TORI DID not realize when she fell asleep.

Well, whatever.

She did not open her eyes yet as she tried to control her breathing. She could feel that she was not the only person in the infirmary. Tori wanted to know who were the other people inside her room, so she pretended to be asleep. Well, that was the only thing she was best at ever since she transmigrated: pretending.

"You are always like this. You are always in front of me no matter how I run to catch up with you. And when I thought I can finally grasp you, I would realize that it's just all a mirage." Heartfelt words of Duke Rowan Castaña echoed inside the room. Tori was taken aback for a split second after noticing the genuine care from the pawn she never really put to mind.

This was the road she had chosen in order to survive. Tori herself could not distinguish what was genuine and what was pretense in her actions anymore.

She knew that she was being selfish when she decided not to let him know. But she needed him to get angry with her.

You have yet to realize how strong you are, Rowan. You will be the key to controlling the noble faction. You will be my spear and shield in this long game.

Tori felt his feathery touch on her left cheek as if he was hesitating. Tori was about to open her eyes to end this awkward situation when the door burst open. The sound of the door banging on the wall was followed by a screeching sound from a chair being flipped.

What is it this time?

"Why are you here, your highness?" The young duke's thundering voice resonated with the second prince's response. "My business is my own, Duke Rowan. Know your place."

Duke Rowan mockingly scoffed. "Mind my place? How about you, your highness? Shouldn't you be by that criminal's side?"

Damn, I feel so beautiful. Well, I will pretend longer to boost my ego. I need to recharge my ego after that sewer rat interrupted my plan A.

"I am warning you, Duke Castaña. Leave." The dominance in his voice was oozing with authority that could not be bent.

Tori heard some footsteps then it suddenly halted. "Remember this, your highness. I will use every ounce of power to put that woman in her rightful place. No one hurts Lady Tori and gets away with this. I may be the Duke of Castaña Duchy now but the irrefutable fact that I am her knight never and will never change." The footsteps resumed followed by the door being opened and closed.

"I know you're awake so spare me the pretense and face me, Lady Victoria."

Oops!

With her eyes closed, Tori smiled wickedly before opening her red eyes just to meet a pair of cold golden ones. "I have a lovely knight, yeah? His loyalty is priceless, I tell you." Tori tried to sit but every time she moved, her body protested making her flinch from time to time.

A pair of gentle yet firm hands guided her gently. Tori was frozen for a split second before she raised her walls higher than before. His chest was on her face as he set her pillows at her back to make her comfortable. His familiar scent whipped Tori's senses momentarily. She forgot this gentle side of the second prince.

Deciding to tease him, Tori kissed his open neck which made him stop before her. Tori could feel his rigid body.

As I said, you're just a man.

Prince Corean distanced himself away from her like she would eat him alive if he came near her. Combing her golden ringlets to her uninjured shoulder, Tori glanced at the second prince. "So, what do you want to talk about with me, your highness?"

Tori wondered why his brows arched as if she said something wrong but he remained silent.

Oh, no. Don't tell me.

"Are you perhaps here to check on me, your highness?"

Oh, poor man. Did my actions awaken your feelings that you buried for me? Too bad, I still can't recuperate your feelings.

"Thank you for saving my mother. The empire will be forever grateful for your action, Lady Victoria." He immediately erased any trace of affection for Tori which was quite too late for the receptive young lady.

"I told you. I will protect the queen."

And save Tessa.

Her smiling face would fool any man on the entire continent but even Prince Corean could not decipher her real intentions behind her every action.

With this, as an act of consideration for me, the king will ask me how to deal with Tessa. Of course, I won't kill her. I will forgive her but my forgiveness will not guarantee the forgiveness of my loyal young Duke, Rowan. With him hungry for justice for his beloved master, he will wait in the shadows to strike the criminal in his eyes. As long as Prince Corean abides by my will, my dear Rowan will have to stay still as my insurance.

One thing that high society tends to forget, Duke Rowan Cristof Castaña is a beast that only I can tame. He is a beast in golden clothing.

"But you should treat your body more carefully. You will be the future queen of this empire," he said in a resigned voice as if already accepted the grim fact that he would be bounded to her for eternity.

You're wrong, my dearest fiancé. The moment you ask for my help, you already signed yourself to the devil.

Tori's wicked gleam in her eyes shone the brightest in the dimly lighted room she was staying in. "Worry not, your highness. I will plea for Tessa's safety. They can't turn me down; after all, I saved the queen."

Though it was slowly, Tori walked towards Prince Corean who remained standing. His eyes followed her every move. The sugary smile of Tori gave off an alluring effect as she glided toward him until she was one foot away from his body.

Tracing the contours of his chest using her left hand, Tori looked up for the second prince's reaction. His body was unmoving but his chest was heaving from controlled anticipation that he wanted to hide.

My poor, poor prince.

Her fingers traced his neck to his jaws and his lips. "Tell me, your highness. Who owns you?" Tori crossed the remaining distance between them as she pressed her chest to his. Their heartbeats resonated with each other.

Tori tiptoed just for her lips to barely reach his ears. Leaning completely to his body, she felt his arms encircling her waist to steady her. "Who owns Prince Corean Shuia Eckrett?"

The strength in his arms securely surrounding him, the heat of his skin against her velvet touch, and the frantic heartbeat against her chest gave him away. Tori could see him gulping too many times as his golden eyes screamed heated passion. "You never stopped wanting me, right?"

Prince Corean seems to snap from his daydream. The looming heated passion was replaced with his ice-cold expression. The next thing Tori knew was being tossed to the bed like she was some kind of disgusting trash.

"You may control me but you will never own me, Victoria. Never forget that." He hissed his words like they were poison from his mouth.

Tori could feel the pain from her injured shoulder from being tossed without warning but she never showed how she feared Prince Corean's golden eyes. Instead, she showed him her mocking smile.

"No matter how hard you try to run away from me, as long as you play with your heart, you will never win against me." Tori sat gracefully on her bed as she crossed her legs in front of him. "But remember this, your highness. I always win."

Not bothering to reply to Tori, Prince Corean dashed out of her room leaving Tori's injury bleeding again.

The banging of the door followed suit and only then did Tori slump down as she breathed out to release some tension. "You really know how to provoke me, Cory."

Chuckling to herself, Tori eyed the door with wickedness.

Tessa's life is now in my hands, my dearest fiancé. One word from me and Rowan will happily plunder what's left of hers.

Her most awaited knock finally arrived.

Finally!

A hooded silhouette entered her room. Standing up, Victoria welcomed the newly arrived guest. "Blessings to the Empire's star, Prince Lauren."

"You don't have to curtsy, my fair lady." His velvety voice matched her gleaming red eyes as he took off his disguised.

Sitting comfortably with his permission, Tori crossed her arms. Tone domineering and brows slightly raised, she asked haughtily. "Well then, have you shut her up?"

His equally sly smirk met hers. "I know what I am doing. Trust me when I say, that commoner won't be talking for a long time."