Michael William was praised by everyone as the most powerful Lycan King. However, with his extraordinary appearance and talents, he could not avoid the sympathy and suspicion from others. He was not only adept at ruling but also possessed a cold, ruthless, and cruel nature when necessary. Due to a misunderstanding, he once decided to kidnap Zoey Anderson, a weak and delicate maiden in the palace. Although she always tried to escape from his grasp and endured torture, her life became more tragic than ever under such a cruel ruler. But despite the suffering and abuse, there was something strange-why did her presence touch the heart of anyone, even just a little, causing them pain? While the falling petals had meaning, the compassionate heart of a powerful king was shattered by her. So, could his heart ever be mended after all of this?
Chapter 1 Oh, how I craved them.
Zoey's POV:
- "Zoey, promise me you'll return in five hours, okay?"
Liam Anderson looked at me anxiously, continuously giving me all sorts of instructions.
I listened and nodded repeatedly, not forgetting to adjust my belongings one last time for assurance.
He always treated me like a little girl, even though I had just turned 17 this year.
Our parents had passed away after the devastating flood that swept through recently, leaving only the two of us to rely on each other to survive.
The town of Jollibee had become much more desolate than before, its few residents living quietly like soulless bodies.
Poverty had shrouded the countryside for decades.
Liam would regularly make trips to the capital city every seven days to work as a helper in various eateries.
They only paid a few coins a day, but it was enough to cover the daily meals for the two of us.
Since I was young, I had learned a bit of medicine from my father, so I would go to the forest every morning to look for new herbs and return by dusk.
Over time, I managed to gather a decent amount of herbs, which could be sold for a few dozen coins.
Thinking it through, today I decided to take my basket and head to the capital.
Liam was still very worried, believing that for a frail young girl like me, who couldn't even tie up a chicken, traveling to the capital was extremely difficult.
I just chuckled, patted my chest confidently, and reassured him:
- I promise I'll come back safe and sound for you, alright?
With that, I turned, grabbed the carefully wrapped basket of herbs, and quickly headed to the door.
Suddenly, Liam grabbed my hand, looked at me thoughtfully, and said:
~ It would be best if you disguised yourself as a boy for my peace of mind.
The capital is a complicated place, full of all kinds of people. If you go there as you are now, trouble is bound to find you if you're unlucky.
Realizing he was right and wanting to put Liam at ease, I returned to the room, tied my hair up high, and put on Liam's clothes.
Only then did he smile in satisfaction.
After saying goodbye, I eagerly set off for the capital.
Since I was little, I had only visited the capital twice when I was four.
Back then, my father also went to the capital to sell herbs, and after much pleading and crying, he finally let me go with him.
The bustling, crowded, and beautiful capital was in stark contrast to our remote, desolate town of Jollibee, making me incredibly excited.
I loved the big, round, sweet candied fruit skewers the most, and I wondered if, after all these years, they still tasted the same as they did back then.
The surrounding scenery was fresh, and the earthy smell occasionally hit my nose, making me sneeze several times.
The path to the capital passed through a dense, damp forest.
I was a bit scared but quickly pulled myself together.
Few people ventured into this forest because it had few medicinal plants but countless bugs.
If one happened to be bitten, their body would be covered in itchy rashes.
Following the forest trail, I picked up a branch from the edge to use as a walking stick to prevent slipping.
The morning dew made the path slippery, and the moss-covered ground was even harder to navigate.
Occasionally, I came across faint footprints-could they be Liam's? Thinking of Liam made me smile.
At this moment, he was probably worrying about me.
When I return, I'll buy him a new pair of shoes; his daily-worn cloth shoes were worn out at the heels.
He would surely be very happy.
Sitting by the edge of the forest to rest for a while, I suddenly heard the sound of galloping hooves.
I glanced around-was someone else here? The sound of hooves grew closer, so I hurriedly hid in a dense bush nearby.
A moment later, more than a dozen men appeared, chasing one another.
They all wielded sharp swords, some with blood dripping from them, their eyes fierce and darting around as if searching for something.
I clapped a hand over my mouth, my body trembling, trying to stay as silent as possible, while my mind kept lamenting: "The heavens are so cruel to me!"
The man at the head of the group, whom I assumed was the leader because he wore different armor from the others and exuded an aura of authority, had sharp, cold eyes that were as icy as they were cunning. A strange red mole marked the center of his forehead.
He spoke in a deep, hoarse voice:
~ Bring him out here!
Immediately, another man grabbed a black-clad man by the collar and threw him to the ground at the leader's feet.
The man was terrified, clasping his hands repeatedly, drenched in sweat, pleading desperately:
- Prince...! Spare me, please...! I beg you...!
The prince smirked mockingly:
- You conspired with the Empress Dowager to plot behind my back, and you think I would spare one of her lackeys?
Then, with a wave of his hand, the pitiful man was killed instantly with a single slash.
I was truly horrified; it was the first time I had witnessed such a gruesome scene in my life.
This forest was desolate, yet they had dragged the man here to kill him, proving they wanted to keep the matter absolutely secret.
I just wanted to get out of there as fast as I could; if they discovered I was there, they would surely kill me to silence me.
"Rustle, rustle!" I turned toward the sound coming from beside me and saw a large snake, which had somehow appeared, with its mouth open and ready to strike.
I screamed loudly and leaped out of the bush where I had been hiding.
The group of cruel men turned to me in shock, their eyes burning with anger.
Unlucky.
Because I moved too abruptly, the cloth tying my hair slipped off, causing my hair to fall loose.
I stepped backward while keeping my eyes on them.
The sharp, piercing eyes of the prince fixed on me, as if he intended to crush me.
Zoey, oh Zoey, you're in deep trouble now!
I didn't have time to think; the only option was to run. Using all my strength, I sprinted away as fast as I could to escape.
Contrary to what I expected, there were no sounds of horses following me.
What I didn't know was that he didn't chase after me because, from that moment, he was certain I would never be able to escape him.
Not for the rest of my life.
The event just now left me utterly terrified, but fortunately, I managed to get away.
Once out of the forest, I tied my hair back up, straightened my clothes, and headed into the capital.
The crowd grew thicker, people jostling one another more and more.
I carried my basket of herbs, happily making my way to the city gates.
A few guards were already stationed there for inspections.
They lifted my basket, checked it thoroughly, then handed it back to me.
Once inside the city, I looked around in awe.
Carts moved slowly along the road carrying goods, while the cries of street vendors calling for customers occasionally rang out.
I searched for a place selling candied fruit skewers.
Oh, how I craved them.
With one in my mouth, joy filled my heart, a feeling so strange and wonderful.
- Umm, madam, may I ask, is there a place in this market that buys herbs?
I asked a young woman who was engrossed in picking out fabrics nearby.
The woman, with a lovely face, smiled warmly and pointed to the end of the market:
- At the end of the market is Beta Thomas's pharmacy.
Chapter 1 Oh, how I craved them.
05/11/2024
Chapter 2 Questions raced through my mind.
05/11/2024
Chapter 3 This mysterious man indeed had beautiful eyes.
05/11/2024
Chapter 4 His ghostly, dark figure stood silently, facing Logan's group.
05/11/2024
Chapter 5 My back ached from the long carriage ride.
05/11/2024
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