"Seb—"
Nyx had barely spoken his name when Sebastian rudely cut her off.
"Why?" he demanded, his voice cold and filled with barely restrained fury.
Nyx blinked in confusion.
"What is with that question?" she wondered silently, completely unable to understand what had happened while she was away.
Without warning, Sebastian slammed his fist onto the table.
Bang!
The wooden table shattered beneath the force of the blow, sending splinters flying across the room. The deafening sound made Nyx flinch in shock, her heart skipping a beat.
"Answer me!" he bellowed, his crimson eyes blazing with anger. "Why?"
"Why... what?" Nyx asked, her brows knitting together in confusion. She couldn't understand why he kept asking her why or why he was behaving so strangely. The loving husband who had always greeted her with warmth now stood before her like a complete stranger.
"Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about!" Sebastian shouted, his voice echoing throughout the chamber.
Nyx's own patience snapped. She had done nothing wrong, yet he continued accusing her without giving her a chance to understand the situation.
"What are you talking about?" she shouted back, her frustration finally boiling over.
Sebastian's eyes burned with disappointment and rage as he glared at the woman he once trusted with all his heart.
"You pretended to sympathize with Candice," he spat through gritted teeth, "but all along, you were the cause of her pain."
His voice grew even colder.
"You killed her husband!"
It was as though a bucket of ice had been poured over Nyx's head. She stood frozen in place, unable to believe what she had just heard.
How could he accuse her of killing Candice's husband?
They were best friends, for crying out loud! Why would she ever do something so heartless? Her mind raced for an explanation, but none of it made sense. The accusation was so outrageous that she couldn't even find the words to respond.
Seeing the look of astonishment on her face, King Sébastien mistook it for guilt. The tiny spark of hope he had been clinging to—that she would immediately deny the accusation and clear everything up—was extinguished when she remained silent, still trying to process what was happening.
"Sebastian, I..." Nyx began, her voice barely above a whisper.
Before she could say another word, a hard slap landed across her face.
Smack!
The force of the blow sent her flying across the room before she crashed onto the cold marble floor. A sharp pain shot through her body as she slowly pushed herself up, one hand instinctively cupping her burning cheek. Tears welled up in her eyes, not because of the pain, but because the man she loved had struck her without even listening to her side of the story.
Sebastian stared down at her with an emotionless expression, his eyes devoid of the warmth they once held.
"It's King Sébastien to you," he said coldly.
"My... darling, what is going on?" Nyx asked, tears streaming down her face as she gently held her swollen cheek. Her voice trembled with pain and confusion. "I'm pregnant... and you slapped me?"
"I wouldn't hesitate to slap you again if you address me by any name other than King Sebastian," he replied coldly. "Damn it! I can't believe I shared my life with such a vicious woman—a wolf in sheep's clothing."
His words pierced Nyx's heart like a thousand sharp blades.
She instinctively clutched her chest before lowering a trembling hand to her stomach, tears falling even harder. Every word he spoke shattered another piece of her heart. This was the man she loved with all her soul... so why did he suddenly feel like a complete stranger?
Why was he looking at her with so much hatred?
Why did he truly believe she had killed Candice's husband?
Then it hit her.
Candice!
If there was anyone who could clear up this terrible misunderstanding, it was Candice herself. She was the victim's wife and Nyx's best friend. Surely, she would tell Sebastian the truth and put an end to this nightmare.
Nyx slowly lifted her tear-filled eyes, a desperate glimmer of hope flickering within them.
She had to see Candice.
Right away.
Although the world had embraced advanced technology, especially in Country B, the Vampire Kingdom had deliberately refused to adopt it, choosing instead to preserve its ancient traditions and way of life. As a result, there were no phones, no cars, and no modern conveniences within the kingdom.
With no way to contact Candice, Nyx had no choice but to see her in person.
Ignoring the throbbing pain in her swollen cheek and the ache in her heart, she hurried out of the King's chambers. Careful not to draw attention to herself, she quietly slipped out of the palace, mounted her horse, and set off toward Candice's residence as fast as she could.
Meanwhile, Candice sat comfortably in her living room, elegantly sipping a glass of wine while calmly thinking about the next step in her plan. A faint smile lingered on her lips as she replayed everything that had happened.
A servant soon entered the room and bowed respectfully.
"My Lady," the servant said, lowering his head, "Her Majesty, the Queen, is here to see you."
Candice's smile widened ever so slightly.
This was progressing even faster than she had expected.
Without a trace of panic, she calmly set her wine glass down.
The next phase of her plan was about to begin.
"Let her in."
"Yes, My Lady."
A few moments later, Nyx stormed into the living room, looking disheveled and emotionally drained. Her swollen cheek was still visible, and her clothes were slightly wrinkled from her frantic journey. The moment her eyes landed on Candice, she froze.
Candice was seated elegantly on the sofa, casually twirling a glass of vintage wine in her hand. Instead of rushing over to greet her as she always did, she merely looked at Nyx with a smug smile playing on her lips.
At that moment...
Everything finally made sense.
Candice had been behind it all from the very beginning.
The friendship she had treasured so dearly had been nothing but a lie. She had trusted a devil disguised as her closest friend.
Without a second thought, rage completely consumed her.
With a furious cry, Nyx charged toward Candice at full speed, disregarding all royal etiquette, and attacked her wildly. She grabbed Candice by the shoulders, pushing and striking her in a desperate outburst of anger.
What Nyx didn't know was that she had walked straight into Candice's trap.
Moments before Nyx arrived, Cordelia had secretly informed Candice of her approach. Without wasting any time, Candice had sent a message to the King, claiming that Nyx had come to silence her by killing her before the truth could be exposed.
As the two women struggled, Nyx's voice rang throughout the mansion.
"You!" she shouted through gritted teeth. "Why did you ruin my life?"
Candice immediately put on the perfect act, struggling just enough to make herself appear helpless.
"It was you who killed my husband!" she cried. "Shouldn't I seek justice?"
Her voice trembled with false grief as she played the role of an innocent widow, all while hiding the triumphant smile buried deep within her heart.
At that very moment, the doors burst open.
King Sebastian strode into the room, followed by several royal guards and Janis. They were met with the shocking sight of Nyx and Candice struggling against each other.
"What are you doing?" Sebastian shouted, his voice echoing throughout the mansion.
Before Nyx could utter a single word, Candice beat her to it.
"Your Majesty," she cried, tears instantly filling her eyes, "she came here to kill me!"
"Seb... you misunderstood. I would never do that!" Nyx pleaded helplessly, desperately trying to explain herself.
But no one seemed willing to listen.
Standing quietly behind the guards, Janis lowered her head, her heart aching for her Queen. She knew Nyx could never commit such a terrible act. More than that, she knew the kind-hearted Queen she served would never harm her own best friend.
But what did her opinion matter?
She was only a maid.
Sebastian's expression remained cold as he turned toward the royal guards.
"Take her..." he ordered in a voice devoid of emotion. "...and throw her into the dungeon."
The guards immediately stepped forward.
Janis suddenly snapped back to reality. Her eyes widened in horror as the weight of the King's command sank in. Forgetting her position, she rushed forward in panic.
"Your Majesty!" she screamed, her voice trembling. "She's pregnant!"
The entire room fell deathly silent.