The Underworld King's Immortal Ex-Wife HD 720p ARS

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Transcript

00:00:00The moment my best friend learned the truth about my immortality and my enormous fortune,

00:00:04she hired a practitioner of dark sorcery and set a trap to have me killed and sent straight to the

00:00:09underworld. All so she could take my life essence for herself. On the rooftop of a Manhattan

00:00:15skyscraper, I sobbed so hard I could barely breathe. Please don't kill me! I'll give you

00:00:20everything! The trust fund, all of it, every dollar! I was terrified of dying. Truly, utterly

00:00:31terrified. Because my ex-husband, the one who ruled the underworld, had sworn the day I left him that

00:00:37if he ever saw me again, he would throw me into the lake of fire, peel my skin, tear me

00:00:42apart piece by

00:00:43piece. Vanessa, we've known each other for 10 years. I've always been good to you. Please just

00:00:50let me go! I'll transfer everything to you! Please! I dropped to my knees on the rough

00:01:00concrete of the rooftop. My dignity shattered, nearly smashing my forehead against the ground

00:01:05as I begged. Vanessa let out a cold laugh. The pointed tip of her designer heel tilted my chin up.

00:01:12I don't just want your money. She said, I want your endless life. Aren't we best friends?

00:01:19What's yours is mine. If you really care about me, then give it all to me. She shot a look

00:01:27at the

00:01:27black-robed sorcerer beside her. He understood immediately. Grabbing a fistful of my hair,

00:01:35he dragged me toward the edge. 33 stories below, a demonic-packed circle had already been drawn in

00:01:42blood. If I fell and died, everything would go exactly as they planned. I would not even have

00:01:48the chance at reincarnation. Vanessa had made sure of that. No revenge. No lingering spirit.

00:01:56She intended to erase me completely. The freezing New York wind slammed into my face as I struggled,

00:02:03clawing backward. But her greed had already spiraled out of control the moment she learned my secret.

00:02:09She rushed forward and, together with the sorcerer, kicked me over the edge. As I fell,

00:02:16the rushing air drowned out everything. My senses blurred into nothing. Then came the impact.

00:02:23A deafening crash exploded in my ears as my body hit the ground, reduced to a mangled ruin of flesh

00:02:29and blood. When I regained awareness, I was no longer alive. I was in spirit form, standing in the

00:02:36underworld. Two infernal guards stood beside me, each gripping a thumb-thick soul shackle.

00:02:42The other end was locked tightly around my neck. A heavy fog surrounded us, but the distant wails

00:02:49and screams were painfully clear. I had been here before. This was the entrance to the gates of hell,

00:02:56and I had my damned ex-husband to thank for that. Back when I tried to leave him, he had

00:03:03dragged me here

00:03:04himself, eyes burning red, just to scare me. He never actually threw me in. But now,

00:03:11I was about to be erased for good. I was murdered! I cried, struggling not to be dragged forward.

00:03:18I didn't do anything wrong! One of the guards, a man with a thin mustache,

00:03:23pulled a barbed whip from his belt and lashed me without hesitation. The pain tore straight through

00:03:29my soul. I collapsed instantly, unable even to scream. Listen. He said coldly. I don't care where

00:03:36you're from. Once you're in our hands, you're done. If it was a choice between immediate damnation and

00:03:42taking a gamble, I would take the gamble. What if Lucian still remembered me? What if there was even

00:03:49the slightest chance? He'd show mercy? Anything was better than soul obliteration. My voice trembled as

00:03:56I forced the words out. I know your lord of the undergaled. I know Lucian. I want to see him.

00:04:04The two guards exchanged a glance. Then the whip came down again. This time, I felt something inside

00:04:11me crack. A fracture ran through my very soul, and I couldn't speak another word. The mustached guard

00:04:18spat at me. You think you get to say His Majesty the Underlord's name just like that? I don't care

00:04:26how you learned it. Keep your head down unless you want more pain. Powerless, I was dragged forward

00:04:32like a dead animal. The other guard, who had been watching quietly, looked uneasy. What if she's

00:04:40telling the truth? What if something goes wrong? The mustached guard scoffed. What's there to be

00:04:47afraid of? That sorceress said she's no saint. There's no record of her in the Ledger of Souls.

00:04:52Picked up a few tricks of dark sorcery, that's all. Of course she'd know His Majesty's name. You're too soft.

00:04:58If the higher-ups can't find her, then it's not our problem. We're getting paid. Let's move. No point

00:05:04dragging this out. At that point, I understood everything. They had been bought off by Vanessa

00:05:11and that sorcerer. Guards of Hell, taking bribes to do something like this. When I saw the towering

00:05:18gates of Hell ahead, carved with grotesque demonic figures, a deep, uncontrollable terror shook my soul.

00:05:24The guards cast a spell, and the massive gates began to open slowly. My heart sank into despair.

00:05:31Then suddenly, a voice rang out from behind us, drawing closer. New arrival? Has she gone through

00:05:39the judgment process yet? My heart lurched. I recognized that voice. Cole, a high-ranking

00:05:47reaper. And he knew who I was. I stared at the tall figure emerging from the mist.

00:05:53My heart pounding as I forced out his name. Cole? The moment I spoke, a hand clamped over my mouth.

00:06:00One of the guards dragged me behind a massive rock, silencing me before I could say another word.

00:06:07Through the haze, I watched as Cole was stopped by the moustached guard. Panic surged through me.

00:06:13I struggled wildly, only to be struck hard in the lower back. The blow knocking the air out of me.

00:06:19The moustached guard quickly pulled out a pack of Marlboros, his face breaking into a sycophantic grin.

00:06:26Lord Cole, what brings you here today? Got something good from the human world, strong stuff. Wanna try one?

00:06:32Cole brushed dust off his black coat, clearly irritated.

00:06:37Cut it out. I asked you a question. Has that wandering spirit gone through the judgment process?

00:06:42The guard swallowed, his confidence faltering.

00:06:46Yeah, of course. We wouldn't dare skip procedure. You and Selina have been swapped lately, right? Go ahead, take a

00:06:54break.

00:06:55Cole accepted the cigarette and lit it, saying nothing more. The fog was too thick for him to see me

00:07:01clearly.

00:07:03Desperation took over. I bit down hard on the hand covering my mouth. The guard yelped and let go.

00:07:10I bolted toward Cole, but before I could take more than a step, a heavy kick sent me crashing to

00:07:16the ground.

00:07:17A boot slammed onto my face, grinding me into the volcanic ash. It filled my mouth and throat.

00:07:23I couldn't spit it out. I couldn't make a sound.

00:07:27Thankfully, the commotion caught Cole's attention. He stepped closer.

00:07:33What's going on over there?

00:07:35The guard I had bitten pressed his foot down harder in retaliation, as if trying to crush my skull.

00:07:45Nothing serious, just a restless spirit. Still struggling even after getting this far.

00:07:51You know the type. None of them are innocent. No need to dirty your hands.

00:07:58Cole paused, then stopped approaching.

00:08:02Be careful. Every one of them was a criminal in life. No mistakes. Send her in.

00:08:09With that, he turned and disappeared back into the mist. And just like that, whatever hope I had left died

00:08:16with him.

00:08:16The moustached guard bowed and scraped until Cole was gone. The moment he turned back, his expression twisted with anger.

00:08:24He rushed over and kicked me several times. Then raised his whip and lashed out again and again, venting his

00:08:31fury.

00:08:32It didn't take long before my soul was covered in wounds, barely holding together, unrecognizable.

00:08:38Finally, he grabbed my chin and forced my face up.

00:08:43You little bitch. Almost ruined everything for us. Don't worry. Once you're inside, I'll take real good care of you

00:08:51myself.

00:08:52I was thrown into the first circle of hell like a piece of trash.

00:08:56This level was reserved for the Thousand Spike Torment.

00:08:59Everywhere I looked, there were Iron Maidens and Racks of Torment.

00:09:03Souls were. Bound to them, each body pierced by thousands of steel needles, like grotesque.

00:09:09Human pin cushions.

00:09:11Here, souls were not allowed the mercy of destruction.

00:09:15Which meant the screaming never stopped.

00:09:17A chill ran through me as I forced out the last of my strength, my voice shaking.

00:09:22I really do know. Lucian, if you treat me like this, and he finds out, he won't you get away

00:09:31with it?

00:09:31It was mostly a bluff. Lucian would not care whether I lived or died.

00:09:36If anything, he probably never wanted to see me again.

00:09:40Otherwise, he would not have given me ageless immortality.

00:09:44Leaving me alone in the human world, unable to age, unable to die.

00:09:51He was making sure I would never come back here and bother him.

00:09:55Once I crossed this threshold, the guards no longer saw me as a threat.

00:10:00The mustached guard patted my face mockingly.

00:10:03His grin cruel.

00:10:04What's wrong with you? Watch too many Hollywood dramas?

00:10:08You think someone like you gets to even think about His Majesty, the Underlord?

00:10:12My head was knocked to the side.

00:10:15A wave of nausea hit me, and I coughed up a mouthful of black mist.

00:10:20My soul felt thinner, more transparent.

00:10:23They strapped me onto a rack of torment.

00:10:26The mustached guard grinned as he picked up a soul-piercing spike.

00:10:29Each one as long as my forearm.

00:10:32Hang in there. There are 17 more levels waiting for you.

00:10:36We've got plenty of time.

00:10:37He raised one of the spikes and drove it straight toward my thigh.

00:10:41No matter how tough you think you are, everyone breaks down here.

00:10:45The tip pierced half an inch into me.

00:10:48The pain tore through my soul like it was being ripped apart.

00:10:51My entire body shook uncontrollably.

00:10:57A voice cut through the air.

00:11:00The spike was yanked back out.

00:11:02I gasped, forcing my eyes open to see who had arrived.

00:11:07It was Harris, the warden of the pit for this level.

00:11:11I remembered him.

00:11:13Back when Lucien had dragged me to the gates of hell to scare me,

00:11:16Harris had been there, trying to calm him down.

00:11:19Your Majesty, the Underlord, the Concert Queen is just being impulsive.

00:11:23There's no need to be so angry.

00:11:25You might hurt her.

00:11:26Hope flared inside me again.

00:11:28After all these years, maybe he still remembered.

00:11:32Harris?

00:11:33Warden Harris?

00:11:34It's me?

00:11:37Please, help me?

00:11:44After everything I had endured, I was completely drained.

00:11:48My throat felt raw, like it had been scraped against sandpaper.

00:11:51But I knew Harris had heard me.

00:11:54He stared straight at me, studying my face as if trying to place it.

00:11:58Then I saw it, the sudden contraction of his pupils.

00:12:02The flicker of shock and fear.

00:12:04He recognized me.

00:12:06Relief barely had time to surface before he looked away, avoiding my gaze.

00:12:11As if nothing had happened, he turned to the guards.

00:12:15We just received word from above.

00:12:16They want to witness this woman's sole absturation in person.

00:12:19They're almost here.

00:12:21Hold off for now.

00:12:21I froze, disbelief flooding through me.

00:12:25Harris was in on it too.

00:12:26He had recognized me and still chose to do nothing.

00:12:30The last bit of hope I had left was extinguished.

00:12:33A bitter laugh slipped out of me.

00:12:35Lucian.

00:12:36So this is your underworld.

00:12:38Your domain.

00:12:40Where your subordinates take.

00:12:42Bribes, bend the rules, and do whatever they want without consequence.

00:12:46And Vanessa.

00:12:47I had underestimated her.

00:12:49I could not decide if she was bold or cowardly.

00:12:53Bold enough to come all the way here.

00:12:55Cowardly enough that she needed to see me destroyed with her own eyes.

00:12:59Just to feel safe enjoying my endless life and my money.

00:13:02Soon, the mist ahead began to clear.

00:13:05Vanessa and the sorcerer arrived.

00:13:08They had used astral projection through dark sorcery.

00:13:11Their souls temporarily separated from their bodies.

00:13:17At first, Vanessa looked uneasy.

00:13:20The instruments of torture.

00:13:21The endless screams.

