The choices of one's fate

" You useless brat!.. How dare you to displeased his Highness!! "As she pulled her hair abruptly She slapped Kiara's face so hard that its face had swollen up so bad from being smacked twice. Kiara's right hand was secretly clenched in anger as she thought of just finishing her off secretly and just dumping her body somewhere else. But Kiara chooses to just endure it until she will left the palace.

" Please forgive me Madam Helena, but I didn't mean for that to happen! Please Madame forgive me!" Bowing her head as she plead for its forgiveness, Kiara continued to play her act although she was extremely annoyed by what happened, Enduring it was the best thing she can think of.

" Enough!!!... I don't wanna hear any of your excuses 'cause you are fired!!!.."

" madam please hear me out."

" How dare you touch me!! You should be grateful that his highness spared your life!... If you still wished to live by tomorrow, leave this place immediately... You are dismissed!!!!"

Kiara's expression was filled with gloom on her face, as she bowed herself once again and left the office with annoyance.

As she walked into the hallway looking so pitiful as she played her role, contrary to how she looked right now, Receiving two slaps on her face enrages her with annoyance.

"The hell was that!!! I knew I had to play along but why did I get slapped twice?!!!" As she complained eternally, Kiara immediately went to her quarters and packed all her stuff into her luggage.

"But the fact that I was so petrified on how his highness got mad on the head Butler lately, Eyes filled with desperation and concern...It's like a love between a lion and a lamb." She thought as she sighed in excitement," I can't wait to see this young girl who tamed this stunning beast." She thought pleasingly in excitement as she left her quarters and left the royal palace with her pitiful act.

**************

Meanwhile, in Lucian's chamber. The small cut on Lucian's hand was immediately treated by a royal healer, as well as his mind finally can rest for a while, but still, he had to take care of those who don't know their place.

As soon as the healer left the room, Eugene was amazed at how he played his role and feel bad for their spy Kiara. It was at that moment when someone knocked at the door, and three sharp rapped on the door were heard.

" Your Highness, Lucian. It's the emperor's royal aid, may I come in?" Waiting for his response, Eugene looked at him worriedly as he also waited for its response.

At the moment of quiet silence, Kedrey thought of its silence as a rejection of what is he going to say, but he wanted to know if he'll grant his father's request, as at that moment he decided to just inform it from here on.

I am here to inform you that his majesty is requesting you to join him for dinner tonight in the —."

" I'm afraid that I can't come and join him, sir Kedrey."

" But your Highness!"

" I am not feeling well right now ..so maybe next time I would be glad to join him for dinner."

Hearing his refusal, the royal aid let out a defeated sigh as he thought that something like this could happen. Even if he was stunned at how he refused his father's request, like no one nor the empress consort rejected the emperor's request.

" I understand, I'll inform him right away, your Highness." The moment he left, Eugene stared at him with an interrogated expression on his face.

"Quit it Eugene! "He warned as he sat on a divan with his legs crossed.

" I guess you still —"

" Shut up..." His tonality was cold and firm at the same time, while Eugene immediately shuts his mouth and excuse himself to give him some space.

As soon as his adviser left his chamber, Lucian leaned onto his seat as he shut his eyes in anguish.

" My mind is in a total mess, Why can I just live with her normally? I—I feel so tired to think of anything else but her... I want to see you right now, I want you and only you....." He mumbled eternally as he yearned for her helplessly.

**********

As their spy, Kiara was successfully sent off on its mission. The news of a sudden dismissal of a servant from Lucian had been themed over by the gossipers in the palace and soon reached his stepmother, the Empress consort.

" He did that? "

"Yes, your majesty."

" I guess this little weak cub that I knew, had grown up as the king of the beast itself..." She mumbled as she smirked in excitement.

"let's see how much hatred and animosity that he has is in his heart, as I will make his life miserable in a way he will never forgive himself like the way I did to his father." She intoned with a teasing chuckle, A wry smirk followed with her evil laughter.

Excitingly waiting for Lucian's revenge as she sadistically watches how a young maid was being beaten by a whip on her loyal maids, The Young maid's back was being whipped back and forth to the point where her back was drenched with her blood.

