Chapter 18
After a long day, the narrator finds a rare moment of calm, enjoying a Kiwi smoothie and a shoulder massage, feeling in control of life and the palace. Her plan to crown Veronica as the Luna seems to be falling into place perfectly. However, her peace is shattered when her trusted servant Eliza arrives with troubling news: the King, Cassian, has returned unexpectedly at noon and brought another woman with him, introducing this woman as his Luna Queen to Veronica.
The revelation hits the narrator like a blow. She struggles to comprehend how Cassian, whom she believed to be loyal and bound to the memory of another woman, could have brought someone else into the palace and given her such a title. Her fury and confusion deepen as she orders Veronica to be brought to confront the King directly.
When Veronica arrives, she is distraught and tearful, confessing that the King has humiliated her by openly showing affection to this other woman. Veronica’s pride is wounded, and she pleads with the narrator to intervene, believing the King respects and listens to her. Despite her own disgust and anger, the narrator plays the role of the caring cousin, though inside she seethes with rage at the betrayal and the unraveling of her carefully laid plans.
The situation worsens when a servant announces that ten elite servants of the King have arrived, dressed in special uniforms, suggesting the King might be choosing a new servant tonight. Veronica’s desperation increases, fearing that the King’s favor is slipping further away from her. The narrator, cold and determined, decides to confront the King and witness the situation firsthand at dinner, vowing to expose and dismantle the rival woman’s status and reclaim control. The chapter ends with the narrator’s simmering rage and resolve to turn the evening into the King’s downfall.
Chapter 18
Unknown,
The soothing pressure of warm hands kneading my tense shoulders was exactly what I needed after a long day tangled in pointless affairs. My eyelids grew heavy, fluttering shut as I savored the cool, sweet tang of my Kiwi smoothie, letting its sharp flavor dance on my tongue. For once, a rare calmness settled over my body, and my mind felt steady, anchored. Life had finally fallen into the rhythm I had painstakingly crafted with my own willpower. Everything bent to my command. The palace itself seemed to bow at the sound of my name. And now, my only desire was to crown Veronica as the Luna—a mere puppet adorned with jewels and a crown that would never truly belong to her, but would always be within my grasp.
Yet, the fragile peace of my evening shattered like delicate glass when the door creaked open. My most trusted servant entered quietly, avoiding my gaze. However, the tight set of her jaw betrayed the tension she tried so hard to hide. She dared not breathe too loudly, but the trembling of her fingers gave away her anxiety. Trouble. I didn’t want any trouble tonight—not when everything was finally aligning exactly as I had demanded.
“My Lady!” she called softly, lifting her head. Her lips pressed into a thin, controlled line. “We’ve got some problems p>
The way she said it twisted something deep inside me, tightening my chest with irritation. I set my glass down slowly, narrowing my eyes. “Problems?” My voice cracked sharply through the stillness like a whip. Rising from my chair, my shawl swept the floor, the lingering sweetness of the Kiwi now tasting sour in my mouth. “What problem, Eliza p>
She flinched, a small victory. At least she remembered her place. Still, she maintained her composure, torn between loyalty and fear. “It’s about His Majesty p>
Her words cut into me like jagged knives. My eyes widened, heat rushing up from my neck to flood my face. Despite the fire rising inside, I forced myself to remain composed, even as my nails dug into the fabric of my shawl. “When did he return?” I asked, voice cold and sharp, each word slicing the silence like a blade.
“This noon p>
“This noon?” I snapped, my tone rising with venom. “Why wasn’t I informed p>
My hand trembled with barely contained rage, causing the glass of smoothie to rattle against the table.
“My apologies, My Lady. I only learned of it just now. But… the real problem is something else p>
I tilted my head, voice dropping to a low, poisonous whisper. “What do you mean p>
Her fist clenched tightly, and finally, she dared to meet my eyes. “The King brought a woman with him. And… he introduced her to Miss Veronica as his Luna Queen p>
For a moment, the room seemed to tilt beneath me. I froze, blinking, unable to absorb the filth she had just uttered. He had brought a woman behind my back? And called her… Luna Queen?
The words thundered in my ears. My lips parted, but no sound escaped. My blood boiled, my chest burned with fury, and my jaw clenched so hard I feared my teeth would shatter. Cassian—my unshakable, loyal Cassian—bringing another woman? Had he fallen in love? Impossible. He was incapable of loving anyone except the shadow I dangled before him.
No, it had to be something else. Some dark sorcery. A cursed enchantress clawing her way into his mind. I had done everything to keep him caged, locked in the memory of the woman he would never see again. I had kept that ghost alive for him—a chain around his throat. And now this?
“Where is Veronica?” My voice was ice, each syllable cracking like frozen glass.
“She’s heading to her chamber,” Eliza whispered.
“Bring her here,” I ordered, my tone sharp as a blade’s edge. “Then we will confront His Majesty face to face p>
I sank back into my chair, jaw rigid. My fingers drummed a restless rhythm on the wooden table, the sound echoing in the stifling room. My thoughts twisted tighter, darker. No enchantment could sway Cassian; his mind was forged from iron. No black magic could touch him. Then how? How had some nameless woman managed to ensnare him when I could not?
My chest heaved with a heavy breath, but I forced my expression to remain blank. Still, the fury beneath my skin roared louder.
Then—
“Cousin! Are you awake?” A shaky, desperate voice pierced the silence.