00:13:23All of it made her cling tightly to the sorcerer.

00:13:25Afraid to stray even a step.

00:13:27But when she saw how familiar he was with the guards and even Harris.

00:13:31Exchanging knowing glances.

00:13:32Her confidence returned.

00:13:34After all.

00:13:35She was the one paying.

00:13:37She walked toward me with arrogant ease.

00:13:39Took a red hot spike from one of the guards.

00:13:41Her face twisted with excitement.

00:13:44Serafana.

00:13:44I should thank you.

00:13:46Without you.

00:13:47I never would have experienced what.

00:13:49It's like to live among the elite in the Upper East Side.

00:13:54Turns out money really can make anything happen.

00:13:56With enough of it.

00:13:57I can even walk through hell itself.

00:13:59And now I get to watch you.

00:14:01The untouchable heiress.

00:14:05Nailed down like a dog.

00:14:06You've lived long enough.

00:14:07I'll take it from here.

00:14:09Go quietly.

00:14:10That's the only way I can feel at ease.

00:14:12I looked at her.

00:14:12Numb.

00:14:13Forcing myself to endure the pain.

00:14:16Wasn't I good to you?

00:14:17Even as I said it.

00:14:18I knew how pointless the question was.

00:14:20If she had any conscience at all.

00:14:22None of this would be happening.

00:14:24Vanessa burst into laughter.

00:14:26Almost hysterical.

00:14:28You think you were good to me?

00:14:30I worked as your assistant.

00:14:32Wore your outdated designer hand-me-downs.

00:14:36Stood next to you at parties like a prop.

00:14:40Even the way men looked at me.

00:14:42Like I was just an extension of you.

00:14:45And you call that being good to me?

00:14:48I said nothing.

00:14:49There was no arguing with someone like her.

00:14:56When I first met her, Chicago was in the middle of a brutal snowstorm.

00:15:00She had been standing there in a thin, worn-out jacket, shivering, on the verge of freezing.

00:15:07She had come from some remote town, couldn't afford rent, couldn't find a job, and was about to end up

00:15:13on the streets.

00:15:14I took her in.

00:15:16I never needed a personal assistant.

00:15:18I had long been used to being alone.

00:15:20I gave her the job out of sympathy.

00:15:22I treated her like a friend.

00:15:25Anything she wanted, as long as it wasn't unreasonable.

00:15:28I gave it to her.

00:15:30Her salary was higher than most senior professionals on Wall Street.

00:15:34Over time, she stopped seeing herself as an employee.

00:15:38She took more and more.

00:15:40She wore my limited edition gowns without asking.

00:15:43Used my black card.

00:15:45I had been too lenient.

00:15:47She started to believe we were equals.

00:15:50Worse.

00:15:50That she could replace me.

00:15:52My real mistake was trusting her.

00:15:55One night, drunk, I told her my secret.

00:15:58My ageless immortality.

00:16:00My silence now only fueled her madness.

00:16:05She leaned in close, her eyes filled with venom.

00:16:09Nothing to say now, right?

00:16:10You agree with me, don't you?

00:16:12You never saw me as a friend.

00:16:14You were just handing out charity.

00:16:17Go to hell!

00:16:18She raised the spike and drove it down toward my heart.

00:16:21A wet, sickening sound echoed.

00:16:24She did not hold back.

00:16:30Harris and the guards exchanged uneasy looks.

00:16:33Destroying a soul core outright would cause serious disturbance.

00:16:36But none of them stopped her.

00:16:39They simply watched.

00:16:41Black mist poured from my mouth.

00:16:43My soul essence was leaking away.

00:16:45My body turned increasingly transparent.

00:16:48My thoughts grew.

00:16:50Sluggish.

00:16:51My vision blurred.

00:16:55Vanessa kept screaming, completely unhinged,

00:16:59stabbing spike after spike into me.

00:17:01My face was shredded, every wound leaking dark smoke.

00:17:04And then, through the thick haze,

00:17:07I saw him.

00:17:09Lucian.

00:17:10Walking toward me.

00:17:11He looked exactly the same.

00:17:14More striking than any Hollywood star I had seen in centuries.

00:17:17Time had left no mark in him.

00:17:20His black velvet robe was embroidered with dark gold patterns.

00:17:24A symbol of absolute power.

00:17:26His long dark hair flowed like a cascade.

00:17:29His features were sharp, flawless.

00:17:32His gaze carried a terrifying weight that made people want to fall to their knees.

00:17:36The kind of man you could not look away from.

00:17:39The kind of man you feared.

00:17:41Was this a hallucination?

00:17:43It had to be.

00:17:45A dying illusion.

00:17:47He would never want to.

00:17:49See me again.

00:17:50And yet, why had everything suddenly gone silent?

00:17:54The guards, Harris, even the arrogant sorcerer.

00:17:57All of them were trembling.

00:17:59And kneeling.

00:18:04Your majesty, the Underlord.

00:18:06What brings you here in person?

00:18:08Harris was shaking uncontrollably,

00:18:10kneeling ramrod straight as cold sweat dripped.

00:18:13From his forehead onto the black stone beneath him,

00:18:16taking bribes from the living was already a grave offense.

00:18:20Allowing living souls to enter hell,

00:18:23and even carrying out unauthorized punishment,

00:18:25made it far worse.

00:18:27And now he had been caught red-handed by the ruler of the Underworld himself.

00:18:31There would be no good ending to this.

00:18:34The sorcerer's face drained of color.

00:18:36He quickly yanked Vanessa away from me,

00:18:39stopping her frenzied stabbing,

00:18:41and forced her down to her knees beside him,

00:18:44pressing her head low.

00:18:46Lucian's gaze swept across everyone present.

00:18:49Cold.

00:18:50Cutting.

00:18:51Absolute.

00:18:52The air itself seemed to freeze under the weight of it.

00:18:56Behind him, the High Chamberlain, Sebastian,

00:18:59stepped forward and barked,

00:19:01his voice,

00:19:03thunderous.

00:19:04Outrageous.

00:19:05If his majesty had not come today,

00:19:08who knows how far your in arrogance would have gone.

00:19:13Have you all forgotten the laws of hell?

00:19:17The two guards who had dragged me here

00:19:19lowered their heads as far as possible,

00:19:21as if.

00:19:22They wished they could disappear into the ground.

00:19:25I wanted to speak.

00:19:27But my mind was slipping.

00:19:29The wounds in my chest and face tore at me with.

00:19:33Unbearable pain.

00:19:34All I could manage were shallow,

00:19:36broken breaths.

00:19:39Would he recognize me?

00:19:41And if he did,

00:19:42what then?

00:19:43Would he pull me out of this nightmare?

00:19:45Or would he do exactly what he once promised?

00:19:49Throw me into the lake of fire.

00:19:51Tear me apart and watch me suffer.

00:19:54At this point,

00:19:56it hardly mattered.

00:19:57I was already close to soul obliteration.

00:20:00My vision of him was starting to blur,

00:20:03splitting into overlapping shadows.

00:20:06After a long silence,

00:20:08Lucien finally spoke.

00:20:09His voice was calm,

00:20:11slow,

00:20:11and colder than ancient ice.

00:20:13Harris,

00:20:14I entrusted the first circle of hell to you.

00:20:20This is how you carry out your duty?

00:20:22Allowing a living soul to enter my domain

00:20:25and administering private punishment on my ground?

00:20:28Harris slammed his forehead against the floor over and over,

00:20:32even harder than I had,

00:20:33when begging Vanessa earlier.

00:20:41I was wrong.

00:20:42I know I was wrong.

00:20:44It was those two guards.

00:20:46Greed got the better of them.

00:20:48They brought the living in.

00:20:50I had no idea.

00:20:51Before your majesty arrived,

00:20:53I was just about to drive them out.

00:20:54Two guards immediately snapped.

00:20:56Even in front of Lucien,

00:20:58they could not hold back.

00:21:00This is your territory.

00:21:02If a living person got in,

00:21:04that's your failure.

00:21:05Hmph!

00:21:06The mustached guard shot back.

00:21:08You took the bigger share of the money.

00:21:09How dare you turn on us now?

00:21:12Harris's face twisted with fury.

00:21:15You were the ones who came up with this scheme.

00:21:18You dragged me into it.

00:21:20Your majesty,

00:21:22please see the truth.

00:21:23I finally understood.

00:21:25Lucien was not here to save me.

00:21:27He had sensed something wrong with the barrier,

00:21:30realized his subordinates were

00:21:31breaking the rules

00:21:33and came to deal with it.

00:21:35I just happened to be here.

00:21:37An extra piece in someone else's disaster.

00:21:40At this point,

00:21:41I felt almost invisible.

00:21:44The sorcerer and Vanessa

00:21:45were at the center of the storm.

00:21:47As the three of them turned on each other,

00:21:50blaming and accusing Lucien

00:21:51and let out a quiet scoff.

00:21:53The sound struck like a hammer

00:21:55against every soul present.

00:21:58Enough!

00:21:59His voice carried finality.

00:22:02Since they are here,

00:22:04those two living souls

00:22:05will not be returning.

00:22:08Strip them of bodily perception.

00:22:10Detain them for judgment.

00:22:12He paused,

00:22:13then cast a cold glance at Harris

00:22:15and the two guards.

00:22:16As for you,

00:22:17you knew the law and broke it.

00:22:20You will be cast into the abyss of demons.

00:22:24You will become hellhounds for all eternity,

00:22:26burned by hellfire,

00:22:28never to rise again.

00:22:30Harris went completely still.

00:22:33Still kneeling,

00:22:34he collapsed backward,

00:22:35his face drained of all color,

00:22:37too stunned even,

00:22:38to beg.

00:22:40The two guards looked no different.

00:22:42Pure despair.

00:22:44Vanessa,

00:22:45slower to process,

00:22:47finally understood

00:22:48what not returning meant.

00:22:50She stared at her

00:22:51semi-transparent hands

00:22:52and panicked,

00:22:53scrambling to her feet.

00:22:55You can't do this.

00:22:56I'm not supposed to die yet.

00:22:58Don't you have rules in hell?

00:23:00I paid for this.

00:23:01She could not let go.

00:23:04Not of the life

00:23:06she had just stolen from me.

00:23:08Not of the endless wealth

00:23:09waiting for her in Manhattan.

00:23:11The sorcerer,

00:23:12terrified she would drag him down with her,

00:23:14grabbed at her leg and

00:23:16hissed under his breath.

00:23:18Are you insane?

00:23:20Get down on your knees.

00:23:21She shook him off violently

00:23:23and pointed straight at Lucian.

00:23:25I'm leaving now.

00:23:27Send me back.

00:23:28If you don't,

00:23:29you'll regret it.

00:23:30The sorcerer shut his eyes.

00:23:32He did not dare move.

00:23:34Vanessa grabbed him by the collar

00:23:36and shook him,

00:23:37her face twisted with rage.

00:23:39What are you doing?

00:23:40I paid you a million dollars.

00:23:42Do your job.

00:23:43I said I'm going back now.

00:23:45She had no idea.

00:23:48Lucian despised noise.

00:23:49And he had no tolerance for mortals

00:23:52who overstepped in his presence.

00:23:54The next second,

00:23:55he simply lifted a finger.

00:23:57Vanessa's soul was struck

00:23:59as if by an invisible hammer.

00:24:01Her body flew backward

00:24:02like a severed kite.

00:24:04As if fate itself were mocking her,

00:24:06she landed hard on a melody

00:24:08they recovered with.

00:24:09Instruments of torture.

00:24:11More than a dozen red-hot

00:24:13soul-piercing spikes

00:24:14drove straight to her back.

00:24:15Her scream tore through

00:24:17the entire first circle of hell.

00:24:19Now she understood.

00:24:21The pain.

00:24:22The horror.

00:24:23Her face twisted beyond recognition

00:24:25as she shrieked.

00:24:27Silence her.

00:24:28Sebastian raised a hand,

00:24:30his voice cold.

00:24:32Several high-ranking guards

00:24:34stepped forward immediately,

00:24:35forcing her down,

00:24:37covering her mouth

00:24:38as the spikes burned through her.

