"You made it sound so easy," Ellena raised an eyebrow at Gewen and scoffed. "My father is one of the wealthiest men in this kingdom. It would be very difficult to find a man from a good family who is just as wealthy. And who could be more powerful than a prime minister?"

Gewen scratched his head and grinned. "Yeah... you are right. I was just talking without thinking."

"As always," Ellena shook her head and then sighed. "Ugh! Why was I born a woman? This is not fair!"

"Life is never fair," Gewen said. "If it's fair, Mars wouldn't bear the curse for what his father did."

"Yeah... you are right," Ellena said. Then she turned and looked at Gewen with furrowed brows. "Wait..."

"Huh?" Gewen raised his brow. "What is it?"

Ellena's eyes suddenly sparkled and a sweet smile slowly curved up on her face. She said, "Nothing."

She just realized that Gewen was right. Life was not fair and... there was actually someone who was wealthier and more powerful than her father, Duke Preston.

It was the royal family.

That conversation was one of several that later would make Ellena determine to elevate her status by marrying the crown prince. The fact that not long after that Mars also asked her to marry him in name solidified Ellena's ambition to not only become the future queen of this kingdom, but also her father's heir.

Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned, and now... she ended up here, facing failure and running away for her life.

Even her best friends turned their backs on her. She thought she could always rely on Gewen, but today he already said that he didn't want to help her.

"Then... what should I do now, Gewen?" She looked at Gewen pleadingly. "I made some mistakes and I already regretted them. If I didn't follow my ambition, I would still be having a good life now. Please help me... I promise I will do goodness for the rest of my life."

She would not get everything she wanted, but at least she would have a better life. But now, she didn't get anything. 

"It's too late for regret now, Ellena," Gewen said. "For every action, there is a consequence. I am sorry, I cannot help you because that would mean I am betraying Mars. Please go before I change my mind and report you to the king's guards."

He said those words bitterly. Deep inside his heart, Gewen didn't have the heart to close the door on Ellena, not when she looked so pitiful and was left with nothing. However, he must steel his heart. 

"Gewen... please..." Ellena pleaded with him, but Gewen reluctantly stepped back and entered his chamber, closing the windows and the curtains. He didn't know if he was doing the right thing.

"Gewen!!"

Before Ellena tried to knock on his windows again, suddenly there were knocks on Gewen's front door.

KNOCK KNOCK

"Who is it?" Gewen asked in a hoarse voice. He was still feeling emotional after sending away Ellena from his place. 

"My lord, you have a guest," A servant replied from outside his door. "It's Miss Kira Grim. She said she needs your help with something."

"Huh?" Gewen was very surprised to hear that Kira came to his home. How did she find this place? Gewen had not had the opportunity to bring her home, but she came here?

His face beamed in happiness and he immediately opened the door. He grabbed the servant's collar. "Where is she now?"

"Err... she is outside, my lord—"

Before the servant finished speaking, Gewen had rushed through the door and walked with long steps toward the front of the castle.

He had not seen Kira for more than one week because he was upset and needed time to think after her rejection. Besides, he also needed to search his heart and find out why he liked her, to answer her question.

"Kira!"

His steps halted as soon as he walked through the front door. He had seen Kira standing cooly in the courtyard. She was admiring the view. After he got over his initial shock, Gewen came slowly and approached her as if in slow motion. He couldn't believe she came here... to look for him?

He felt elated that Kira decided to come. Maybe she had a change of heart after thinking about their 'relationship' for one week?

Well... it's perfect timing because... Gewen had finally found the answer to her question the other day, what made him like her.

The woman turned around when she heard his footsteps and she crossed her arms on her chest.

"Lord Gewen," she greeted him coldly.

Her attitude made Gewen's steps halted. Why was she so cold? Didn't she feel happy to see him? Wasn't the reason she came here was to see Gewen?

"How did you find my home?" Gewen asked her.

