Chapter Fifteen

Valerie's pov

I shook my head, a storm of anger and confusion swirling within me. “So, what? You think I’m just some… secret? Just something for you to keep to yourself? You don’t get to make that choice for me, Devon. You don’t get to decide if I’m worthy of being introduced to anyone.”

His expression softened, a flicker of regret passing across his features as he took a hesitant step closer, his hand reaching out as if to bridge the chasm between us. But instinctively, I stepped back, keeping the distance. “Valerie—”

“No,” I interrupted, my voice slicing through the tension like glass. The pain in my heart was now mingling dangerously with a simmering rage. “You can’t act like I’m invisible one moment and then expect everything to miraculously be okay the next. You can’t just ignore me and believe that I’ll forgive you because you demand it.”

He halted, his eyes searching mine with a desperation that made my heart ache. It was as though he were trying to grasp a flicker of understanding within me, a part that might still believe in him. “I never intended to hurt you, Valerie. You have to believe that.”

“I don’t know if I can,” I whispered, my breath catching in my throat under the weight of my emotions, the words feeling like lead.

His face twisted with guilt, but I couldn’t summon compassion in that moment. Not when the person I trusted most had shattered every bit of faith I had placed in him.

With resolve, I turned and walked away, the echoes of his pleading words chasing me into the night, but I refused to look back. I didn’t want to give him any more of my thoughts; I needed distance, so I made my way straight to the guestroom.

With every step, my heart felt like it was sinking deeper, the enormity of everything Devon had said pulling me into a dark abyss. The moonlight streamed through the grand palace hallways, illuminating the opulent decor, but it couldn't penetrate the cold emptiness that enveloped my chest. My breath quickened, shallow bursts escaping as my mind spun wildly, replaying our conversation. How could he have said such things? How could he deny our relationship, our shared intimacy, so easily? It felt as if everything we’d built had become meaningless overnight.

When I finally reached the guestroom, I moved through the door in a daze, the luxury of the tapestries and golden sconces around me fading into the background. I slammed the door shut with a force that rattled the walls, the sound echoing in the stillness.

I tried to steady my breathing, but each attempt only heightened my frustration. The embers of outrage burned fiercely in my chest, and before I knew it, I was pacing the opulent room, desperate for a sense of control amidst the chaos of my emotions.

I reached for my phone, ready to call my father for solace or advice, but then a soft sound caught my attention—it was a muted whisper, followed by a quiet giggle drifting through the air. My anger flared anew. What now?

I didn’t think twice before swinging open the door. What I saw stopped me in my tracks.

A palace guard stood there with his uniform wildly disheveled, far too close to one of the palace maids. They were locked in a kiss, oblivious to my presence, completely absorbed in their moment of careless abandon. The sight ignited a furious blaze within me.

My first instinct was to shout, to demand an explanation, but I swallowed the words, instead stepping forward with a fierce determination that made my fists clench at my sides. The anger that had been simmering just beneath the surface erupted like a volcano, and I found I no longer cared about the repercussions.

“What do you think you're doing?” I spat, my voice sharp and biting, colder than I ever intended.

The maid gasped, her eyes widening with shock as she stumbled back, her cheeks flushed crimson. The guard straightened instinctively, panic flashing in his eyes.

“Your Highness, we—” he began, his stammer a weak attempt to gather his wits, but my fury drowned him out.

“I don’t care about your excuses,” I interrupted harshly, my voice tight with outrage. “This is the palace—you should be setting an example, not… this!”

I couldn’t bear to look at them any longer; the scene before me felt like an affront to everything I held dear. My mind was already clouded with frustration, thoughts of Devon’s betrayal still searing through my veins. How dare these two disrespect the sanctity of the place I called home when I was struggling to hold myself together?

The maid lowered her gaze, nervously adjusting her apron in a futile attempt to regain composure. “We didn’t mean to disrespect you, Your Highness. We—”

“No,” I cut her off again, my tone firm and unyielding. “You will be punished. Both of you.”

They exchanged glances, panic and guilt playing out across their faces as they processed the gravity of my words. “Please, Your Highness, we didn’t mean any harm…” the guard pleaded, his voice wavering.

I stepped closer, fists still clenched tightly, my heart pounding in my chest. They didn’t mean harm? Devon hadn’t meant to hurt me, either, and look where that had led us. This disobedience, this reckless display of intimacy, was an insult to everything I was desperately trying to hold together. My emotions felt frayed and precarious, and I wasn’t going to stand idly by while the palace around me crumbled further into chaos.

Without thinking, I ordered, “Take them to the dungeon. Now.”

Both of them froze, their faces drained of color. They weren’t expecting that—hell, neither was I. But it didn’t matter. The words had left my lips, and now I had to follow through.

“Please,” the maid whispered, “Your Highness, don’t—”

But I wasn’t listening anymore. My decision was made.

“Take them to the dungeon,” I repeated, my voice unwavering. “It’s time for them to learn what happens when rules are broken.”

I didn’t wait for them to protest further. I turned sharply, my heels clicking against the marble floor as I walked down the hallway, my pulse still pounding in my ears. I could hear the faint sound of their footsteps behind me, the guard hesitating for just a moment, before he, too, started walking.

The weight of what I had just done began to settle in. Was this too harsh? I didn’t care. The anger inside me was still raging, and this—this was something I could control.

As I reached the stairs leading to the dungeon, I didn’t look back. They could follow, or they could face the consequences. It didn’t matter to me anymore. The only thing that mattered was the pain inside me that I couldn’t quite shake.

When we reached the dungeon entrance, the guard gave me a desperate glance, his voice soft as he spoke. “Please, Your Highness… I was only trying to… I’m sorry.”

“Lock them up,” I ordered again, my voice steely and final.