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"Was it Prince Easton?" she demanded, her voice slicing through the air like a blade.

"No, of course not," Vyan denied immediately, his pulse quickening.

"Then who was it?"

His eyes couldn\'t help but drop to the scant inches separating their bodies, feeling utterly cornered by her intensity. The heat of her presence made his heart pound harder, each beat echoing in his ears.

"Vyan," she whispered, her voice both soft and commanding, "look at me."

He lifted his gaze, his breath catching in his throat from the ferocity in her eyes.

"I asked you a question. Answer me." One of her hands cupped his cheek while the other gripped the hilt of her sword; the difference of grip on each was astounding to say the least.

Come on, Vyan, why are you so nervous around her? Just spill the truth. Maybe… just maybe you can stop her from going on a killing rampage.

"It was my grandfather," he finally admitted, his voice barely a whisper. "I… uh, I lost Prince Ronan in the forest for a moment, and he walked in that exact moment and this happened. But," he continued, his voice gaining strength, "I am dueling him tonight to prove he can\'t treat me like this."

"Let me fight the duel for you," she proposed, dead serious. "I will kill him."

"Y-you can\'t kill him. He is a duke, you know?"

"I know, and I don\'t care."

Vyan sweatdropped. "Hey, just care a little bit, okay? You can\'t go around killing people at the drop of a hat—"

"A drop of a hat to you, maybe. Not to me," Iyana shot back, her eyes blazing.

He ran a hand through his hair, making it stand up like a startled hedgehog. "Look, Iyana, you are blowing this way out of proportion."

"He is the one who started it. How dare he look down on you and think he could get away with hitting you like that? Does he think no one will stand up for you?" She practically growled. "If he does, I will show him otherwise. He will never dare—"

"Iyana, stop." He gripped her shoulders, trying to steady the fireball she had become. "I get it, you are furious, but calm down. It\'s really not that big of a deal. Sure, he looks down on me, but I will prove him wrong in our duel tonight. You don\'t need to be angry for me."

"But—"

He placed a finger on her lips, silencing her. "I don\'t want to hear another word about it," he said sternly. "I will handle it."

"No," she responded defiantly, attempting to bite his finger, but he pulled it back just in time.

"Heavens, what\'s wrong with you, woman?" he exclaimed, eyes wide.

"And what\'s wrong with you?" she fired back, hands on her hips. "Why are you trying to shush me like a little girl?"

"Because you are acting like one," he retorted. "I told you, I will take care of it. What part of that don\'t you understand?"

She opened her mouth to argue but then closed it with a frustrated exhale of breath. Her shoulders slumped, and the fire in her eyes dimmed slightly. "I get it. I get that you will handle this, but I am just frustrated because I know why you are trying to quiet me down."

Suddenly, her voice softened with an unexpected vulnerability that caught Vyan off-guard. "Iyana…?"

She gently rested her head against his chest, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat soothing her turmoil. "I know it\'s because, even if I wanted to burst into rage against Duke Preaton and demand answers, I can\'t." Her voice cracked, betraying her inner pain. "Because... you and I have no official relationship, and more importantly..."

"You are the Crown Prince\'s fiancée," he finished for her. His words were a painful reminder, causing her heart to shatter.

Why can\'t I be yours? she thought as her arms subconsciously came to wrap around his waist, seeking solace in his familiar earthy scent of sandalwood and cedar—the comfort that Vyan\'s presence always brought her.

She could no longer deny that her feelings for Vyan had grown into something profound and uncontrollable. The spontaneous intensity of her emotions left her feeling like the very person she feared Easton might become—a cheater.

Emotional infidelity was still infidelity, wasn\'t it?

How was she any better than Easton, who always prioritized his work over everything, when she would prioritize Vyan above all else?

But she didn\'t want to feel this way. But what could she do? These emotions were beyond her control. They were overwhelming and relentless.

She despised cheating. She was absolutely disgusted by herself. If it were up to her, she would break off all ties with Easton, regardless of whether she could ever be with Vyan. It was one thing when her heart was empty, but now, how could she go through with this marriage when her heart belonged to someone else?

She still couldn\'t fathom why she had agreed to marry Easton in the first place. It definitely was the biggest regret of her life. If only there were a way... a way to break this cursed engagement—

Just then, like a ray of sunlight piercing through dark storm clouds, Vyan\'s hand gently touched her hair, stroking it tenderly. "But not for long."

"What?" She lifted her head from his chest, searching his face.

His eyes held a rare, gentle determination, free of any negative emotions. "I will set you free from this marriage. I won\'t let you suffer any longer."

His sincere words filled Iyana\'s heart with an overwhelming sense of relief. For the first time, she allowed herself to acknowledge a truth she had always known deep down.

Unable to form any words in her mouth, she tightly embraced Vyan. At that moment, she felt an undeniable sense of freedom wash over her as she repeated to herself in her mind, I love you. I love you, Vyan. I love you so much.