Six Years Later, I Was Gone

After the banquet ended, I returned alone to the castle's master bedroom.

I slipped my hand into my gown's pocket, my fingertips clutching the pregnancy test I'd received tonight, instinctively protecting my flat stomach.

Lucius had always thought I was just an ordinary human orphan.

He never knew I was born into the oldest pureblood noble family in the human world.

Six years ago, Lucius and I fell in love at first sight. My father fiercely opposed me marrying a vampire. But I went against him, cut ties with my family, and married into vampire territory alone.

In the early days of our marriage, Lucius cherished me to the bone.

He would take me up the tower on full moon nights and confess his love at the top.

He gave me an immortal flower watered with his own blood, promising our love would never wither, like that flower.

He would clasp my hand in front of every vampire and declare I was his only mate in this life.

Until the council, without Lucius's knowledge, forced me to sign that heir contract—and deliberately left the last page where he would find it.

From that day on, all the heat and devotion in his eyes turned to bone-deep disgust and hatred.

He said I was the most hypocritical, disgusting woman he'd ever met, capable of putting a price tag on a lover's heart.

I pushed open the master bedroom door. Half of my vanity had been cleared out. A few of my everyday clothes were thrown on the floor.

Vivian was wearing my most treasured silk nightgown, leaning against the headboard with a cup of calming tea.

Seeing me, she went pale, hurriedly set down the cup, and moved to get off the bed.

"Madam, I'm sorry. Please don't be angry. I'll leave right now..."

Lucius walked out from the outer room in a black suit.

He raised a hand to steady Vivian's shoulder, guiding her back, and fixed me with a look of disgust.

"You're the one who should leave."

"Be reasonable. Vivian just received the First Embrace tonight. Her body can't handle the power surge. She needs to rest in the master bedroom."

"Go sleep in the guest room at the end of the hall."

The pregnancy test in my pocket crumpled in my grip.

I lowered my eyes and nodded calmly, looking at Vivian in the bed.

"It's fine. Rest well. I'll just grab a few things."

I stepped around the clothes on the floor and pulled a suitcase from the walk-in closet.

It was only half full. The remaining nightgowns and gowns in the closet had been touched by outsiders. They disgusted me. I didn't take a single one.

Lucius poured a glass of crimson blood wine, standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, sneering.

"What a sensible, graceful wife. Now you can even generously give up the master bedroom?"

He swirled the glass, his tone casual.

"No matter how docile you act, I will never love you the way I used to. And I will never give you the First Embrace."

"Put away your greedy little schemes. Just be a decorative wife."

I zipped the suitcase and took out a voluntary asset waiver.

Then I removed the mate ring he'd personally put on my finger and set it gently on the nightstand.

I looked up and met Lucius's cold, dark red eyes.

"Lucius, there's no need to wait. We're done."

"I'm setting you free."