Chapter 1

On the night of my birthday, Adrian didn't come home until three in the morning.

That human girl had run away from the estate again and nearly died at the hands of lesser vampires.

When Adrian got the call, his voice was ice cold.

"If she wants to get herself killed, let her. No one is to stop her."

But after he hung up, he still went after her.

Ever since Vicky's parents took a vampire hunter's silver bullet for Adrian, he could never let her go.

By the time they returned, the guests had already gone home disappointed, and the frosting on my birthday cake had long since collapsed.

Vicky buried herself in Adrian's arms, trembling as she sobbed.

"I'm sorry, I just dreamed about my parents last night..."

I had heard this excuse countless times.

Every time something happened to her, Adrian would leave me behind.

From my coming-of-age ceremony to every single birthday.

I looked at Adrian.

He didn't push her away. Instead, he said quietly to me,

"Elena, she's not in a good state right now. Maybe... we should wait until next year to discuss the engagement."

This wasn't the first time he had postponed our engagement ceremony.

The entire vampire world had long since turned me into a laughingstock.

This time, I just smiled, nodded, and agreed.

After all, in one month, I would be marrying someone else.

Chapter 1

Elena's POV

On the night of my birthday, Adrian didn't come home until three in the morning.

Only a handful of vampire nobles remained in the banquet hall.

They held their wine glasses, their gazes drifting toward me now and then.

The birthday cake on the table had been sitting out too long. The elegant fondant decorations had gradually softened, petals tipping over into the frosting, and even the letters spelling my name had half-collapsed.

Everyone was waiting to see how this spectacle would end.

Adrian had abandoned me time after time, and my reputation was already in ruins.

Those nobles said I couldn't even compare to a human woman.

That I couldn't even hold on to my own childhood sweetheart's heart.

It hadn't always been this way.

I was born into an ancient vampire clan and had grown up alongside Adrian, the heir to the vampire Prince. Our two families had arranged the engagement long ago.

Celebrating our birthdays together had been our tradition for years.

No matter what came up, he used to rush back early and hand me the gift he had prepared the moment the clock struck midnight.

But in recent years, Adrian had missed it repeatedly, and the reason was always the same.

Vicky was in trouble again.

She came from human nobility. Her parents had traveled between the human and vampire territories for years, running businesses that bridged the two worlds.

A few years ago, they were ambushed by vampire hunters in vampire territory. To protect Adrian, they had taken the hunters' silver bullets for him.

From that day on, Adrian treated looking after Vicky as a responsibility he could never shirk.

At first, I was willing to help him care for her too.

She had just lost her parents and found herself in a world of vampires she didn't understand. It was only natural that she'd cling to someone out of fear.

I even arranged a place for her to stay and shielded her from those vampire nobles who looked down on humans.

But gradually, Vicky's dependence on Adrian became obsessive.

When she had nightmares, she needed him. When she fell ill, she needed him. When she missed her parents, she absolutely had to see him.

If Adrian didn't appear quickly enough, she would starve herself, hurt herself, or run out of the estate alone with a death wish.

And every time she had one of these episodes, it just happened to fall on an important day of mine.

Tonight, my birthday, was no different.

Before the banquet started, Adrian had already arrived.

He stood outside the hall doors, wearing the suit I had personally chosen for him, holding the gift he had prepared for me.

Then an attendant called in a panic.

Vicky had run out of the estate again and been surrounded by a group of lesser vampires. She had nearly been killed.

Adrian's expression darkened the moment he heard.

"If she wants to get herself killed, let her. No one is to stop her."

His voice was cold, as if he was tired of Vicky's recklessness.

But after hanging up, he sighed, handed the gift to an attendant, and walked toward the estate gates.

I stood at the entrance of the banquet hall, only a few steps away from him.

If he had just turned around, he would have seen me standing there in my gown, waiting for him.

But he didn't.

And I didn't chase after him like I used to, grabbing his hand and asking when he would be back.

Because I didn't want to see that conflicted look on his face.

Because I knew that no matter what I said, he would still leave.

And because, before this birthday banquet even began, I had already told my father that I didn't want to marry Adrian anymore.

The Valerie clan and the Prince's family had been close for centuries. It was only because I happened to be born a daughter in my father's generation that the engagement was finalized, binding me to marry the Prince's heir after I came of age.

