“I…I am sorry, Your Majesty…” she stuttered, shrinking back.

“Now, disappear from my sight.”

She left wordlessly, i finally rested on a chair and for a moment, the silence gave me a sliver of peace. Until the door opened again — slowly, hesitantly. I did not look up at first; my nerves were too strained.

“Your Majesty?”

The familiar voice made me lift my head.

“Lara? What are you doing here? Did you come to tend to the lady?” I asked.

“Yes, Your Majesty. And you should also rest… it is late, the banquet has ended, and the lady’s condition is stable. There is no need to worry. I will take proper care of her.”

Her voice was calm, steady — comforting. It always was.

Lara… she was the only one who understood me. Since childhood, when I was raised under relentless discipline — when every mistake was a crime and every tear a weakness — she stood beside me. When I was scolded for the smallest errors, left alone to endure punishments, she was the one who spoke to me, not the crown prince. She cared for my heart, not my title. Other women chased my status, my face, my wealth — never my soul.

But Lara… she was a gift from the heavens. A friend who never left.

“Your Majesty?” she waved her hand slightly, pulling me back to reality.

“Ah… yes. I will leave her in your care. Do not forget to rest as well,” I said, standing.

“Of course. But before that… the lady’s condition. Was it Miss Stella?” she asked.

I exhaled slowly. “Yes. She was behind it.”

“Then I presume you will take serious action against her… even if she is your friend?” she asked gently.

“I cannot, Lara. She is my friend. If word spreads, my reputation will suffer even slightly — and I cannot afford a stain on it,” I answered firmly.

“But what about justice for the lady?” she insisted softly.

“She needs only to rest, eat properly, and remain quiet,” I said.

“That is not enough. You are the king — you cannot embrace injustice for the sake of your own convenience,” she pressed.

“End of the discussion, Lara. Please take care of the lady and rest. Good night.”

I left before her disappointment could weigh on me more.

✨ BELLA’S POV:

*DREAM WORLD*

“Bella…? Bella Rosendale?”

Who is calling me?

I felt as if I were lying on a soft bed of flowers. The warmth, the gentle petals — I did not want to wake up. Everything felt too peaceful.

“You will regret falling for him.”

What? What did that mean?

Before I could understand, another voice echoed—

“Your Majesty! Please, do not hurt the lady! I—I will take the punishment!”

That voice… Alan?

Whip!

Whip!

My eyes flew open. Alan was kneeling, taking the blows — just like that day. Panicked, I ran toward him, but the moment I reached out—

He vanished.

Everything vanished.

The flower field dissolved into pitch-black emptiness — a void that felt painfully familiar.

“Bella?”

Her voice… it had been ten days. She said she would visit once every ten days.

“Long time no see…” I whispered.

“How is your chase going? Trying to make him confess?” Her mocking tone stung.

“Do you not see what is happening?” I snapped. “It is a mess!”

“That is true. I see everything. And I can say this — you are losing him.”

“Him? That Alex?” I scoffed. “Do not even mention him. He is the most toxic person I have ever met.”

“Yes, I can see your troubles clearly. And I can also see where your heart is turning instead… towards Alan?”

The moment she said his name, a tingling ache spread across my chest.

“I… I tried not to fall for him, but I cannot help it…” I whispered.

“And because of that love, he took those dangerous whips for you. You almost got him killed, Bella.”

“N-no… no! I did not! I only wanted to go outside with him! No one knew I loved him! I did not almost kill him!”

I fell to my knees, covering my ears as the phantom cracks of the whip echoed in my skull. Alan’s cries filled the void.

“No! I never wanted him to suffer! NEVER!”

“This novel is filled with pain and agony, Bella. You are barely at the beginning. Your duty is Alex, not Alan. Because now that Alex knows your situation… if he finds you with Alan, he will turn against him. Alan’s life is in your hands.”

“But what did he do to deserve such pain? It should have been me. He always refused to do anything with me — I forced him. I should be punished, not him.”

“Focus on Alex, Bella. If you want Alan to remain safe.”

Alan…

“No. I cannot make him suffer more. Those whips were enough to kill him. I will not go near him again,” I said, though the words felt like knives carving into my heart.

Suddenly memories flooded me — his smile, his warmth, his quiet devotion.

Then—

“My lady…”

Alan appeared before me, reaching out a hand.

Without knowing I lifted mine to reach him…

His gentle smile captured my soul.

But just as our fingers were about to touch—

He disappeared.

“Stay away from him, Bella,” the voice echoed.

My eyes grew heavy. My vision blurred.

Then I saw him again — kneeling, bruised, blood trailing from the corner of his mouth.

"Alan...?"I stepped toward him…

Then—

A blade pierced him from behind.

“ALAN—!”

I tried to reach him, but my vision dissolved into nothingness.

*BACK TO REALITY*

“AHH!”

I jolted awake from the nightmare — but it felt real. Too real.

Tears streamed uncontrollably down my cheeks. I tried wiping them, but they kept falling.

I threw the blanket aside, tried to stand — but my legs collapsed instantly as if I had forgotten how to walk. Pain struck my throat — sharp, slicing — but I crawled anyway.

“Alan… Alan!”

My voice barely existed. Poison still clung to my throat like invisible blades.

“Please… be alive… Alan…”

I sobbed helplessly.

“My lady?!”

Lara rushed in and lifted me gently onto the bed.

“Alan? Where is Sir Alan? I need to see him! Call him, Lara!” I begged, trembling.

“My lady, I will. But please… stop crying.” She wiped my tears carefully.

“Do not worry — Sir Alan is fine. Nothing fatal happened, though… there were complications. But first I must inform His Majesty that you finally woke up.”

“Woke up…? What do you mean?”

“You have been unconscious for five days, my lady.”

“What? Five days?!”

“Yes. The doctor said you would wake within hours, but you did not. His Majesty became furious — he nearly executed the doctor, but I managed to stop him.”

My heart dropped.

“And… Miss Stella? Did His Majesty take any action against her?”

“You- you knew it was her?” Lara asked, her eyes widened.