"My god, look at them…"

  "How shameless."

  "It's disgusting, what a slut."

  Kaden sharply stopped. He cast the onlookers a terrifying glower that sent their eyes to the floor or the ceiling. No one dared to look at them afterwards, but their damage was done. Giggles filled the sidelines, as murmurs quickly began amongst themselves.

  "I'll have them all shot dead when we leave," Kaden informed Lina in a voice low enough for her to hear.

  "I-it's fine," Lina tried to say, forcing a smile, but it came out resembling a worried grimace. Her brows were upturned and together, showing concern.

  Lina wanted him to think that their words weren't hurtful, that it wasn't getting to her, that it didn't stab her right in the chest.

  Kaden's gaze softened as he kept the same pace towards the exit, to show lack of panic. Kaden had heard much worse talk on the streets about the two of them. He could sew the people's mouths shut and gouge their eyes out, but they'd still find a way to gossip.

  Kaden could imagine how Lina felt. She fell from the top of the pyramid. From praises to insults, she was unfamiliar with this new treatment. The world was unkind to her, despite welcoming her with open arms just a few weeks ago. Everyone was dazzled by her charm, but now that very thing was what they used against her.

  Kaden had ruined the reputation of the prestigious Lina. He could never turn back time. No one would approve of this relationship. Though Kaden didn't care, Lina most likely would.

  Lina grew up on compliments. She would never become accustomed to this world and one day, she would blame him for it.

  So, Kaden had no choice, but to make up his mind—for the best——

  During the car ride home, Lina fell asleep on Kaden's shoulder. When she woke up, she was dazed and confused. Slowly blinking, she glanced around the room that wasn't like the one she had woken up in this morning. Touching the black mattress and silk sheets, she wondered if this was Kaden's room.

  "How pretty…" Lina trailed off, admiring the deep black and elegant silver furnishings.

  Lina always loved his chic style that was a nice balance between roughness and refinement. He was as dominant as he was elegant.

  Lina glanced back at the bed and was surprised to see two wet spots. Did she cry in her sleep? She hoped not… If so, he would've known how much the words affected her.

  "I shouldn't be so vain," Lina chided herself, but it was difficult.

  All her life, Lina was always flattered by people. She had never grown accustomed to hatred, except from her family members. She knew this was too much of a closed mindset, but when a child grew up only hearing the good things, they could never adapt to criticism.

  Lina rubbed her chest and sighed. She could use a hot cup of tea and snuggle into the couch whilst daydreaming.

  With that thought in mind, Lina slid out the bed, but then paused. On the wall that directly faced the bed was a painting. She was immediately mesmerized by the intricacy of the aging art which had turned yellow with time. Slowly, she lowered herself out of the bed and approached the drawing.

  "What a beautiful woman," Lina breathed out, touching the glass as if she was drawn to it.

  In the painting, the woman had delicate features, each stroke more beautiful than the previous one, her eyes like those of a sunken canary and her shoulders like folded wings. She reached for a white dove with a broken smile, almost pained to see the symbol of peace, but also relieved by the sight of it.

  Lina's heart ached at the tragic art piece. She found it interesting that the woman had similar features to her. Brushing it off, Lina wondered if this was someone that Kaden knew, but probably not, given the ancient Ritan attire.

  Shaking her head at the thought, Lina headed for the doors. She slid outside and glanced left and right. The hallways were neverending, but she trudged onwards anyway. Sleeping too much wasn't healthy. After a few twists and turns, she finally found a staircase. The lower she walked, the more commotion she heard.

  "……I can't just tell her the truth!"

  Lina froze at the top of the staircase. She was surprised by Kaden's outburst. He was often calm, even when angered. Who was Kaden talking to?

  "Well, she has to know someday or later," a masculine voice responded loosely.

  "Easy for you to say, Holton," Kaden snarled. "You're not the one treating an heiress as a mistress to be hidden."

  Mistress…?

  Lina's heart fell. What? Kaden was… married? Her head began to spin with the idea. She clutched onto the staircase railing in disbelief. Her heart shattered on the exact spot she stood. Impossible.

  Was Kaden really going to hurt her like this? Who was his wife? Did he have children? He spoke of a lover at the bar.

  "Well, you took her virtue and left her a mess, it doesn't really sound like my problem, does it? Now, you have to take responsibility for the heiress."

  "I will."

  "By sending her back to her family and abandoning her despite rescuing her from the asylum?" Holton deadpanned in disbelief. "Do you realize how crazy that sounds?"

  "You're going to do what?" Lina gasped.

  Both men's heads snapped towards the entrance of the dining room. Lina stood by the entryway, frozen and wide-eyed.

  "Dove—"

  "You're going to send me back?" Lina whispered, unable to raise her voice, for she couldn't even fathom this betrayal. Her chest ached with the realization, a knife twisting deeper into her body.

  "For only a moment, I—"

  "Is it for the reward money?" Lina asked, her eyes growing wide with unshed tears. Her lips trembled as she gazed between the two men. She didn't even know what to say to such a thing. Letting out a shaky breath, she clutched onto the entry for air.

  "What? No, of course not," Kaden growled, gawking at her in disbelief.

  "Then what could be the reason? Am I a mistress? Do you already have a woman?" Lina sharply returned.

  Kaden had a choice to make. To lie and break her heart for good, so that she could never return to him, so that she would no longer be shunned. He saw how much the high society's words were affecting her.

  If Kaden let Lina go now, she would be happy in the long run. If he allowed her to return by her own free will, her family would take it as a good sign and praise her. They would accept her back into the family. Lina's life would return to how it was before he ruined it with his jealousy and greed.

  Kaden initially wanted to take revenge for what Atlan had done- stolen Princess Lina of Teran. Kaden wanted to be her first in this second life. And now that he had what he came for, he realized the consequences—he had ruined her.

  The only way to fix Lina was to let her live in the life she had before he ruined it.

  "Yes," Kaden strained, declaring the wealthiest heiress in Ritan as a wanton woman.

  "I have a wife and child," Kaden lied…… "You're nothing, but a mistress."