Chapter 5

Cole dragged me off the bed without a hint of mercy, yanking my arm and pulling me toward the door.

"Cole, what are you doing? Let go of Lilian!" Leena cried out, rushing forward to stop him, but Cole shoved her aside.

"Cole, how could Lilian possibly hurt that woman? She doesn't even remember who she is. She lost her memory! And do you even know that she…" Leena shouted.

"Shut up!" he snapped murderously. "You traitor! Whose side are you on?

"That child would have been your family! If you dare side with her again, I'll report you and have you exiled to the wastelands!" Cole roared, ignoring all of Leena's pleas. He dragged me into the treatment room next door and threw me hard onto the ground.

I landed in a pathetic heap on the cold floor. Every injury flared up at once, and on top of it, the grief of losing my child made my tears spill uncontrollably again.

On the bed, Shia lay in apparent weakness. When she saw us entering, she slowly pushed herself upright. "Lilian, I know you're jealous that Cole loves me, but the baby in my belly was his child, too. How could you be so cruel?"

"The healer said it was a little girl who was already showing signs of magical energy…" She clutched her stomach, sobbing like her heart was breaking.

Cole immediately pulled her into his arms, full of pity. "We'll have more children! There, there, don't be sad."

I was pinned to the floor by two towering goblin guards, unable to move. All I could do was cry out in desperation, "She's not pregnant! She practices dark magic! Ask the healer for yourself!"

Cole glanced at me coldly and with disdain. "Do you think I'd believe your nonsense and suspect Shia?"

He spat out venomously, "You're still so unrepentant. Lilian, if you still want me to marry you, repent at the goblin cemetery for a full day to atone for what you did to my child! If not, leave and give Shia her rightful place as princess consort!"

A wave of helplessness surged up inside me, drowning me.

I clenched my jaw and forced back the tears that were burning behind my eyes. Calmly looking at Cole, I spoke with a tone of finality. "Alright, let that be the end of the years I've spent with you."

I used all the strength I had left to stand up from the floor and turned. Then, I walked out of the treatment room without ever looking back.

…

Cole watched my retreating figure, and for a fleeting moment, felt a pang of regret in his heart. He frowned as he tried to suppress that unfamiliar feeling.

He continued tending to the weeping Shia in his arms and didn't leave the room until deep into the night, feeling utterly exhausted.

When he returned to his now-empty residence, an unfamiliar panic gripped him.

"Lilian!" He suddenly called out, but no one answered.

He searched the entire palace but found no trace of me. Even my belongings had all vanished without a trace.

Frantic, he picked up the communication crystal and contacted Leena.

"Leena, is Lilian with you?" he asked urgently, his voice carrying a hint of panic.

There was silence on the other end before she replied with calm indifference, "Lilian? Didn't you say you were calling off the engagement? She's already gone."

"Gone? Where?" Cole choked.

He suddenly remembered all the cruel things he'd said at the treatment room earlier that day and felt his throat tighten. "I was just angry. Where could she have gone?"

Leena let out a cold laugh as she revealed with scorn, "She went to fulfill an arranged marriage. Right, I forgot to tell you. Right before you forced her to apologize to that woman with dark magic, Lilian had just lost your child."