"How am I supposed to depend on a man who is engaged to someone else?" I asked as a sour taste began to form in my mouth.I kept my gaze firmly fixed on Elias as he considered my question. Though I hoped for some remorse to appear on his face, it simply remained cold and impassive."Have I ever openly said I would marry Veronica?" He asked, taking me by surprise."But you're engaged." I murmured, not quite knowing how to take his words. "And you've never openly said you wouldn't."Even if he was being serious, that still didn't change the fact that he asked me to be his mistress. If he didn't intend to marry Veronica, then he still had no intention of doing anything deep with me either, and in the end, that was what mattered the most."This ridiculous engagement is my father's doing." Elias sighed in frustration. "I don't know how many times I need to repeat this. I have no interest in Veronica other than as an annoying little sister."How many times? For me, it would be however many t
"HOW CAN YOU SIT THERE AND ASK ME WHAT YOU'VE DONE?" I yelled, not even caring if I looked like a woman throwing a tantrum.I was pissed, I was exhausted, and I couldn't continue to deal with all this. Something absolutely had to change about mine and Elias' relationship. I couldn't continue to play this game of push and pull anymore. It was wearing on my nerves and driving me mad."Valerie, you should..." Elias began, looking around with discomfort. "Calm down before we draw too much attention.""I WON'T CALM DOWN!" I shrieked as tears began to form in my eyes. "HOW CAN I? YOU'VE BEEN DOING NOTHING BUT HAUNTING ME EVERY SINGLE DAY!"How could I? I was madly in love with this man, and he didn't even realize it. Instead, he treated me like a whore at his beck and call."Elias, I can't do this anymore." I sighed, trying to fight back the tears that were threatening to fall. "What are we?"Though my heart was beginning to beat wildly in my chest, I fixed my gaze firmly on his, determined
In the burlap bag, I felt the ropes coming free. Strengthening my attempts, I fought until I felt them loosen enough for me to get out. Sitting up and looking around, I took in my surroundings. It seemed that whoever kidnapped me threw me into the back of a carriage, and we were currently heading to some unknown location.Under me, the carriage rattled with each rock and bump and occasionally swayed on the uneven road it was taking."Think Valerie." I murmured, looking around at the crates that surrounded me in an attempt to come up with an escape plan.Slinking forward, I pulled aside a flap and stared at the dirt road quickly racing past. Immediately, I began to wonder just how badly I would be hurt if I were to simply fling myself onto it. Deciding that whatever damage I took was better than being taken to who knew where, I settled on this being my only route.Sucking in a breath, I climbed to the edge and waited until the carriage managed to make its way across a grassy field. Clos
My protests continued until Tristan burst through the woods, making the darkness of Allsbrook disappear. Looking up, I took in the much-too-bright sun and the clear blue sky. It was a stark contrast to the sky that I had become accustomed to in the Kingdom of Allsbrook.Allowing my eyes to adjust, I examined the large white castle with bright blue flags sitting high atop massive spires that seemed to reach to the heavens themselves. Where in the hell were we?This place was so different from the kingdom of Allsbrook, and though I was seeing it with my own eyes, I couldn't help but feel that I was dreaming."Beautiful, isn't it?" Tristan asked, drawing my attention to him."It is something." I murmured, unable to quite understand why it felt oddly familiar to me. "But I really should get back where I came from."Despite the pull I was feeling for this place, I couldn't shake the urge to want to get back to Elias. Even though he rejected me and we were at odds, where he was was where I b
After the healer finished stitching up my leg, Tristan took me to a guest room to stay for the night. I couldn't stop feeling uncomfortable as I looked around the massive castle that we moved through. It was so similar but so different from the one that Elias stayed in. And just seeing the similarities made me instantly miss him.Frowning, I began to internally kick myself for missing a bastard who made it clear that I meant nothing to him. However, no amount of reminding myself of this made the emptiness in me feel better."You can stay here for the evening." Tristan instructed, opening a door at the very end of a very long hall. "This is the guest quarters, and no one should bother you.""Is this really okay?" I asked, eyeing the large room ahead as my anxiety continued to grow.Inside the room was a king-size bed with an intricate wooden frame that seemed fit for royalty. At the foot of that was a fluffy white bear skin rug that had to be imported from somewhere cold. The walls held
I remained silent as Vladimier examined me as if trying to find something. When he finally seemed to find it, he gave a small smile."Tristan, do you mind leaving us?" He asked instead of answering my question. "I'd like to speak with our guest alone.""Of course, sir." Tristan said, quickly bowing.Not saying another word, he hurried out of the room, leaving us alone.For a moment, he continues to not speak, instead choosing to take me in as if I were the most interesting thing in the world."Well?" I pushed.If he were to say that we didn't know each other, there was a good possibility that I would call him a liar. The way I felt in that memory didn't lie, and it was very similar to how I felt about the other man that appeared."Would you mind taking a walk with me?" He asked, taking me by surprise."Where to?""Castle grounds." He responded easily.Deciding that there really wasn't any reason to decline, since this was the man's domain, I nodded and stood. Wincing, I tried to ignore
"Do you truly not remember anything?" Vladmier asked quietly, staring deeply into my eyes. "Nothing at all?""No..." I murmured as my heart began to beat faster. "When I woke up in this world, I didn't remember anything about my past, not even my name. All this time, I've yet to remember anything solid, only things here and there.""And with those things, we were included?" He pushed, seeming hopeful.Was he included? Before arriving in his kingdom, I had only remembered one man, and even then, I didn't recognize him or fully know what he meant to me. After arriving here, I only had that brief flash of Vladimier in the field. Did that mean that I did know him and that we had a history? If that was the case, what was it with the other man?Feeling a surge of pain run through my head, I hissed, giving up entirely on trying to make heads or tails of anything. By this point, maybe it was better that I didn't push too hard."Don't try to force yourself." Vladimier said, lifting a hand and p
As Vladimier's lips found mine once more, Elias' face appeared in my mind, causing my heart to flip uncontrollably."What's wrong?" Vladimier asked, pulling away and giving me a look of hurt.Gasping, I tried to make sense of my reaction to seeing Elias' face and how I could possibly feel anything with my true love in front of me."I'm sorry." I murmured, unable to think of a proper excuse that wouldn't hurt him. "It's just that..."Trailing off, I tried to think of what I could even say. I just saw another man that I loved when I forgot about you. Or that there were now two people in my heart, even if one of those people crushed me."It's okay," he said, bringing me back to the present. "You've been through a lot, and you need time to fully adjust.""Yeah." I whispered even though I felt like a complete bitch for how I felt."Come," Vladimier said, holding out a hand. "I'm sure you're probably exhausted and could use some rest. Let me take you back to your room.""My room?" I asked, m