00:24:40When it was over,

00:24:41silence returned.

00:24:43Heavy.

00:24:44Absolute.

00:24:45Only then did Lucian

00:24:47slowly turn his head.

00:24:48And look at me.

00:24:50I could feel it.

00:24:51His gaze.

00:24:53Cold.

00:24:54Distant.

00:24:55Like he was looking

00:24:56at something worthless.

00:24:58Like I was nothing more than trash.

00:25:02Sebastian read the shift

00:25:03in Lucian's expression

00:25:04immediately and stepped forward,

00:25:06his tone sharp and authoritative.

00:25:08Who are you?

00:25:09State your name.

00:25:11Why were you brought here

00:25:12without going through

00:25:13the judgment process?

00:25:14Even after being sentenced,

00:25:17Harris clearly was not ready

00:25:19to give up.

00:25:19He was still trying

00:25:21to salvage something,

00:25:22anything.

00:25:23If it came out

00:25:24that I had been smuggled

00:25:25and through bribery,

00:25:26bypassing the proper process,

00:25:28his fate would only get worse.

00:25:30And if Lucian

00:25:31actually recognized me,

00:25:33he spoke first,

00:25:35rushing to cover it up.

00:25:37Your Majesty,

00:25:37she's just a newly dead

00:25:38wandering spirit.

00:25:39No idea how she slipped in.

00:25:41Anyone who ends up here

00:25:42isn't innocent.

00:25:43She even tried to attack

00:25:44the guards just now.

00:25:45There's no need for you

00:25:46to concern yourself.

00:25:46I'll dispose of her immediately.

00:25:48Lucian's brow furrowed slightly,

00:25:50displeasure flashing

00:25:51across his face.

00:25:52His gaze cut toward Harris

00:25:54like a blade.

00:25:55Before he could say anything,

00:25:57Sebastian stepped in

00:25:58and kicked Harris to the ground.

00:26:00You were not addressed.

00:26:01Keep your mouth shut.

00:26:03One more word

00:26:04and you go to the abyss now.

00:26:06I tried to speak.

00:26:08Tried to call out.

00:26:10But my throat only produced

00:26:12a hollow, rasping hiss.

00:26:14Black wisps of soul energy

00:26:16kept spilling from my mouth.

00:26:18When no clear answer came,

00:26:20Sebastian approached me himself.

00:26:22He examined my condition

00:26:23with visible disgust,

00:26:25then turned back to Lucian

00:26:27and shook his head.

00:26:30Your Majesty,

00:26:31her soul is severely damaged.

00:26:33It's on the verge of collapse.

00:26:35I'm afraid we won't get

00:26:36much out of her.

00:26:37Lucian had always been

00:26:38a ruler of order

00:26:39and strict law.

00:26:40He did not tolerate

00:26:41any disruption

00:26:42to the rules of the underworld.

00:26:43Verify her identity.

00:26:45If she does not belong here,

00:26:46stabilize her soul if possible.

00:26:48Then determine

00:26:49whether she should be returned

00:26:50to the living world

00:26:51or sent into the cycle of rebirth.

00:26:56Sebastian bowed.

00:26:57He immediately ordered someone

00:26:59to bring the ledger of souls.

00:27:01While they waited,

00:27:02Vanessa was still struggling

00:27:04on the ground,

00:27:05twisting and thrashing,

00:27:06trying to pull the spikes

00:27:07out of her body.

00:27:08She still did not understand

00:27:10what kind of existence

00:27:11she had just provoked.

00:27:13All she could think about

00:27:14was getting back

00:27:15to the living world.

00:27:16Back to my luxury penthouse.

00:27:19Back to spending my money,

00:27:20living the life

00:27:21she had always envied.

00:27:23Soon,

00:27:24a clerk hurried over,

00:27:26carrying a massive,

00:27:27faintly glowing

00:27:28ledger of souls.

00:27:29Sebastian took it

00:27:31and stepped closer to me again,

00:27:32looking down from above.

00:27:34Your name.

00:27:35I gathered what little strength

00:27:36I had left.

00:27:37From deep in my throat,

00:27:38I forced out a single word,

00:27:41barely more than a whisper.

00:27:43Serafina.

00:27:46Sebastian did not recognize me.

00:27:48He must have taken this position

00:27:50sometime in the last few centuries.

00:27:52He began flipping through the ledger,

00:27:55his fingers moving quickly

00:27:56as he searched the records

00:27:58of the corresponding years.

00:28:00Seconds passed.

00:28:01Then minutes.

00:28:03His movement slowed.

00:28:05Something was wrong.

00:28:06A thin sheen of sweat

00:28:08appeared on his forehead.

00:28:09That's not possible.

00:28:11How could this be?

00:28:16Lucian's patience snapped.

00:28:17He was not known for tolerance,

00:28:19and even less for restraint.

00:28:21The temperature around him

00:28:23seemed to drop instantly.

00:28:24A dark, violent aura surfaced

00:28:26beneath his composed exterior.

00:28:28What is the delay?

00:28:29How long does it take

00:28:30to check a name?

00:28:35Sebastian dropped to his knees

00:28:36with a thud,

00:28:37raising the ledger above his head

00:28:39with trembling hands.

00:28:40Your majesty,

00:28:41please forgive me.

00:28:42I have checked every record.

00:28:44This woman,

00:28:45her name does not exist

00:28:47in the ledger of souls.

00:28:49A bitter smile flickered inside me.

00:28:52Of course it didn't.

00:28:53That had been Lucian's doing.

00:28:56His punishment.

00:28:57To erase my name.

00:28:58To leave me wandering

00:29:00the human world,

00:29:01unable to die,

00:29:02unable to enter reincarnation.

00:29:05He in hell.

00:29:07Me in the mortal world.

00:29:09Forever separated.

00:29:11Never crossing paths again.

00:29:13Lucian, however,

00:29:15did not make the connection.

00:29:17Too much time had passed.

00:29:19His first instinct

00:29:21was that someone

00:29:22had tampered with the ledger,

00:29:24daring to challenge his authority.

00:29:26Fury surged.

00:29:27Black energy roiled around him

00:29:29as he snatched the ledger

00:29:30from Sebastian,

00:29:31flipping through it himself.

00:29:35What is her name?

00:29:38Sebastian's voice trembled.

00:29:40She calls herself

00:29:41Serafina.

00:29:44The moment the name

00:29:45left his lips,

00:29:47Lucian's hand froze.

00:29:48His pupils contracted sharply.

00:29:51For the first time,

00:29:52something cracked

00:29:53walked through that cold,

00:29:55untouchable composure.

00:29:57Shock.

00:29:58Disbelief.

00:29:59Something deeper.

00:30:01His gaze snapped up

00:30:02from the ledger

00:30:03and locked onto me.

00:30:04Pinned to the rack of torment.

00:30:06Broken.

00:30:07Barely holding together.

00:30:13In the blink of an eye,

00:30:14black mist surged.

00:30:16He appeared in front of me

00:30:17like a phantom,

00:30:19bringing with him

00:30:20a suffocating chill.

00:30:22His long,

00:30:24cold fingers shot out

00:30:25and gripped my chin,

00:30:26forcing my head up.

00:30:28His brows were drawn tight.

00:30:30His gaze sharp as a hawks,

00:30:32as if he were trying

00:30:33to see through the ruin

00:30:34of my face

00:30:34and uncover

00:30:35who I really was.

00:30:36But there was nothing

00:30:37left to recognize.

00:30:39Vanessa had carved my face

00:30:41into a mess

00:30:42of crisscrossing wounds

00:30:43with those.

00:30:45Soul-piercing spikes.

00:30:47Black mist seeped

00:30:48from every cut.

00:30:50Whatever beauty

00:30:50I once had

00:30:51was gone without a trace.

00:30:53He stared at me

00:30:54for a long time.

00:30:55Something unreadable

00:30:57flickered in his expression,

00:30:58as if he was struggling

00:30:59to confirm

00:31:00what he was seeing.

00:31:01Is it really you?

00:31:03His voice was low,

00:31:05restrained.

00:31:05The pain made it

00:31:07impossible to breathe.

00:31:08I could only give

00:31:10the faintest nod.

00:31:11The moment he got his answer,

00:31:13his grip tightened.

00:31:14I felt my jaw creak

00:31:16under the pressure.

00:31:17His eyes darkened instantly.

00:31:19Did you forget

00:31:20what I told you

00:31:20when I let you go?

00:31:22A storm gathering

00:31:23beneath them.

00:31:24Of course I had not forgotten.

00:31:26Those words were carved

00:31:28into my soul.

00:31:29The day he released me,

00:31:31he had stood

00:31:32before the gates of hell,

00:31:34looking down at me

00:31:35with cold indifference,

00:31:36warning that if he ever

00:31:37saw me again,

00:31:38he would throw me

00:31:39into the lake of fire

00:31:40and personally tear me apart,

00:31:42leaving me to suffer

00:31:43for eternity.

00:31:44I had no strength

00:31:46left to argue.

00:31:47I could only curl

00:31:49my lips into a faint,

00:31:50broken smile,

00:31:51one that looked

00:31:52more like a grimace

00:31:53than anything else.

00:31:56It did not matter anymore.

00:32:01This shattered soul

00:32:02of mine would not

00:32:03last long enough

00:32:04for him to carry out

00:32:05that threat anyway.

00:32:06At any moment,

00:32:07I would disappear.

00:32:09Suddenly,

00:32:09he let go of me.

00:32:11With a look of disgust,

00:32:12he took out a black

00:32:13silk handkerchief

00:32:14and wiped his fingers,

00:32:15his voice cold and cutting.

00:32:17Pathetic.

00:32:18You insisted on leaving me.

00:32:19I thought you would make

00:32:20quite a life for yourself

00:32:21in the human world

00:32:22and this is what

00:32:23you've become.

00:32:24What a disgrace.

00:32:25He sounded almost

00:32:26satisfied,

00:32:28seeing me like this

00:32:29must have fed his pride.

00:32:31When I left,

00:32:32I had walked away

00:32:33without looking back,

00:32:35proud and unyielding.

00:32:36Now,

00:32:37nothing had changed

00:32:38for him.

00:32:39He was still

00:32:40the lord of the underworld,

00:32:42standing above everything.

00:32:44And me?

00:32:45I was nothing more

00:32:46than a broken soul,

00:32:48betrayed by my own assistant,

00:32:50nailed to a torture rack,

00:32:51on the verge

00:32:52of being erased.

00:32:53He did not let me disappear.

00:32:57Instead,

00:32:58he turned sharply

00:32:59to Sebastian.

00:33:00Take her away.

00:33:01Find the best physician

00:33:02in the nether realm.

00:33:02Do whatever it takes

00:33:03to stabilize her soul.

00:33:04Without my permission,

00:33:05she is not to die.

00:33:06So he wanted

00:33:07to keep me alive.

00:33:09Of course,

00:33:10Lucien had always

00:33:11been vindictive.

00:33:12Petty,

00:33:13even.

00:33:14Being abandoned

00:33:15by a woman

00:33:15was not something

00:33:16he would ever let go.

00:33:18If he was going

00:33:19to settle this,

00:33:20he would do it personally.

00:33:22The treatment

00:33:22was worse than torture.

00:33:24Every drop of medicine

00:33:25poured onto my wounds

00:33:27felt like my soul

00:33:27was being torn apart

00:33:28and stitched back

00:33:29together again.

00:33:30I did not know

00:33:31if I had lost consciousness

00:33:33or if I was simply

00:33:34drifting in and out

00:33:35under the weight

00:33:35of the pain.

00:33:36That was when

00:33:37I realized something.

00:33:39Even a soul

00:33:39could dream.

00:33:40And the dreams

00:33:41felt terrifyingly real.

00:33:46I saw everything.

00:33:47From the moment

00:33:48I met Lucien

00:33:49to the time

00:33:50we fell in love

00:33:51to the day

00:33:52we tore each other apart.

00:33:54Back then,

00:33:55he had found

00:33:55the underworld

00:33:56unbearably dull

00:33:57and decided to

00:33:58wander the human world.

