Chapter 5
I turned my head away, refusing to look at him.
“Emmalynn, stop fussing and just drink up.” Draven said softly.
I knocked the bowl out of his hand.
“I’m not my mother,” I snapped.
He finally seemed to realize, and the look in his eyes shifted from infatuation to apology.
“Audrianna, we’re married now. Can you stop bringing up people who have nothing to do with us?” Draven said quietly.
When I stayed silent, his face turned colder.
“Whether you accept it or not, from today on, you’re My wife,” he said.
With that, he had the room cleaned up right away.
“I hope you’ll really think about it,” he added.
All day, nobody even bothered to talk to me, and I couldn’t find out anything about Trevor.
The suffocating feeling lasted until night, when Draven saw my dinner was still untouched.
“Guess you really are her daughter,” he said.
He grabbed my chin, his tone icy. “Is he really that important to you?”
I stared right back at him, struggling to pry his hands off me.
“Yes, I do, because he gets me. He knows what I want and what I like,” I said.
His grip on my chin suddenly grew harsher.
“I can figure out what you like too, and I’ll do it better than he ever could!” Draven said through gritted teeth.
“But you’re just old now,” Audrianna retorted.
Draven’s eyes widened in shock, and his grip finally slackened.
“You can’t even remember my name,” she said coldly.
His expression grew darker, then he suddenly let out a bitter, Mocking laugh. “Audrianna, you really are just like her–even your tone is exactly the same.”
His hands left my face and moved to grip my shoulders, holding me firmly.
“Did you really think your little schemes could slip past Me? I spotted Trevor keeping watch here from the very start, Draven snapped.
His grip on my shoulders tightened, veins bulging on his hands.
“Your biggest mistake was not setting the whole Spencer estate on fire. That’s the only reason I was able to catch up to you,” he spat.
I’d never seen anyone’s face look so wild and unhinged before.
“You’re crazy,” I shouted.
I tried to hit his hands away, but he just held on even tighter.
“What’s so wrong with me that you and your mother keep tossing me aside, again and again?” he yelled. “That bruise you gave me last night still hurts.”
He grabbed my hand and shoved it against his forehead, rough and impatient.
I yelped, startled by his sudden move.
I bit him, hard.
“Seriously, are you part dog?” he spat.
He stood up, a peculiar smile flickering across his face.
“No need to panic. Trevor has already been thrown into the dungeon,” Draven said.
“What did you say?” I blurted out.
The words hit me so hard that I tumbled right off the bed.
Draven said, “Trevor got caught working with rebels. He set fires on Vermillion Avenue, tried to start a revolt. I was the one who took him down and handed him over to His Majesty.
“His Majesty is Merciful. The Dominguez family helped him take the throne, so his parents are safe. But Trevor? He’s not getting out of this alive.”
With every word he spoke, My heart sank a little more.
“Did you do this?” I shot back.
I lunged for his throat, and he just laughed–cold and twisted.
“Wow, you really do care about him, huh?” he sneered. “Maybe I could ask His Majesty to spare him, let him keep his body whole.”
“You’re full of shit,” I snapped.
Without thinking, I slapped him hard across the face, and blood instantly welled up at the corner of his Mouth.
“Didn’t know you had it in you to curse. So, did your dad teach you that, or was it that little punk?” he sneered.
As he spoke, he pulled out the emerald pendant Trevor had given me on my birthday last year.
“Give it back,” I demanded.
His expression twisted with rage. “Is that punk Trevor really all you care about?”
Suddenly, with a sharp crack, the emerald pendant broke apart, scattering pieces everywhere.
Draven said, “Audrianna, don’t push your luck. This is My final warning.I won’t tolerate My wife carrying another man’s token.
“I’ll give you some time to get used to it. Don’t bother trying to run. It’s pointless. And if you even think about rescuing Trevor, just remember, I’ll make his whole family suffer.”
He slammed the door shut, leaving me sitting on the bed, staring out the window.
Three days later, he finally allowed me to walk around the courtyard, but there were guards everywhere, watching my every move.
I never found a way to get out.
“Take a look, do you still like this?” Draven asked.
I stared at the hairpin in his hand, and a bold idea suddenly crossed my mind.
“I want to see my parents,” I said.
He fixed his gaze on me, eyes searching, almost as if he was trying to read my mind.
“Looks like it’s time for you to visit your parents,” Draven said.
“Is that so?” I replied.
He slapped his forehead, suddenly acting like he’d just had a revelation.
“Seriously, my brain’s like mush. How could I forget Something so important?” he muttered. “Tomorrow morning, then?”