Lahat ng Kabanata ng The Dragon King's Chosen Bride: Kabanata 71 - Kabanata 80

She had promised not to interfer in their family affairs but that didn't stop her from seeing what Colin was doing as stupid. Why turn down help for your daughter just because of your ego and have your wife unable to do anything about it because you are the 'husband'.It felt more like a cage than a marriage, but who was she to judge.Different people had their ways of doing things and if she tried to help Raquel out of it, she felt that she would only persumed it as a punishment instead of a favour. This was a life she knew and knew nothing asides from it. Maybe in future, she would change it but I till that one month was over, she must stay totally out of it."Good morning, Colin.""My Lady, the King will not be able to join you for the breakfast this morning. I have been ordered to express his deepest apologies and his promise to make it up to you at dinner.""Thank you. Your wife already told me that."Something ticked in his jaws, his gaze flying to Raquel, who gulped, arching

"Here is my Family."The black cloth that had been over the painting slip to the floor. The room was just as Belladonna had left it the day she had been here, different paintings had been pulled down and cover and the room smelt a little dusty, but this wasn't the painting she had seen the day she came in.This painting looked different. Looked alive... somehow.In this big frame, there were four people.His Mother, a lean woman with piercing auburn hooded eyes that had a glint of humour in them, bold and black eyebrows, high cheek bones accompanied by a neck that looked like a bit of a stretch. Her auburn hair was made into one big cornrow, leaving only wavy strands out to cover some parts of her face.Next to her, on the small black sofa, sat a man with full mutton chopped beards and long black hair mixed with scattered strands og grey. His gaze was piecing brown, like he knew all the secrets there would ever be to be kept. He also looked similarly huge like Eli. In his hand was a

"I had not noticed it at first but each of them would always come to her every night, while we were in their little living room, by the fireplace. They would take her hand and lead her out through the door. They were all so kind to her, I did not suspect a thing."Belladonna could sense the rage that he was trying to hard to hide from his voice. Kestra must really mean a lot to him. That gave her mixed feelings.She was sure of one thing though, she felt horrible for Kestra. It explained more about her scars.She folded her arms across her, her face creased into a frown, her gaze planted on the floor, the color of which she couldn't even see since her focus wasn't on it.She shouldn't be feeling this way. It made no sense to."Kestra was good at hiding secrets. Even after I told her, everything about why I was in the forest, who I was and we had stayed tight friends for a whole month, she never told me about how her brothers used to abuse her sexually and physically. Till one night,

"I have bored you with my family's histories, have I not?""You did not bore me.""It feels unfair that I did not ask of yours."She frowned, the book and that image drawn largely over it, blurring out, turning into a mere background as her mind moved to different thoughts from what was in front of her. All she could think about was how her family had been such a weakness to her, a vulnerable longing that the Bride Thief had easily used and almost gotten away with, if she had not been observant. Her mind centered around that lack and the emptiness fed her brain. She didn't want to think about it, so she wouldn't say."You already know.""There must be some that you would love to tell me personally?""No, Eli. I have nothing to say." She snapped, regretting it immediately. With clumsy hands, she pushed the book back on shelf, making it blend in with the others."I"m sorry. I just don't want to talk about them, they are not nice to remember.""That is alright." He took her hand, turni

"How dare you?! You are such a liar.""And you've been nothing but a saint. Do you really think me stupid, that I will take off my necklace and have you do with me as you please." She folded her arms across her, standing straight."I am going through pain.""And that is exactly what I want. To punish you for everything you have done. You violated me, disrupted my thinking with your powers.""They were not even real. None of it. It was all an illusion." Then a slight pause. "Why would I even want to touch you. You are all undesirable humans!"Belladonna scoffed, her breath a little shaky with relief."I'm no use to you like this. Take off that stupid thing.""Lies! You are bound to your words by a bloodoath. Now shed your skin."A defeated sigh. "Fine."Everywhere went oddly quiet. The wave, still. The breeze, silent. The cold, slipping away. The only thing that seem to moved was the sand around the Bride Thief, moving up a grain after another, that glowed hot red like sparks of flame