[WARNING: This chapter contains mature contents and violence!!!!]
Upon learning of the quarrel between the empress and the nominal queen, the emperor's anger flared, especially since the queen became ill immediately afterward.
"How dare she mistreat Jena so!"
"She has wronged Jena; we must avenge this insult!"
These thoughts echoed in the emperor's mind, darkening his expression.
"Yes, I must discipline her for her actions against Jena."
Impatient for the empress's arrival, the emperor commanded his aide to escort him to her palace.
However, the aide did not lead him to the empress's abode but to the deserted mansion within the imperial grounds.
With a furrowed brow, the emperor gazed at the mansion, his mind teeming with questions.
'Why does she live here?'
The mansion bore the semblance of a haunted house, ever since his grandfather set the palace ablaze following the murder of his wife by the other concubines who resided there.
Since that day, the house has remained unentered.
He had not visited her in the empress's palace since her second miscarriage nearly a year prior.
Moreover, it had been half a year since he began summoning her to his side whenever he required her presence.
Thus, he was at a loss to understand why she was living in this place instead of the huge empress's palace that was assinged to her.
Nonetheless, the emperor managed to keep his emotions in check, despite the myriad of questions plaguing him, and entered the mansion with a heavy heart.
Upon laying eyes on him, Eleanora's face contorted with shock and fear, and she rose from her bed to welcome him.
"Your Majesty-"
"Leave!"
The command reverberated deeply in the chamber as Rena, though reluctant, nodded and exited, casting a final, concerned look towards the empress.
Her jewel-blue eyes pleaded with Rena to stay, but as the doors closed behind them, he advanced towards her with a large stride. Eleanora instinctively retreated in fear as he neared, but it was already too late...
The emperor strode up with long footsteps and grabbed her slender neck with his large hand, pinning her against the wall before him.
"Agh!!"
"Your Majesty... P-Please...,"
Eleanora whimpered out against his choke, struggling to breathe as she tiptoed.
Seeing her face turning pale, his hand loosened slightly as he felt a sharp pain in his chest.
It was crazy, but even in a moment like this; sparks erupt from where his hand touched her skin.
He always felt physically attracted and his emotions were in turmoil because of her, which he hated the most.
For wanting the empress, even if he hates her.
She was always able to make his emotions uncontrollable, drive him crazy…
The emperor always tried to keep her away from him for the last few months as she was not well.
But it always ended by calling her to him over and over.
He hates her, but sometimes he also questions himself…
Why does he hate her?
"Agh…cough!!"
Eleanora's coughs fought for breath, her jewel-blue eyes brimming with tears, her face growing pale—a sight that snapped him back to reality, teeth clenched as he relaxed his grip.
Why is his heart aching?
Her long eyelashes were damp, and her body shook from the lack of oxygen as she gasped for air.
A tight sensation gripped his heart, and as usual, he chose to disregard the troubling emotion.
The room was pitch black, and he could only make out her gleaming silver hair and jewel-blue eyes that sparkled in the faint moonlight streaming through the window.
"Who do you think you are to treat her that way?!"
Despite his initial reluctance, the emperor shouted in her face, making Eleanora wince as she opened her mouth to defend herself.
"Your Majesty... she came to me first and-"
"Enough!"
The emperor interrupted her with a fierce roar.
"I will not accept your excuses. Jena doesn't have your cold heart."
"What if your actions had stressed her enough to cause a miscarriage?"
"Would you really stop so low as to harm a child out of malice?"
As he finished, Eleanora gazed at him in disbelief, never imagining he could accuse her of such cruelty towards an unborn child.
How could she possibly hurt another's child when she herself had endured such sorrow twice?
The emperor continued to watch her, his heart racing with indescribable emotions he couldn't identify.
Despite her tears and the sorrow distorting her face, Eleanora's beauty remained, halting his words. A stray lock of her disheveled silver hair framed her forehead, and her jewel-blue eyes shone like stars of the night sky.
He could feel the height difference so clearly when he stood so close to her like this as she was a foot smaller than him.
"Look up at me, Empress and answer."
The Emperor commanded, yet she maintained her gaze downcast, blankly, to evade his stare.
Given that the emperor possessed fiery magic, it was inevitable that he was drawn to her icy enchantments. Her touch and fragrance were bewitching, enough to drive him to madness.
'I am losing my mind again…'
'It's all because of her!'
However, Eleanora inhaled deeply, attempting to explain herself one final time.
"Your Majesty, I would never initiate such an act. It was she who provoked me first—"
Eleanora's plea began earnestly, yet it was abruptly silenced by the sharp echo of a slap resonating through the chamber.
The emperor slapped her across the face extremely hard that, it left his fingerprint marks on her pale cheeks and a tear drop left her eyes in pain instantly.
Eleanora's vision blurred with tears, and her cheek burned from the sharp, stinging pain.
!!!
Even the emperor himself was shocked by his action, and his hands, which he used to slap her started to tremble.
'How could I raise my hands at her?'
