Lahat ng Kabanata ng Beyond the Starlit River: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 7

After all, when Adrian had once said during an attack that he could not bear to see anything that belonged to the prince consort, Mother had ordered the peach grove planted specially for Father to be cut down.She had thrown away the poems and paintings Father had poured his heart into. She had even tricked him out of the residence and burned every item he had left there.Among those things had been the marriage contract between Father and Mother, the only keepsake Grandfather left behind, and the jade scepter Father had given Mother as his own love token.Father pulled free of Mother's hand and spoke softly."Naturally, because it no longer matters to me."The person who had given him the love token no longer mattered. Of course the object did not matter either.After hearing that, Mother flew into a rage and had Father and me placed in the most remote, broken-down courtyard in the residence.Father did not get angry. He only looked into the empty air and said to me, "Soon, Eli

At daybreak, Father was taken to the family chapel.He had only stepped one foot inside when he looked up numbly and was met by Mother's furious slap."Gideon, you truly amaze me. No wonder you've been wearing that dead face every day. So there was another woman in your heart all along!"Who is the shameless woman you were having an affair with? How dare you promise to elope with her out of the royal estate?"Mother threw the letters and a woman's undergarment found in Father's room into his face. Her eyes were filled with unmistakable rage and hatred.Behind her, the steward took Adrian's hint and hurriedly dropped to his knees in feigned panic, knocking his forehead against the floor."Your Highness, mercy! This old servant swears he once saw the prince consort being intimate with a woman. I truly could not see her face. I did not hide it knowingly. The prince consort threatened us and told us we must never speak of it!""I didn't..."Before Father could finish, Mother's voic

At those words, Adrian's lips curled in mockery. He slowly drew a long sword from beneath the bed and advanced on them."I am afraid. That's why the two of you have delivered yourselves here for me to silence."The duchess and the heir raised their heads in disbelief. When they saw the cold blade, they shuddered.The heir stepped in front of the duchess without hesitation and told her to leave.But the next second, the steward stepped out from the shadows and blocked the door completely.Adrian threw his head back and laughed."How naive you are. Did you think it was a coincidence that you walked through the princess's residence so smoothly and found me here? I've moved through this place like a fish in water. Did it never occur to you that I had help in the shadows?"Today, Gideon Frost and that annoying little thing are dead. Now you've thrown yourselves into my net. How perfect."Adrian bared his teeth and thrust forward. There was no trace of his usual weakness.But just a