But Adrian wasn't the Prince's only heir.

He had an older brother, three years his senior. Cassian.

As long as I married him, the marriage pact between our two families would still be fulfilled.

And no one would have to stay trapped in this relationship, torn apart and suffering.

My father didn't agree right away, but he didn't try to convince me to keep enduring either.

He only told me to think about it one more night.

I didn't refuse.

For as long as I could remember, I had known Adrian would become my husband.

I had loved him for so many years, been through so much with him.

The truth was, the reason I had held on this long was because I couldn't bear to let go.

Part of me still wanted to give Adrian one last chance.

If only he would stay tonight. If only he could choose me over Vicky, just once, on my birthday.

Even just once, and I would take back everything I had said, swallow all the humiliation, and marry him.

Every time he had abandoned me before, leaving me a laughingstock, all the shame I had endured, I could forget it all.

I would understand him one more time. I would keep believing that he was only trapped by his sense of duty.

But when I watched him leave without a moment's hesitation, I suddenly realized I already knew exactly what would happen next.

I would stay here alone, enduring everyone's stares, making excuses for him, protecting his dignity.

And when he finally brought Vicky back, he would tell me she wasn't doing well and ask me to be understanding just one more time.

So I didn't blow out the candles, and I didn't have anyone fix the ruined cake.

I sat in the seat of honor, watching the guests leave one by one.

When some said goodbye, their eyes were full of pity.

Others couldn't wait to start whispering to one another the moment they stepped outside the hall.

I knew that by tomorrow, every vampire in society would know that Adrian had left my birthday banquet again for Vicky.

And I, his childhood sweetheart and fiancée, would once again become the butt of every aristocrat's jokes.

Because of this, my family's reputation would suffer, and no gallery would be willing to exhibit my paintings.

All because I was the woman who had been cast aside. My reputation was ruined, and I was no longer worthy of respect.

At three in the morning, there was finally movement at the estate gates.

Vicky clung to Adrian's collar, sheltered in his arms as he walked into the banquet hall.

Her gown was torn in several places, her face pale, her eyes red and swollen from crying.

The moment she saw me still sitting at the table, she immediately lowered her head and buried her face in Adrian's chest.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude on your evening together. It's just, I dreamed about my parents last night...

"Once you two are engaged, there'll be no one left to take care of me anyway... I'm sorry, Elena. I was just so sad. I never expected Adrian to leave you to come find me..."

The fragile tone of her voice, with its faint undercurrent of smugness, no longer stung the way it used to.

Now, all I felt was exhaustion and annoyance.

She had given this speech far too many times.

Every time she mentioned her parents, Adrian would fall silent.

Because whenever he saw her cry, he would remember those two silver bullets her parents had taken for him.

Vicky's hand still clutched his shirt, and Adrian didn't push her away.

I watched the two of them leaning against each other and felt none of the old wrenching pain.

Perhaps I had simply waited too long, and even disappointment eventually runs dry.

Adrian finally noticed the cake on the table and the fact that I had never left.

His gaze lingered on the collapsed fondant decorations for a moment before he finally walked over to me.

"Elena, I'm sorry I came back so late."

I shook my head gently, without asking why it had taken him this long.

Vicky stood behind him, sniffling softly, as though she still hadn't recovered from the earlier scare.

Adrian glanced back at her, his expression visibly torn.

"Elena, she's not in a good state right now. Maybe... we should wait until next year to discuss the engagement."

This wasn't the first time he had postponed our engagement ceremony.

The first time, he said Vicky had just lost her parents and couldn't handle the shock.

The second time, he said Vicky hadn't adjusted to the vampire world and he was worried no one would look after her once he got engaged.

Eventually, I had grown too tired to even listen to his excuses anymore.

As long as something happened to Vicky that day, Adrian would ask me to wait a little longer.

He always thought that since we had grown up together and had centuries of life ahead of us, pushing things back a year didn't matter at all.

But he had forgotten that no matter how long a life may be, it cannot endure being wasted and taken for granted over and over again.

I looked at him and nodded gently.

"Fine. Then we won't get engaged."

Adrian didn't seem to catch my meaning. The tension in his expression actually eased.

