CHAPTER 167 — MORE REGRETS

DARIUS.

"Don't come up. I want to be alone," Darius spoke to Rocky, who responded with a nod and moved away.

They had just returned to the mansion, and all Darius wanted to do was drown himself in several bottles of wine - the very ones he had sworn off.

Throughout the ride home, his thoughts had been preoccupied with everything he’d heard back at Draken's estate.

Brielle's screams lingered in his head, and he couldn't stop thinking about them as he climbed up the stairs and walked straight to his room.

He'd wanted to see her, even if briefly, and assure her that he'd return to save her, but Draken had denied him the chance.

He had until tomorrow to accomplish anything, though. But he was already dreading the day even before it arrived.

Earlier, Darius had told Rocky about the conversation with his uncle, and the burly guard chastised him for taking things too personally.

He had been so angry and irrational and erupted when he should have remained calm. He could have been kind and started the conversation with a greeting, but he had done the exact opposite. He even went so far as to assassinate one of the rogue guards, and the rest was history.

The first day of this so-called meeting had begun on a terrible note, which did not bode well for him.

Even if he had opened fire and encouraged his troops to attack the castle, the number of Draken's warriors he had seen today far outnumbered his. Even if he won, there would be many casualties, something Darius didn't desire. He didn't want anyone to die because of him again.

"Fuck!" He cursed loudly, and opening the door to his room, he threw himself upon the empty bed.

"What the hell would I do now?" Darius asked no one in particular. He stood up from the bed, intending to pace, but then sat back down.

Oh well.

He stood again, raking his hands through his hair as he walked to his wine cabinet. Darius grabbed a bottle of Scotch, opened it, and took a long gulp. His throat burnt immediately.

As he closed his eyes, grimacing at the taste, Brielle's screams rang in his ears once more, and his eyes opened.

He shouldn't have let her leave that day. He should not have listened to his crazy mind and made the worst decision ever.

Eve had died as a result of his irresponsibility, and Brielle was now on the verge of disaster, imprisoned in a torture cell because of his folly’s fucking pride and use.

Damn! But if something happened to her, Darius knew he'd be unable to live with himself. Nothing would ever remain the same.

***

BRIELLE.

Her entire body ached.

Despite her efforts, she could not sleep, so she gave up.

Now, she merely lay on the floor, her eyes fixed on the ceiling, thinking about nothing and everything.

Her thoughts were primarily focused on Darius's arrival at this palace. He had undoubtedly come here, but he had not visited her.

‘What do you think? That he’d visit you right away? He had to clear things out with Draken first, as you are aware. Don't expect to see him now or anytime soon. This is a matter of life and death, and knowing Draken intends to kill him, you can only hope that nothing goes wrong.' Brielle let out a big sigh when the voice in her thoughts spoke.

A matter of life or death... Brielle was already scared. She did not want anything to go wrong for Darius because he’d come to save her.

The cell's metal door trembled, and Brielle rushed to her feet.

Who was present? She wondered, shifting her glance to the doors. When she noticed Draken's head poking in, she trembled with fear.

"Hola…" He greeted her with an unpleasant sneer on his wrinkled face and waved.

Brielle said nothing. She did not move an inch either. Instead, she watched as a guard manipulated the locks on the metal door, and Draken entered the chamber.

"Surprise, surprise." He taunted, leaning on the wall near the bars while she remained stationary. "I'm sure you weren't expecting to see me." He laughed evilly, and Brielle trembled from his frigid tone.

"Aren't you going to say something?" He whispered it again, moving closer and caressing her cheeks with his calloused palms. "Don't you miss me?"

Brielle wanted to flinch. She wanted to spit at his feet, yell at him, kick, hit, and curse him. But she remained silent, her breath weak. It was taking all of her effort.

"Brielle…" He drawled, and the sound of her name on his lips made her disgusted.

"I can see my boys have been treating you well." He began after a disturbing quiet. His eyes twinkled with amusement as he peered down at her damaged wrists and ribs.

"I have news for you, though." He began by snatching her hair forcibly and saying mockingly. "You did say Darius wouldn't come to see you or me, correct? You said he would not take the bait..." He trailed off and let out a wild laugh.

"You see, he did come. He approached me today like the lovesick fool he is. And it may interest you to know that I hosted him in my chair.” He told her, smirking as he noticed the horror and dismay on her face.

"You see, your beloved partner, my foolish nephew is denser than we both realize. Or don't you agree?” He asked, and Brielle again said nothing.

"You won't say a thing, you bitch!" His grasp on her hair tightened. "Well, I don't expect you to, seeing as you don't say anything tangible."

Brielle hummed with anguish.

"You said he wouldn't come, bitch, but he came for you. He came to give his all, and now I know how to get him. I want to tell you something, though." He hesitated and leaned in closer, whispered into her ears. "I'm going to kill him, and when I do that, I'll come back here and get rid of you, too."

"Wh…" Brielle's mouth dropped open in disbelief.

She knew he was going to kill her, but the realization stung much more. Why was he torturing her, then? He had no vendetta against her and used her for one purpose. To coax Darius out. And it had worked flawlessly. So why? Why all of this?

She heard him say something that emphasized her thoughts even more. "Both of you, especially you, are useless to me. And what's the point of keeping you alive? Or, when I rise to the throne and assume my rightful role as monarch of this city, will you be of any value to me?" He asked, laughing maniacally. "Of course, you wouldn't. You're worthless regardless. You were useless to your father, which is why he abandoned you and didn't hesitate to use you as a pawn for his selfish wants."

That sharp reminder hurt her.

He proceeded. "You were likewise useless to Darius, so he rejected you despite being his mate. You seem to have little more than a nice face. So, why waste time with you?” He scoffed and finally let go of her hair, enabling her to shake some life back into it.

He smiled at her expression. "I shall leave you with the assurance that you will be disposed of shortly. After all, you're not worth much." He added, laughing.

And with that, he turned around and left the dungeon, locking the door behind him and leaving her alone in the dark.