Nero came home late that night.  With a heavy sigh he sat at inside of his study for a long time, not moving.  He was stuck between a rock and a hard place. He took the wine from his desk and poured himself a drink.  He drank the wine down with one gulp and continued to drink in the dark.

“Thinking of marrying that little girl?” Nyx said from behind Nero.  

Nero suddenly jumped from surprise and looked back to see his study window open and Nyx drinking a satchel of wine while sitting on the windowsill.  When did she show up there, he didn’t know.

“It’s not what you think.”  Nero said as he came to sit on the other windowsill and faced her.  “The Pareem College of Excellence is under a lot of pressure recently.  There is a scandal in the government of ministers taking money from the relief fund.  Because all those ministers graduated from our college, we are being blamed for the lack of education from our college.  The college has lost a lot of funding from the government and from alumnis. And the number of students dropping out of our college gets bigger by the day as the scandal drags on.”  

“How does marrying that young woman come into play?”  

“She is the only daughter of the Dean from our competing college. Her name is Jani Cura.” Nero told Nyx truthfully.  “According to my father, if I marry her as my legal wife, it would join both of our college into one. The college that my family built, taught and runs, will continue to survive. If I say no, then the Pareem College of Excellence will end.”  

“So they want you to be the sacrificial lamb to continue your family’s legacy.”  

“Yeah.”  

“And what have you decided?”  

“I’m trying to figure out a way to overcome this without marriage.”  

“And how long have you known about this scandal?”  

“Three months.”  

“And how long have you tried other ways to keep your family’s college from failing?”  

“Three months.”  

“And are you willing to marry that girl to keep your family’s college from closing?”  

“Nyx.”  

“But you’re tempted are you?  Through all your hardship over the last three months, the easy answer is in your face and yet you’re not tempted?”  

“You know how much I care about teaching at our college.  The thought of it closing forever leaves me in great pain, knowing that I could have done something to stop it...  But I won’t compromise my feelings. I could never betray you.”

“And yet, you did.”  Nyx said as she drank the wine from her cup.  

Nero had fallen under the pressure and agreed to marry Jani as his legal main wife to save the Pareem College of Excellence.  He had only agreed to it to give him more time to find another way out of the scandal.  He never ment to go through with it.  He had also spoken truthfully to Jani that he could never betray Nyx and would only love Nyx. Jani still believed she could change Nero’s mind to love her.  

“I told them that if you agreed to marry Jani, I would leave with my own two feet.”  Nyx said as she stood up.

“Dont’.”  Nero shouted as he held her hand to stop her.  “I only agreed to marry her to save my family’s legacy and it will give me time to find another way out.  I don’t love her. I’ll never step a foot into her courtyard.  I won’t even look at her, even if you’re mad at me. The marriage with Jani doesn’t mean anything.  We can still be a loving couple.” Nero began to panic as he pleaded.

“You once said that I hated dirt in my eyes, that you wouldn’t do anything to even let a speck of dust to fall in to it.  And yet, you’ve thrown a pale of dirty water onto me with your decision.”

“Nyx…  listen to me… please…”  Nero tried to explain.

“I told you I am a selfish woman. What I want, is what I’ll get.  That I’ll do and say anything to succeed. And what is mine, is mine forever.”  Nyx leans up to kiss Nero one last time. “You can say we’re even now.”

“What do you mean?”  

“You don’t remember it, but I do.”  

“Remember what?”  Nero said as he felt his body begin to weaken.  

“You once killed me for your own selfish reason, because you couldn’t live without me.  Now I’ve killed you for my own selfish reason. So we’re even.” Nyx said as she caught his swaying body and gently laid him down on the ground with him in her arms.  Her voice held a sense of sorrow but also determination. “I won’t let anyone take advantage of me… even if it’s you, the man that I love. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.  I betrayed your trust first, broke my word.  I shouldn’t have agreed to the marriage. It’s my fault… my life is yours to do with what you will...”  

“I’m sorry.  I can’t let anyone have you.  You belong to me as much as I belong to you.  There is no me without you and there is no you without me.  The next time we meet, I promise to treat you better in our next lifetime. I promise that we'll grow old with each other.  Don’t forget me, my love.” Nyx said the exact words he said to her when Silver killed Addison.

Raine knew the exact moment Nero died in her arms.  His body immediately relaxed and Raine laid him down before kissing him one last time.  

[Congratulations!  You have successfully completed ‘Last Dying Wish’ request for Nyx.  Would you like to stay and live the rest of Nyx’s lifespan as Nyx or would you like to leave now?]

“I would like to leave.”  Raine said softly as she caressed Nero’s cold cheeks.  Raine turned to the side and immediately spat out blood.  She had poisoned both her and Nero’s wine. His wine was fast acting and painless, while her poison was slow and painful.  In her own twisted way, she wanted to punish herself for killing her lover. With him gone and her succeeding her mission, there was no reason to stay.  

Raine laid down on top of Nero with eyes closed until her body finally died and her soul was transferred back into her system.  The virtual screen that was her windows was of a starless night. The four blue moons shined brightly onto the soulless city.

Raine crawled into bed and silently went to sleep.  She wanted to hide from her feelings and her situation.  She didn’t like transmigrating anymore. The chances to relive another life and complete missions for them was taking a toll on her soul.  It also didn’t help that she met her soulmate and she just killed him to accomplish her mission.

The person she has become was someone she no longer recognized.  And that person was someone she didn’t like.

TBC

****A/N:  Thank you so much for your patience, your love and support.  I hoped you enjoyed this arc.  Just a FYI, next story arc will be polyandry.   xoxo -ptd