"Once Vicky is in a better place, I'll make new arrangements."

I didn't correct him. I just looked at the birthday cake, now completely ruined.

"Go take her back. She's still shaking."

Adrian studied me for a moment, as if sensing something different about my response.

But Vicky quickly grabbed his sleeve again, calling his name softly.

In the end, he still took her and left the banquet hall.

I didn't call after him, and I didn't wait for him to look back.

Once the hall fell quiet again, the remaining guests, having seen enough of the spectacle, finally left as well.

Only my parents and I were left.

My father didn't blame me for embarrassing the Valerie family once more. He simply looked at me with aching tenderness and asked in a low voice, "Elena, have you truly made up your mind? Once the match is changed, there's no going back."

The truth was, my father had known my decision for some time and had already begun discussing the change of match with the Blackwood family.

He was leaving the final choice to me.

If I changed my mind tonight, everything could still be stopped.

I stood by the window and watched Adrian escort Vicky to the carriage, then personally instruct the attendants to prepare hot water and medicine for her.

Not once, until the carriage door closed, did he glance in my direction.

I answered quietly, "Dad, I've made up my mind."

My father was silent for a moment, then asked, "You won't change it again?"

"No. Tonight was the last chance I gave him."

My voice was so calm that even I was surprised.

Since he was this conflicted, and I was this miserable, there was no point in tormenting each other any longer.

I shook my head and said, "I'm really tired, Father. I don't want to wait for him anymore."

My father didn't try to comfort me. He only said, "As long as you've thought it through."

I took off the engagement ring and placed it in the jewelry box.

"Tell the Blackwoods that I won't be changing my mind."

My father acknowledged this, then brought up the name they had already discussed.

"Then I'll have the engagement between you and Cassian formally confirmed tomorrow."

I gazed out at the deep night sky and gently closed my eyes.

"All right."

This time, I finally didn't have to wait for Adrian anymore.

Chapter 2

Elena's POV

The next day, I went to the Elder Council as usual to sit in on their daily session.

News of what had happened at last night's birthday banquet had already spread throughout vampire society.

The moment I stepped into the council hall, I felt the piercing stares from every direction.

Some offered sympathy. Some sighed with regret. Others made no effort to hide the fact that they were waiting for more entertainment.

"I heard Prince Adrian left again last night for that human girl."

"How many more times is their engagement going to be postponed?"

"The Valerie girl really can endure."

"Her Fiancé walks out on her in front of everyone, and she actually pretends nothing happened."

The whispers were kept low, but every word reached my ears clearly enough.

In the past, moments like these would have made me feel ashamed. I would instinctively make excuses for Adrian.

Vicky's parents had died protecting him from silver bullets.

It was only right that he couldn't let go of that guilt.

I would even think that those vampire nobles simply didn't understand what he was carrying.

But after last night, I suddenly didn't want to make excuses for him anymore.

They were right.

At my coming-of-age ceremony, he left halfway through to comfort Vicky after a nightmare.

At a family banquet, she suddenly fell ill, and he didn't come back all night.

At our first engagement ceremony, Vicky ran out of the estate, and he chased after her in front of every single guest.

Yesterday was my birthday, and he still abandoned me, not returning until three in the morning with her in tow.

Every important moment that should have been mine ended up bearing Vicky's name instead, leaving my reputation in tatters.

I used to believe I was special to Adrian.

He would remember my preferences, prepare birthday gifts for me himself, and gently take my hand in front of everyone.

But looking back now, I couldn't even pinpoint when it had started. Every bit of his attention toward me had to be split in half with Vicky.

Whenever I received a gift, I knew Vicky would be upset, and Adrian would inevitably give her an identical one.

Whenever I stood in the banquet hall, I worried about when she would summon Adrian away again.

I couldn't even remember the last time an important moment belonged to just Adrian and me.

After the council session ended, I had barely stepped out of the hall when I saw Adrian standing at the end of the corridor.

He seemed to have been waiting for a while. An attendant carrying a gift box stood behind him.

When he saw me come out, he quickly walked over.

"Elena."

His voice was still gentle, his face wearing just the right amount of remorse.

"Last night was my fault."

I didn't respond.

His gaze dropped to my neck, and his brow furrowed immediately.