00:34:00On a freezing

00:34:01winter night

00:34:01during the Great Depression

00:34:03in New York,

00:34:04he found me.

00:34:05I had been young,

00:34:06starving,

00:34:07on the verge

00:34:08of death.

00:34:09In those days,

00:34:10the economy

00:34:11had collapsed.

00:34:13People died

00:34:14on the streets

00:34:14every day.

00:34:15Lives meant nothing.

00:34:17And yet,

00:34:18somehow,

00:34:19I caught his attention.

00:34:21Lucky.

00:34:22Or perhaps

00:34:22terribly unlucky.

00:34:24He hid his identity,

00:34:26becoming a wealthy gentleman.

00:34:28He stayed by my side

00:34:30as I grew up,

00:34:31giving me everything.

00:34:32My first love

00:34:34was him.

00:34:34My first time

00:34:36was him.

00:34:36He became

00:34:37my entire world.

00:34:39He kept his secret

00:34:40flawlessly hidden.

00:34:42It was not until

00:34:43I fell ill and died

00:34:44that I learned the truth.

00:34:45When my soul

00:34:46was brought to the underworld,

00:34:48I saw him sitting

00:34:49on his throne.

00:34:50That was when

00:34:50I realized

00:34:51who he really was.

00:34:53At the time,

00:34:54he believed

00:34:54he had given me

00:34:55a great gift.

00:34:56A short but happy life

00:34:58in the human world,

00:34:59spent under his protection.

00:35:01We had been

00:35:02husband and wife.

00:35:03So naturally,

00:35:04in his mind,

00:35:06I should remain

00:35:06in the underworld,

00:35:07by his side forever.

00:35:09His obedient

00:35:10consort queen.

00:35:14At first,

00:35:15I thought the same.

00:35:17Love blinded me.

00:35:18But I was not

00:35:19made for that world.

00:35:21I was a modern woman.

00:35:23I wanted freedom.

00:35:25The rigid,

00:35:26ancient,

00:35:27suffocating rules

00:35:28of the underworld

00:35:28became unbearable.

00:35:30I could not accept

00:35:31that as the lord

00:35:32of the underworld,

00:35:33he had countless

00:35:34dark consorts,

00:35:35each more alluring

00:35:36than the last.

00:35:37I could not accept

00:35:38the way he stood

00:35:39at the top of power,

00:35:40issuing commands

00:35:41as if it were

00:35:42second nature,

00:35:43treating me not

00:35:44as an equal,

00:35:44but as something

00:35:45beautiful he owned.

00:35:47So I chose to leave.

00:35:49I wanted a new life.

00:35:51I wanted to drink

00:35:52the waters of oblivion

00:35:53and return to the human world,

00:35:55free.

00:35:56When he found out,

00:35:57he lost control.

00:35:59His eyes turned red

00:36:00with rage.

00:36:01He dragged me

00:36:02to the gates of hell,

00:36:03pointing at the boiling

00:36:04depths below,

00:36:06trying to force me

00:36:06to stay.

00:36:07I had been terrified,

00:36:10crying uncontrollably,

00:36:11shaking,

00:36:12afraid he might

00:36:13actually throw me in.

00:36:15We stood there

00:36:16for a long time.

00:36:17In the end,

00:36:18he let go,

00:36:20reluctantly,

00:36:21coldly.

00:36:22He allowed me

00:36:23to leave,

00:36:24but not without

00:36:24a warning.

00:36:25If he ever saw me again,

00:36:27he would not

00:36:28show mercy.

00:36:29At the time,

00:36:30I did not understand

00:36:32what he really meant.

00:36:33All I wanted

00:36:34was freedom,

00:36:35rebirth.

00:36:39Only after I returned

00:36:40to the human world

00:36:41did I realize

00:36:42the truth,

00:36:43his punishment.

00:36:45He let me keep

00:36:46all my memories.

00:36:49He made it

00:36:50so I would never age,

00:36:51never die.

00:36:53A living anomaly.

00:36:55He even arranged

00:36:57for me to be born

00:36:58into a powerful family,

00:37:00leaving behind

00:37:01a trust fund

00:37:01and immense wealth

00:37:02that could sustain me

00:37:03for centuries.

00:37:05That was when

00:37:06I understood.

00:37:08He never intended

00:37:09to see me again.

00:37:11Not just in anger.

00:37:12He had cut off

00:37:13my path entirely.

00:37:15No death.

00:37:16No return.

00:37:18No chance

00:37:19of ever entering

00:37:20the cycle

00:37:20of rebirth.

00:37:22I took it seriously.

00:37:24I lived carefully.

00:37:26Quietly.

00:37:27Watching everyone

00:37:28around me

00:37:29grow old and die

00:37:30while I stayed

00:37:31the same.

00:37:33I was afraid

00:37:34of death.

00:37:35Afraid of accidents.

00:37:37Afraid of being

00:37:38dragged back here.

00:37:40Afraid he would

00:37:41make good

00:37:41on his promise.

00:37:43And yet,

00:37:44despite all that

00:37:45caution,

00:37:46I still fell.

00:37:48To the person

00:37:49I trusted most.

00:37:51The memories

00:37:52faded like

00:37:53a passing storm.

00:37:56A sharp pain

00:37:57pierced my head

00:37:58as I slowly

00:37:59came back

00:37:59to consciousness.

00:38:01The surroundings

00:38:02were familiar.

00:38:03Luxurious.

00:38:04Dark.

00:38:05This was the

00:38:06Obsidian Palace.

00:38:08Lucian's

00:38:08private domain.

00:38:14The bed

00:38:15beneath me

00:38:16was wide,

00:38:17soft,

00:38:18black.

00:38:19It carried

00:38:19his scent.

00:38:21Deep.

00:38:21Cold.

00:38:23Lingering.

00:38:25Like cedarwood

00:38:26burning in a

00:38:27winter fireplace

00:38:28mixed with the

00:38:29faint trace of ash.

00:38:30It was a scent

00:38:31I had never

00:38:32found on anyone

00:38:33else.

00:38:37Once,

00:38:38it had been

00:38:39comforting.

00:38:40Even now,

00:38:41wrapped in it,

00:38:42my tense soul

00:38:43relaxed for just

00:38:44a moment.

00:38:46But it did

00:38:47not last.

00:38:48As if he had

00:38:49been tracking me,

00:38:50the doors opened

00:38:51the instant I woke.

00:38:52Lucian walked in.

00:38:54I immediately

00:38:56shut my eyes,

00:38:57pretending to

00:38:57still be unconscious,

00:38:59trying to avoid

00:39:00facing him.

00:39:01It did not

00:39:02work.

00:39:03Stop pretending.

00:39:05Your soul's

00:39:06fluctuations are

00:39:07obvious.

00:39:07I know you're

00:39:08awake.

00:39:09I almost laughed.

00:39:11Back then,

00:39:12he could spend

00:39:13an entire night

00:39:14gazing at my

00:39:14face without

00:39:15getting tired.

00:39:16Now,

00:39:17he called me

00:39:18ugly without

00:39:18hesitation.

00:39:20Ugly.

00:39:21Wait.

00:39:21I lifted a

00:39:22hand and

00:39:23touched my

00:39:24face.

00:39:25Uneven.

00:39:26Rough.

00:39:27Completely

00:39:27ruined.

00:39:30Vanessa

00:39:30had not

00:39:31held back.

00:39:32Every strike

00:39:33had been

00:39:33meant to

00:39:34destroy.

00:39:35Maybe I

00:39:35really had

00:39:36become

00:39:36something

00:39:37hideous.

00:39:45I opened

00:39:46my eyes,

00:39:47dropping the

00:39:47act.

00:39:48I met his

00:39:49cold gaze and

00:39:50let out a

00:39:50faint,

00:39:51bitter laugh.

00:39:52So what

00:39:53now?

00:39:54You saved

00:39:55me just to

00:39:55throw me into

00:39:56the lake of

00:39:56fire yourself?

00:39:57Planning to

00:39:58tear me apart

00:39:59with your own

00:39:59hands?

00:40:00Not yet.

00:40:04Lucian

00:40:05stepped forward

00:40:05and yanked me

00:40:06off the bed

00:40:07without the

00:40:07slightest care.

00:40:10His grip was

00:40:11rough,

00:40:12almost punishing.

00:40:14What I

00:40:15granted you,

00:40:16and those

00:40:17worthless humans

00:40:18dared to

00:40:18cover it it.

00:40:19They even

00:40:20used dark

00:40:21sorcery.

00:40:22You should

00:40:22witness for

00:40:23yourself what

00:40:24happens to

00:40:24those who

00:40:25anger the

00:40:25underworld.

00:40:27The darkness

00:40:28in his eyes

00:40:28made my

00:40:29spine go

00:40:29cold.

00:40:30So that

00:40:31was it.

00:40:32He was

00:40:32going to

00:40:33make an

00:40:33example of

00:40:34them in

00:40:34front of

00:40:35me first,

00:40:36and then

00:40:36deal with

00:40:37me.

00:40:37In the

00:40:38outer hall

00:40:38of the

00:40:39obsidian

00:40:39palace,

00:40:40the atmosphere

00:40:41was suffocating.

00:40:42Vanessa

00:40:43and the

00:40:43sorcerer were

00:40:44bound by

00:40:44heavy soul

00:40:45shackles

00:40:45locked around

00:40:46their bodies,

00:40:47forced to

00:40:48kneel on

00:40:48the hard

00:40:48obsidian

00:40:49floor.

00:40:50Nearby

00:40:50were

00:40:51Harris,

00:40:51pale as

00:40:52death,

00:40:52and the

00:40:53two guards

00:40:53who had

00:40:54dragged me

00:40:54in,

00:40:55trembling

00:40:55where they

00:40:55knelt.

00:40:56Everyone

00:40:57involved

00:40:57was here,

00:40:58no exceptions.

00:41:00The moment

00:41:01Vanessa saw

00:41:02me being

00:41:03led out

00:41:03by Lucian,

00:41:08jealousy

00:41:08flashed across

00:41:09her face.

00:41:10She tried

00:41:11to lunge

00:41:12at me,

00:41:12only to be

00:41:13kicked back

00:41:13down by a

00:41:14high-ranking

00:41:15guard behind

00:41:15her.

00:41:16Seraphana,

00:41:17you liar!

00:41:19What the

00:41:19hell did

00:41:20you do?

00:41:20Why are

00:41:21you standing

00:41:21there?

00:41:22I was still

00:41:23too weak

00:41:23to respond.

00:41:24Even

00:41:25walking

00:41:25here had

00:41:26taken

00:41:26everything

00:41:27out of

00:41:27me.

00:41:28I could

00:41:28barely

00:41:29breathe,

00:41:29let alone

00:41:30waste

00:41:30energy on

00:41:31her

00:41:31hysteria.

00:41:32Lucian,

00:41:33on the

00:41:34other hand,

00:41:35seemed almost

00:41:36pleased.

00:41:37There was

00:41:38something dark

00:41:39in him,

00:41:40something that

00:41:41thrived on

00:41:41this kind of

00:41:42moment.

00:41:43The faint

00:41:44curve of his

00:41:45lips carried

00:41:45a chilling

00:41:46edge.

00:41:49Serafina,

00:41:50these rumen

00:41:51hurt you.

00:41:52What would

00:41:52you like

00:41:52done with

00:41:53them?

00:41:53I'll leave

00:41:54the decision

00:41:55to you.

00:41:55Me?

00:41:56I looked

00:41:57at him,

00:41:58stunned.

00:41:58He ruled

00:41:59this place.

00:42:00Life and

00:42:01death were

00:42:01his to

00:42:02command.

00:42:02Why ask

00:42:03me?

00:42:04For a

00:42:04fleeting

00:42:05second,

00:42:06it felt

00:42:06like the

00:42:06past.

00:42:07Back when

00:42:08we had

00:42:08lived in

00:42:09the human

00:42:09world,

00:42:10he had

00:42:10always been

00:42:11like this.

