The King's Rejected Lady

The Betrayal Of Her Body

TORI WALKED towards the tall mirror after contemplating her life as Talia. Though it was dark, the moonlight helped her see her reflection. The image before her reminded Tori of the original Victoria she saw in that dream with the goddess Gaia. Tori traced her face on the reflection.

The constant nightmare brought by the original Victoria's memory scarred Tori more. Seeing the original plot rolling every night in her sleep, highlighting the original Victoria's head rolling on the plaza grounds would wake Tori like an alarm clock every dawn.

Tori knew that it was not her memory, but seeing the same wretched scenes for over a year would change a person.

For her, the life she had before and her life now as the new Victoria Rozenreff had an uncanny resemblance, a resemblance that Tori would ruin.

"You suffered betrayal as I did but that's where our similarity ended, Victoria. You gambled with a non-existent emotion called love. You clung to a myth called happiness. What you desire is your happiness so they said. But what you desire will only break you if put too much faith in them."

Tori walked towards the balcony. The moment she opened her doors, a nostalgic cold breeze welcomed her. With just bare feet, Tori walked outside her room's balcony to stare at the cliché moon.

"I will get what I deserve. To trust means giving that someone permission to betray you, there's no need to trust anyone just to succeed. I have myself for that thank you very much."

Tori was about to go back inside her room when she heard someone faintly calling her name. She turned her head back to where the familiar calling sound was coming from. Walking back to the edge of her balcony, Tori raised her brows to see a disheveled Prince Corean below her. There were no knights around them. His infamous knight was not with him as if coming here was top secret – which was below her room.

"What do you want, you pompous prince?" Tori knew that the distance between them would make it impossible for him to hear what she said.

Tori was surprised when he opened his arms wide as if he was inviting her. "Jump! I need to talk to you."

Though it was barely there, Tori unbelievably heard the second prince even when the latter was not shouting. "Are you crazy?" Tori leaned down as she replied to him who was still opening his arms wide.

"First, I'm pompous and now I'm crazy. You need a lesson for disrespecting me. But now, jump."

TORI GLARED openly at the second prince below her before she went inside her room, not bothering to look back as she closed the doors that connected to her balcony. She pulled the rope to ring the bell, and a few minutes later, Lily came in. The latter's handmaiden uniform was wrinkled and her hair was not properly kept, a contrast from what she was used to. But Tori did not mind the slightest.

"Give a hand to the second prince," Tori commanded Lily as she sat on a chair. "And prepare me some Chamomile Tea."

"Yes, Lady Tori."

Lily immediately trotted away from her mistress' room. Tori crossed her legs and arms as she waited for Lily's return when a warm whisper startled her. Her hand automatically moved. She grabbed the nearest quill and she sharply turned to stab the person's neck who was so near to hers when a pair of golden eyes met her ruby ones.

Sneaky bastard.

"I never knew you have a talent for opening what's supposed to be locked." Tori relaxed as she subtly let go of her quill back to her desk.

A serious-looking second prince walked inside her room. He did not answer her. Instead, he proceeded to lock the room's door before he came back in front of her. He was sitting comfortably on her bed while Tori was sitting a meter away from him. The whole time, Tori's eyebrows were knotted as she observed his homey attitude inside her room as if he knew the place like the back of his palm.

Her train of thoughts was interrupted when Prince Corean spoke. "It was you, right." His tone was a statement.

So you already heard, huh? I thought that you'll be the last one to know. After all, you were preoccupied looking after Tessa who you just found near the Back Alley.

Tori let go of Tessa as her purpose was finally finished. She got no interest in the latter after learning what her role was in the original plot.

Tessa simply existed to kill the second prince. But what is Tessa's context? She is both a commoner and a breadwinner in her family of nine. Thanks to my vassals, namely the two crown princes and one young duke, I cornered Tessa.

Anytime now, she will be leaving this country with her family, forever. And again, that's thanks to Duke Rowan who will ship them across the borders of the empire while Crown Prince Yei Lin will be waiting in a ship along with the Ming Country's envoy that will reroute to the Kingdom of Monakre.

"I believe I am not following you well, your highness." Tori offered Prince Corean her best innocent smile. It was always fun for Tori to pretend stupid and weak in front of everyone.

Tori's smile slipped when Prince Corean was giving him a no-nonsense look. He was fuming mad, as always. She did not want to admit but sometimes, Tori would remember the second prince's smiling face out of nowhere. "Okay fine. I planned the accident for this afternoon. No one died so why are you fuming like I killed someone?"

I saved your ass. Thank you very much, you jerk.

A knock interrupted the second prince. "Lady Tori, I could not find what you are asking. Should I inform the knights?"

Tori replied immediately, "No need, Lily. You can go now. I won't need the tea, thank you."

"Good night, Lady Tori."

The moment they heard Lily's footsteps walking away from the door of her room, Prince Corean continued.

"Where is she? If you can control a country like the Ming Country easily without leaving your room, it will be a piece of cake for you to dispose of someone you hate the most. Hate me Lady Victoria but don't touch Tessa. She's under my protection."

Tori's façade broke like a string being snapped from the sheer strength of being stretched too much. She stood up and closed the distance between her and the second prince. Pushing him down her bed, Tori straddled the second prince with no remorse.

Smiling wickedly while sitting above the shell-shocked prince, Tori crouched to Prince Corean's right ear. Both of her hands were on his head's sides to balance her body above him as she whispered with malice. "She's under your protection? That one person who only existed just to kill you? I am the one who's protecting you this entire time. A simple thank you will suffice your highness."

Tori whispered while gritting her teeth with controlled anger. Her little trip to memory lane affected her reasoning. This was the reason why she hated emotions, they led to uncontrollable actions. But this time, Tori wanted to lash out with Prince Corean's four last words.

The words she longed to hear when she was still Talia. No, she still longed for those words but she did not dare to hope anymore. Happiness was a myth for her. And she did not need a myth inside a world where she was fighting every second just to live.

"I. Saved. You. Corean Shuia Eckrett. Not her, not them, but me. So be a good boy and show me some gratitude." She kissed his sharp right jaw harshly. No, she nipped his jaw with her teeth. When she felt him getting rigid below her body, Tori licked her masterpiece which incited a low groan from him. She could not help but smile slyly against his soft skin and warm skin.

"Now your-''

Tori's next words were replaced by a gasp when Prince Corean flipped her. The next moment, she was the one below him as he straddled her. But unlike what she did, the second prince devoured her lips like a beast starved his entire life. Tori's eyes grew wide as she met his daring golden eyes.

And slowly, her body betrayed her.

Her unmoving lips moved in sync with his. Her wailing limbs which were flailing a second ago stopped like they were melted a glazier touched by molten lava. Closing her eyes, Tori linked her arms around his nape to deepen the searing kiss.

What is this? Why am I responding like a sex-starved woman to the man who will betray me any moment from now? Why? With this position, he can easily kill me. Why am I letting him?

Just as Tori was about to surrender, Prince Corean cut the enchanting moment. He distanced himself from her as if she was a plague.