Three ex-husbands and a marriage

Rage

"All that has passed. I am reduced to this, yet I am not allowed to pity myself. Apparently, this is my lot, retribution that I deserve... I will ask that he free you... that would be the least I can do."

Xue Zhanglun smiled sadly, shaking his head as he leaned against the wall next to me. "I have nowhere to go and do not belong anywhere. Besides, you are here."

I took a painful, shuddering breath, clutching at my chest as I endured another round of stabbing pains. The deeper and sharper the pain, the further he seemed from me. Man Chiu had left the palace without me. Tears blurred my vision as each breath became more labored and difficult. This was his punishment. How cruel.

"Empress? Empress!"

Weakly, I raised my hand to comfort him. "I can bear it." My body knew where he went, but this time, I didn't want to follow. I wanted to see if the invisible ties between us were enough to kill me.

"Why are you suffering?" he asked, cradling me in his arms. "Your body is shaking, and your face is devoid of all color, Meng Meng, you are hurting."

My body unconsciously drifted towards his warmth, seeking solace amidst the pain. He sighed and tightened his hold as we sat silently in this part of the realm.

"Remember the time we hid from everyone? Just you and me, inside a little cave within a rock, right in front of their faces, yet they couldn't find us? It was small and cramped, but it was perfect for us," he whispered.

At that time, the whole palace was upended to prepare for Bai Longwang's return. I resented that it was the only time the Lotus Divine Goddess would remember my existence, so I pulled him into the little cave I created. To hide in plain sight and see how they reacted. It turned out to be an uproar because he only came back to check on me. I remember vividly her rage and cowardice in front of his accusations. A tiny bit of my heart was satisfied that she was rebuked by the only person she cared for. A childish and petty payback for her neglect.

"Remember the fields of flowers? It was the only place that I saw your smile. Your smile has always been so beautiful." He paused and rubbed his eyes. "I thought you were happy here... I was too ashamed to reveal myself. I didn't know..."

His chest rose and fell with each word, suppressing the tears that surfaced. Us pitiful beings. Suddenly, my pain stopped.

He is here.

"A slave and my Empress," he said mockingly, his voice laced with a cold rage. An invisible force pried Zhanglun away and strangled his throat, lifting him into the air before heavily slamming his body down to the ground with a crushing force.

"Stop!" I shouted, grabbing Man Chiu's hand and pulling him to face me. A pure rage burned in his eyes. "Look at me... stop it. I can explain..." but before I could continue, he pushed me aside and renewed the crushing force, spitting out, "Why does his pain hurt you? He cannot die, so why not let him suffer a little for daring to touch my Empress?"

I pulled him with my regained strength so that he could look into my eyes. "He was the only friend I had. Stop hurting him." The fury in the demon's eyes burned brighter as he grabbed my jaws with one hand and spat out viciously, "This disgusting creature is a friend? Did you come here to find him?"

From the corner of my eyes, I could see Zhanglun's body crushed further into the ground as the small pool of blood around his mouth steadily grew. Even though I knew he could not be killed, I could not bear it. "Stop it."

We silently battled; our eyes filled with unspoken words that only both could feel. Then he laughed and released my jaw and Zhanglun from his oppressive power. A cruel smile and hardened gaze let me know that there is more to come. Man Chiu will make me pay for this.