00:42:12Gentle,

00:42:13respectful,

00:42:14asking for

00:42:15my opinion

00:42:16on everything.

00:42:17No matter

00:42:18how small,

00:42:19a sharp,

00:42:20unnameable

00:42:21ache spread

00:42:21through my

00:42:22chest.

00:42:22I shook

00:42:23my head.

00:42:24Do whatever

00:42:25you want.

00:42:26Just follow

00:42:27the rules

00:42:28of hell.

00:42:30He frowned,

00:42:32clearly displeased

00:42:33with my answer.

00:42:34Without warning,

00:42:35he pulled me

00:42:36into his arms,

00:42:37locking me

00:42:37against him

00:42:38with one arm

00:42:39around my

00:42:39shoulders.

00:42:40What's wrong?

00:42:41Feeling soft

00:42:42now?

00:42:43Have you

00:42:43forgotten

00:42:44what happened

00:42:44to you

00:42:44just hours

00:42:45ago?

00:42:45How they

00:42:46killed you?

00:42:46How they

00:42:47nailed you

00:42:47to that

00:42:48rack?

00:42:52They've

00:42:53already

00:42:53confessed.

00:42:54Even your

00:42:55trust fund

00:42:55has been

00:42:56transferred.

00:42:57This is

00:42:58your chance

00:42:58to get

00:42:58even.

00:42:59Don't

00:43:00act like

00:43:00a coward.

00:43:01Seeing

00:43:02the closeness

00:43:03between us,

00:43:04something twisted

00:43:05in Vanessa's

00:43:05expression.

00:43:07Jealousy

00:43:07spilled

00:43:07over into

00:43:08pure

00:43:08madness.

00:43:09I knew

00:43:10it!

00:43:10I always

00:43:11knew you

00:43:11were that

00:43:12kind of

00:43:12woman,

00:43:13clinging

00:43:13to men

00:43:13with money

00:43:14and power

00:43:14using that

00:43:15face of

00:43:15yours to

00:43:16get whatever

00:43:16you want.

00:43:17And now

00:43:17look at

00:43:18you,

00:43:18dead and

00:43:19still doing

00:43:20the same

00:43:20thing,

00:43:21even seducing

00:43:22someone here.

00:43:23You're

00:43:23disgusting!

00:43:25The temperature

00:43:26in the room

00:43:27dropped

00:43:27instantly.

00:43:28Lucian's

00:43:29expression

00:43:30darkened to

00:43:30something

00:43:31terrifying.

00:43:32His face

00:43:33was flawless,

00:43:34almost unreal,

00:43:35but the

00:43:36sheer violence

00:43:36in his gaze

00:43:37made it

00:43:37impossible to

00:43:38look at him

00:43:38directly.

00:43:41I knew

00:43:42exactly why.

00:43:44It was

00:43:44not just

00:43:45the insult.

00:43:46Vanessa

00:43:47had crossed

00:43:48a line.

00:43:49She implied

00:43:50I belonged

00:43:50to someone

00:43:51else.

00:43:52Lucian

00:43:53had always

00:43:54been possessive.

00:43:55Obsessively

00:43:56so.

00:43:57In his

00:43:57mind,

00:43:58once I

00:43:58had been

00:43:59his,

00:43:59that was

00:44:00permanent.

00:44:01Time

00:44:02did not

00:44:02matter.

00:44:03Life

00:44:03or death

00:44:04did not

00:44:04matter.

00:44:05I was

00:44:06his.

00:44:07No one

00:44:08else was

00:44:08allowed to

00:44:09touch me.

00:44:10Not even

00:44:11look at me.

00:44:12Fortunately,

00:44:13during the

00:44:13long century

00:44:14I spent

00:44:14back in

00:44:15the human

00:44:15world,

00:44:16I had

00:44:16lived

00:44:16cautiously.

00:44:17I stayed

00:44:18single,

00:44:19avoided

00:44:19relationships,

00:44:21avoided

00:44:21attention.

00:44:22If I

00:44:23had not,

00:44:24I did

00:44:25not even

00:44:25want to

00:44:26imagine

00:44:26what would

00:44:26happen

00:44:27right now.

00:44:28The

00:44:28sorcerer,

00:44:29realizing

00:44:29Vanessa

00:44:29was pushing

00:44:30them both

00:44:31toward

00:44:31destruction,

00:44:32panicked

00:44:32completely.

00:44:33He slammed

00:44:34his head

00:44:34against the

00:44:35floor again

00:44:36and again.

00:44:36Your

00:44:37Majesty,

00:44:37please,

00:44:38show

00:44:38mercy.

00:44:39I was

00:44:39blinded

00:44:39by

00:44:40greed.

00:44:40She

00:44:40offered

00:44:41a

00:44:41fortune.

00:44:42I

00:44:42lost

00:44:42my

00:44:42judgment.

00:44:43I

00:44:43should

00:44:43never

00:44:43have

00:44:44interfered

00:44:44with

00:44:44fate or

00:44:45taken

00:44:45a

00:44:45life.

00:44:46I

00:44:46was

00:44:46wrong.

00:44:47She

00:44:47manipulated

00:44:48me.

00:44:48This

00:44:49was all

00:44:49her

00:44:50idea.

00:44:51Vanessa

00:44:51snapped.

00:44:52Like a

00:44:52feral cat,

00:44:53she lunged

00:44:54and slapped

00:44:55him hard

00:44:55across the

00:44:56face.

00:44:56Shut

00:44:56up!

00:44:57You

00:44:57took

00:44:57the

00:44:57money

00:44:58willingly,

00:44:59drew

00:44:59the

00:44:59circle,

00:45:00and now

00:45:00you want

00:45:01to pin

00:45:01everything

00:45:01on me?

00:45:02Not

00:45:02happening!

00:45:05Sebastian

00:45:06strode

00:45:06forward,

00:45:07his voice

00:45:08cutting through

00:45:08the chaos

00:45:09like a

00:45:09blade.

00:45:10The room

00:45:10fell still.

00:45:11You dare

00:45:12raise your

00:45:12voices here?

00:45:13His gaze

00:45:13swept over

00:45:14them coldly.

00:45:15Every one

00:45:16of you

00:45:16is guilty.

00:45:17None

00:45:17of you

00:45:17will

00:45:18escape.

00:45:18He

00:45:18paused,

00:45:19then his

00:45:20tone

00:45:20turned

00:45:20even sharper.

00:45:21Do you

00:45:22even

00:45:22understand

00:45:22who it

00:45:23is

00:45:23you

00:45:23tried

00:45:23to

00:45:23harm?

00:45:27Vanessa's

00:45:27bloodshot

00:45:28eyes

00:45:28snapped

00:45:28toward

00:45:29me.

00:45:29Even

00:45:30now,

00:45:30she

00:45:31refused

00:45:31to back

00:45:32down.

00:45:32Letting

00:45:33out

00:45:33a

00:45:33cold,

00:45:34stubborn

00:45:34laugh.

00:45:36She's

00:45:37just

00:45:37some

00:45:37freak

00:45:38who

00:45:38doesn't

00:45:38age

00:45:39or

00:45:39die.

00:45:40She's

00:45:40lived

00:45:40long

00:45:41enough,

00:45:41had

00:45:42more

00:45:42than

00:45:42enough.

00:45:43I

00:45:43took

00:45:43her

00:45:44life

00:45:44and

00:45:44her

00:45:44trust

00:45:45fund.

00:45:45So

00:45:46what?

00:45:48That's

00:45:48what

00:45:49I

00:45:49deserve!

00:45:50I

00:45:51spent

00:45:5110

00:45:52years

00:45:52serving

00:45:53her

00:45:53like

00:45:53a

00:45:53slave.

00:45:54I

00:45:55had

00:45:55been

00:45:55too

00:45:55exhausted

00:45:56to

00:45:56argue

00:45:56before.

00:45:57People

00:45:58like

00:45:58her,

00:45:59cold

00:45:59and

00:45:59self-centered,

00:46:00never

00:46:01see

00:46:01kindness.

00:46:02They

00:46:02only

00:46:03see

00:46:03what

00:46:03they

00:46:04think

00:46:04the

00:46:05world

00:46:05owes

00:46:05them.

00:46:06But

00:46:06hearing

00:46:07her

00:46:07twist

00:46:07everything

00:46:08so

00:46:08shamelessly

00:46:09still

00:46:09made

00:46:09something

00:46:10in me

00:46:10snap.

00:46:11Vanessa,

00:46:12I said,

00:46:13my voice

00:46:13low but

00:46:14shaking

00:46:14with anger,

00:46:15ask

00:46:15ask yourself

00:46:16this.

00:46:18If you

00:46:19hadn't

00:46:19met me

00:46:20in that

00:46:21snowstorm,

00:46:22would you

00:46:23have had

00:46:23those

00:46:2310

00:46:23years

00:46:24at

00:46:24all?

00:46:24You

00:46:25would

00:46:25have

00:46:25frozen

00:46:25to

00:46:26death

00:46:26on

00:46:26the

00:46:26street.

00:46:27And

00:46:28if I

00:46:28remember

00:46:29correctly,

00:46:29you

00:46:29were the

00:46:30one

00:46:30begging

00:46:30me

00:46:30to

00:46:30take

00:46:31you

00:46:31in.

00:46:31You

00:46:32said

00:46:32if

00:46:32you

00:46:32didn't

00:46:33make

00:46:33money,

00:46:33your

00:46:33father

00:46:34would

00:46:34force

00:46:34you

00:46:34back

00:46:34home

00:46:35to

00:46:35marry

00:46:35that

00:46:35drunk

00:46:36who

00:46:36beat

00:46:36his

00:46:36wife.

00:46:37A

00:46:37life

00:46:38trapped

00:46:38in

00:46:38poverty,

00:46:39in

00:46:40violence,

00:46:41raising

00:46:45park

00:46:45until

00:46:45it

00:46:45broke

00:46:46you.

00:46:46That

00:46:47was

00:46:47your

00:46:47future.

00:46:48Her

00:46:49face

00:46:49flushed

00:46:49as I

00:46:50exposed

00:46:50everything

00:46:51in front

00:46:51of

00:46:51everyone.

00:46:52For

00:46:53a

00:46:53moment,

00:46:53she

00:46:54faltered.

00:46:55Then,

00:46:55just as

00:46:56quickly,

00:46:57she

00:46:57doubled

00:46:58down.

00:46:59So

00:47:00what?

00:47:01You

00:47:01gave

00:47:02me a

00:47:02job?

00:47:03Paid

00:47:03me?

00:47:03I

00:47:04worked

00:47:04for

00:47:05it!

00:47:05I

00:47:05gave

00:47:06you

00:47:06my

00:47:06youth!

00:47:06I

00:47:06let

00:47:07out

00:47:07a

00:47:07short,

00:47:07disbelieving

00:47:08laugh,

00:47:09my

00:47:09voice

00:47:10trembling.

00:47:11Worked

00:47:11for

00:47:11it?

00:47:13You

00:47:14mean

00:47:14sending

00:47:14your

00:47:15cheap

00:47:15clothes

00:47:16to

00:47:16high-end

00:47:17dry

00:47:17cleaners

00:47:17on

00:47:18my

00:47:18account?

00:47:19Ordering

00:47:19from

00:47:19five-star

00:47:20restaurants

00:47:20every

00:47:21day

00:47:21and

00:47:21charging

00:47:22it

00:47:22to

00:47:22me?

00:47:24Or

00:47:25taking

00:47:25my

00:47:25Porsche

00:47:26out

00:47:26to

00:47:26clubs

00:47:26under

00:47:27my

00:47:27name

00:47:27trying

00:47:28to

00:47:28hook

00:47:28rich

00:47:28men?

00:47:30You

00:47:30were

00:47:30never

00:47:31grateful.

00:47:32People

00:47:33like

00:47:33you

00:47:33don't

00:47:33know

00:47:33how

00:47:33to

00:47:34be.

00:47:34You

00:47:35belong

00:47:35at

00:47:35the

00:47:35bottom,

00:47:36rotting

00:47:37there.

