Endless Revenge for Love In the third year of our marriage, Sir Adrian Stone promised me a grand wedding to make up for the hurried one we initially had. However, on that very day, we received a congratulatory letter from Seraphina Dewhurst, the most celebrated dancer in Stonehaven. My husband, cold as stone, remarked, “In my heart, there is room for only one woman, my lady.” Yet, when that woman threatened to end her life by cutting her wrists in the snow, he rushed out to cradle her in his arms. He said, “My lady, I cannot abandon her.” Later, when news of my elaborate re-marriage spread, the usually stoic general’s eyes reddened for the first time. My husband, Sir Adrian Stone, was the famed young general of Stonehaven, and we shared a harmonious bond. Our initial wedding was rushed, interrupted by urgent military duties. In the third year of our marriage, he suddenly decided to make up for it with a grand celebration. “Elara, I vow never to fail you in this life, and I wish to declare our love to the world.” Everyone spoke of how perfect our match was, and it was widely known that, despite our years together, Adrian had never taken another wife or mistress. A few days before the wedding, I secretly saw the doctor and found out I was three months pregnant. I planned to surprise Adrian with the news during the wedding banquet. That day, with thousands of doves released into the sky and the hall filled with distinguished guests, Adrian, dressed in a deep red ceremonial robe, walked slowly towards me, his hand reaching out as he smiled warmly. “Today, before all these esteemed guests, I pledge eternal devotion to my wife, Lady Elara Stonemore… From this day forth, I shall never forsake you.” The banquet was a carefully orchestrated affair, aimed at furthering his career and prestige. Since it was all prearranged, I remained calm, playing my part. After the ceremony, as we sat down, I put on a serious face. “Honey, there’s something I need to tell you,” I said. He immediately straightened up, his expression turning serious as he leaned in. “What is it, sweetheart?” His genuine concern was so endearing that I couldn’t help but burst out laughing. At that moment, the stage curtains suddenly opened, revealing a dancer in an aquamarine gown with a veil covering half her face. Her eyes, framed by a cascade of pearls, sparkled with a captivating allure. She danced gracefully, her flowing dress moving in sync with the music, her movements fluid and smooth. I noticed Adrian’s expression shift from surprise to something deeper, his gaze locked on the dancer, unblinking. After the performance, the dancer cast a lingering glance back at the audience before retreating backstage. Adrian and I followed her. His face was tense, his lips pressed into a thin line. “What are you doing here?” he demanded. To my surprise, the woman knelt down gracefully, presenting Adrian with a letter, her gaze as pitiful as a doe’s. “After all these years, I wished to deliver this letter to you in person, General, to find peace in my heart.” “You know her?” I asked in confusion. Adrian quickly explained that her name was Seraphina Dewhurst, a woman he had known back when he was still a nobody. Now, she was the most famous courtesan of Moonrise Manor in the capital. Her voice quivered , I heard about your wedding and signed up to perform just so I could see the love you share with Lady Elara.” She glanced at me, and in that brief moment, I saw something in her eyes—envy, resentment… and something else I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Before I could even wrap my head around it, Adrian, clearly exasperated, snapped, “Miss, we were nothing more than passing acquaintances. The world is big—there’s no reason for you to cling to me any longer.” The woman’s shoulders sagged, and she suddenly burst into tears. “I have no one else, General. I just want to stay by your side. I’d gladly marry you, even as a lowly concubine with no title.” My fears were confirmed. A wave of dizziness hit me, and I instinctively grabbed my maid’s hand for support. But Adrian, usually so perceptive, didn’t notice my distress. His gaze stayed locked on the woman as he said calmly, “Seraphina, don’t degrade yourself. There’s no need to sacrifice your dignity for me.”
He called her Seraphina with such ease, unaware of the intimacy with which she had once addressed him. “I have a wife now,” Adrian said firmly, “and I’ve promised her a lifetime of love. She is my wife, and I have no intention of marrying anyone else.” Adrian’s words were resolute as he waved a servant over to escort her out. After dealing with the situation, he took my hand, meeting my puzzled gaze. “Just an old acquaintance. She won’t trouble us again.” As I gazed at him, unwavering and formidable as always, a tremor of doubt seized me for the first time. His sharp features, those predatory eyes, and the faint scars etched into his cheeks spoke of a storied heroism. But as I traced the lines of his strong hands, I wondered—how many hearts had those very hands ensnared with their touch? How many whispered promises had they forged in shadows, only to leave a trail of broken dreams in their wake? When I first met him, my father was the master horse trainer in the Royal Stables, and I was the most skilled horsewoman in all of Stonehaven. I often helped my father with his work. Back then, Adrian had just achieved his first military victory, and the