Chapter 20: No Tears Left

My eyes fluttered open, the dim light of a small room seeping through the cracks of the half-opened window beside me. The room was modest, a single bed tucked into the corner, and I could feel the unsettling heaviness of unfamiliarity clinging to the air. Where am I? I thought, though the question was almost too trivial to ask. Eugene. The memory struck me like a forceful wave—his sudden appearance, the desperate urgency in his eyes as he whisked me away.

The door creaked open, and Eugene entered, his presence a comfort yet a reminder of the chaos that had brought me here. I shifted, sitting up, giving him space as he settled beside me. I wasn't angry with him, but I couldn't help but wonder why he couldn't have gone about this differently, in a way that wouldn't put both of us at risk. He could have been shot on sight if the guards had found out.

"Hey… I'm sorry for kidnapping you," Eugene's voice was heavy with regret. He paused, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "I just… I heard about your engagement. Congratulations, I suppose? Princess Valentine?"

I nodded, unable to hide the bitterness that clung to the words. "Uh yeah- I just found out I'm a princess. But yeah, thanks."

"But Estevao? Are you out of your mind, Princess Valentine?" His gaze was intense, searching, but I couldn't offer him the answers he so desperately sought.

"Just Naeva I don't mind. Also yes, I know you're going to ask, but yes. I've never done right by anyone. I've been a burden, and I was the cause of my mother's death. Estevao... he gave me a chance to make things right. To stop the war."

Eugene's eyes darkened. "But you don't love him, do you?"

I swallowed, fighting the words that threatened to escape. "I'm trying. I will."

His gaze softened, but there was a deep sorrow beneath his words. "You know you're just going to hurt him more, right?"

"And you expect me to just turn away without trying?" The edge to my voice was sharper than I intended.

Eugene's shoulders slumped. "No, I don't expect that. But I promised I'd come back for you, and here I am. Please, be with me. Skyro's not chasing you anymore. Estevao... he's been nothing but trouble."

"He's changed," I whispered, though even I could hear the hesitation in my own words.

"Changed?" Eugene scoffed, his voice thick with disbelief. "He's never changed, Naeva. Come, I need to show you something."

I hesitated, unsure of what he was trying to prove. "I'm not sure I want to see it…"

"Please," he urged, taking my hand gently. "Trust me."

He led me through the quiet night, the air cool against my skin as we mounted his horse and galloped through the stillness. When we arrived at a secluded lake, Eugene helped me down, his touch grounding me in the moment, though my heart was already in turmoil.

"Look left," Eugene murmured, his voice barely above a whisper, but it carried an unsettling weight. He pointed toward a gazebo bathed in pale moonlight, the soft glow casting long, eerie shadows across the ground. I followed his gesture, my heart already sinking, and when I saw it, I froze. There, under the cold, indifferent light of the moon, stood Estevao. His hands were entwined with another woman's, their bodies close, his lips pressing against hers in a tender, intimate gesture.

A cold wave of betrayal washed over me, sharp and merciless. My throat tightened, and for a moment, I couldn't breathe.

"What's going on?" I asked, my voice fragile, trembling. The words felt hollow even as they escaped my lips. "That's just his friend, right?"

Eugene's voice sliced through the thick fog of my denial. "Are you really that naive, Naeva?" His tone was low, but there was an unmistakable edge of pain in it. "You're his fiancée. Don't pretend you don't see it."

I recoiled, the reality of his words crashing over me like a heavy storm. The ground beneath me seemed to tilt. My legs felt weak, and I stepped back instinctively, as though putting distance between myself and the scene before me could somehow make it less real.

"No..." The word escaped my lips in a breathless whisper. "They're just friends... I'm sure of it."

"You still believe that?" Eugene's voice was gentler now, but the hurt was undeniable. "That's not something someone does to a friend, especially not if they're in love. Don't you see it? You still have time before the wedding. You're not obligated to stay with him."

I shook my head, but it was more in denial than certainty. "I can't..." I murmured, my voice barely audible. "I don't want to break his heart."