Kira shrugged. "I asked around. Apparently, Duke Athibaud is very well known and so many people know his house... ahem, castle. A farmer boy took me here."

"Oh... I see," Gewen cleared his throat. "What are you doing here?"

From her expression, Gewen could now guess that Kira came here not to see him. So...? What happened? Was this visit a mistake?

"I am looking for a runaway convict," Kira explained briefly. "It's Ellena Greystorm, your old friend."

Gewen's heart skipped a beat. Ellena was just here and he told her to leave. If Kira found Ellena here and she knew Gewen didn't arrest Ellena and bring her back to prison when he saw her, would Kira think Gewen betray the king?

Gewen was in a bad position. He stared at Kira with furrowed brows and asked her, "What made you come here to ask me about her?"

"Because she was your friend. Was she.... or is she still your friend?" Kira asked back.

"She is not my friend anymore," Gewen replied bitterly. "Not after what she did to Mars and his family."

"Okay, but you do know her well, right?" Kira asked again. "She was punished with forty years of forced labor. Before she is sent to the forced labor camp, she was paraded in the town center."

She added, "However, several thugs kidnapped her and now I have to find that wench and bring her back. Since you know her the best, you might be able to point me in the right direction... where she might be hiding."

Gewen shook his head in confusion. "What forced labor camp? We don't have such a thing."

Kira shrugged nonchalantly and smirked, "People don't know that."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Gewen became utterly confused. "Why did the judges give out that sentence when we don't have—" 

His words halted. Gewen looked at Kira probingly and his mind went to work. He remembered she was a pirate and was used to human trafficking. Did she plan to sell Ellena to slavery?

Gewen knew Ellena was guilty, but seeing how pitiful she looked just now and how much she said she regretted what she had done, Gewen couldn't help but feel awful for her. Having that feeling made him feel guilty too because he thought by feeling sorry for Ellena, he betrayed Mars.

"What do you plan to do with her?" Gewen asked Kira with a choked voice.

"Well... Emmelyn is too kind. She doesn't want to have anything to do with that little witch, Ellena, any more and probably would prefer it if Ellena rot in jail for the rest of her pathetic life. However, I don't think it's fair. Why should the state pay for keeping Ellena and waste money if she could be put to use?"

Gewen looked at Kira in disbelief. He saw a really cold woman with a wicked smile and this made him wonder if Kira enjoy living her life in the underworld. He initially thought Kira was like that because she was raised by her father, a pirate lord, and there was no good role model in her life. She didn't even have a mother.

So, maybe... she was influenced by her environment. However, seeing her wicked smile when she talked about the punishment for Ellena, Gewen shuddered.

He really liked this woman, no... he actually loved Kira, but now he didn't know if trying to be together with her was a good thing.

"Will you sell her to slavery...?" Gewen asked Kira carefully. "Where?"

Kira shrugged again, "Perhaps some brothel in the coastal cities."

She scrunched up her nose and looked at Gewen up and down, making the man feel uncomfortable. He furrowed his brows and asked, "Why the face?"

Kira immediately unsheathed her sword and put on a stance. She raised her hand to Gewen, "She came here, didn't she? Where are you hiding her? Tell me!"

"Huh?" Gewen immediately panicked. He didn't know Kira could easily tell that Ellena came here. Was she able to read minds???

"I can recognize this shitty smell anywhere..." said Kira with disgust. "She was thrown shit by the spectators yesterday, very well deserved I should say because she is a piece of shit herself. She might not be able to wash up properly while on the run. Now, she must have come here to ask for your protection."

Kira stepped forward and directed the pointy end of his sword on Gewen's chest. "Where is she?"

Gewen looked at the sword and Kira alternately. Dammit. she looked very serious with her threat.

Would she really kill Gewen if he refused to answer her questions about Ellena's location? Should he tell her the truth? Gewen touched the sword and move it to the side. "Kira, she is no longer my friend. I don't care where she is now.. Please lower your sword."

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