'Why did I become so aggressive all of a sudden?'
'Why?!'
He looked at her in disbelief, her full lips quivering with pain, yet she remained silent, her heart numb with suffering.
And with that... she admitted her defeat.
'He slapped me because of her…'
Eleanora's insides turned icy as she remained silent following the slap. Already fragile, his subsequent words shattered the tiniest hope she had left, leaving her with a feeling of revulsion that made her insides twitch.
"You're nothing, Empress... Even if you bear me a child, your child will be nothing just like you. If you dare to hurt Jena again, I will make sure you regret it!"
The emperor found himself speaking against his mind and his headache got stronger as the urge to dive deep into her scent to calm down also increased.
'I need her…'
Not being able to bear the burning pain in his head, he leaned down to kiss her neck as soon as he whispered those cruel words to her without any care.
"You are only worth this and always will be!"
The moment his cold lips touched her skin, his body felt alive again in a way he had never experienced before.
It was burning with a need to embrace her and escape from everything.
Just as magnets are drawn to each other, he felt an irresistible pull towards her, and her alone.
There was only one time when he had been unfaithful towards her, which resulted in Jena's pregnancy even if he doesn't remember a single detail.
He doesn't even know why he declared her as the Queen and her child as the heir.
But all of those things started to disappear from his mind as he embraced her.
The terrible headache was gone like some magic.
But she felt dead inside and her lack of response irritated him.
He furiously pulled the ribbon of her dress, and it fell off from her upper body to the ground and Eleanora just let him do it.
Her expression was devoid of emotion, and her eyes appeared lifeless.
'Because he won't stop even if I beg… he will show mercy to a dog but not to me…'
'I am that much worthless to him…I should have known it.'
'He just thinks of me as a slut… who will spread her legs for him every time he asks for it like a hungry beast… I am only worth this much to him.'
Eleanora clenched her teeth, a bitter sensation swelling in her heart, and the impulse to push him away intensified. Yet, she stayed silent and unmoving.
'Break me how much you can today…'
'Because you aren't going to get another chance, Your Majesty.'
As he put his one hand on her waist while touching her slim thigh with another hand and pulled her closer to him, he could clearly feel the differences in her emotions as she didn't react to any of his touches like she always does.
Her face was devoid of emotion, while a frown of anger marred his features, perhaps directed at himself.
'I am really crazy…'
'I expect her to react to my touch when I slapped her with my hands and called her a slut indirectly.'
'And now I am shamelessly coveting her body once again for my own pleasure…'
'But still, it angers me when she ignores me…'
"Ahh!"
Eleanora jolted upright, compelled to place her hands on his shoulders to keep her balance as he lifted her up from the ground all of a sudden.
She looked at him for a second, before she closed her eyes tightly as she felt his lips on the hollow of her neck and let him continue with his filthy desires.
Hoping it ends soon as it has always.
From her neck, He slowly trailed his wet kisses to her chest and she clenched his clothes tightly.
Her eyes were still closed as she bit her lips to hold back her voice, which she didn't want to let out.
She didn't like how her body was reacting to his touches, it made her feel cheap and vulgar for feeling like that.
But his desperation to hear her voice was so intense, and his heart pounded so rapidly, that he feared she might hear it.
'I want to hear her voice…'
With that thought, he spins around her body and falls on the bed with her before climbing up on her.
"Umph!"
Eleanora whimpered in pain before looking away as he stared at her but unlike her shyness, her jewel-blue eyes no longer held any emotions.
It was cold and lifeless, akin to someone who had given up all hope.
She continued to gaze out the window, while he clenched his teeth in frustration at the sight.
'Why aren't you looking at me today?'
'Why aren't you letting out your voice anymore?'
'Are you trying to run away from me?'
"Empress... Look at me,"
He spoke as he gripped her jaw tightly before slamming his lips on her forcefully as she refused to look at him.
"Mmph-"
Eleanora tried to resist the kiss for the first time and a frown appeared on his face as he devoured her lips more roughly and tangled their limbs together to cage her under him.
'This is the same lips which must have kissed that woman.'
Eleanora thought as she struggled and he caught her wrists tightly in his grip before pushing them above her head; before hurrying to remove their remaining clothes.
His hands trailed on her naked body; while putting his body weight over hers to cage her under him completly. And after a few moment, Eleanora halted, aware that he might detect her pregnancy if she could not mask the baby's mana abilities amidst the struggle.
But he took that as a sign of her giving in to him and his tongue urgently searched for hers with the urge to explore her mouth. His hot body made her shiver down her sprain as she felt breathless because of his devouring kiss.
"Haah..!."
Eleanora started to pant hard as she was out of breath after he released her, but even before she could react again, she sensed something entering her.
"Agh!"
Eleanora hissed in sudden pain as she was unprepared for it and he groaned in pleasure.
He finally felt light-headed and at peace.