King had gifted him a fiery red stallion. The horse was wild and unmanageable, yet I tamed it and personally led it to Adrian. He fell for me at first sight and pursued me relentlessly, and I, too, found myself drawn to the young, handsome general. He treated me with utmost care, and our love became the talk of Stonehaven. Rumors spread that “if one must marry, let it be to Sir Adrian Stone, and if one must be a wife, let it be like Lady Elara.” My thoughts snapped back to the present, and I found myself gazing at him, his face eerily unchanged from three years ago. I lowered my eyes, struggling to steady my voice. “That woman’s feelings for you,” I said, my tone laced with tension, “seem so deep and sincere. It’s almost impossible to believe she was merely a passing acquaintance.” Adrian sighed heavily. “Elara, do you doubt me? I swear there’s nothing between us beyond what I’ve told you.” He then confessed the truth: years ago, while on a mission, he had rescued Seraphina from bandits and taken her into the camp as a servant. It was only later that he discovered she was a courtesan. Seraphina had once confessed her feelings to him, pleading not to be sent back, but he had refused her. “I was the one who sent her back,” he said softly. “How could I possibly have any feelings for her?” He reached out tentatively, drawing me into his embrace. “I’ve spoiled your mood today. I’ll make it up to you on your birthday. I promise to be with you, sharing all the important moments of our lives, growing old together.” But my heart was heavy with conflicting emotions, and the surprise I had planned for him remained unspoken. On the night of the winter festival, I was on High Street distributing food to the poor when snow began to fall gently from the sky. Adrian was inside studying military matters and did not join me. I, sensitive to the cold, couldn’t help but cough. “My lady, we should return inside. You’re not strong enough to endure this weather,” my maid Liana urged, wrapping my cloak more tightly around me. “No need,” I replied, glancing back only to see a woman covered in wounds, kneeling in the snow. It was Seraphina Dewhurst, the same woman who had disrupted our wedding banquet. She knelt silently before our gate, and then, without warning, she drew a dagger and slashed her wrist. The blood that seeped into the snow was stark against the white, making her frail figure appear even more pitiful. Before long, I saw Adrian rush out like an arrow from a bow, scooping her up in his arms. She lay weakly against him, her breath faint. “Without your love, I have no reason to live. I don’t want to trouble you any further, General, so…” Her voice trailed off, and she fainted in his arms. 3 He carried the woman straight back to the manor and immediately summoned the physician to treat her wounds. The snow outside was heavy, but the fire within burned as warmly as a spring day, creating a stark contrast to the world beyond. Seraphina finally awoke, lying softly in my husband’s arms, her beauty enhanced by the light reflecting off the snow outside. When our eyes met, hers were sharp and mocking. “The General may be able to leave without a care, but what shall do?” she asked, struggling to lift her head. Then, her eyes filled with tears as she quickly removed her clothing, exposing her pale shoulder where a tattoo was clearly visible—it was the name “Adrian.” “In the past, you pitied me for my tragic fate and personally marked me with your name, promising me a lifetime of protection. Do you still remember that promise, General?” Adrian finally lost his composure, pressing her head against his chest, his voice trembling. “Why are you doing this to me, Seraphina? Do you know how much you make my heart ache?” Soon, the physician arrived and found that Seraphina’s body had been weakened by the harsh winter chill, making her incapable of bearing children. It turned out that, to perform that dance for Adrian, she had taken a dangerous potion. This potion gave her the grace of a swan and a snow-like beauty, but the musk it contained had come at the cost of her reproductive function. Barely able to speak, Seraphina rasped, “Though I was surrounded by courtesans, my heart has always been yours, General. I could never belong to another. When my madam compelled me to take another client, I fled, choosing to die at your doorstep rather than betray my devotion to you.” “Seraphina, enough,” Adrian said, turning his head away, though the redness at the corners of his eyes was unmistakable. As expected, he pulled me outside, where the wind and snow howled around us. In our three years of marriage, we had never faced each other in silence like this. Finally, he broke the stillness with a strained voice. “Elara, this is a serious matter. I can’t just turn my back on her.” “Adrian, we should part ways,” I said calmly. “That’s impossible,” he interrupted me quickly. I smiled faintly, “It was know to all—the same General who vowed never to forsake me at our wedding banquet just days ago has brought a courtesan into our home and marked her with his own name. Do you want me to be the laughingstock of all of Stonehaven?” “If you can’t keep your promises, then let’s end this marriage and go our separate ways.” I turned to leave, but Adrian’s hand clamped down on my sleeve. The man who had never faltered in the presence of the King now stumbled over his words. “Elara, please, believe me. I only took