THE BASTARD, eren yeager

𝐱𝐱𝐱𝐯𝐢𝐢, change

THE BASTARD
chapter thirty-seven

[Name] always knew there was a distance between her and Zeke. It had been evident since the moment she arrived in Marley that they were simply not a good match romantically. But as rulers? She would argue they were quite capable—beyond capable, actually; she would say they were exceptional.

Their only true flaw was Zeke's recklessness when he felt wronged. But [Name] wasn't foolish; she'd quickly come to know what words bothered him, what tone annoyed him, which dresses he liked, how he liked her to act when he stepped inside her bedchambers.

She almost prided herself on how well she had come to know him over the years. She knew how to calm him down when he was upset. He enjoyed her advice and input when brought up at the right time. He would tell her that at times she was the only person he could confide in, that she was the only one in the world who truly knew him.

Now, as she stood in his study alone, trying to make sense of everything he'd done, she knew it had all been a farce.

She thought he'd changed, but... no. Zeke had shown her his true face more than once, and she'd forgiven him a thousand times over, excused his behavior, and simply learned how to live with him.

She bit back tears as she tried to roll her wrist but failed as needles stabbed at her joint.

She looked around the room, ran to a steel serving tray, and raised it up in the air to look at herself. She nearly didn't recognize the broken woman staring back at her, with red eyes, disheveled hair, and smeared crimson over her cheek. Her fingers went to graze her bleeding lip carefully, and she took a sharp breath at the sudden pain.

She closed her eyes and set the tray down... she thought he'd changed.

At the end of the study, she found the blue hood she'd gifted him on his twenty-ninth birthday.

She thought he'd changed.

She turned it inside out so that only the black lining on the inside showed, draped it over her shoulders, and pulled the hood as far down as it allowed. When she stepped out of the room, she was greeted by his guards, who had undoubtedly heard the entire commotion.

She thought he'd changed.

She would've sworn upon God that he'd changed.