"Empress…"
Sweat dripped from his dark hair onto his fair skin, then fell onto her face, mingling with her tears as he continued to plump in and out from her tightness; groaning in pleasure, which also slowly turned the same for her as she was used to his roughness.
Eleanora bit her lips again to stop her voice as she clenched the bed sheets to not react to him and stop the urge to embrace him like she always used to do.
"Empress…"
"Mmph…"
Her body arched as he pushed himself deeper inside of hers roughly while calling her out, but she rather bit her lips to bleed than to respond.
He didn't like how unwilling she looked and thus he pushed himself deeper in her, earning another moan that she failed to suppress.
"Aaah..."
"S-Slow…"
Eleanora squeezed her eyes shut, pleading with him to decelerate, fearing the baby in her womb might be harmed by their haste and a groan came out from him as he felt his body becoming lighter and refreshing like it always does.
"Mmnn..."
Unwillingly, Eleanora also let out a very low moan, which sounded pleasing to his ears as he slowed down a little as she asked.
"Is it okay?"
Eleanora was momentarily taken aback; it was the first time he had heeded her plea and nodded.
Her shock deepened when he suddenly kissed her forehead.
Even he, himself was shocked by his actions and clenched his teeth, intoxicated by the melting sweet stimulation he was feeling, and pushed himself deeper into her.
Eleanora continued to gaze at him, her expression one of shock, as she trembled with slight, delicate shivers as he paced up his movements.
"Hahh…"
She unwillingly let out a soft whimper as he started to thrust deep into her core and continued to kiss her milky white skin.
For a moment, he couldn't shake the feeling that this embrace with her might be their last, as a sudden fear gripped his heart when she closed her damp eyes once more.
"Empress, look at me..."
The emperor's voice carried a nearly pleading tone, yet she remained with her eyes firmly shut, refusing to gaze upon him... even after the impact of his unexpected sympathy had remained.
This made him angrier and he lost control once again as he grabbed her slim thighs tightly before thrusting into her roughly.
"Aaahhh!!"
Eleanora hurriedly wrapped her hands around his neck as her body jingled due to his roughness and he made her sit up on his lap with a swift motion after grabbing her buttocks tightly with his rough hands.
"Aghh!"
"S-Slow!!"
"Haah…please!!"
"Your…Your Majesty!!"
She let out a hiss of pain, and he felt a sense of success as she finally vocalized her discomfort.
His edge hit her depths with every thrust and Eleanora dug her nails into his back sharply as she buried her face in his neck.
She no longer desired it; the pleasure she once yearned for now filled her with disgust and she bite his shoulder hard till she tasted blood in her mouth... continuing to scratch him deeply with her nails.
But he remained silent, allowing her to scratch him, a method she used to vent her anger, while he ran his fingertips through her silver hair.
"Empress…"
He panted heavily as he felt himself coming inside of her soon and fastened his pace urgently.
Her inside was wrapping around his flesh tightly and his face stiffened because of the pleasure he was getting from her tightness.
"Nora…"
!!!
"Eleanora…"
Names he had never uttered before now spilled from his lips, eliciting another look of surprise from her.
For the first time, he addressed her by her name, having always referred to her as 'You' or 'Empress'.
A heavy sensation settled in his heart, a premonition that he was on the verge of losing something invaluable.
"Ah…"
Eleanora could no longer hold back her tears, and they streamed down her cheeks as her eyes widened with a profound sensation.
After overcoming the initial shock of hearing her name—the one her mother used to call her—she finally returned his embrace.
Why only now?
Why did he call her name today when she had been waiting for years to hear it?
Meanwhile, the emperor's heart grew heavier as she returned his embrace, a nameless fear spreading within him.
'You used to smile at me, try to touch me, try to embrace me, why aren't you doing that now?'
He held her so close, as if he wished to fuse with her being, as though there were no tomorrow for the two of them.
At the deepest thrust, He let out a loud groan and she hugged him more tightly as he finally let out his release.
"Hah…empress…"
Tears continued to come out from her eyes, as it silently rolled down on his back that was full of scratch marks and she breathed heavily.
'It finally ended…'
Before he could return her embrace, she quickly pushed him away and drew the blanket over herself, while he looked on in anguish.
Her actions silently conveyed a message for him to leave; she no longer wished to see him.
He can go now, as he has fulfilled his filthy desires like always.
His heart began to weigh heavily with sudden guilt.
Seeing the coldness in her eyes, he was certain that any remaining feelings she once harbored for him had perished the moment his hand struck her face.
'Do you hate me now?'
'Are you also going to leave me?'
The mere thought of her disdain caused his heart to ache, and he found it exasperating. The headache he thought had subsided was now returning with greater intensity, prompting him to clench his teeth.
'Just what is wrong with me?!'
He reached out to caress her hair, but then, as was his habit, he stood up and adjusted his clothes with a sneer.
He cast a final look at her before shutting the door with a resounding thud, signaling his departure and Eleanora clenched the blanket that was covering her naked body filled with his scent.
.
.
.
'Only if I had never loved you…'