My life has not been kind to me. I did only what I needed to survive, but fate has proven to be even more ruthless and unforgiving.

I instinctively rolled out of bed, my eyes snapping open as I sensed a sharp blade about to strike. I quickly jumped to the floor and grabbed my sword from under the bed. In one swift motion, I drew it from its sheath, the metallic sound of the blade cutting through the air echoed in the corners of my chamber.

I immediately prepared myself and set my gaze on the intruder. My eyes narrowed as I took in the sight—he was dressed entirely in black, his face partially concealed by a dark cloth wrapped around his head. The balcony door was open, allowing the moonlight to pour into the room, illuminating the scene and aiding my vision.

I positioned myself as the enemy edged closer. Judging by his figure, I could tell he was a man. His movements were calculated, his steps deliberate, his eyes locked onto me.

He lunged at me with his sword, but I quickly parried his strike with my own. I then kicked his knee with all my strength, forcing him to stagger backward. Seizing the opportunity, I charged at him, swinging my sword in his direction. But he dodged just as quickly, running and leaping onto my bed. I followed immediately, placing one foot on the bed for leverage, and swiftly kicked his leg.

He fell onto the bed, and I attempted to pin him down, but he kicked me with such force that I fell to the floor. I grimaced, caught off guard when he swiftly climbed on top of me. He pinned me down with his knees, leaving me unable to move, and brought the edge of his blade dangerously close to my throat. I gasped as the cold steel brushed against my skin. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, my breathing growing heavier.

"Who are you?" I dared to ask, my voice barely steady. He remained silent, which made me smirk. "Hmm, no matter. I don’t need to know who you are. You're just a lackey, after all. Nothing special," I taunted, my voice dripping with mockery. I smirked again as I noticed his grip on the sword tightening in response.

"Your Majesty," I called out nonchalantly. The moment he glanced behind him, distracted, I seized my chance. With all my strength, I struck him hard with the hilt of my sword. He momentarily thrown off balance, and I used that opening to manuever my leg, pushing him off me. As he tried to recover, I struck him again, this time with more force, hitting his head with sword's hilt. His grip on me weakened, and as soon as there was enough space between his legs and my body, I quickly slid beneath him, escaping through the gap.

Mabilis akong tumayo at agad siyang hinarap, nakabawi na rin siya ngunit agad ko siyang sinugod. I swung my sword directly at him, twirling my body with fluid precision, and unleashed a powerful kick. He crashed to the floor with a heavy thud. Without wasting a moment, I attacked again. I brought my sword down in a sharp arc just as he began to recover. He barely managed to raise his arm to block the strike, but I saw how my blade sliced into his flesh, leaving a deep wound across his forearm.

Nang nakatayo siya mabilis siyang umatras, at napahawak sa kanyang braso. Mas naging masama ang tingin niya sa akin, akala ko susugod ito ngunit mabilis itong tumakbo patungo sa balkonahe at agad tumalon.

Napatitig lamang ako sa balkonahe. My grip on the sword tightened as the reality of what just happened sank in—I had nearly been assassinated. The thought of my enemies becoming more aggressive sent a chill down my spine, but it wasn't fear that gripped me. Instead, excitement and adrenaline surged through me, overwhelming my senses. How amusing, I thought, my lips curving into a slight smile. What could their next move possibly be?

Napatingin ako sa sahig at napangisi muli nang nakita ko ang mga patak ng dugo sa sahig. He was injured, they merely giving me the chance to find them first.

THE NEXT MORNING, I decided to tour the entire palace with Sarah and Edward by my side. My true motive, of course, was to investigate. I knew that the man from last night was still here, hiding somewhere or perhaps pretending to be someone else.

As we strolled through the palace, my eyes caught sight of Lilieth ahead. My mood immediately darkened when I noticed that she was with the Emperor. Lilieth was clinging to his arm, clearly attempting to flirt with him, her actions almost desperate.

I took a deep breath, composed myself, and approached them with measured steps. As soon as they noticed my presence, Lilieth offered me a subtle, almost mocking smile. In response, I returned the gesture with my sweetest smile, making sure to greet her before turning my attention to His Majesty.

