Li Wei paced the length of the chamber like a caged beast, his boots pressing heavily against the wooden floor, each step a storm barely contained.
He wasn't walking to calm himself—he was walking so he wouldn't shatter. So he wouldn't explode.
His fingers twitched at his sides, his chest rose and fell too sharply, his face pale yet burning with fury and pain.
Across the room, Leena sat frozen, her gaze fixed on the pair of shoes lying abandoned on the floor.
The shoes he had brought for her—carefully chosen, wrapped as a gift, meant to see her smile. Now they lay there like discarded promises, fallen when he'd walked in on her with Lady Jiang.
His eyes drifted, sharp as blades, to the desk. And there he saw it.
The ring.
The ring he had given her, left behind with cold finality. Next to it, the beginning of a letter—her farewell, written in clumsy characters, soaked with intent. And beside that… a packed bag.
His heart stopped. His blood iced over.
She was leaving.
She was going to abandon him.
He snatched the ring off the desk, his hand trembling though his face betrayed nothing but that deadly calm that came before a storm. His voice broke the silence, low and ragged:
"You planned to run away…"
Leena's breath caught. Slowly, her eyes lifted from the shoes to meet his. His hand clutched the ring so tightly his knuckles were white. She swallowed and turned toward him, her voice soft, fragile, yet resolute.
"…I was going to ask Maya to return it to you."
His gaze darkened, the words slicing through him like a blade.
"That's not what I asked." His tone was cold, cutting.
She lowered her eyes, ashamed.
"…And I still will."
Something inside him snapped. He took a step forward, then another, his voice breaking into raw desperation.
"Why? Why?!" His words trembled with disbelief as he closed the distance between them.
Her lips quivered, tears spilling despite her struggle to hold them back.
"Do you really need to ask… after that?"
At her words, his body stiffened. He stopped only a breath away from her, eyes wild, voice raised until it shattered the air.
"And WHAT?!" His roar made her flinch, her shoulders trembling. "What if you were forced to spend the night with another man? What then?!"
The dam inside her broke. Leena wept openly, her sobs echoing in the tense chamber.
Li Wei's chest heaved. But then, almost tenderly, he reached out—his thumb brushing the tears away, his touch trembling as if it burned him. His voice dropped to a whisper, fragile, almost begging:
"…Nobody has to know." His breath was hot against her ear, his words like a vow and a curse.
"I'll kill every witness, silence every soul that dares curse you. I'll make the world tremble before even daring to look at you."
Her knees weakened at the madness in his tone. She shook her head, sobbing harder.
"H-how can you say that?"
"What else am I supposed to do?!" His voice cracked, his eyes pleading now, stripped of all pride.
"Tell me! Hate me, curse me, call me a fool! Tell me that i'm a whore!" , she cried.
And then—tears fell. Not hers. His.
Just one drop, then another, sliding down the prince's face. Leena's heart clenched. For the first time, she saw the storm inside him—not just rage, but a wound so deep it bled without end.
His voice was hoarse, almost breaking:
"You're not a whore. They mistreated you. And for that… they will pay."
His hand left her cheek, and in one swift movement he unsheathed his sword. The steel gleamed under the lantern light as he turned toward the door.
His intent was carved into his expression—vengeance. Immediate. Unstoppable.
"In fact," he said darkly, "they will pay now."
Leena's heart lurched. She rushed forward, gripping his arm with both hands.
"No! Stop!"
He pulled against her, his voice sharp, unyielding:
"You won't stop me this time—"
But she cut him off with desperate words that pierced through his fury:
"We didn't spend the night!"
He froze. His eyes snapped to hers, wide, trembling.
"…What?"
Her tears fell faster, but her voice carried truth, shaking yet firm.
"He couldn't… he didn't. His mother came. She saved me." Her words caught in her throat. "For that, I owe her my life. That's why I can't let you kill him—not because he failed, but because he has a mother who cares for him."
His grip on the sword faltered. His lips parted. His eyes—once wild—now searched hers for any trace of a lie.
"…He didn't?"
"No," she whispered, "…he didn't."
The sword slipped from his hand and clattered to the ground. Then, without warning, Li Wei pulled her into his arms, crushing her against his chest. His body trembled as his tears fell freely now, soaking her shoulder.