Eugene's anger flared, a sharpness creeping into his words. "You still think that way? After this?" His tone cracked, raw and bitter. "He doesn't care about you, Naeva. Do you really think he'd treat you like this if he cared?"

I looked again, and this time, it felt like the ground beneath me gave way completely. Estevao's face—his smile, the affection in his eyes as he held her—pierced me in a way nothing ever had before. It wasn't the future I had envisioned. It wasn't the love I had so desperately clung to.

Before I could say anything more, the Queen emerged from the shadows, her presence a heavy, sorrowful weight in the air. Her eyes were red-rimmed, as though she had been crying too. "I'm sorry, Princess," she said, her voice laced with deep regret. "I never intended for you to be in this position."

My breath hitched. "Does he still love me?" I couldn't stop the question from escaping my lips. The need to know was unbearable.

The Queen's gaze softened, and she exhaled a quiet sigh. "He did… once." Her voice trembled, as though even saying it caused her pain. "But I've seen him with other women before. He's a player, Naeva. I'm sorry."

The words echoed in my mind, each one like a hammer driving the nails deeper into my heart. I couldn't comprehend it. I couldn't breathe. "So… he doesn't want me anymore?" I asked, the words tasting like ashes in my mouth.

The Queen didn't answer immediately. Her silence spoke volumes, and those unspoken words filled the space between us, suffocating me with their weight. Her sadness was palpable, but it only deepened my own sense of betrayal.

"Princess," she said finally, her voice breaking, "I'm sorry you had to find out this way. You have every right to leave. Please, take care of yourself."

The truth was a jagged shard lodged deep in my chest, and it was all I could do not to collapse under the weight of it. Estevao had promised me so much—he had given me these jewels, this engagement, this life that was supposed to mean something. And now... it was all a lie. I felt my heart splintering in a thousand pieces.

The necklace, the ring, the bracelet—each piece that Estevao had given me now felt like chains, binding me to a future that was never mine to begin with. I took them off one by one, each action a painful, deliberate release. I placed them carefully on the table, as though setting them down could set me free.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, my voice shaking, as I turned to face the Queen one last time. "I never meant to cause you pain."

Tears welled in her eyes, and she stepped forward, pulling me into her arms. The embrace was soft but filled with a sorrow that mirrored my own. As she held me, I felt the weight of the entire situation pressing down on me, and I closed my eyes, letting the tears fall freely.

When I pulled away, I did so slowly, the sense of finality settling over me like a cloak. The life I had hoped for, the love I had fought for—it was all slipping through my fingers. The loss was unbearable, and I didn't know how to make it stop.

I turned away, each step heavier than the last. But as I walked away, I could feel the truth settling deep within me—this was the end. There was no going back.

Eugene was still waiting, his hand extended. "Let me go with you," he urged.

"No," I shook my head, a tear slipping down my cheek. "I can't drag you into this. I'm not breaking your heart again."

Eugene's eyes softened, filled with unwavering resolve. "I don't care, Val. I love you. No matter what. I'll try my best to make you see that, even if it takes a lifetime."

My heart ached, torn between what I wanted and what I knew was right. With him at my side, I couldn't help but wonder if I was making the right choice.

As we sailed back to my kingdom, the night weighed heavily on my shoulders. What was I to do now? Why had Estevao used me? Was I only ever a pawn to him, a way to secure power? The thought stung, and I couldn't find the answers in the darkness.

When we arrived, the castle was eerily quiet, my family's laughter echoing in the distance. I was greeted by my brothers, their concern evident as they rushed to my side.

"Mei...?! Are you alright?!" Alas's voice broke through the fog of my confusion, a note of panic lacing his words. His face, strained with worry, was the first thing I saw as he rushed to my side.

I couldn't answer him. The pain was too raw, too overwhelming. I collapsed into Kyre's arms, my body trembling with the weight of the truth I had just uncovered.

"What happened?!" Kyre's voice cracked as he pulled me closer, his embrace strong but gentle, as if holding me together could somehow undo the hurt.

I could no longer contain it. The dam inside me broke, and I sobbed into his chest, my body wracked with uncontrollable grief. The tears poured out like a flood, relentless, as though they would never stop.