her in out of pity. My heart—my heart is only for you.” I cut him off sharply, “How many women have you said these words to?” Seeing that I remained unmoved, he grew angry. “Elara Stonemore, there is no divorce between us, only death can part us. It seems I’ve spoiled you too much, making you forget that a wife must obey her husband!” With that, he stormed back inside, convinced I would never leave him, convinced I would eventually accept this, as other women did, and share him with another. Suddenly, I felt a deep sadness. How much better it would be if I had never loved Adrian, never cherished those moments of romance. The bitterness of his betrayal melted away like a snowflake on my fingertip. I calmly made a decision and instructed my maid, Liana, to procure two items for me: one, a potion to terminate the pregnancy, and the other, a concoction to ensure Adrian would never father a child again. Adrian placed Seraphina in the west wing, granting her no title but assigning two maids to attend to her, making her an exceptional presence in the manor. Meanwhile, I remained secluded, quietly executing my plan as the signs of my pregnancy became more apparent. One day, as I was admiring the flowers in the garden, someone I thought I’d never interact with again approached me. She looked well-cared for, her complexion radiant as she smiled and said, “Sister, how have you enjoyed these past three years, keeping my husband to yourself?” I didn’t want to engage with her, but Seraphina sighed and stepped back a few paces, her delicate steps as light as a whisper. “But now I’ve returned, so isn’t it time for you to step aside?” Before I could respond, she turned on her heel, a satisfied smile playing on her lips. Moments later, the sharp sound of shattering ice echoed through the garden as the pond’s surface gave way beneath her. Seraphina’s screams pierced the air as she floundered in the freezing water. She accused me of pushing her—a ludicrous, transparent scheme that once would have made me scoff at its sheer amateurishness. But Adrian, blinded by his guilt and her theatrics, believed her without hesitation. When he came to confront me, I remained calm and said, “I didn’t do it.” He frowned, finally relaxing his clenched fists. “Very well, I believe you.” Just then, a servant rushed in. “General, Lady Seraphina has taken a sudden fever and is now unconscious!” Once again, he left me to rush to her side and never returned. 4 That night, the snow on the roof melted, and the intricately carved bed Adrian had ordered for me sat unused in the west wing, creaking throughout the night. I touched my still-flat abdomen, feeling the two heartbeats within me. What had once been a life I longed for now felt like a burden of grief. The Moonrise Manor, which should have been closed and dark after the curfew, unexpectedly kept its lights on all night. I, unable to sleep, stared at it from afar, as if looking at the last flicker of light in a deep abyss. The next morning, Adrian was summoned to the King, and I heard he left with a spring in his step, looking pleased with himself. I knelt before the altar in the courtyard, reciting prayers, when I heard footsteps approaching. Seraphina came up beside me but did not kneel. “Are you praying for the General’s favor, sister?” I looked up at the idol above and kept chanting, ignoring her completely. But she wasn’t about to let it go. Leaning in close to my ear, she whispered, “The General was so strong in bed last night, and so considerate. He told me to be patient, and I couldn’t have been more satisfied.” I sneered, “He once despised you for being a courtesan, yet now that you’re back in his favor, you’re so certain your beauty will never fade, and his love will never wane?” Seraphina smiled mysteriously. “Sister, you are truly virtuous, but don’t you know? What makes a man remember isn’t just beauty.” I thought of the potion she had used and suddenly understood. Indeed, she was now truly captivating, her voice dripping with honey. No wonder even the most clever men couldn’t resist the allure of a beautiful woman. Adrian never came to my room again, his absence a cold and silent rejection. I heard that his management of the Royal Guard had earned him favor, and for his previous military achievements, the King had offered him any reward he desired. He knelt before the throne and refused land or gold, asking only to make Seraphina his second formal wife. The whole city marveled at his deep love and loyalty, admiring how he balanced his affections between his new love and old commitments. He declared his intent to give Seraphina the grandest wedding the city had ever seen. 5 On that day, with falcons as messengers and blossoms as witnesses, a luxious carriage made its way into the notorious Red Lantern Alley, where a young general was to marry a courtesan—an event rarely seen. Disguised, I slipped into the alley, coldly observing the spectacle. Adrian rode a magnificent horse straight to the Moonrise Manor, brandishing a thousand silver coins, arrogantly demanding to buy her freedom. “I demand to see the master of this manor. This should be more than enough to buy Seraphina’s freedom.” “How could that be enough?” A clear male magnetic voice drifted down from the upper floor. Pale fingers parted the curtain, revealing a face of unparalleled beauty. It was my first time seeing the master of Moonrise Manor. His jet-black hair and crimson