"I can't… I can't let you go." His voice cracked with raw desperation. "It's absolutely impossible. You're mine, Leena. You stay with me."
Her eyes widened, but in the safety of his embrace—feeling the way he held her as if she were his only anchor—she slowly nodded, her cheek pressing against his chest.
"…Um."
And for the first time in days, she felt warmth. A genuine concern. A soul that didn't judge, didn't abandon. A soulmate.
Still holding her tightly, as though letting go meant losing her forever, Li Wei's voice rumbled low against her ear.
"By the way…" he hesitated for only a second before asking, "…did you mean it? When you told Lady Jiang you didn't want me?"
Leena froze. She leaned back just enough to meet his eyes.
"…Do you really think I meant it?" she asked softly.
His jaw tightened. "It left my heart uneasy. Don't ever say that again." His words were sharp, commanding, almost scolding—as if her simple denial had the power to unravel him.
Leena couldn't help it. A tiny, sweet laugh escaped her lips, light and warm, breaking through the heavy air around them.
Li Wei's gaze softened slightly, though he didn't smile. Instead, he exhaled deeply, shifting the topic.
"The head physician came to see me earlier. He said no one seems contaminated. We only need to wait until the end of the week—two days—to be certain. But… basically, the quarantine is over. Everyone will be allowed to return home."
Leena blinked, her arms loosening around him.
"Oh, really? That's wonderful news!"
But when her eyes lifted to his face, his expression was not one of joy. His lips were pressed into a thin line, his brows drawn together.
Her smile faltered. "…Isn't it?"
He shook his head slowly. "After the quarantine ends… I must leave. I've been ordered to the northern border."
Her face fell. She didn't move, but her heart sank. She had known this—yet hearing it again was like ice settling into her veins.
"…I forgot," she whispered, her voice tight with worry.
Li Wei immediately grasped her shoulders, his eyes burning with urgency. "I'll come back as fast as I can. I promise you, Leena."
And without thinking—without even realizing the weight of her words—Leena blurted out:
"Let me go with you!"
His entire body stilled. His eyes widened, stunned. "…What?"
It was only then that the meaning of her words caught up to her. She flushed crimson, suddenly avoiding his gaze, her hands fidgeting nervously. How could she have said that to a prince? To him?
Li Wei noticed her embarrassment—the way she shrank back, the way her eyes darted anywhere but him. His lips curved faintly, but his voice softened, as if to rescue her from her own fluster.
"…You know," he began carefully, "I think we may need one more physician. So if you're inter—"
He didn't even finish.
Leena's face lit up instantly, her smile blooming like sunlight breaking through storm clouds. Her joy was uncontainable; she nearly bounced where she stood.
"Yes! I'm interested! I want to be a physician!"
For a moment, Li Wei forgot to breathe. Watching her glow with happiness was like watching spring return to a frozen land. He couldn't stop the smile tugging at his own lips.
But then reality crept in. War was not kind. His smile wavered, dimming, his voice quieter now.
"…But I must warn you. Being a war physician isn't easy. It's dangerous." His heart clenched as he imagined her fragile frame among the wounded and the dying.
His mind raced, searching for a way to keep her safe—without breaking the joy he had just given her.
Then the answer came. His lips curved again, this time with resolution.
"…You'll start as my personal physician first."
The relief on her face was immediate, her eyes shining as she nodded quickly. She bowed, her hands pressed respectfully before her. "I'll do my best. Thank you for trusting me."
Gratitude. Dedication. And an unspoken bond.
Li Wei reached out, his hands enclosing hers firmly, his voice low, steady, almost like an oath:
"This time… nobody will bully you."
A promise sealed. Two hearts tethered. Two smiles blooming, filling the room with so much warmth, so much unspoken love, it was almost suffocating.
And then—
"Your Majesty."
The voice of Jun cut through the fragile moment, firm yet hesitant. He stood at the doorway, bowing slightly.
The spell shattered.
Leena and Li Wei turned at once, their hands still intertwined, their hearts still pounding.
The world outside their chamber had returned. And it would not wait for them.
To be continued...