"You're not wearing the birthday gift I gave you?"

I looked at him, hesitated for a moment, then gave a small nod.

The gift box had been delivered to my room last night.

I hadn't opened it. I hadn't even touched the ribbon on the box.

In the past, whenever I received something from Adrian, I would always open it right away, imagining the moment he would see me wearing his gift.

Even if he had been absent from the entire banquet, I would use that gift to convince myself that I still mattered to him.

Last night, I simply hadn't felt that anticipation anymore.

Adrian looked at me, seeming somewhat surprised.

Just then, Vicky appeared from the other end of the corridor.

She wore a pale dress, and around her neck hung a necklace I had never seen before.

I looked at that necklace, and everything suddenly became clear.

"The birthday gift you gave me yesterday was also a necklace, wasn't it?"

Adrian answered without thinking. "Yes."

The moment the word left his mouth, his expression shifted slightly.

He had clearly realized why I was asking.

I didn't press him or call him out. I just waited quietly.

After a moment, Adrian sighed softly.

"That necklace was custom-made specifically for you.

"Vicky's is just a similar design. The gemstones are different.

"She doesn't have much jewelry. She saw the design sketch I'd prepared for you and said she liked it too.

"If I only made one for you, I was worried she'd overthink it."

He paused here and glanced at Vicky.

"She hasn't been doing well lately. I didn't want her to be upset over something so small."

I looked at the necklace on Vicky's neck and let out a bitter laugh.

"It's lovely. It suits her."

I didn't have the attendant open the gift box that had been sent to me last night.

I had no interest in checking how different the two necklaces actually were.

Even the thoughtfulness Adrian claimed was meant just for me still had to be shared with Vicky.

It had always been this way.

I once mentioned I liked a set of rare, out-of-print antique books. Adrian searched everywhere and eventually brought back two sets.

One for me. The other went straight to Vicky's study.

When I admired a master jeweler's work, he would commission two similar pieces.

One as a surprise for me. The other would soon appear on Vicky.

Even the flowers he had delivered to my room often had a matching bouquet placed by Vicky's window.

He said he didn't want her to feel excluded.

He said she had already lost her parents and couldn't bear the feeling of being overlooked.

And so my birthday gift could become two. My surprises could be shared with someone else. And on my most important days, I could be abandoned at any moment.

I used to think Adrian was simply trying to honor the couple who had died for him.

It wasn't until I decided to give up on marrying him that I finally saw through this so-called fairness.

What Vicky received was his favoritism.

What I received was one reassurance after another: "You're the most understanding," and "I knew you'd get it."

Chapter 3

Elena's POV

Seeing that I had gone quiet, Adrian took a box from the attendant.

"Yesterday's was a birthday gift.

"This one is an apology I prepared especially for you."

He lowered his head as he spoke, his expression gentle, his brow lightly furrowed, looking troubled.

As if my not forgiving him would cause him unbearable guilt.

"I broke my promise last night.

"Please don't be angry anymore, all right?"

In the past, every time I saw that look on his face, my heart would ache for him.

I would think that being caught between duty and love must have been exhausting enough for him already.

Then I would take the initiative to comfort him, tell him I wasn't angry, step back once more, and swallow all my grievances.

But this time, I only watched as he opened the box.

Inside lay an antique brooch.

I recognized the piece.

It was originally part of a matched pair that had attracted fierce bidding among the nobles at an auction a week ago.

I picked up the brooch and turned it over. A clear repair line ran across the back.

The restoration work wasn't bad, but the original break had been too extensive. The mark was still plainly visible.

I looked up.

"Where's the other one?"

Adrian answered without hesitation.

"Vicky liked them, so I let her pick first.

"This one was only repaired on the back. You can't tell when it's being worn."

He glanced at the brooch in my hand and added,

"You have so much jewelry. You wouldn't mind a small blemish like this."

I looked down at the crack, a faint ache still pulsing in my chest.

He had come here today specifically to make amends.

Yet even with a gift meant as an apology to me, he had still let Vicky choose the better one first.

He said I was the person he cared about most.

But every time a choice had to be made, he would look after Vicky first without a second thought.

Only after everything was settled would he come to me with whatever was left and assume I would accept it.

