เข้าสู่ระบบThe cold bit her to the bone. Her bare feet sank into the thick snow, broken here and there by dead roots. The wind howled through the fir trees, like an ancient, wild, and indomitable song. Bella ran—without knowing where she was going, without looking back. She dared not turn around. Not now, when she had finally succeeded. Her lungs burned. Her arms were covered in scratches. Her body trembled violently, from both pain and fear. Part of her still couldn’t believe she had actually escaped; another, more primal part of her refused to die without making one last attempt to break free from the hell she had endured for the past few years. She had waited for this moment for so long. Éric wasn’t there—he had left on a "business trip." Another lie, no doubt—he was so gifted at those. But his bodyguards were there—loyal, cruel, indifferent to her pleas, and utterly pitiless. Yet, that night, she had managed it. She had outwitted them, memorized their patrol rounds, shattered a window, and slipped out into the darkness—her breath coming in short gasps, her heart burning. She had no idea how many hours she had been running. Her memories were blurring together. She had stowed away on a train, crossed forests, stolen food from gas stations... and then, she had followed the mountains. North—ever further north. Until civilization vanished entirely. A supernatural silence reigned here. No cell service. No other humans. Nothing but miles of snow-covered forests, remote valleys, and forgotten ruins—exactly what she needed. She was certain that, here, he would never find her. Bella had walked until her legs threatened to give way. And that was when she saw it: an old, abandoned house, half-collapsed, standing in the middle of a frozen clearing .
ดูเพิ่มเติมI had never begged death to knock at my door until this nightmare began. When I first met Eric, he was different—gentle and attentive. He made sure I lacked nothing; having grown up without love, I felt protected and secure with him. My mother died when I was born, and as for my father, I never knew who he was—and I assume he wanted nothing to do with me, as no one ever came for me during the seventeen years I spent in the nuns' orphanage. After finishing high school, I had to leave the orphanage, as I was old enough to fend for myself, though I continued my university studies with the congregation’s financial support. After earning my bachelor’s degree in marketing, I had to stop my education to look for a job. That was when I met him: Eric Wilson—handsome, intelligent—everything a naive young woman, unaware of life’s dangers, might dream of. He was the company’s deputy director; his father wanted to ensure he was capable before handing over the reins. He was drawn to me from the moment we met. Two months into my internship, he asked me to be his girlfriend—an offer I readily accepted, never realizing that, in doing so, I had just sealed my own fate.
Three months into our relationship, he suggested I move in with him. He argued that his wife didn’t deserve to live in such a small apartment located in a dangerous neighborhood. I hadn’t been complaining—it was all I could afford on my intern’s salary—though, in truth, I would have preferred to live somewhere less dangerous. I accepted his offer, and a few days later, we moved in together. His apartment was large and luxurious—so much so that I was afraid of damaging anything inside—but Eric reassured me. After we moved in, my life became a true fairy tale, before eventually turning into a nightmare. We would go to work together, have lunch as a couple during our breaks, and he would shower me with flowers and gifts. He was so attentive that other women who wanted him made me pay for it in every way they could; they were jealous. Everything changed one evening when he came home drunk. He forced himself upon me and struck me with such violent punches that, by the next morning, I couldn’t even recognize my own reflection in the mirror. The following day, he apologized, blaming it on the alcohol, and took me to a private hospital. I forgave him because I loved him deeply and because he promised it would never happen again. If only I had known what was in store for me, I never would have forgiven that piece of scum. He would hit me for no reason, without the slightest concern for my pain. I ended up quitting my job because he didn’t want anyone at the office to see my horrific scars. The beatings grew more severe with each passing day. Hospital visits ceased, and a doctor would occasionally come to the house to examine me. I no longer went out; everything was purchased by Eric, the maid, or his bodyguards—men as pitiless as he was. This ordeal lasted for two years—two years of pain, suffering, and abuse. But this time, I had no intention of letting that wretch end my life. I had to get out of there.“You dance as if you’re carrying the world on your shoulders,” a soft voice whispered. Bella looked up, startled. Elior, holding a tray, was watching her from the kitchen doorway. She was in the middle of organizing spices, her arms dusted with flour, her cheeks flushed from the heat. “It’s just been a long day,” she said with a faint smile. “And yet, you still smile. Impressive.” She studied him for a moment. His gaze didn’t carry the heavy, lingering weight she saw in some of the other men at the castle. He seemed genuinely sincere—simple, and soothing. “Are you always this good at flattering people, Elior?” He let out a soft laugh. “Not really. But I know what’s true. You’re different—unlike anyone else here.” Bella lowered her eyes. She didn’t want to let her heart open up. She didn’t want to… hope. Not after what she had felt in the king’s arms. Yet, she couldn’t deny that talking to someone else felt good—like a crack forming in the armor she had worn for far t
Narrator For several days, Kael had been watching her. In silence. From a distance. Through the windows of the great hall, from the balconies on the upper floors, or hidden behind stone columns. He observed her in the corridors, in the gardens, in the kitchens. Always keeping his distance, always concealed. And always with that same, persistent ache in his chest: the feeling of being abandoned. Bella had not approached him since that morning—since the shiver they had shared, since that look, heavy with both desire… and fear. She no longer came to deliver reports, no longer cleaned his quarters, no longer tended to his clothing. She was avoiding him. Deliberately. And Kael knew it. He had said nothing to his mother when she’d gushed with delight upon discovering Bella hiding in his bathroom. He had feigned complete indifference—feeling neither embarrassment, nor shame, nor any trace of tenderness. He had declared that there was "nothing between them," his tone so cold it
Narrator The sun had not yet fully risen when Bella went down to the kitchens. The atmosphere was already bustling: pots clattered, cooks hurried about, and the scents of warm bread and spiced stew filled the room. She had hoped that immersing herself in this environment would be enough to quiet the tumult in her mind. But she was wrong. Every utensil she washed, every basket of vegetables she carried, every oven she stoked seemed to add a new weight to her heart. Kael. She tried to banish his name from her thoughts, but her mind had a will of its own. The way he looked at her, the feel of his skin against hers, his husky voice in the darkness… She had felt it all. It was all etched into her memory. And that was precisely why she must never cross paths with him again. “Bella, are you alright?” Gertrude asked, glancing at her sideways. strength, his aura. “Yes. Yes, I’m fine,” she replied a little too quickly, without looking up. The old woman narrowed her eyes, uncon
Narrator — Kael, Kael darling, where are you? The clear, commanding voice rang out in the bedroom without warning. The door swung open abruptly, revealing the Luna in all her imposing presence. Dressed in a long, midnight-blue velvet coat, she strode in, her expression stern. Bella started, and—without waiting for a word from Kael—leapt from the bed, hastily pulling the sheet with her to cover her half-naked body. With her heart pounding, she hurried to take refuge in the bathroom, closing the door softly behind her so as not to make a sound. Kael, taken aback, sat up halfway; still nearly naked, he remained disoriented by the intimate moment that had just been interrupted. — Mother… you could have knocked. — Knocked? Your father and I have been waiting for you for an hour! You know that this morning we are supposed to meet the White Witch! She alone can tell us where to find your true mate… or, at the very least, whether she still exists. And here you are, shut away as if












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