lips, with long eyes drooping slightly with a trace of red at the corners, held an air of both elegance and nonchalance. As he moved, dressed in white robes, I realized that true beauty transcends gender. The handsome boss tapped his fan lightly against his chin, his eyes curving into a smile. “Seraphina is the most enchanting of all the girls at Moonrise Manor. The line of men wanting to be with her could stretch to the neighboring kingdoms. How could mere silver buy her freedom?” Adrian’s smile faltered, his face stiffening. “Then how much do you want?” The beauty unfolded his fan with a lazy smile. “I’ve heard that General Adrian turned down the King’s reward of gold and land to marry this woman as your second wife. Such devotion must be worth at least ten thousand gold pieces.” The entire Red Lantern Alley watched the scene unfold. Although they didn’t know the history between them, it was clear the handsome boss was humiliating Adrian. A strange sense of satisfaction welled up in me as Adrian’s lips twitched. For the sake of his pride, he gritted his teeth and agreed. In front of everyone, he signed and sealed the contract, paying ten thousand gold pieces to buy back Seraphina’s freedom. This was his entire savings from two years of military service and rewards, plus a substantial loan. Yet, despite his triumph, the boss’s demeanor was chillingly indifferent to the money. He instructed his men to count it with a detached air, barely glancing as he sneered, “You’re fortunate to have regained the beauty.” With an air of haughty disdain, he crumpled the contract and flung it over the high balcony, watching as it tumbled into the void below. “Take her away,” If there was a way to shatter a man’s spirit, this was it. … With this act, Seraphina’s status was firmly entrenched and known by all. After the grand wedding, her boldness grew even more audacious. She marched into my courtyard with an imperious air, demanding tokens of Adrian’s affection that he had once bestowed upon me. Her voice was a sharp command as she insisted I return every memento, as if reclaiming them would seal her victory and further cement her newfound power. “The General has declared that we are meant to be together for life. You may stay in the manor, but don’t cling to any illusions. You and the General are no different than being divorced.” Facing her provocation, I smiled faintly. “So be it. I only hope he truly cherishes you.” Seraphina, eager to prove her point, said, “He gave up all his military achievements just to make me his equal wife. If that isn’t true love, what is?” I didn’t respond. Instead, I pointed to the wooden box on the ground, where all the hairpins and jade ornaments Adrian had given me were stored. “Please, hand these back to him.” I lowered my gaze. “It’s just a shame that the kites he made for me, the summer fireflies he placed in my hands, the hurried love letters from the battlefield… those can never be returned.” In the past, Adrian would rise before dawn to train, regardless of the weather, and I would silently accompany him, handing him a towel when he was done. I knew he was the backbone of the kingdom, the guardian of the realm. But now, he spent day and night wrapped up in Seraphina’s company, taking potions to boost his stamina. It was as if he had been drained of life; dark circles formed under his eyes, despite being only in his twenties. As my morning sickness worsened, I had Liana procure a potion to terminate the pregnancy and arrange for a medical retreat. During this time, I had been secretly poisoning Adrian’s food with a concoction to render him infertile, ensuring he could no longer father children. It was time to end this. That day, while Adrian and Seraphina were lost in their daytime pleasures, I took the divorce papers I had already prepared, stamped them with Adrian’s seal in his study, and left decisively. As I reached the door, a sudden, excruciating pain gripped my abdomen, and I felt warm, sticky blood flowing down. I was struck by a sudden realization—how could this be? I hadn’t taken the potion yet. Who had poisoned me? Soon, Adrian rushed out, panic written all over his face when he saw me lying in a pool of blood. “Elara, what’s happening?” Then, with a loud thud, Adrian was kicked to the ground, coughing up blood. The pain was overwhelming, and as I curled up on the ground, tears blurred my vision. A cold drop fell on my eyelid, but it wasn’t my own. “Don’t be afraid, I’ll take you away.” I was lifted into warm arms, the heat of his body nearly stealing my breath. For a brief moment, my vision cleared enough to see the face of the man holding me. It was the beautiful master from Moonrise Manor, whom I had glimpsed that day. 6 This time, however, there was no trace of those vibrant or the seductive allure. His appearance had changed, now possessing a more masculine edge, though I recognized him instantly from the clarity in his eyes. He held me firmly as he stood, his gaze sharp as he glanced back at the man behind us. “Where are you taking Elara? Put her down! She is the lady of this house and must stay here to recover. She cannot go anywhere!” Adrian’s frantic shouts echoed behind us as he clung desperately to the man’s leg. But the master swiftly kicked him aside. Adrian, weakened by his excessive indulgence, struggled to stand, his face twisted in fury, yet unable to do anything
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