Elizabeth's heart raced as she took a deep, steadying breath before entering Prince Nicholas's chamber. The anticipation of this encounter had her pulse quickening.
Inside the room, her eyes immediately locked onto Prince Nicholas, who stood before the mirror with his back to her. A surge of anger coursed through her veins. This young man bore the responsibility for the tragic demise of her family and beloved slave girl, Aurora. Yet, she felt powerless to confront him.
Arlene, Prince Nicholas's head maid, nudged Elizabeth, "Say your greetings, girl," Arlene whispered, prodding her to kneel before her master.
Elizabeth's anger flared, and she resisted the idea of bowing to the brute who had caused Aurora's death. She refused to kneel.
Arlene shot a concerned look at Nicholas, who appeared to be preoccupied with adjusting his attire in the mirror, seemingly indifferent to their presence. "Have you lost your mind?" Arlene hissed, taken aback by Elizabeth's defiance. "Do you want to die?"
Elizabeth pondered her limited options and reluctantly knelt, her head bowed. "Your Highness," she greeted, her voice barely above a whisper.
Arlene breathed a sigh of relief, relieved that Elizabeth had chosen the path of survival.
Nicholas, still ignoring her presence, turned away from the mirror and approached where Elizabeth knelt. His eyes held a mocking glint. "You should have remained standing, silly girl. Perhaps then I could have taught you a lesson." He glanced at Arlene. "You may leave."
Arlene hurriedly departed, leaving Nicholas alone with Elizabeth.
"Rise up, slave," Nicholas ordered.
Elizabeth started to stand, but his stern voice stopped her in her tracks. "Did I say to get up, slave? Remain on your knees."
Elizabeth remained on her knees, her eyes ablaze with anger as she stared at him.
Nicholas chuckled darkly, astonished by her continued defiance. "You're despicable, a foolish girl. Do you dare to look at me with such insolence? You think I'm being harsh now? Just wait until I exact revenge for your father's atrocious deeds." He spat out his words, his anger visible.
Elizabeth's brow furrowed in confusion. Her father had done nothing wrong. "My father did nothing to harm you or your family. You're the one who infiltrated our kingdom, masquerading as a plumber's son," she retorted, shocked by the reality of the man she had once loved. "You're a liar, a murderer, and a..."
Before she could complete her sentence, a resounding slap struck her cheek, sending her tumbling to the floor. She cradled her throbbing cheek, tears streaming down her face as she glanced up at him.
"How dare you," he seethed, pointing an angry finger at her trembling form. "Do you want me to cut off that filthy tongue of yours?"
Trembling, she shook her head. "How could you do this to me?" Her heart ached with pain. "I can't believe I ever loved you."
Nicholas bent down, gripping a fistful of her golden hair roughly to face him. "You had better forget about love because I promise to make your life a living hell. It's payback for what your father did."
"What did my father do to you? Tell me!" Elizabeth yelled, her anger flaring.
Nicholas shook his head, his gaze falling to the ground before he released her and stood up. "Clean this place before I return."
He left, leaving her with unanswered questions. Elizabeth struggled to her feet, her confusion growing. What had her father done? She was certain he was innocent. Why was Nicholas so cruel to her? She wished he would reveal the truth.
With a heavy heart, she began cleaning the chamber. Her body ached, but the pain in her heart hurt even more. She had to keep fighting, for the sake of her brother, Arthur, the only reason she wanted to survive.
As she neared completion, footsteps echoed in the room, accompanied by hushed chatter. Elizabeth turned to see Nicholas entering with a woman with brown hair in tow. Her frown deepened as they passionately kissed, completely ignoring her presence. She sighed in relief, grateful that her cleaning was finally done, and she could escape this uncomfortable scene.
Elizabeth quickly wrapped up her cleaning duties, her heart pounding as she moved to leave. But her eyes widened in shock when she saw the woman on Nicholas's bed, already naked, with Nicholas on top of her.
A surge of anger coursed through her. She refused to tolerate this. With swift strides, she made her way to the door. Her hand reached for the handle, ready to escape this disturbing scene. However, Nicholas's commanding voice stopped her in her tracks.
"Turn around and come here, slave."
Elizabeth complied, though slowly, her face a reflection of concern. What could he possibly want now?
Nicholas disengaged from the woman and settled on the bed. "I said come here!"
Elizabeth hesitated for a moment but ultimately walked toward him, her trepidation visible.
"Good. Now, keep standing there. Don't make a move or sound."
She watched in mortification as he undressed and returned to the woman, engaging in intimate acts right in front of her.
The woman's loud moans filled the room, and Elizabeth seethed with anger. Memories of her own past with Nicholas resurfaced, the moments they had shared, and how she had lost her virginity to him. It infuriated her that he, a liar and a brute, would subject her to this humiliation. Tears welled up in her eyes.
"Harder, my Lord, harder," the woman groaned in pleasure, the sounds of their passion echoing through the room.
Elizabeth was appalled by Nicholas's behavior, knowing their shared history. To force her to witness this was beyond cruel. She had had enough. She would no longer be a doormat, allowing them to trample on her. She made a silent vow to fight back.
Her eyes blazed with anger, turning a fiery red as she watched their explicit display. Her stomach churned with revulsion. Nicholas would pay for this, and so would his family. For all the blood that had been spilled, Elizabeth swore that she would not rest until they faced the consequences. Right there, at that moment, she pledged her life to seeking justice and revenge.