Chapter 169 - The Reason Why HER

BANG!

Time stopped itself when that deafening bang resounded across the establishment. Devon even failed to hear the second shot as her eyes dilated ever so slowly. Her heart sank when Lewis suddenly stopped in shock. 

He gazed down, wide-eyed. Lewis instinctively caught Quentin in his arms, who used his back to shield him from the bullets. 

"You..." Lewis' voice shook as Quentin's expression was the same as his. It was as if the reason behind this act of heroism also baffled him.

"Why would you..." he trailed off upon touching the thick liquid on Quentin's back and froze as he caught the blood on his palm.

"Fucking bastard..." Devon snapped back to reality when Julian clicked his tongue. "I would've riddled his body with bullets if I have more time."

Devon gazed at Julian with shock written all over her face. The next thing she knew, he was already dragging her out of the fire exit. She didn't snap from her trance until she nearly tripped over the stairs.

"Ken! What did you do?!" came out a yell, trying to pull her wrist away while putting her weight on her feet to stop him. "Let me go! No more!"

Julian glared at her, but that only made her cling onto the railings. "Sister... do you want me to go back there and shoot everyone?"

"Ken..." Devon ground her teeth while her entire body shook uncontrollably. She didn't want to go. 

Although Devon was determined to sacrifice herself previously, Julian had shot Quentin! He had hurt an innocent man who was only there to help. How could she come with him, now that he had hurt the innocent? Now that someone already shed blood?

"Please... no more. Just let me go..." Tears rolled down her cheek while her grip on the railing tightened. "... why... can't you understand me...? Why does... it has to be me?"

Devon had asked this question many times in her previous life. She had always wondered why he was so possessive of her. He was an emperor and a lot of ladies would willingly warm his bed. He even had a harem for himself, so why did he always give her the attention she didn't even ask for?

The only answer she got was 'because it's you, sister' and that only made her detest her bloodline — her existence. He never clarified to her that he was doing it because he was his little sister, but she had already blamed it on that matter.

Julian's eyes glinted as they darkened, exerting more force as he tugged at her wrist forcefully. This time, Devon's hand slipped from the railing. Before she knew it, she already let out a shriek as her back hit the wall while Julian grabbed her jaw up.

"Sister, what do you mean why you?" he questioned under his deep breath, eyes glinting like a mad person. "Didn't I tell you before? Because it's you, Kas."

Devon's cries muffled as his thumb and middle finger pressed into her cheeks. Despite the tears blurring her vision, she could see the evilness in his eyes.

"Sister, you are the one who doesn't understand me," came out a helpless remark, followed by a deep scoff. "How can you forget? We promised, didn't we? That we will get married and you will be by my side forever."

Her breath hitched as his grip tightened as if he planned to crush her jaw. She didn't understand what he said, but then, a vague memory resurfaced in her head. 

*****

Three decades before the empress's death, the five-year-old princess used to spend her time with her brother and sister. But her favorite pastime was rushing to the garden of the palace she lived, to meet her favorite brother, the crown prince. Since the twelve-year-old crown prince had to abide by strict palace rules, he could only sneak out to rest.

The young princess knew about the place where he would always hide. So, she would usually find him in the deepest part of the garden. 

As usual, the princess was all smiles as soon as she caught the crown prince resting under the huge tree. Excited to show him the garland she made herself, she sprinted away to him, only to trip over by the tree root steps away from him. 

"Ack!" she shrieked as her face landed on his lap. The resting prince flinched at the sudden weight on his lap, gazing down to see her look up awkwardly. 

A frown appeared on his face. "Kasdeya, what are you doing in here again?"

"Brother! I made something!" as if she didn't get hurt, the princess pushed herself away and looked around. The garland was tossed in a great distance from them, so she went to get it.

The little crown prince sighed, watching her crawl over his lap to pick up the ugly arranged garland. Despite that he was annoyed, he didn't protest and let her be. He was already used to his sister's persistence, after all.

"What is that?" he asked as she sat beside him, holding the garland with both her small hands. 

