Lahat ng Kabanata ng The King’s Relentless Desire : Kabanata 41 - Kabanata 50

Chapter FortyLiana’s POVMorning came slowly.The kind of gray light that didn’t belong to dawn or day — heavy, uncertain, suspended between. I lay still for a long while, staring at the faint pattern of the canopy above me, listening to the soft rhythm of my own breath.It felt like the world was holding its breath too.The air still carried traces of last night — the faint scent of smoke, the weight of silence, the memory of a door closing. I hadn’t slept much. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw him.Kael.The king.And the man who had looked at me as though he wanted to destroy me and devour me in the same breath.I sat up slowly, letting the sheet fall from my shoulder. My skin still tingled where his hands had been — not from touch, but from restraint. The echo of his nearness clung to me more fiercely than any bruise could.Outside the window, the courtyard was coming alive. Servants moved in quiet haste, their steps soft against the stones. Somewhere below, the bell rang — onc

Chapter Forty-TwoLiana’s POVThe sun had already begun to fall when the maids entered my chambers.Their hands were quick and quiet, brushing the floor-length curtains closed before lighting the candles along the walls. The soft glow spread over the room, touching the mirrors, the bed, and the dark silk laid out across it.The black gown.The one he had chosen.I stood before it for a long moment, my heartbeat steady but uneven.It shimmered like liquid ink when I lifted it — smooth, cool, and heavy with promise.The neckline was indecently low, the sleeves sheer enough to reveal the faintest shadow of skin. A dress meant to be worn only when one no longer cared who was watching.My fingers trembled slightly as I traced the edge of the fabric.I told myself it was because of the chill.But I knew it wasn’t.I could still hear his voice from earlier in the throne room, low and quiet, the weight of command wrapped in silk. “Tonight. Wear the black gown.”I wanted to hate that he could

Chapter Forty-FourKael’s POVThe door closed softly behind her.For a long moment, I didn’t move.The sound of her footsteps faded down the corridor until there was nothing left but the fire and the quiet rhythm of my own breathing.It was strange how silence could ache.The scent of her still hung in the air faint perfume and candle smoke, something warm and alive that refused to leave with her.My hands rested against the edge of the table, fingers tense. The wood was cool beneath my palms, solid, real. The only thing that kept me grounded.I had faced assassins, rebellion, and the whispers of the court without flinching.But one woman, one impossible, defiant, infuriating woman had me undone.I could still see her eyes when she said it. “Then maybe you should.”Those words hadn’t been defiance. They had been an invitation and a challenge, wrapped into one breath.She wanted me to lose control.And part of me wanted to give her exactly what she asked for.The fire crackled, a singl

Chapter Forty-Six Liana’s POV The doors closed behind me with a sound that felt heavier than wood against stone. I stood there for a moment, trying to breathe, my pulse still quick from the weight of his stare. The corridor stretched long and quiet, filled with the scent of burning oil and cool marble. I let my fingers brush against the wall as I walked, just to remind myself that I was real, that I had not been completely swallowed by his gaze. The air outside the throne room was different, lighter, as if it belonged to another world. Through the tall arches, I could see the garden below, washed in gold from the late afternoon sun. Roses spilt over the edges of the stone paths, their scent soft and sweet, the kind of sweetness that could turn cloying if one breathed too deeply. I needed that sweetness. I needed something that did not belong to him. Stepping into the garden, I felt the world loosen its grip around me. The air was warm and damp, the fountain in the centre murm

Chapter Forty-eight Liana’s POVThe sound of the great doors opening was louder than I remembered.It rolled through the hall like thunder, and every head turned.For a moment, I couldn’t move. The air inside the throne room was heavy with perfume, gold light, and too many eyes. My heart beat against my ribs so hard I thought it would break through.The red dress clung to my skin, just as it had in the garden. It caught the glow from the torches, making it look brighter, sharper, like a flame that refused to die.I could feel them looking. The lords, the ladies, their jewelled faces turned toward me in open curiosity. I walked forward, one step at a time, every movement careful, measured, as though the floor might crumble beneath me if I faltered.Each sound echoed. The silk brushes against stone. The faint clink of bracelets on my wrist. The tremor in my breath.Kael was already seated on his throne.He looked at me as though he had been waiting. The expression on his face was unrea