"Good morning, Your Majesty," I greeted him, my voice soft and gentle, intentionally composed. The Emperor stared at me intently, and I almost wanted to laugh when I saw Lilieth’s face twist with irritation. The Emperor, without hesitation, pulled away from her and moved closer to me.

"Good morning, wife," he greeted in return, his tone warm as he took my hand and kissed it. My smile grew even wider as I realized how close Lilieth was to exploding with rage.

"I was planning to roam around the palace, so if you’ll excuse us, Your Majesty," I said with deliberate calm, as if it didn’t matter to me whether he chose to stay with Lilieth or not. My indifference was a subtle act of triumph.

His jaw tightened slightly, and I could see the tension in his expression as he turned to Lilieth. "Lady Lilieth, I will be escorting my wife today. I hope you have a pleasant day," he said, his words final. Lilieth’s lips pressed into a tight line, her knuckles turning white as she gripped her skirt. Despite her frustration, she managed to maintain her composure. "Of course, Your Majesty," she replied, her voice low but still gentle.

The Emperor then directed his full attention back to me. I raised my hand, and he offered his arm, which I took with a graceful smile. Together, we turned away from Lilieth, leaving her behind. Just before we were out of sight, I glanced back at her. Her eyes were blazing with hatred, but I merely gave her a knowing smirk. How utterly pathetic.

We wandered through nearly every corner of the palace, yet I found no trace of the man from last night. Nor did I catch sight of Anastasia. Suspicion crept into my mind—was she perhaps hiding something?

Eventually, we arrived at the back of the palace, where a large tree stood, surrounded by an array of blooming flowers. The Emperor stopped walking, and so did I. He stared at the tree, his expression distant, as though he was lost in thought. I noticed the deep sighs he let out, and I could feel the heaviness in his presence, as though a weight had settled on his shoulders.

A wave of sadness washed over me when he finally spoke, "My parents died here, and this is where I buried them," he said quietly, his voice low and filled with a lingering sorrow, as though the pain was still fresh in his heart. I remained silent, sensing that he wasn’t finished.

"Strangely enough, these flowers grew on their own," he continued, his voice now lighter but still somber, "It's as if they’re a message, a sign that my parents are at peace now, that they’re happy."

He fell silent again, his gaze fixed on the tree, as if it held all the answers to the grief that lingered within him. I let out a soft sigh, feeling a mixture of emotions. If only I had the courage to ask him more about his past, I would have. But my respect for him held me back. I would wait, patiently, for the day when he would be ready to share the rest of his story with me.

Dumating ang araw ng pagbitay sa Duke, kaya muling nagtipon ang mga tao sa Plaza Del Sentencia. Katabi kong nakaupo ang Emperor habang ang dalawang concubine ay nasa harapan namin, sa ibaba.

The faces of every person eager to witness the scene bore the same expression—one of contempt and anger. Their eyes burned with hatred, their brows furrowed, and their lips tightened in barely restrained fury. Each face in the crowd reflected the same intense emotion, as if they were all united by the same deep-seated loathing. Tanging si Sebastian lamang ang nakikita kong pamilya ng Duke, marahil hindi kayang pagmasdan ng iba pang myembro ng pamilya ang pagbitay nito.

The High judge began his speech, as the Duke ramained silent, nakayuko ang ulo niya na tila tanggap na nito ang kanyang kahinatnan. As soon as the execution was finished, we returned to the palace. Lilieth excused herself and entered the palace first, followed closely by Anastasia. As they passed by where I stood, I accidentally brushed against Anastasia's personal knight. My eyes caught a glimpse of something—the faint stain of blood on the sleeve near his arm.

I couldn't help but smirk at the sight. It was clear that her knight was injured, yet he remained unwavering at her side. The thought amused me. His loyalty to her was evident, almost admirable in a way, but also revealing. How amusing that even in his condition, he would stay so devoted to her.

Dumating ang gabi, ang akala ko maging tahimik ang gabi ko ngunit ginambala na naman ako ng walanghiyang lalaki.

