The Monster King

Chapter 61

Kiara sat quietly, her reflection staring back at her—an unfamiliar version of herself. Her once long, flowing hair, which had always been a symbol of her strength and femininity, was now replaced by uneven, jagged strands that barely brushed her shoulders. They stubbornly fell into her eyes, a constant reminder of how drastically her world had shifted. It had been three weeks since that fateful night when she had nearly ended it all, carving Reyansh's name from her skin in a desperate act of defiance.

Her body was healing, but her spirit remained fractured. The physical pain had begun to fade, the wound on her shoulder knitting together slowly, but the emptiness inside her felt as raw as ever. The loss of her hair, while seemingly trivial compared to everything else, felt like a constant, mocking reminder of her defeat. Her hair had been her armour, a part of her identity, something she could control—now it was gone, replaced by a blunt, childlike cut that made her feel even smaller.

And Reyansh? He had become a ghost in her life. After that night, he was distant, only showing up to sleep beside her in the dead of night and disappearing before the sun rose. He hadn't spoken to her, hadn't acknowledged her, and for the first time, she wasn't sure whether his silence was a blessing or a curse. His absence left her feeling more isolated than ever, trapped in the aftermath of his cruelty.

She felt the weight of everything—her broken pride, her shattered plans for revenge, and the hopelessness of being trapped in a marriage that seemed to drain the life out of her.

Kiara sighed, staring at the mirror as if willing the reflection to change, but the girl with the jagged, uneven hair stared back at her with hollow eyes. The cut was more than just a physical change—it was a reminder of Reyansh's cruelty, of his need to strip away every last piece of control she had. Every time she tried to sweep the strands out of her face, it was like a bitter slap of reality. Her once-powerful aura had shrunk into this fragile, incomplete version of herself, and no amount of pretending could hide it.

Three weeks had passed, and not a word from Reyansh. His absence was almost as painful as his presence had once been. He had managed to break her down without even trying anymore. She had expected him to gloat, to mock her, to take pride in the chaos he had created, but instead, he had simply walked away—leaving her to deal with the wreckage alone. At night, when he slipped into bed beside her, she could feel the distance between them, a cold void where once there had been fiery tension. It was as if she no longer existed for him, except as a shadow to fill his bed.

It hurt more than she'd expected, this emptiness. Before, there had been anger, defiance—something to hold on to. But now, there was only silence. His silence was louder than all the fights, all the hurtful words they had exchanged. He didn't need to torment her anymore because she was doing that herself. His absence was enough to tear her apart, leaving her in the solitude of her thoughts.

Her hand absentmindedly traced the jagged edges of her hair, and her mind flashed back to that night. The moment she had taken the dagger and slashed through the strands, feeling like she was reclaiming something, only to realize that she had destroyed another piece of herself in the process. Her anger had been wild, uncontained. But now, all she felt was a dull ache.

The palace had moved on as if nothing had happened, as if the queen's breakdown had been just another fleeting moment. Servants still whispered, casting glances her way, but no one dared to say anything. Kiara was the broken queen, and everyone knew it. The only person who seemed not to care was Reyansh. His lack of reaction, his cold indifference—it stung more than his cruelty ever had.

She sat up straighter, gripping the edge of the vanity as if steadying herself against her own reflection. Her anger simmered beneath the surface, but it was different now. Less fiery, more calculated. She had once thought that playing the long game of patience would bring her victory, that she could wear down Reyansh with kindness and cunning until she destroyed him from within. But now?