Vicky walked over to my side and spotted the brooch in my hand. Her face immediately filled with surprise.

"I had no idea this one was damaged so badly."

She lowered her head and touched the flawless brooch pinned to her own chest, her tone quickly turning guilty and pitiful.

"Elena... maybe we should trade.

"I didn't know the crack on this one was so obvious, and I didn't know Adrian would give it to you."

I shook my head calmly.

"That's not necessary."

Vicky's hand froze in place, and her eyes quickly turned red.

"Elena, have you hated me all along?

"If it weren't for me, you and Adrian wouldn't always be fighting.

"I've been trying so hard not to bother you two, but it seems like no matter what I do, I'm always wrong."

I didn't rush to deny it the way I always used to, and I didn't try to comfort her.

I no longer had the energy to prove that she had never affected our relationship, and I didn't want to keep lying to myself.

Adrian, predictably, went to her side first.

"Don't overthink it."

He patted Vicky's shoulder gently, then turned to frown at me.

"Elena, she was just trying to trade you the better one.

"Even if you're still upset about last night, you shouldn't take it out on her."

I looked at him and was suddenly struck by how foolish my past self had been.

It wasn't that he couldn't see who was being wronged.

He simply always felt Vicky's tears first.

Seeing that I still hadn't spoken and was simply standing there watching the scene with cold detachment, Adrian's tone gradually softened again.

He walked up to me and said quietly,

"Elena, I came here today specifically to apologize.

"You've always been the person I care about most.

"I keep Vicky by my side only because I owe it to her parents.

"You know this has nothing to do with love."

I had heard this line far too many times.

Every single time, he would say I was the only one he loved.

And then, at my birthday, my coming-of-age ceremony, and my engagement, he would turn around and leave for Vicky.

Before last night, I had still been willing to believe him.

Because admitting that he didn't love me that much, admitting that he had always been biased, was even more painful than continuing to wait.

But once I decided to marry someone else, all the hurt I had deliberately ignored suddenly became impossibly clear.

I placed the brooch back in the box and pushed it across the table to Adrian.

"Since Vicky likes them so much, give her both.

"One to wear, one to collect. Wouldn't that be better?"

Adrian's expression froze.

He stared at the returned gift box, and for the first time, genuine unease surfaced in his eyes.

"Elena, what's gotten into you?"

I didn't answer.

This had long since stopped being about necklaces or brooches.

I simply didn't want to keep taking someone else's leftovers and convincing myself that he had no choice, that I was the only one who truly mattered to him.

Adrian was quiet for a moment, then tried to lighten the mood.

"In a few days, I'm planning to take Vicky to the human world for a change of scenery.

"She's been dreaming about her parents a lot lately. A new environment might help.

"I was going to bring you along too, as a belated birthday celebration."

Even my belated birthday celebration still had to revolve around Vicky.

Before I could respond, a guard strode down the corridor toward us.

"Miss Valerie, Prince Cassian has arrived."

Adrian was taken aback.

"What's my brother doing here?"

I stood and smoothed my skirt calmly.

"I have something important to discuss. If you'll excuse me."

Adrian frowned at me.

"What is it?"

I glanced at him.

"It doesn't concern you."

With that, I turned and walked toward the parlor.

My chest still ached.

But this time, I didn't look back.

Chapter 4

Elena's POV

When I pushed open the parlor door, Cassian was already seated inside.

The tea on the table was still steaming, and several guest lists for the engagement ceremony were neatly arranged beside my father and the Prince.

Cassian heard the footsteps and rose to his feet.

His gaze settled on my face for a moment before he pulled out the chair beside him.

"Have a seat."

I nodded and sat down next to my father.

We had known each other since childhood, but he had always been Adrian's older brother.

Whenever Adrian was around, Cassian rarely initiated conversation with me.

On the rare occasions we crossed paths at family events, he would simply raise his glass to me from a distance, never once crossing the boundary between an older brother and his younger brother's future bride.

Now that I was about to become his fiancée, the quiet parlor held an unspoken awkwardness.

My father didn't waste time and pushed the engagement guest list directly in front of us.

"The Blackwood family has agreed to the change of match, and the Elder Council has raised no objections."