"I made it myself!" she exclaimed proudly while raising the garland. "Everyone said it looks pretty! Is it pretty?"

The crown prince studied the garland, which obviously lacked appeal. Whoever praised her was just afraid of her mother, as the princess's mother was only soft to her daughter. He bit his tongue when he shifted his gaze to her pair of twinkling eyes. Her eyes were literally asking for his praise. After spending so much time with her, he couldn't be cold to her and kill her spirit.

"It's not bad... for beginners," he said in defeat. But that was enough for her adorable face to brighten.

"Really? Do you like it?! I made this while thinking of brother!" the corner of her lips stretched into a wide grin while her pale cheeks blushed in pink. 

The young prince's brows rose. "Me?"

"Mhm! They said if you a lady offered a garland to a man, it is an act of love!" she innocently exclaimed, unaware of the deeper meaning of this tradition in their empire. The crown prince popped his eyes open when she suddenly shoved the garland to him. 

"I love big brother the crown prince so I made him a garland!" she grinned sweetly, catching the crown prince off guard. "I will always stay beside big brother forever!" 

His expression was stiff, staring at the innocently beaming smile before him. He remained silent and shook his head, scratching his temple. A habit of his whenever he was a little annoyed, but suppressing not to.

"I won't accept it," he refused, witnessing her smile slowly turn into a frown. "Kasdeya, do you know what it really means to give a man a garland? That means you are asking them to marry you. It's not that simple."

The young princess bit her lower lip, suppressing the immediate tears that formed in the corner of her eyes. Seeing her about to bawl her eyes tugged the conscience of the crown prince.

"Do you even know what marriage means?" he asked, and she shook her head sideways. A shallow breath slipped past his lips and he explained.

"You're too young to understand this, but marriage is two people having to spend the rest of their life together." The crown prince kept it short and simple. 

He was correct when he said she was too young to understand the deeper meaning of it. Because the princess took it literally without regard for the deeper meaning of its sacredness. 

"But... I want to stay with big brother forever..." came out a muffled reply, making him sigh for the nth time.

"Once you get older, you will like someone else."

"But I don't like someone else! I want to be with big brother!" she harrumphed with tears already rolling down her chubby cheeks. "Kassy likes big brother the most! Waa!"

The crown prince panicked and tried to shush her cries, but that only made her cry louder. Out of helplessness, the crown prince could only sigh and placate her by accepting the garland. 

"I mean, sure, if that is what you want," he said helplessly, patting her short golden locks. "I accept the garland then."

"Really...?" she hiccuped, wiping the tears with her arm. The young crown prince sighed and nodded.

"Put it on," he uttered. The excited grin slowly resurfaced on the princess's face as she hastily put the garland over the prince's head. Her eyes shone, even more, as she looked at his charming face with the garland she made herself. 

The crown prince's expression was cold and unsmiling, but he still looked very charming. She clasped her little hands together, adoring how everything looked pretty on him. He stared at her twinkling eyes, and a chuckle slipped past his lips. 

"You're so silly," he muttered, patting her head. 

After that, the crown prince leaned his back against the trunk while she just busied herself doing just about anything. Usually, he would sleep under the tree. But ever since she started going here, he would end up watching her bring flowers and arrange them beside him.

Time passed like that and, like always, the little princess fell asleep beside him. He looked at her and smiled, patting her head lightly.

"Really silly," he whispered as his eyes softened. "How can you be so carefree around me?"

A weak exhale slipped past his nose while staring at her. Everyone in the palace was wary of the crown prince, while the emperor was proud of him for his character. Some even considered the crown prince as a devil, but this sister of his kept spewing nonsense.

"Really." he breathed out while scratching his temple. "Once I become emperor, I will find you a good husband. Else, you'll just worry me."

Little did the crown prince know, she touched a place in his heart that they were both unaware of. That over the years of spending their peaceful afternoon under this tree would nurture that seed she didn't mean to plant in his heart. 

A seed that bloomed and made him want something more… that would bring their initially beautiful relationship into ruin.