The night air grew bitter and cold as Lucien rode south toward the secluded, ivy-draped manor where Lady Ruby had taken refuge. Rain slicked the cobblestone path, but his black warhorse did not break its swift, relentless pace. Beneath his dark cloak, the heavy blade on his back hummed with a low, dangerous vibration.
He did not knock when he arrived. With a single, heavy kicked strike, the grand wooden doors of the manor burst inward, splintering off their hinges with a deafening crash.
Two bodyguards rushed into the foyer with swords drawn, but Lucien moved like a shadow. And before they could even raise their blades, he swept the pommel of his sword across the first man's chest and threw the second bodily into a grand mirror, shattering the glass into a thousand pieces.
Neither man moved again.
Lucien stepped over the debris, his heavy iron boots echoing on the polished marble floor as he walked straight toward the upper parlor.
And inside, Ruby stood near the fireplace, a glass of red wine suspended near her lips. The color drained completely from her face as Lucien stepped through the doorway, his tall frame blocking the flickering light from the hall.
"L-Lucien... My husband," she stammered, her voice shaking as she tried to force a graceful smile. She set the glass down with trembling hands. "Coming into my home like a savage in the middle of the night, were you in a hurry to see me? Have you finally come to your senses, L—"
"Save your breath, Ruby,"
Lucien cut her off, his voice flat and deadly calm. He took three deliberate steps forward, forcing her back until her spine pressed against the edge of her mahogany table.
"The arsonists at my warehouse failed. And your inside traitor at my estate is currently rotting in my dungeon."
Ruby's breath caught in her throat. She tried to maintain her proud posture, but her eyes darted frantically toward the open window behind her desk.
"I don't know what you are talking about," she lied, her tone rising in desperation.
"I have been nothing but peacefully lingering in the darkness of this estate just like you wanted me to. So what more do you want from me? You and Cassian have taken everything from me, including my only son Tristan!"
"How do you think I feel as a mother who raised that boy to be the man that he is, only for him to be bewitched by that snake you call your soulmate?"
She continued, her voice cracking with fury.
"Just like you, my son's life is starting to revolve around Cassian, completely forgetting that I am his rightful and biological mother!"
"You let that witch do as he pleased, both with you and my son for far too long enough Lucien Arden!"
Lucien stood tall, his blue eyes glowing with a faint, lethal light as he watched her like she was crazy.
"Then how are you any better lady Thompson?"
Lucien asked coldly.
"You only abused Tristan, you never raised him properly. So isn't it natural that he leaves your side for a much more loving and caring parent? And Cassian loves him very much."
Ruby fumed, smashing her wine glass onto the floor. Red liquid spilling across the rug like blood.
"Cassian this, Cassian that! Why do you keep saying the same things over and over again, forgetting that I am like this today all because of him?" she screamed glaring up at him.
"He was the one who sought me out while I was living my life abundantly in the South, just for me to marry you so that you could leave him alone! And once I fell in love with you, was I suddenly wrong?"
"What was I actually in his board game?" she demanded, tears of rage welling in her eyes.
"Was I a mere prop he used to strengthen your love for him through me? Then what about my life? What about my wishes? What about my dreams? How can he just ruin my life and still act like a victim when I try to get justice for what he has done to me?"
"All that I did was to follow his wishes and love you as your dutiful wife," she choked out. "So what have I ever done to the Prince for him to ruin my life like this when all that I did was what he wanted?"
"That damned villain was jealous of my achievements right from the beginning, wasn't he?"
She laughed bitterly.
"Setting me up with you while knowing how much you are devoted to him was only meant to humiliate me and drag me down from my power, wasn't it?"
Lucien silently watched her as she rambled like a mad person.
"Indeed, you have truly lost your mind," Lucien said softly and Ruby hissed pointing an accusatory finger at him.
"Lucien, you are the one who has lost his mind!" Ruby shouted back. "He bewitched you so well that you can't even see his wrongdoings!"
"What does it matter if it truly makes him happy?"
Lucien replied without a second of hesitation.
"Villainous or not, bewitching or not, if my beloved decides that you are insignificant, then you are insignificant. And if he wants you crushed, then you will be crushed. I will even do it myself if have to."
Ruby gasped, taking an instinctive step backward against the desk.
"You sick bastard," she whispered, horror washing over her face.
"I knew there was something wrong with you from the moment I moved into your castle. A chivalrous Holy Knight? A sane and humble Duke of Arden? Don't make me laugh! You have always been a demon wearing the mask of a holy knight!"
Lucien shrugged, stepping even closer to her.
"You may be right, but who cares about that right now?" Lucien said smoothly, his frame hovering just above hers.
"I only came here to take your life because you crossed a line you cannot walk back from."
"He doesn't deserve you! He will only ruin your life and sanity!" Ruby suddenly screamed, all her composure shattering into raw, ugly malice.
"I gave years of my life! And I even bore you a son! Yet you cast me aside just for him?"
Lucien didn't answer with words. He reached out with a terrifying speed, his gloved hands closing tightly around her throat.
He didn't lift her, but the pressure was enough to completely kill her tirade, cutting off her air until her hands clawed uselessly at his wrists.
"I see, you thought you were playing a clever game when you didn't want to leave the marriage whenever I told you to,"
Lucien whispered, leaning down so his cold eyes were inches from hers.
"You thought if you created enough chaos against Cassian and raised Tristan to be the son I want, I would come crawling back to you. But you forgot who I am didn't you?, and you also forgot the only truth that has always been right in front of your eyes. I never once considered you my wife, let alone felt attracted to you. And most of all, I definitely do not play political games with people who threaten my family the way that you did."
Lucien pressed even tighter, until Ruby's eyes immediately rolled to the back of her head.
"So be gone for good,"
Lucien murmured into the quiet room.
"Cassian is back to take care of the kids including Tristan, so you are of no use to us anymore."
"But thank you for being such a good and hard working pawn, a pawn used to prove my immense devotion only to him. You really did a good job and that was the only good job you have ever done for me."
Ruby opened her eyes weakly one last time to look at him, a single tear slipping from her left eye.
'Ah, my husband Lucien Arden—...'
'Truly, what sin had I committed other than to love you as your wife?'
She closed her eyes, feeling her life leave her consciousness.
'I only wanted you to–....love..'
'—me'
'—even if just once.'
Her body went completely limp, and Lucien released his grip, letting her slide silently to the floor.
*****