King Alexander could clearly see the pain in Irene's eyes as she cried endlessly, insisting that her husband was not a traitor.
"Your tears do not move me in any way," Chief Adrian said harshly. "You are his wife. You must have known something about his plans—or are you pretending to be ignorant?"
"I know nothing," Irene replied firmly through her tears. "Even if my husband were a traitor, he would never involve me in such plans."
"You may leave," King Alexander said calmly. "But remember this—you cannot run away from this kingdom."
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Irene said softly, bowing before leaving.
As she walked away, her heart pounded violently. A traitor? My husband? No—it could not be true. She prayed silently that the nightmare would end.
"My king, can you not see that woman is lying?" Chief Adrian said insistently. "How could she know nothing about Chief Monroe's plans?"
"She is innocent," King Alexander replied. "If she were involved, she would have fled with him. Instead, she came here seeking answers. Still, we cannot take risks. I want Lord Skender to keep an eye on her."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
After a brief discussion, Lord Skender agreed to monitor Irene closely.
Days later, Lord Skender returned with his report.
"Your Majesty, I do not believe Irene was involved," he said. "Most of their servants abandoned the house. She begged them to stay, but they refused. She looked completely broken."
"Strange," King Alexander murmured. "How could a man abandon his wife and children so easily? We do not even know if he is alive."
"Dead or alive," Lord Skender said quietly, "Chief Monroe is a cruel man. Irene has not left her home. She cries constantly. It is pitiful."
"Since we cannot find Monroe," King Alexander said coldly, "let it be known throughout the kingdom that he is a traitor. If he cannot be punished, then his name will be."
"Yes, Your Highness," Lord Skender said, bowing.
Soon after, the announcement spread across the kingdom.
Chief Monroe was declared a traitor.
The consequences were immediate. Servants deserted Irene. Merchants refused to sell her food. Villagers hurled insults—and sometimes stones—at her home. Fear, hunger, and sleepless nights became her family's daily reality.
Life grew unbearable.
Months later, when King Alexander learned of Irene's suffering, he summoned her.
"For your safety," he said, "you and your children must leave this kingdom. It is no longer safe for you here."
With no strength left to resist, Irene agreed. She left the kingdom with her children, carrying nothing but sorrow and uncertainty. Only fate knew whether they would ever return.
"Well done, my dears," the woman said with satisfaction. "We have eliminated our greatest obstacle. Now we can continue the rest of our plan."
"Yes," a man behind her replied smugly. "Now we can finally do as we please."
"Remember," another man added calmly, sipping his drink, "after this, we owe each other nothing. No interference."
"We understand," the woman said, smiling as she pointed toward a man entering the room. "The one we should thank the most… is you."
"You should indeed," the man replied, raising his glass. "Let us celebrate our success."
They drank deeply, laughter filling the room.
Soon, the others departed, leaving only the man and the woman behind.
"You promised me something," he said, his gaze lingering on her.
"I did not forget," she replied softly. "I only wanted you to beg."
She traced her fingers lightly against him, smiling.
"Playing hard to get," he murmured. "I like it."
He pulled her closer, and the night swallowed their whispered laughter.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
This is my first book, and I would truly love to know your thoughts.
Who do you think those people are?
What do you think their real plan is?
Let me know in the comments