"He already has another..." I managed to choke out through my sobs, the words barely leaving my lips before the pain consumed me once more.

"Other what, Mei?" Kyre's voice was full of confusion, but I could see the concern in his eyes. He had no idea what I had just learned, and I didn't know how to say it.

"Fiancée," Eugene answered, his voice cool and measured despite the tension in the room. His presence was like a cold wind, but I was too lost in my own storm to notice at first.

"I'm Prince Eugene Archirilio from Archirilio," Eugene announced, bowing with a formality that felt so out of place in this moment. My world was crumbling, yet his words rang out as though they belonged to a different reality altogether.

"I KNEW WE COULDN'T FUCKING TRUST HIM!" Alas exploded, his face turning red with fury. He clenched his fists, his entire body vibrating with the force of his anger. I could feel the heat of it, even as I sank deeper into despair.

"Are you sure about this, Prince Estevao?" my father's voice rang out, cold and controlled. It wasn't anger he was showing, but something far worse—disappointment. And for me, that was the worst thing of all.

"Yes, Your Highness," Eugene said, bowing once more, his voice steady as he recounted the truth that had shattered my heart. "The Queen herself told us. We saw Prince Estevao with another girl in the middle of the night, telling her that he loved her."

The words struck me like a physical blow, sending shockwaves through my very soul. This wasn't just betrayal—it was a cruel mockery of everything I had believed. Estevao had deceived me, twisted my trust, and now, I was left standing here with nothing.

"FUCK! I NEED TO MAKE SURE HE KNOWS WHAT HE'S DONE!" Alas roared, his anger uncontainable. He spun on his heel and stormed toward the door, ready to confront Estevao in a way I could never have imagined.

"Alas…" I whispered his name, but my voice was too small, too weak to stop him. It felt like everything was slipping out of my grasp, and I couldn't even hold onto my own brother.

"I'm sorry, Father, but I need to..." Alas's voice trailed off as he headed for the door, his steps heavy with purpose.

"Brother, Father's right," Kyre's voice stopped him in his tracks. "We're not making enemies and creating wars."

"Kyre?!" Alas's voice cracked with disbelief. "I thought you cared about this—about her!" His words were filled with a mix of hurt and confusion, as though Kyre's calm demeanor was a betrayal in itself.

"I do… I care about her more than you could possibly know." Kyre's eyes were dark with emotion, his voice low and earnest. "But we cannot let our rage control us. We need to think about what comes next. Please… come with me. We'll talk about this."

"No," Alas said firmly, shaking his head. He didn't want to hear it. His heart was too full of anger, of the burning desire for retribution. But Kyre was unmoved.

"Just come with me," Kyre repeated, his voice a plea as he reached for Alas's arm, guiding him away from the door. "Let's go. We'll figure this out."

And just like that, they left, the sound of their footsteps fading into the distance, leaving me standing there, numb, as my world crumbled around me.

Alas's POV

I could feel the fury rising in me, hot and blistering, as I pictured the scene unfold before my eyes. My sister—the one person in this world I would move mountains for—had been utterly betrayed. Her fiancé, the man she had trusted with her heart, was betraying her in the worst possible way. My blood boiled, my hands shaking with a mix of disbelief and outrage.

"What the hell is wrong with him?" I roared, my voice cracking with a combination of rage and helplessness. How could he do this to her? To Mei? Who does he think he is?!

Kyre, always quick to react when anger surged, didn't miss a beat. His eyes, usually cool and collected, were now burning with a fire that matched my own. "C'mon, let's kill that jerk," he growled, the words dripping with venom.

His suggestion was blunt, but it struck a chord deep within me. I felt the same surge of adrenaline that Kyre did, the same impulse to act. This wasn't just betrayal—it was personal. And I would make sure that bastard knew exactly what he had done.

We didn't exchange any more words. The silent agreement between us was enough. I could feel the weight of my sister's pain pressing on my chest, but I pushed it aside for now. Revenge. Justice. Whatever you wanted to call it, it had to be done.

The thought of what he had done to Mei, what he had made her feel, only added fuel to the fire. I was done with words. He would understand soon enough.