00:47:37The

00:47:38moment

00:47:38someone

00:47:38shows

00:47:39you

00:47:39kindness,

00:47:39you

00:47:40think

00:47:40you're

00:47:40entitled

00:47:40to

00:47:41everything.

00:47:42You

00:47:42think

00:47:45mouth

00:47:45to

00:47:45scream

00:47:46back,

00:47:46but

00:47:46Sebastian

00:47:47had

00:47:47enough.

00:47:48His

00:47:49voice

00:47:49cracked

00:47:49through

00:47:50the

00:47:50hall

00:47:50like

00:47:50thunder.

00:47:51Enough!

00:47:56He

00:47:56stepped

00:47:57forward,

00:47:57his

00:47:58expression

00:47:58cold

00:47:58and

00:47:59severe.

00:48:01You

00:48:01blind,

00:48:02arrogant

00:48:02fool.

00:48:03Do

00:48:03you

00:48:03even

00:48:04know

00:48:04who

00:48:04she

00:48:05is?

00:48:05His

00:48:05voice

00:48:06rose,

00:48:07sharp

00:48:07and

00:48:07unforgiving.

00:48:08She

00:48:08is the

00:48:09ninth

00:48:09consort

00:48:10queen

00:48:10personally

00:48:11taken

00:48:11by

00:48:11Ajesty

00:48:12the

00:48:12Underlord,

00:48:13and

00:48:13you

00:48:13dared

00:48:14to

00:48:14scheme

00:48:14against

00:48:15her.

00:48:15You

00:48:16think

00:48:16someone

00:48:16like

00:48:16you

00:48:17can

00:48:17touch

00:48:17her?

00:48:19Vanessa

00:48:20froze.

00:48:21Her

00:48:21expression

00:48:22locked

00:48:22in

00:48:22place,

00:48:23as if

00:48:23her

00:48:24mind

00:48:24had

00:48:24simply

00:48:25stopped

00:48:25working.

00:48:27All

00:48:28this

00:48:28time,

00:48:29she

00:48:29had

00:48:29only

00:48:30seen

00:48:30the

00:48:30surface.

00:48:31My

00:48:32immortality.

00:48:33My

00:48:33wealth.

00:48:34To

00:48:35her,

00:48:35I was

00:48:36just a

00:48:36lucky

00:48:37anomaly.

00:48:38She

00:48:38had

00:48:38never

00:48:39imagined

00:48:39what

00:48:39stood

00:48:40behind

00:48:40it.

00:48:41Harris

00:48:41looked

00:48:42even

00:48:42worse.

00:48:43His

00:48:43face

00:48:43was

00:48:44drained

00:48:44of

00:48:44all

00:48:44life.

00:48:45His

00:48:45eyes

00:48:45unfocused.

00:48:47Back

00:48:47then,

00:48:48he had

00:48:48recognized

00:48:49me.

00:48:49He

00:48:50must have

00:48:50assumed

00:48:51that after

00:48:51centuries,

00:48:52Lucian,

00:48:53and I had

00:48:54nothing to do

00:48:55with each other

00:48:55anymore.

00:48:56That I was no

00:48:57longer under

00:48:58his protection.

00:48:59So he took

00:49:00the risk.

00:49:01For money.

00:49:03Now,

00:49:03with my identity

00:49:04revealed,

00:49:05there was no

00:49:05escaping the

00:49:06consequences.

00:49:07I turned

00:49:08slightly and

00:49:09noticed Cole

00:49:09standing quietly

00:49:10in the shadows.

00:49:12He had not

00:49:12said a word.

00:49:13His expression

00:49:14was grim,

00:49:16weighed down

00:49:16with frustration.

00:49:18Out of

00:49:18everyone here,

00:49:19he was the

00:49:20only one who

00:49:20had done

00:49:21nothing wrong.

00:49:22He had

00:49:22carried out

00:49:23his duties

00:49:23faithfully,

00:49:24only to be

00:49:25dragged into

00:49:26this mess

00:49:26by corrupt

00:49:27subordinates.

00:49:28He had

00:49:29almost discovered

00:49:30me that

00:49:30day.

00:49:31Almost.

00:49:32The two

00:49:33guards and

00:49:33the sorcerer,

00:49:34upon hearing

00:49:35the words

00:49:35consort

00:49:36queen,

00:49:37collapsed.

00:49:38Completely.

00:49:39They did

00:49:39not even

00:49:40have the

00:49:40strength to

00:49:41beg.

00:49:42As for

00:49:42me,

00:49:43I felt

00:49:43nothing.

00:49:44No pride.

00:49:46No satisfaction.

00:49:47Just emptiness.

00:49:48I was nothing

00:49:49more than one

00:49:50of many in

00:49:50Lucian's

00:49:51long life.

00:49:52Just another

00:49:53woman who

00:49:54had passed

00:49:55through it.

00:49:56There was

00:49:56nothing to be

00:49:57proud of.

00:50:00And I knew

00:50:01better than to

00:50:02underestimate him.

00:50:03This was not

00:50:04just about

00:50:05avenging me.

00:50:06This was about

00:50:06maintaining the

00:50:07authority of the

00:50:08underworld.

00:50:09The ones

00:50:10who had

00:50:10harmed me

00:50:11were dragged

00:50:11away.

00:50:12Into the

00:50:13deepest parts

00:50:14of hell.

00:50:14They would

00:50:15suffer everything

00:50:16I had

00:50:16suffered.

00:50:17A hundred

00:50:18times over.

00:50:19Cole was

00:50:20punished as

00:50:21well.

00:50:21For

00:50:22negligence.

00:50:23For failing

00:50:24to notice

00:50:24what was

00:50:25happening under

00:50:26his watch.

00:50:27Lucian ordered

00:50:28him to the

00:50:28river Styx for

00:50:29a year of the

00:50:30harshest labor.

00:50:31As for me,

00:50:32the victim,

00:50:33Lucian took

00:50:34me back to

00:50:35the first

00:50:35circle of

00:50:36hell.

00:50:36And made

00:50:37me watch.

00:50:38The winds

00:50:39howled through

00:50:40the first

00:50:40circle.

00:50:41Vanessa was

00:50:42bound to

00:50:42the execution

00:50:43platform.

00:50:44Her limbs

00:50:44stretched out,

00:50:45chained in.

00:50:46Place.

00:50:47Under the

00:50:48control of

00:50:48demonic

00:50:49executioners,

00:50:50thousands of

00:50:51red-hot

00:50:51soul-piercing.

00:50:52Spikes drove

00:50:53slowly into

00:50:54her body,

00:50:55one by one,

00:50:57from every

00:50:57angle.

00:50:58She was

00:50:59turned into

00:51:00a screaming,

00:51:01writhing

00:51:01pincushion.

00:51:02The executioners

00:51:03were precise,

00:51:05cruel,

00:51:05but controlled.

00:51:06They avoided

00:51:08her soul

00:51:08core.

00:51:09They wanted

00:51:10her alive.

00:51:11Alive enough

00:51:12to feel

00:51:12everything,

00:51:13so she

00:51:14would not

00:51:14die,

00:51:15only suffer,

00:51:17endlessly.

00:51:18At last,

00:51:19fear broke

00:51:20through her

00:51:20madness.

00:51:23Her face

00:51:24was soaked

00:51:24with tears

00:51:24and mucus.

00:51:25Her voice

00:51:26was worse

00:51:26as she cried

00:51:26out to me,

00:51:27Serafina.

00:51:29I was

00:51:29wrong.

00:51:30I know

00:51:30I was

00:51:31wrong.

00:51:32I lost

00:51:32my mind.

00:51:34I shouldn't

00:51:35have done

00:51:36that to

00:51:36you.

00:51:37Please,

00:51:38make him

00:51:39stop.

00:51:40I'm the

00:51:40worst.

00:51:41I'm not

00:51:42even human.

00:51:43I was

00:51:44jealous of

00:51:44you,

00:51:45your looks,

00:51:46your youth,

00:51:47your life

00:51:48in Manhattan,

00:51:49all that money

00:51:50you could

00:51:50never spend.

00:51:51And me,

00:51:52always depending

00:51:53on you.

00:51:55I didn't

00:51:56want to

00:51:56become a

00:51:57murderer.

00:51:57It was

00:51:58you.

00:51:59You told

00:52:00me your

00:52:00secret when

00:52:01you were

00:52:01drunk.

00:52:03Do you

00:52:03know how

00:52:04tempting

00:52:04immortality

00:52:05and welfare?

00:52:06No one

00:52:07could resist

00:52:08that.

00:52:09Not just

00:52:09me.

00:52:10Anyone

00:52:10would have

00:52:11done the

00:52:11same.

00:52:12You can't

00:52:12blame me

00:52:13for everything.

00:52:15Even now,

00:52:16she was still

00:52:17shifting the

00:52:17blame.

00:52:19I told

00:52:20you because

00:52:20I trusted

00:52:21you.

00:52:22Because I

00:52:22believed you

00:52:23were my

00:52:23friend.

00:52:24In all

00:52:24these

00:52:25centuries,

00:52:25I've seen

00:52:26how cruel

00:52:27people can

00:52:27be.

00:52:29I never

00:52:30told anyone

00:52:30else.

00:52:32You made

00:52:33your choice.

00:52:34My voice

00:52:35was calm,

00:52:36but heavy

00:52:37with disappointment.

00:52:38Her words

00:52:39caught in

00:52:39her throat.

00:52:40For the

00:52:41first time,

00:52:42she fell

00:52:42silent.

00:52:43Maybe,

00:52:44in the

00:52:45middle of

00:52:45all that

00:52:45pain,

00:52:46she finally

00:52:47understood.

00:52:52What she

00:52:53had thrown

00:52:54away,

00:52:55what she

00:52:55had destroyed,

00:52:57she had

00:52:57betrayed

00:52:58kindness,

00:52:59betrayed

00:52:59trust,

00:53:01for greed

00:53:01that had

00:53:02no bottom.

00:53:03And now,

00:53:04this was the

00:53:04price.

00:53:05She deserved

00:53:06it.

00:53:07She took

00:53:07a life,

00:53:09betrayed

00:53:09someone who

00:53:10saved her.

00:53:11She deserved

00:53:12hell.

00:53:12And worse,

00:53:13she had

00:53:14conspired with

00:53:15dark sorcery

00:53:15to steal

00:53:16my lifespan,

00:53:17defying the

00:53:18natural order

00:53:19itself.

00:53:20That made

00:53:21her crimes

00:53:21even greater.

00:53:22I watched

00:53:23as her body

00:53:24convulsed on

00:53:25the platform,

00:53:26and I knew

00:53:27she would

00:53:27never leave

00:53:28this place.

00:53:29Not in

00:53:30this life.

00:53:31Not ever.

00:53:32What surprised

00:53:33me was how

00:53:35fragile a

00:53:35wicked soul

00:53:36could be.

00:53:37Vanessa did

00:53:37not even make

00:53:38it through a

00:53:39full round of

00:53:39punishment.

00:53:40Her soul

00:53:41was far too

00:53:42fragile.

00:53:43It collapsed

00:53:44completely before

00:53:45the first cycle

00:53:46was finished.

00:53:47In the end,

00:53:48she was

00:53:49dragged into

00:53:50the second

00:53:50circle of

00:53:51hell,

00:53:52where the

00:53:52hellfire that

00:53:53burns away

00:53:53all sin

00:53:54reduced her

00:53:55to nothing

00:53:56but ash.

00:53:57Not even

00:53:58reincarnation

00:53:59remained for

00:53:59her.

00:54:00Among all

00:54:01of them,

00:54:01the one who

00:54:02lasted the

00:54:02longest was

00:54:03the sorcerer.

00:54:04He truly

00:54:05had some

00:54:06skill.

00:54:07His soul

00:54:07was unusually

00:54:08solid.

00:54:09Otherwise,

00:54:10he never

00:54:10could have.

00:54:11activated that

00:54:12forbidden

00:54:13demonic

00:54:13pact circle

00:54:14and nearly

00:54:15transferred my

00:54:15life to

00:54:16Vanessa.

00:54:18He endured

00:54:18layer after

00:54:19layer of

00:54:20torment.

