Chapter 2

I smiled as the blade was pointed at me.

It was a genuine smile, straight from my heart.

But in that moment, my tears broke free despite myself.

"It's been a long time, my foolish prince," I said to myself.

"You'll never know that the woman you thought was vain and materialistic only climbed into Gabriel's bed to get the antidote for Venomshade," I murmured to myself.

"And you'll never know that she faked her own death and disappeared into anonymity, all to protect your reputation and keep you from being branded as a man who stole a woman from his own subject," I added silently.

"Sheldon, my Shelly. I miss you more than words can say," I said to myself.

But I couldn't let myself say that out loud.

Not even a single word.

My tears seemed to provoke him.

The murderous intent in his eyes grew even stronger.

"Crying?" he sneered. "You think you have the right to cry? Wipe that phony, pathetic look off your face. Don't make me sick."

He sheathed his sword, then shoved me hard, sending me crashing to the floor.

The icy floor bit into my bones, making every movement ache.

"From now on, you'll sleep right here," he said coldly, jabbing ed his finger at the floor for emphasis.

"Don't even think about touching the royal bed unless I say so," he added. "You wanted to be a consort, didn't you? Well, I'll make you the lowest, most despicable consort in the whole world."

With that, he strode over to the massive royal bed without even glancing back, lying down fully dressed.

Soon, the steady sound of his breathing filled the room.

He was asleep.

Meanwhile, I lay shivering on the icy floor in nothing but my flimsy wedding dress, wide awake all night.

But my heart felt even colder than sleeping on the ground.

I gazed at that familiar figure on the bed, my tears slipping down in silence.

Sheldon knew nothing about what had happened. Back then, he was poisoned by Venomshade, and the royal physicians were helpless.

They said that in the whole world, the only antidote was in the hands of his greatest enemy, Gabriel Ball, the Lord of the Frosthaven. But the price was me.

He said he'd loved me since childhood, and if I went with him, he'd give Sheldon the antidote.

Back then, Sheldon was just a prince nobody cared about, while Gabriel was the Lord of the Frosthaven, commanding armies and power.

I really had no other choice.

To save his life, I could only "betray" him.

I made sure Sheldon saw me getting close to Gabriel, and I purposely said all those shallow, materialistic things to stab him in the heart, just so he would finally give up on me.

I could still remember the way Sheldon looked at me, like I was something dirty, something he couldn't stand to touch.

After that, I got the antidote and had someone deliver it to him.

And for the sake of not becoming a stain on his future, and to allow Gabriel to finally rest easy, I had no choice but to feign death.

I drank the poison that would make me appear dead, and Gabriel's men smuggled me out of Antarorand under the cover of night.

When I woke up, I disfigured myself and assumed a new identity, becoming just another nobody in the Ferguson family.

The Ferguson family was distantly related to mine, and after my parents died, I was sent here to live with them.

For the past five years, I had been consumed by longing and heartache, missing him every single day.

I truly believed our lives would never intertwine again.

But then, just a month ago, the Ferguson family's eldest daughter, my so-called sister, somehow bumped into Sheldon at a palace banquet.

When Sheldon saw her face, he was stunned.

Years of pampered living had given her a look that was eerily similar to how I used to appear. She could almost pass for me.

Then, someone mentioned that the Ferguson family had another daughter, one who looked even more like me.

And just like that, I was dragged before him.

The instant Sheldon laid eyes on me, the shock and the overwhelming hatred that erupted right after burned into my memory forever.

After that, with just one imperial edict, I was crowned Lady Selene and became nothing but the instrument of his revenge.

Selene...

Selene was my name from before.

He chose this title just to humiliate me and to disgrace the version of me that 'died' all those years ago.

Sheldon was truly ruthless.

And honestly, he was such a fool.

The cold woke me up before sunrise.

My whole body felt like it was falling apart, every bone aching.

I pushed myself up from the icy floor, stretching out my stiff limbs.

Sheldon was still lying in bed, his brows tightly knit, like he was having a bad dream.

I didn't dare linger. Quietly, I slipped out to the outer hall.

The maids and eunuchs were already gathered outside, waiting for me.

As I stepped out, every single one of them shot me looks full of contempt and smug satisfaction.

"Well, well, Lady Selene is finally awake?" Immanuel Todd sneered, his tone thick with mockery.

He was Sheldon's chief eunuch, always at his side.

Back then, he was always so respectful toward me.

But now, he looked at me like I was some kind of pest.

"His Majesty is still asleep, Lady Selene. Don't you dare wake him," Immanuel said with a mocking sneer.