“Veronica?” I rose just as Eliza opened the door. Veronica stumbled inside, her silk gown wrinkled and her hair tousled. The moment her eyes locked on mine, she rushed forward, collapsing into my arms.
Her body trembled like a fragile leaf caught in a storm. “His Majesty cheated on me,” she sobbed, her words breaking into wails, tears soaking through my clothes.
Disgust curled at my lip, though I masked it with a facade of concern. Her snot and tears stained the fabric I wore—fabric she was not worthy to touch.
“What’s wrong, Vero? Are you alright?” I asked gently, my hands pushing her back just enough to keep her at arm’s length. I had to play the doting cousin. I had to maintain control over her father.
She raised her blotchy face to me. “His Majesty… he brought an ugly woman. He kissed her. Right in front of me! She humiliated me. What should I do? I love him so much. Losing him to that woman hurts my pride p>
Her words poured out, dripping with self-pity. Pride—always her pride. She wasn’t broken because she loved him. No, she was broken because someone else had stolen her spotlight. Pathetic.
An ugly woman, she said. How laughable. An ugly woman had done what I had planned for five long years—five years of weaving invisible threads, pulling strings from the shadows—and now everything threatened to unravel with a single kiss. What had Cassian been doing all these weeks away from me? What filth had he drowned himself in?
“Where are they? Let’s meet His Majesty right now!” I snapped, my chest heaving with ragged fury.
Veronica flinched, shaking her head wildly. “No, no, we can’t meet them now!” Her cries grew louder, childlike in their desperation.
“Why not?” I demanded, my voice sharp enough to cut through steel.
Her face flushed crimson, hands twisting nervously. “They’re… they’re making out p>
My eyes widened. My palm clenched into a fist so tight my nails bit deep into my skin. “You’re lying, aren’t you?” I hissed.
But she shook her head violently, her desperation unmistakable.
The world tilted again. Making out. Here. In the palace. In my domain. With her still breathing the same air as me.
How dare he? How dare she?
I had sacrificed everything—my desire to stand beside him, my rightful claim—just to let this foolish cousin play fiancée. It was supposed to keep Cassian within reach while shielding me from his wrath. And now? A stranger had stolen it all.
“What are you doing, Cousin?” Veronica clutched my wrist, eyes wide and pleading. “His Majesty respects you. He listens to you. Can’t you make him see reason? Please p>
I clenched my jaw until it ached. “Fine. We will meet him at dinner. Eliza—find out when His Majesty will dine p>
Eliza bowed quickly. “His Majesty has already asked the Royal chefs to prepare dinner for them p>
The words stabbed me. For them. Not for the court. Not for the fiancée. For them.
“My Lady—!” Another voice burst from behind as a servant stumbled into the room, trembling so badly his knees nearly gave out.
“What is it?” I demanded, fury lacing my tone.
“His Majesty’s ten exclusive elite servants… they have arrived p>
The air dropped. Everyone gasped.
“What did you say?” My voice cut through the room like a knife.
“They came… wearing the test uniforms. I think His Majesty will choose one of them tonight p>
Eliza’s voice rose, almost frantic. “But His Majesty already has ten exclusive elite servants. There’s no need for another p>
“Do you think it’s for her?” Veronica’s voice cracked before she collapsed onto the floor, sobs shaking the walls. “Cousin! Do something! He listens to you. He likes you. How could he treat her like a real Luna Queen? I am his fiancée p>
Her desperation disgusted me. Her tears soaked the floor like filth, yet she begged for scraps.
“Tsk.” I rose, my shawl slipping from my shoulders like a snake shedding its skin. My eyes gleamed cold and sharp. “Let’s go to the dining room. We will see everything for ourselves p>
Inside me, rage burned hotter than any fire. Let him flaunt his whore. Let him pretend she was his Luna Queen. I would strip her bare—her pride, her skin—and remind him who truly holds the leash around his neck.
Dinner would not be his celebration. Dinner would be his downfall.
The chapter closes on a tempest of emotions, with the protagonist’s carefully constructed world unraveling before her eyes. The simmering rage and betrayal she feels are palpable, underscoring the fragile nature of power and control in her life. Her determination to confront the king and expose the new Luna Queen reveals the depths of her resolve and the fierce protectiveness she holds over her claim, even as the foundations of her carefully laid plans begin to crumble.
Beneath the anger and scheming, there is a poignant undercurrent of vulnerability—a woman grappling with loss, pride, and the fear of being replaced. The tension between duty, desire, and deception weaves through every interaction, leaving the reader suspended in a moment of impending confrontation. As the chapter ends, the promise of a dramatic reckoning looms, charged with the emotional complexity of love, power, and betrayal.
The next chapter promises to be charged with tension and raw emotion as the simmering conflicts between loyalty, love, and power inch closer to a boiling point. The arrival of the King’s new companion and the mysterious elite servants hints at a deeper intrigue unfolding within the palace walls, threatening to unravel carefully laid plans and alliances. The characters’ fragile facades are poised to crack, revealing their true intentions and vulnerabilities in the face of betrayal and shifting loyalties.
As the evening approaches, expect a charged confrontation where words may cut as sharply as blades, and hidden motives come to light. The simmering rivalry between the narrator and Veronica is set to intensify, with pride and desperation fueling their actions. Amidst the opulence and ceremony, the true battle for control and affection will play out, promising moments of heartbreak, manipulation, and perhaps unexpected revelations. Readers will be left questioning who truly holds power and how far each character is willing to go to claim it.
Cedella
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.