00:54:21In the end,

00:54:22he met his

00:54:22fate in the

00:54:23sixth circle

00:54:24of hell,

00:54:25the abyss

00:54:25of demons.

00:54:26There was no

00:54:27light there,

00:54:28only endless

00:54:29darkness and

00:54:30hunger.

00:54:31Ancient demons

00:54:32that had been

00:54:32trapped for

00:54:33countless centuries

00:54:34lurked in that

00:54:35abyss.

00:54:38vicious and

00:54:39insatiable.

00:54:40The moment a

00:54:41soul with even

00:54:42a trace of

00:54:42energy entering

00:54:43its way,

00:54:44would swarm it

00:54:45instantly,

00:54:46tearing it

00:54:46apart and

00:54:47devouring it

00:54:47piece by

00:54:48piece.

00:54:48As for

00:54:49Harris and

00:54:50the corrupt

00:54:50guards,

00:54:51they were

00:54:51stripped of

00:54:52their ranks

00:54:52and cast

00:54:53into the

00:54:54boiling tar pit

00:54:55of the

00:54:55fourth circle.

00:54:56They struggled

00:54:57and sank

00:54:58over and

00:54:59over,

00:54:59their bodies

00:55:00exploding under

00:55:01the scorching.

00:55:02Tar burned

00:55:03inside and

00:55:04out.

00:55:04None of

00:55:05them would

00:55:06ever return.

00:55:07When it

00:55:07was all

00:55:08over,

00:55:09Lucien

00:55:09turned to

00:55:10look at

00:55:10me.

00:55:11Under the

00:55:11dim,

00:55:12flickering glow

00:55:13of hellfire,

00:55:14his gaze

00:55:14burned with

00:55:15something,

00:55:16complicated.

00:55:18You really

00:55:18are fearless.

00:55:21After seeing

00:55:22all this,

00:55:22you're not

00:55:22afraid at

00:55:23all.

00:55:24No wonder

00:55:25you walked

00:55:25away back

00:55:26then without

00:55:26hesitating,

00:55:27even after

00:55:28everything I

00:55:28said.

00:55:29Hearing him

00:55:30bring up

00:55:30the past

00:55:31made my

00:55:31chest

00:55:32tighten.

00:55:32I lowered

00:55:33my head,

00:55:34my hair

00:55:35falling forward

00:55:36to hide

00:55:36my face.

00:55:37I did

00:55:38not want

00:55:38him to

00:55:39see what

00:55:39I had

00:55:39become.

00:55:40He knew

00:55:41better than

00:55:41anyone how

00:55:42much I

00:55:42cared about

00:55:43my appearance.

00:55:44Back in

00:55:45the human

00:55:45world,

00:55:46I had

00:55:46always been

00:55:47meticulous,

00:55:48elegant,

00:55:49the center

00:55:50of attention

00:55:51wherever I

00:55:52went.

00:55:53That was

00:55:54why so

00:55:54many men

00:55:55had been

00:55:55drawn to

00:55:56me.

00:55:56Just like

00:55:57Vanessa

00:55:57said,

00:55:58that I

00:55:59attracted

00:55:59them all,

00:56:00but I

00:56:01never did

00:56:01it for

00:56:02them.

00:56:02I did

00:56:03it for

00:56:04myself,

00:56:04to make

00:56:05the long,

00:56:06endless years

00:56:07a little

00:56:08more bearable.

00:56:11What's the

00:56:11point of

00:56:12bringing that

00:56:12up now?

00:56:14Forcing my

00:56:14tone steady.

00:56:21the people

00:56:22who betrayed

00:56:22me are

00:56:23gone.

00:56:24So now

00:56:24what?

00:56:25Is it

00:56:26my turn?

00:56:27Something in

00:56:28my words

00:56:29struck him,

00:56:30hard.

00:56:31His expression

00:56:32darkened

00:56:32instantly.

00:56:33With a cold

00:56:34snort, he

00:56:35turned and

00:56:36left without.

00:56:37Another

00:56:37word, his

00:56:39back rigid

00:56:39with anger.

00:56:40I stood

00:56:41there,

00:56:41confused.

00:56:43Wasn't

00:56:44he the

00:56:44one who

00:56:44had sworn

00:56:45to throw

00:56:45me into

00:56:46the lake

00:56:46of fire?

00:56:49Now I

00:56:49asked, and

00:56:51he got

00:56:51angry?

00:56:52After he

00:56:52left, Sebastian

00:56:54did not

00:56:54follow immediately.

00:56:55He paused,

00:56:57turned back

00:56:57to me, and

00:56:58let out a

00:56:59long, helpless

00:57:00sigh.

00:57:03My

00:57:03queen, do

00:57:05you truly not

00:57:06understand his

00:57:06majesty's feelings,

00:57:07or are you

00:57:08pretending not to

00:57:09just provoke him?

00:57:10I looked

00:57:11up, puzzled.

00:57:14Understand

00:57:14what?

00:57:16Doesn't he

00:57:17want me

00:57:17dead?

00:57:19Sebastian

00:57:19sighed again,

00:57:20as if the

00:57:21answer were

00:57:21painfully

00:57:22obvious.

00:57:23His majesty

00:57:24has never

00:57:24let you

00:57:24go, not

00:57:26once.

00:57:27He may

00:57:28seem cold,

00:57:28but he has

00:57:29always kept

00:57:30you in his

00:57:30heart.

00:57:31He could

00:57:32not bear the

00:57:33thought of you

00:57:33suffering through

00:57:34another mortal

00:57:35life.

00:57:35He could

00:57:36not bear to

00:57:37see you struggle

00:57:37in poverty

00:57:38again.

00:57:40That is

00:57:41why he

00:57:41gave you

00:57:41everything.

00:57:42These

00:57:43past years

00:57:44in the

00:57:44human

00:57:44world,

00:57:46you lived

00:57:46well, didn't

00:57:47you?

00:57:47I froze.

00:57:49And do

00:57:50you know

00:57:50how he

00:57:52spent those

00:57:52same years

00:57:53without you?

00:57:54My heart

00:57:55skipped.

00:57:58He

00:57:59dismissed

00:57:59every

00:58:00consort in

00:58:00the palace

00:58:01after you

00:58:01left.

00:58:02Not one

00:58:03remained.

00:58:04And

00:58:05whenever he

00:58:06had time,

00:58:07he would

00:58:07go to the

00:58:08human

00:58:08world in

00:58:08secret.

00:58:10just to

00:58:10watch you.

00:58:12He is

00:58:12too proud

00:58:13to admit

00:58:13his

00:58:14feelings.

00:58:15And

00:58:15you?

00:58:16You

00:58:17never

00:58:17looked

00:58:18back.

00:58:19Not

00:58:19once in

00:58:20all these

00:58:20centuries.

00:58:21He paused,

00:58:23then his

00:58:23voice grew

00:58:24heavier.

00:58:25Do you

00:58:26understand

00:58:26what it

00:58:27means to

00:58:27erase a

00:58:28name from

00:58:28the

00:58:28ledger

00:58:29of

00:58:29souls?

00:58:30It

00:58:30violates

00:58:31the

00:58:31very

00:58:31laws

00:58:32of

00:58:32existence.

00:58:33The

00:58:34backlash

00:58:34alone

00:58:35is

00:58:35enough

00:58:35to

00:58:35bring

00:58:36divine

00:58:36punishment

00:58:37and your

00:58:38endless

00:58:38lifespan.

00:58:40It did

00:58:41not come

00:58:41from

00:58:41nowhere.

00:58:43He

00:58:44used the

00:58:45power of

00:58:45his divine

00:58:46core of

00:58:46death to

00:58:47sustain it.

00:58:48Each word

00:58:48hit me like

00:58:49a blow.

00:58:50I stood

00:58:50frozen,

00:58:51unable to

00:58:52move,

00:58:53my thoughts

00:58:53spiraling.

00:58:54All this

00:58:55time,

00:58:55what I

00:58:56thought was

00:58:57punishment

00:58:57was protection,

00:59:00sacrifice,

00:59:00before I

00:59:02could

00:59:02process

00:59:02it.

00:59:03Lucian's

00:59:04voice cut

00:59:04through the

00:59:05distance.

00:59:07Sebastian,

00:59:08sharp,

00:59:08irritated,

00:59:09who do

00:59:10you serve?

00:59:11Get over

00:59:12here.

00:59:13Sebastian

00:59:13gave me a

00:59:14quick bow,

00:59:15said nothing

00:59:16more,

00:59:16and hurried

00:59:17after him.

00:59:18I was

00:59:18left alone.

00:59:20I wandered

00:59:21slowly along

00:59:22the shadow

00:59:22path,

00:59:23the air

00:59:23cold and

00:59:24filled with

00:59:24drifting spirits,

00:59:26but my

00:59:26mind was

00:59:27anything but

00:59:28calm.

00:59:33For the

00:59:34first time,

00:59:35I truly

00:59:36thought about

00:59:36what came

00:59:37next.

00:59:38Lucian was

00:59:38not going

00:59:39to kill

00:59:40me.

00:59:40That much

00:59:41was clear,

00:59:42but my

00:59:42body in

00:59:43the human

00:59:43world had

00:59:44already been

00:59:45destroyed from

00:59:46that fall.

00:59:47There was

00:59:48no going

00:59:48back.

00:59:49That left

00:59:50only two

00:59:51possibilities.

00:59:52Remain

00:59:53here as a

00:59:53soul,

00:59:54or

00:59:56reincarnation.

00:59:57But could

00:59:58I even be

00:59:59reborn?

01:00:00I was

01:00:01someone whose

01:00:01name had

01:00:02been erased

01:00:02from the

01:00:03ledger of

01:00:03souls.

01:00:04A being,

01:00:05outside the

01:00:06system itself.

01:00:07And then

01:00:08there was

01:00:08something else.

01:00:09Something I

01:00:10had not

01:00:11allowed myself

01:00:12to think

01:00:12about.

01:00:13After

01:00:13centuries

01:00:14apart,

01:00:15could what

01:00:16we had

01:00:16ever be

01:00:17restored?

01:00:18Back

01:00:18then,

01:00:18in that

01:00:19lifetime,

01:00:20we had

01:00:21been happy.

01:00:22Truly.

01:00:23But memories

01:00:24fade.

01:00:24Time

01:00:25changes

01:00:26everything.

01:00:27For

01:00:28hundreds of

01:00:28years,

01:00:29I had

01:00:30lived alone.

01:00:31Yes,

01:00:31the curse,

01:00:32or blessing,

01:00:33of immortality

01:00:34had made me

01:00:35think of him

01:00:35often.

01:00:36But was

01:00:37that love

01:00:37still there?

01:00:38That same

01:00:39intensity?

01:00:40I did not

01:00:41know.

01:00:42My thoughts

01:00:42were a mess.

01:00:43I had no

01:00:45answers.

01:00:45I walked

01:00:46without direction

01:00:47until exhaustion

01:00:48caught up with me.

01:00:49Eventually,

01:00:50I found a

01:00:51quiet corner and

01:00:52sat down against

01:00:53a cold stone,

01:00:55staring into

01:00:56nothing.

01:00:56Then suddenly,

01:00:58a piece of

01:00:59black fabric

01:00:59edged with

01:01:00dark gold

01:01:00patterns appeared

01:01:01in front of

01:01:02me.

01:01:02I looked

01:01:03up.

01:01:04Lucien had

01:01:05come back.

01:01:09I looked

01:01:10up at him.

01:01:11He still

01:01:11stood there,

01:01:13tall and

01:01:13commanding as

01:01:14ever.

01:01:14But the

01:01:15cold arrogance

01:01:16I was used

01:01:17to was

01:01:18gone,

01:01:18replaced by

01:01:19something

01:01:20awkward,

01:01:21almost like

01:01:22a wronged

01:01:22golden

01:01:23retriever,

01:01:24stubbornly

01:01:25refusing to

01:01:26admit it

01:01:26was hurt.

01:01:28What are

01:01:28you doing

01:01:29out here

01:01:29alone?