"You should be mourning with your family right now, Lord Sebastian," I said firmly, my eyes narrowing as I stared at him. He chuckled in response, casually stepping into my chamber as if my words were of no consequence.

"Am I truly such a bad person for being happy about his fate?" he asked, as though he was genuinely considering my opinion on the matter. His tone was playful, but I could sense a deeper conflict. I raised an eyebrow at him. "That depends," I replied. If he had a cruel father, I couldn’t exactly blame him for feeling joy at his death.

He sauntered over to the sofa and sat down, making himself comfortable. Irritated, I placed my hands on my hips. "Why are you here?" I demanded, my voice sharp with annoyance. But instead of answering me, he countered with his own question.

"Aren't you even curious why I’m happy right now?" he asked, his tone teasing. I rolled my eyes at him, my gaze lingering as I realized he was serious this time. His expression was unwavering. Letting out a sigh, I reluctantly sat down on the edge of my bed.

"Speak," I ordered, my patience wearing thin. He laughed, a sound that only deepened the furrow in my brow. What could possibly be amusing to him in such a situation?

He cleared his throat before speaking, his voice low and heavy with bitterness. "I am the result of his depravity—he raped my mother. And when I was born, he killed her," his words instantly grabbed my full attention. Slowly, a sense of pity began to well up inside me, though there was not a single trace of sorrow on his face. His eyes remained empty, devoid of any emotion, "And," he started to speak again but stopped, laughing softly, a laugh so hollow that it never reached his eyes.

"He made my life miserable from such a young age, every single day," his voice trembled slightly, the weight of his memories dragging him down, "Whenever I made a mistake, he would lock me up and starve me for two days—just enough so I wouldn’t die. As I got older, I followed every command, everything he wanted, just to avoid his wrath. Then, I met a woman... someone I truly loved. Do you know what he did?" he paused again, this time a bitter, choked laugh escaping his lips. "He raped her, right in my own chamber. A-and I couldn’t do anything," his words felt like a dagger stabbing straight into my chest. I could feel his pain, sharp and overwhelming, as if I was carrying it with him. Tears began to fall silently down my cheeks, and when he laughed—loud and bitter—my heart broke even further. I clenched my fists, rage boiling within me. His father deserved every punishment, every torment in hell.

I wanted to speak, to comfort him, to say something that might ease his pain, but I couldn’t. I was frozen in place, unable to utter a single word. His head dropped, and soon after, his shoulders began to shake as silent sobs took over him. I pressed my lips together, trying to hold back my own sobs. Goodness, I thought my heart was cold, that nothing could pierce it, but I was wrong. I had been so wrong.

Gathering all the strength I had, I moved toward him and knelt down, wrapping my arms around him tightly. I could hear his quiet sobs as I held him, feeling his pain with every breath. I waited patiently, offering nothing but my presence as comfort, until eventually, I heard a soft, shaky laugh escape him. I released him then and sat beside him, giving him space. He wiped away his tears, trying to regain some composure before turning to face me again. A small, genuine smile crept onto his lips, and I was startled when he reached out and gently wiped a tear from my cheek.

"I wasn’t informed that you could cry too," he murmured, his voice light yet filled with an underlying sadness. I sneered at him, playfully swatting his hand away. I chuckled gently, and he gazed at me.

"Let's meet tomorrow at dawn behind the palace, Your Majesty," he said, and I raised an eyebrow in wonder. Tumayo siya at kinuha ang aking kamay, humalik siya roon. Nang binitawan niya ang kamay ko kumindat ito sa akin bago tumalikod.

Napatitig lamang ako sa likod niya. Sa nakikita ko sa kanya tila wala siyang dinadalang bigat sa dibdib. You can never truly judge a person, as there may be layers of pain, struggle, or secrets hidden behind their outward demeanor. People often mask their true feelings and experiences, concealing their deepest struggles from the world.

I can only hope for his healing, that he finds peace and recovery from the wounds he carries. And I wish for him that one day, amidst the shadows of his past, he will discover and truly experience genuine happiness.