Chapter 1

With that, I turned to leave. But Hades chased after me. Just when I thought he was going to say something better, he spat. “What's this attitude, Ares?”

“You betrayed me with some mysterious person. I’m making my heart bigger to actually let the matter slide and not break up with you completely, and here you are, behaving as if you are wronged.”

“The only person wronged here is Hestia. You should be thankful to her. She agreed to be my bloodbound to ally with the two Houses while accepting my relationship with you. Can't you just be more mature?”

Watching me staring at him with a pair of disappointed eyes, his expression softened. He grabbed my hands and said, “This will not affect our relationship at all. Hestia is only a shield to my parents just to let me be with you, Ares.”

“She will be my blood-bound only in name, but in my heart it will always be you!”

“Hades…” Hestia spoke, her voice shifting from arrogance to innocence. “If Ares has a problem with this arrangement… perhaps you should take the Eternal vows with her, not me.”

“I’ll tell Uncle and Aunt that it was me who refused you. I’ll take all the blame. I just want to see you happy.”

“Hestia…” Hades whispered. He looked hurt. A kind of hurt I had seen in his eyes only when his parents insulted me or punished me.

At that moment, I realised he was no longer mine.

He quickly grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms. Wiping the tears off her eyes, he whispered, “Do not ever say that, okay? I can't leave you either.”

“Ares…” a voice echoed from behind, laced with genuine concern. It was Lucian, Hades’s younger brother.

He walked up to me, scanning me from top to bottom, and finally took a sigh of relief. “I heard you were kidnapped last night? Are you okay?”

“And Hades? Where was he? How could he let you suffer?” He asked. Only then did his gaze land on Hades. His eyes narrowed the moment he saw Hestia wrapped around his arms, leaning her face closer to his chest.

“What are you doing here, Hestia?” He asked, his voice distant.

“Hestia is my blood-bound, Lucian!” Hades spat, “You should be more respectful while talking to her.”

“Blood bound?” Lucian's eyes widened in shock. “What nonsense are you spouting, Hades? The whole clan knows you love Ares, a human mate you brought last year and now-”

“That's enough!” Hades cut him off. “I don't need you to tell me whom I love or what I should do.”

“Besides, I haven't asked you about where you were last night.” Hades asked, “I called you several times, but you didn't pick up my call for once, and now you are taking Ares’s side against me. Do not force me to think the mysterious man Ares spent the whole night with was actually you.”

“Hades…” I yelled, tears streaming down my cheeks. “Lucian is like my brother. It's okay if you don't believe me, but don't humiliate our relationship like this. I’m begging you.”

Lucian, who at first was clueless, grabbed Hades’s collar after realising what he just said, “You bastard! You are leaving Ares because you think she… How can your mind become so filthy, Hades?”

Within seconds, the two brothers entangled themselves in a fight. Hestia pulled Hades behind while I stopped Lucian.

“Leave it, Lucian,” I said, “I have already made up my mind. The person who doesn't trust me can never be the man I want to spend the rest of my life with. I’m not betrayed. I’m saved.”

With that, I turned to leave. But then, Hades' voice sounded from behind, filled with the rage of rejection. “Hestia likes the house I gifted you. So, we are going to live there after the Eternal Vows. You have only ten days to shift.”

Before I could respond, Lucian charged at him. “That was your first gift to Ares, Hades! How can you give it to someone else? Besides, Ares is the only human in our clan. It's hard for her to find a new place in such a short time.”

“If she agrees to my condition, I’ll let her live in that house along with Hestia and me.” Hades spat.

Lucian's eyes turned bloodshot. He was ready to charge back. But I held his wrists. After calming him down, I looked back. “I’ll move out.”