01:01:30He asked

01:01:30first.

01:01:31There was

01:01:31a hint

01:01:32of tension

01:01:32in his

01:01:33voice.

01:01:35Thinking

01:01:35about how

01:01:36to leave

01:01:36me again?

01:01:37I froze.

01:01:38I had

01:01:39never seen

01:01:40him like

01:01:40this,

01:01:41like I

01:01:41was the

01:01:42heartless

01:01:42one who

01:01:43had

01:01:43abandoned.

01:01:44Something

01:01:44that loved

01:01:45me completely.

01:01:46I took

01:01:47a slow

01:01:48breath,

01:01:48forcing

01:01:49myself to

01:01:49look away

01:01:50from his

01:01:50eyes.

01:01:51If I

01:01:52wanted to

01:01:52leave,

01:01:53I asked

01:01:53calmly,

01:01:54could I

01:01:54be reborn?

01:01:55My name

01:01:56was no

01:01:57longer in

01:01:57the ledger

01:01:58of souls.

01:01:59I was

01:01:59an exception.

01:02:01No.

01:02:02His answer

01:02:02came without

01:02:03hesitation.

01:02:04Anyone

01:02:04not in

01:02:05the ledger

01:02:05does not

01:02:06enter the

01:02:06cycle.

01:02:08You

01:02:08cannot be

01:02:09reborn.

01:02:09I had

01:02:10expected

01:02:10that.

01:02:11If I

01:02:11could not

01:02:12return to

01:02:12the human

01:02:13world,

01:02:13and I

01:02:14could not

01:02:14reincarnate,

01:02:15then there

01:02:16was only

01:02:17one path

01:02:18left.

01:02:19Stay

01:02:19here,

01:02:20in the

01:02:21underworld.

01:02:21Seeing

01:02:22me fall

01:02:23silent,

01:02:24Lucian

01:02:24seemed to

01:02:24misunderstand.

01:02:26His

01:02:26eyes

01:02:27reddened

01:02:27slightly,

01:02:28his voice

01:02:29rising despite

01:02:29himself.

01:02:30You don't

01:02:31have any

01:02:32other choice.

01:02:33Even

01:02:33knowing that

01:02:34you still

01:02:34won't choose

01:02:35me,

01:02:36you'd rather

01:02:36wander as a

01:02:37lost spirit

01:02:38than stay

01:02:38by my

01:02:39side?

01:02:40Something

01:02:41in me

01:02:41softened

01:02:41at the

01:02:42sight of

01:02:42him like

01:02:42this.

01:02:43I

01:02:44opened

01:02:44my

01:02:44mouth,

01:02:45wanting

01:02:46to

01:02:46explain,

01:02:47but no

01:02:47words

01:02:48came.

01:02:51My

01:02:52hesitation

01:02:52only made

01:02:53things worse.

01:02:54He turned

01:02:55sharply,

01:02:56clearly

01:02:56furious,

01:02:57striding

01:02:58away in

01:02:58long steps.

01:02:59But even

01:03:00then,

01:03:01he stopped

01:03:02just long

01:03:02enough to

01:03:03throw one

01:03:03last warning

01:03:04over his

01:03:05shoulder.

01:03:05You do

01:03:06have another

01:03:06option.

01:03:07Stay here

01:03:08as a stray

01:03:09soul.

01:03:10Just hope

01:03:10no guard

01:03:11mistakes you

01:03:11for an

01:03:12escaped

01:03:12demon and

01:03:13throws you

01:03:13into the

01:03:14abyss.

01:03:16and don't

01:03:17expect me

01:03:17to save

01:03:18you.

01:03:19His threat

01:03:20was so

01:03:20childish

01:03:21that I

01:03:21could not

01:03:22help it.

01:03:22I laughed.

01:03:24Quickly

01:03:25getting to

01:03:25my feet,

01:03:26I hurried

01:03:27after him

01:03:27and grabbed

01:03:28his sleeve.

01:03:29He

01:03:29stiffened,

01:03:30but he

01:03:31did not

01:03:31pull away.

01:03:32I'm

01:03:32scared,

01:03:33I said

01:03:34softly,

01:03:35tugging

01:03:35at him

01:03:36just a

01:03:36little.

01:03:37That

01:03:37part was

01:03:38not

01:03:38entirely

01:03:39true.

01:03:40That

01:03:40night,

01:03:41in the

01:03:41Obsidian

01:03:41Palace,

01:03:42he did

01:03:43not let

01:03:43me go.

01:03:44Centuries

01:03:45of longing

01:03:45and restraint

01:03:46finally broke

01:03:47loose.

01:03:48Lucian

01:03:48was like

01:03:49a starving

01:03:49wolf.

01:03:50Once he

01:03:51had me

01:03:51in his

01:03:52grasp,

01:03:52he refused

01:03:53to let

01:03:54go.

01:03:54My soul

01:03:55had not

01:03:56fully

01:03:56recovered.

01:03:57I could

01:03:58barely

01:03:58endure

01:03:58the intensity

01:03:59of him.

01:04:00More

01:04:01than.

01:04:01Once,

01:04:02in the

01:04:02overwhelming

01:04:03rush of

01:04:04sensation,

01:04:04I felt

01:04:05like I

01:04:05might shatter

01:04:06completely.

01:04:07Every time

01:04:08I tried

01:04:08to push

01:04:09him away,

01:04:09he had

01:04:10an answer

01:04:11ready.

01:04:11You

01:04:12are the

01:04:12consort

01:04:13queen.

01:04:13I

01:04:14have

01:04:14only

01:04:14you

01:04:15now.

01:04:18If you

01:04:19don't

01:04:19give me

01:04:20an

01:04:20heir soon,

01:04:21who is

01:04:21going to

01:04:21take over

01:04:22the

01:04:22underworld?

01:04:23I

01:04:23huffed

01:04:24in

01:04:24protest,

01:04:25half

01:04:25breathless.

01:04:26I

01:04:27don't

01:04:27like

01:04:27it

01:04:27here.

01:04:28It's

01:04:29dark

01:04:29all

01:04:29the

01:04:29time.

01:04:30Cold,

01:04:31empty,

01:04:32the

01:04:33human

01:04:33world

01:04:33is

01:04:34better.

01:04:35He

01:04:35pressed a

01:04:35kiss

01:04:36to my

01:04:36ear,

01:04:37his

01:04:37voice

01:04:37low

01:04:38and

01:04:38coaxing.

01:04:39Fine,

01:04:39once we

01:04:40have an

01:04:40heir,

01:04:41I'll

01:04:41hand

01:04:41over

01:04:41the

01:04:41power.

01:04:44I'll

01:04:44go with

01:04:45you,

01:04:45wherever

01:04:46you want.

01:04:47His

01:04:47promise

01:04:48stirred

01:04:48something

01:04:49in me,

01:04:50memories

01:04:50of the

01:04:51life we

01:04:51once

01:04:52had.

01:04:52I

01:04:53wrapped

01:04:53my

01:04:53arms

01:04:54around

01:04:54his

01:04:54neck.

01:04:55Can we

01:04:56go

01:04:56back?

01:04:56I

01:04:57asked

01:04:57quietly,

01:04:58live

01:04:58like we

01:04:59did

01:04:59before?

01:05:00Just

01:05:01normal

01:05:02people?

01:05:03Only

01:05:04then could

01:05:04I feel

01:05:04something

01:05:05real,

01:05:06not the

01:05:06distance

01:05:07between

01:05:07ruler

01:05:07and

01:05:08subject.

01:05:09Just

01:05:09him,

01:05:10just

01:05:10me.

01:05:11In

01:05:12the

01:05:12heat

01:05:12of

01:05:12the

01:05:12moment,

01:05:13he

01:05:13bit

01:05:13lightly

01:05:14at

01:05:14my

01:05:14neck,

01:05:15leaving

01:05:15his

01:05:15mark,

01:05:16his

01:05:16voice

01:05:16firm.

01:05:18Anything

01:05:18you

01:05:19want.

01:05:19I

01:05:19cupped

01:05:19his

01:05:20face,

01:05:20looking

01:05:21into

01:05:21those

01:05:21dark,

01:05:22intoxicating

01:05:23eyes,

01:05:24teasing

01:05:24him

01:05:24just

01:05:25a

01:05:25little.

01:05:25Didn't

01:05:25you

01:05:25say

01:05:26my

01:05:26name

01:05:26was

01:05:26erased?

01:05:27That

01:05:28I

01:05:28could

01:05:28never

01:05:28be

01:05:29reborn?

01:05:30He

01:05:31paused.

01:05:32Just

01:05:32for a

01:05:33second.

01:05:33Then

01:05:34his

01:05:34gaze

01:05:35flickered

01:05:35away.

01:05:36Caught.

01:05:37The

01:05:37next

01:05:37moment,

01:05:38he

01:05:39pulled

01:05:39me

01:05:39closer,

01:05:40more

01:05:40forceful

01:05:41this

01:05:41time,

01:05:42silencing

01:05:42me in

01:05:43his

01:05:43own

01:05:44way.

01:05:45After

01:05:45that,

01:05:46I

01:05:46stopped

01:05:46thinking,

01:05:47letting

01:05:48everything

01:05:48fade

01:05:49into

01:05:49the

01:05:49dark.

01:05:52time

01:05:53passed.

01:05:55We

01:05:55spent

01:05:55years

01:05:55in the

01:05:56underworld.

01:05:57Long,

01:05:58quiet,

01:05:59unexpectedly

01:05:59warm.

01:06:00We

01:06:01even

01:06:01had

01:06:02children,

01:06:03mischievous

01:06:03little ones

01:06:04who inherited

01:06:05his divine

01:06:05core of

01:06:06death.

01:06:06And in

01:06:07the end,

01:06:08he kept

01:06:08his promise.

01:06:09We

01:06:10returned.

01:06:11Back to

01:06:12the human

01:06:12world.

01:06:13Lucian

01:06:14used his

01:06:14power to

01:06:15create a

01:06:15new identity.

01:06:16He

01:06:17became

01:06:17the

01:06:18boy,

01:06:18next

01:06:19door.

01:06:19The

01:06:20one who

01:06:20had

01:06:20grown

01:06:21up

01:06:21with

01:06:21me

01:06:21under

01:06:21the

01:06:22California

01:06:22sun.

01:06:23We

01:06:23fell

01:06:24in

01:06:24love

01:06:24again.

01:06:25Got

01:06:25married.

01:06:26Bought

01:06:27a

01:06:27house

01:06:27by

01:06:27the

01:06:28ocean,

01:06:28with

01:06:28a

01:06:28garden

01:06:29full

01:06:29of

01:06:29flowers.

01:06:30We

01:06:31sat

01:06:31together

01:06:31on

01:06:32the

01:06:32porch

01:06:32swing,

01:06:33watching

01:06:33the

01:06:33sunset

01:06:34paint

01:06:34the

01:06:34sky

01:06:34in

01:06:35endless

01:06:35colors.

01:06:36One

01:06:37evening,

01:06:37as

01:06:38the

01:06:38light

01:06:38faded,

01:06:39he

01:06:39held

01:06:39my

01:06:39hand

01:06:40and

01:06:40told

01:06:40me

01:06:40quietly

01:06:41that

01:06:41during

01:06:41those

01:06:42centuries

01:06:43apart,

01:06:44he

01:06:44had

01:06:44watched

01:06:45countless

01:06:45sunsets

01:06:46like

01:06:46this.

01:06:47With

01:06:47me,

01:06:48even

01:06:48when I

01:06:49did

01:06:49not

01:06:49know

01:06:49he

01:06:50was

01:06:50there,

01:06:50a

01:06:51breeze

01:06:51passed

01:06:52through.

01:06:52I

01:06:53leaned

01:06:53against

01:06:54his

01:06:54shoulder.

01:06:55We

01:06:55looked

01:06:55at

01:06:55each

01:06:56other

01:06:56and

01:06:56smiled.

01:06:57This

01:06:57time,

01:06:58we

01:06:59would

01:06:59never

01:06:59be

01:06:59apart

01:07:00again.

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