Two days has passed as the 5 days before the grand coronation start, Every personnel at the royal palace was scattered like ants. As they prepare a grand banquet for Lucian's coronation as a crown prince, the fact that their still the second prince and the son of the archduke who was also chosen inline to the throne, it was obvious that Lucian will win the crown since the grand banquet was already appointed at the exact date as his 17th birthday.

"Did she already leave the capital?"

"Yes, your highness...Also, I've already given her everything she needs to know about lady Celine and I will assure you, your highness, that she will reach her hometown in three weeks...After that, she will immediately send a report on her current state." He

" What a promissory assertion of yours Eugene, but I would prefer to hear more results than just promises. also it would be better to just notify me when our spy sends her report as soon as she reached her hometown... " Cocking his head as he looked at his adviser coldly, then glared at the documents that were piled up on his desk, Lucian frowned as he leaned onto his seat to calm down. On the other hand, Eugene instantly obeyed him and soon after excused himself to take his leave. Just as he turned around to leave the office, he halt when Lucian spoke. He slowly turned his head back, knitting his brows as if he doubted his ears.

"Pardon, your Highness?"

"I said, What will you do if you had something that is enough to take someone to kneel to its knees, but your afraid to use it because you don't want someone's life will also fall to its ruins?" Asking for Eugene's advice, while tapping on the armrest of his seat. He started at him with a cold gaze in his eyes yet Eugene can already tell that he was serious and perplexed.

"Is he talking about his Highness Ezikiel, the 2nd prince?" He wondered as he looked at him calmly and said.

"Well, I think it would be better to first make an alternative plan that will make that certain person kneel on its knees until that strong evidence you had will no longer be marked as an option." Hearing his answer Lucian sighed lightly as Eugene's response was also the same thing he'd thought of.

" Is something wrong your Highness? Do you want me to prepare some green tea? To—"

"I don't need it, but I would like to be alone for a while right now." As he gave his adviser a cue to leave, The chance he could take his stepmother down was already on his side, but he doesn't also want to ruin Ezekiel's life as well.

Lately, before her spy, Kiara was sent off on its current mission. Their spy left him her last report of the empress, on top of that after he read it, her reports shocked him and made him think of it so many times.

Two days ago in Lucian's chamber.

*Knock!! Knock!! knock!!*

" Your Highness, it's your loyal maid, may I come in?"

Knowing it was their spy who'd come, he wondered." shouldn't she already leave the palace?"

" Yes, you may. "

As she enters his room calmly, she can feel his tranquil bewildering stare on her.

" Shouldn't you be leaving the palace right now?" He queried while looking at her marveling.

" Well, was just about to leave this place and I recalled that I should be sending this to you." She explained while holding a letter in her right hand. Hearing her reasons his gaze landed on her right hand as he waited for her another excuse. As she walked toward him, she slowly handed him the letter of her last report on the empress.

" Lately I was planning to just hand it over to Eugene but I think it's best if I deliver this to you myself." She explained while looking at him concerned.

Looking at her uneasy expression, Lucian immediately opened it without getting bothered by her uneasy expression, as she read her last report on the empress.

"This —" As soon as he read her report, Lucian's eyes widened from shock.

" I know what your thinking about this your highness, but I as well couldn't believe it.. and I swear that this is the whole truth of who the empress was.."

" Shut up..!"

As he read it again, Lucian still couldn't believe what he found out. A piece of strong evidence that will certainly undermine her and will even put Justice on her mother's death.

Like anyone in his case, finding out concrete evidence to make you or that certain person, will be given rightful justice, will indeed be celebrated and happy right now, right? but will you use it? If that concrete evidence means letting one of the most important people in his life be hated and be known by everyone in the empire for being a son of a criminal and a witch. Will he use it? Of course, it will be difficult for him to decide what should he do.

As he stared at Celine's handmade matched bracelet blankly, while reckoning about what should he do about this matter. A single snap of Eugene's finger made him lose the quiet silence.

Slowly lifted his gaze to his adviser who was waking him up in a deep daze.

" Your highness, are you alright?" He consulted.

" I'm just tired ...." He replied while avoiding his gaze.

"Exhausted?!! How can you feel exhausted just sitting in that seat of yours!!!! While I do everything around here! I should be the one saying that!" He complained eternally as he winced in distress.

"Sometimes I don't get you, your highness."