the anger and resentment that burned in his heart.

  'I'll never let anyone use me ever again,' he swore to himself, his fists clenching. 'Never let my guard down around another person again.'

  His heart hardened, the cracks running deeper than before. It was not enough to heal, but it was enough to dull the pain, to mask the loneliness, to numb the despair.

  And so, the seeds of hatred were planted.

  The seeds that would eventually bloom into a deadly flower.

  · · ─────── · ???· ─────── · ·

  Five years later...

  "What do you think about this one, Lucian?" Jax held up a portrait of a young woman. She was dressed in a beautiful gown, her blonde hair falling down her back in soft waves. Her eyes were a warm shade of brown, and her smile was sweet and innocent.

  Lucian crossed the office, throwing his gear at the hanger. He was tired, and wanted nothing more than to take a bath and eat a warm meal, "Any news from the capital?"

  Trends were important. New and popular things were what kept the economy flowing. The research and development team was responsible for identifying the trends and bringing them to Lucian.

  He had a gift for numbers. Every detail, every data point, every transaction was crystal clear in his mind. He had a keen eye for profit, a knack for logistics, and a flair for business.

  He had used those skills to build the largest distribution company in the Kingdom, and now he was expanding into the neighboring Kingdoms.

  "Not much. Just a lot of rumors," Jax said, leaning back on the couch, "Celine Rochefort was caught having an affair with one of the servants..."

  Lucian inhaled sharply-and for the first time in years, his composure cracked. He choked, coughing violently, a hand pressing to his mouth as if to physically stop himself from reacting.

  "I know, it's hard to believe, isn't it? What other reason would the royal family have to call off the engagement right before her coming of age?" Jax shook his head.

  Lucian exhaled slowly, his eyes drifting shut for just a second too long. His heartbeat thundered in his ears, but his face was unreadable when he opened them again.

  'Don't be delusional, Lucian,' his inner voice sneered, cold and sharp. 'Get a grip. You're not special. You're nothing but a pawn, an insignificant piece. That's all you've ever been.'

  "What happened to the servant?" Lucian asked casually, his voice smooth and indifferent, as if the answer didn't matter.

  "He's dead. The Crown Prince was very thorough. Not a trace of him left."

  Lucian said nothing. His jaw tightened, and he bit his tongue, forcing himself to stay still. He could feel it ─ his fantasies of revenge crumbling around him.

  'Did she do it for my sake? Did she do it to save me?'

  The Crown Prince was the heir to the throne, the next king of the Kingdom. His influence was beyond anyone's imagination. If he'd had a vendetta against Lucian, then Lucian would have been as good as dead.

  He was done. So done.

  Twenty-five years old, and he still couldn't get rid of his foolish dreams, his childish fantasies, his naive beliefs.

  'She's' not worth it.'

  'Don't give her another thought. Not a second more of your time, your energy or ─ your damn heart.'

  "Lucian, are you okay?" his friend asked, frowning, "You look like you're about to pass out."

  "I'm fine," Lucian said, his tone flat and cutting as he straightened up. "It's just the pirates that are getting bolder. They raided our ships, cut down our men, and took a haul of valuable cargo. Losses were heavy, so the bonuses are going to be low this month," he said, causing the other man's expression to mirror his own.

  "No way! My bonuses are supposed to go up, not down," Jax complained, throwing the portrait of the beautiful girl onto the coffee table, "Damn pirates. They have no honor. What the hell are the Royal Navy doing, huh? They should be cleaning the oceans of these scum, not letting them attack our ships!"

  A flicker of worry pricked at Lucian. Celine had always cared about appearances. Her reputation was everything. For her name to be dragged through the mud like this... it didn't add up.

  Had she miscalculated?

  Had she finally made a mistake?

  "Hey, Lucian," his friend said, breaking him out of his trance, "The royal family is hosting a ball in three months. It's a masquerade, and they're inviting everyone who's anyone. You wanna go?"

  "Why would the royal family invite the likes of us?" Lucian asked, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

  "Maybe because you are rich, and rich? Rich enough to buy yourself a title? And you've been making a name for yourself by destroying the pirate strongholds and raiding their ships?" Jax shrugged.

  Lucian untied the knot of his cravat, removing it from his neck. He loosened the top buttons of his shirt, and walked toward the bathroom, "Accept the invitation," he said over his shoulder, "It's free food and drink. We might as well make the most of it."

  "Aye, aye, boss," Jax mock-saluted him.