"Intimacy in the Mist (2)"
The night grew heavier, the palace's countless candles flickering along ancient corridors as if each flame guarded some unspeakable secret. My steps were light yet burdened, every breath pulling me deeper into this inescapable whirlpool.
Returning to my chambers, the air remained frigid, the space empty save for myself. I closed the door and slid down against the cold wood, hands limp on my knees, gaze hollow. Han Sheng's and Xiao Jing's words echoed relentlessly in my mind, the invisible weight in my chest growing heavier. Every choice seemed beyond my control.
Then—a soft knock shattered the silence.
"Enter." I didn’t look up, my voice calm and distant, as if I’d already known who would come.
The door opened, revealing a familiar silhouette—the Crown Prince.
He stood as imposing as ever, his eyes glinting with something deliberate beneath their casual indifference. When his gaze settled on me, that familiar sense of superiority and pressure wrapped around me again, inescapable.
"Why have you come?" I asked softly, though I already knew the answer.
The Crown Prince smiled faintly and stepped inside, closing the door behind him. He stopped before me, tilting his head slightly, his eyes still like unfathomable dark water, swirling with unreadable emotions.
"Still dwelling on Han Sheng's words?" His tone was measured, carrying an edge of icy certainty.
I frowned, lifting my eyes to his. "How would you know?"
"Nothing in this palace—great or small—remains hidden forever." He let out a quiet laugh, then moved closer, bending slightly to meet my gaze directly.
He was so near now that my pulse quickened despite myself. The Crown Prince’s presence was like an abyss—no matter how I struggled, I would inevitably be pulled under.
"What do you intend to do?" The question slipped out at last, laced with unease.
For a moment, he said nothing. Then, unexpectedly, he reached out, fingertips brushing lightly through my hair, the gesture tender yet weighted. "You ask what I intend to do?" he murmured, his voice laced with something inexplicable.
I couldn’t bear to hold his gaze any longer—those eyes held depths I couldn’t begin to understand. For the first time, I felt something like confusion. Like fear.
With a low chuckle, he withdrew his hand and turned away, his expression distant once more. "You must realize this game is not just between you and me. Everyone has their own motives, their own schemes. No matter which side you choose, you cannot escape fate’s design."
The words struck like a blade, piercing straight through me. His voice, so calm, wove an inescapable net around my heart.
"Why won’t you tell me the truth?" My voice trembled.
His smile remained, but the darkness in his eyes deepened. "The truth? Do you truly believe I would reveal all of it to you?"
I lowered my head, bitterness flooding my chest. Perhaps this was all inevitable. Perhaps I was nothing more than a piece on the board, moved by forces beyond my grasp.
In this palace of endless shadows, I was merely a puppet. And no matter what I chose—the end had likely already been decided.
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