Blood dripping all over the floor, Ariah tried to crawl her way out of the palace. Her legs were painful. Her whole body was in pain but with all her might, she kept crawling. As she finally reached the door, she abruptly stopped when she saw someone's shoes in front of her along with a sword, blood dripping on its edge.

She lifted her gaze to see her husband, Grand Prince Elijah staring at her. The way he looked at her made her feel the shivers down her spine. It was cold… cold and sharp. His gaze was so indifferent, as if he didn't pledge his love and marry her months ago.

As if she's never been his wife.

"Y-Your Highness," she muttered, happy to finally see him. "M-My dear husband, I am so glad you came to my rescue. I—"

"You are no longer needed, Ariah," Grand Prince Elijah told her, the coldness and indifference in his tone were evident. "Now that the king's dead and Arabella is already mine, you are no longer needed."

"You-You are not serious about it, do you, Your Highness?" with a shaky breath, Ariah managed to ask.

"That's 'Your Majesty' to you, Ariah." She could see how he put the bloody crown the former king once wore on his head. "I am the new king of this empire."

He turned his back on her but she still managed to hold his leg to stop him.

"Elijah…" she muttered his name as her voice tremble. "Am I… am I nothing to you?"

He turned his head at her and with such a cold expression written on his face, he spoke. "You are nothing to me, Ariah."

Her tears rolled down her cheeks as she watched Grand Prince Elijah walking away from her. She saw how he carefully carried her unconscious sister Arabella right in his arms.

She never felt such affection from him even when they were still married.

"Burn the place and don't leave anything behind."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

She was angry. She was hurt. She was jealous. She wanted to scream. She wanted to say something but she stayed mummed because she knew that she couldn't do anything.

She watched herself getting engulfed by fire.