Rise of the Lustful Evil Monarch (Re)

Ethan's POV

Without hesitation, I wrapped my arms around her and held her tightly as she buried her face against my chest.

Her usual cold and indifferent facade was nowhere to be found and right now she was just a fragile and vulnerable girl who needed my comfort.

I patted her back and stroked her hair as I let her cry to her heart's extent. My crisp white shirt gradually dampened as she released whatever pain had been weighing on her.

I didn't rush her or ask any more questions. I simply held her and waited for the storm of her emotions to pass.

Finally, her sobs softened into quiet whimpers and in a broken whisper, she spoke against my chest.

"Why is fate so cruel to me? Why? Why?" Her voice, though it sounded weak, carried so much pain that it made my chest tighten.

"Why did you have to come into my life now? I had already accepted my sealed fate… but you had to come and pour even more salt into my wounds!"

Her grip on my collar tightened as she shook me like a madwoman and I could see desperation flashing in her red-rimmed eyes.

I let her vent as my mind went into overdrive and had almost pieced together the puzzle. And then, suddenly the realization struck me like a bolt of lightning as I remembered the Eterna Nexus's words.

"Are you worried that we will never be together because of your prior promised engagement to the eldest prince of the Malakar lineage which is also the royal lineage of the Empire of Abyssal Dominion?"

My voice was steady but my heart pounded as I wanted to confirm my speculation.

The moment those words left my lips she froze like a statue. Her trembling hands which had been gripping my collar tightened further as she stared at me in utter shock.

Her eyes widened as if what I just said had just shattered her world.

"How do you know about this, Ethan? Did Big Brother tell you? Tell me!!!" Her voice was broken and laced with disbelief.

She was shouting desperately for an answer and her hands shook me even more.

In haste, I internally calculated about what I had to say in response.

If I lied and said Victor told me this secret, she could easily confirm it with him afterward. If that happened and she found out the truth, her trust in me would most likely shatter completely.

She would see me as a liar and a manipulator. With her suspecting and cold nature, she could maybe even think that I am a spy. And I couldn't risk that.

But telling her the truth? That I had knowledge beyond a normal being's understanding and it was granted to me by the mysterious Eterna Nexus? That was just as dangerous. There was no way she would believe me.

A third option presented itself and it was the only one I knew she would not question.

"My master told me about it during our first meeting." My voice remained placid and confident as I replied in an unwavering tone despite her crazed behavior. Continue your saga on My Virtual Library Empire

She blinked and her breathing was still heavy but the wildness in her eyes slowly dimmed as she processed my words.

I could see the hesitation and the war of emotions raging inside her. From the way she clenched her fists in her lap, I knew that she wanted to ask more in details and probe even deeper.

But I wouldn't give her the chance.

"You didn't answer my question, Virelle." My voice was softer now as I coaxed her in a gentle tone.

"Are you worried that we are never meant to be because of an engagement that was promised long before you were old enough to have a say in it?

Do you believe that just because your father decided your fate before you were even born, you don't even have the right to dream of a different one? Do you think it's impossible to free yourself from this mayhem? I'm telling you it's not, so why are you giving up?"

"I am not giving up!" she shouted in a voice laced with anger and I could tell that it was not directed at me but at the cruel reality she had been forced to accept.

Her body trembled as her fists tightened until her knuckles turned white. The emotions she had been suppressing for so long came crashing down in a raw and unrestrained manner.

"What do you know, Brother Ethan?" she whispered in a shaky voice.

"Do you even understand what they will do to you if either my family or that damned Abyssal lineage finds out about our relationship? They will tear you apart bit by bit. Especially that bastard prince, you don't even know what madness he is capable of."

Her lips quivered as she spoke. "And my father… he is a man of unshakable pride. He will never go back on his word and especially not when he has already promised me to the Emperor of the Abyssal Dominion's youngest son."

She clutched my collar tightly as her crimson eyes drowned in sorrow.

"Ethan, please… try to understand. I don't want even the slightest chance of something happening to you. If you were hurt and if they did something to you, I would never forgive myself for the rest of my life."

Her voice broke and her tears started to fall again.

I could feel the weight of her turmoil, the years of helplessness she had suffered at being treated as nothing more than a bargaining chip for power. But even though I was touched by her concern towards me, I had no intention of backing down.

"If you're willing to marry that bastard prince just to protect me, then let me ease your worries right now as they won't be able to lay even a single finger on me.", I said in a firm voice that displayed my conviction.