The Prince and his wife nodded along, their eyes carrying a trace of sympathy as they looked at me.

"Elena, dear... we all know you've been through a great deal. As for Adrian, you needn't worry about him anymore.

"The fact that you're still willing to honor the marriage pact and marry into the Blackwood family makes us very happy."

I offered the Prince and his wife a polite smile and instinctively shook my head, saying I wasn't upset, that it was nothing.

But the moment the words left my mouth, the entire room fell silent.

My father spoke first, breaking the stillness.

"The reason I asked you here today is to discuss the engagement date together."

He opened a calendar and pointed to a date one month from now.

"This day works best.

"The invitations and guest list are nearly ready. If neither of you has any objections, we can make the formal announcement tomorrow."

He looked to Cassian when he finished.

Cassian didn't immediately look at the calendar.

He picked up his teacup, then slowly set it back down.

"Sir, I have no objections."

My father nodded and was about to continue when Cassian spoke again.

"But I'd like to hear Elena's thoughts first."

Cassian looked at me, his expression serious.

"The change of match happened very suddenly.

"I want to be sure she's agreeing to marry me of her own will.

"She doesn't need to prove anything to anyone because of last night. And if the rumors have simply become too much to bear... I can help with that as well."

The parlor went quiet.

My father didn't answer for me. He simply turned his gaze toward me.

I looked at Cassian.

He knew I had loved Adrian. He knew exactly why my engagement had been postponed again and again.

Now that I had finally agreed to a different match, he was still leaving the final decision to me.

I met his eyes.

"This is my own decision."

Cassian's fingers paused at the rim of his teacup.

I continued,

"I'm willing to marry you."

His expression visibly faltered.

Those steady, composed eyes flickered with a surprise he couldn't conceal, and he looked at me for a long time without saying a word.

My father cleared his throat and reopened the guest list.

"Since you both agree, the date is set for one month from now.

"Blackwood engagement ceremonies have always been grand affairs, and this one involves two major families. There's a great deal to prepare in advance."

After that, my father went through the ceremony arrangements and the guest list.

Cassian regained his usual composure, occasionally offering careful and thoughtful suggestions.

After everything had been settled, my father and the Prince stood with their lists.

"The ceremony details are nearly finalized. You two young people can talk privately. If you have any requests or ideas, just let us know."

The door closed, and only Cassian and I remained in the parlor.

I stared down at the engagement date in front of me, unsure what to say.

Cassian spoke first.

"Last night, I went to your birthday banquet."

My fingers paused.

"You were there?"

"By the time I arrived, most of the guests had already gone."

He looked at me, his voice dropping slightly lower.

"I saw you standing alone at the entrance to the banquet hall."

I thought of the ruined cake and the knowing looks the nobles had given me on their way out.

So Cassian had been there that night too.

"Why didn't you come in?"

He was quiet for a moment.

"You were still Adrian's fiancée.

"If I had gone to comfort you then, it would only have given people more to gossip about."

He said it calmly, without taking the chance to criticize Adrian or asking how badly I had been hurt the night before.

After a pause, he said quietly,

"You've been treated unfairly all these years."

My chest tightened.

All this time, everyone had told me that Vicky had lost her parents, and I should try to be more understanding.

Adrian had said he had an obligation he couldn't walk away from and asked me to keep waiting.

Even I had kept telling myself to hold on just one more time, that everything would eventually be fine.

No one had ever told me that I had genuinely been wronged.

I lowered my eyes to hide the sudden sting of tears.

"It's all in the past."

Cassian watched me but didn't press further.

He picked up a box from beside him and placed it in front of me.

"This is for you."

I opened the box. Inside was an obsidian brooch.

An ancient protective ward was carved into the center of the stone, surrounded by fine red crystals set as decoration.

I recognized it.

It could create a brief barrier when silver came near. It had appeared once at a vampire auction and was later purchased by an anonymous buyer at an exorbitant price.

"This is far too valuable."

"Keep it."

Cassian's gaze rested on the brooch.

"From now on, you'll be attending many events as my fiancée.

"Vampire hunters have been increasingly active lately. I want you to wear it."

He paused briefly, then looked at me again.

"Before, I had no right to intervene in things between you and Adrian.

"From now on, I won't let you face any of this alone."

His tone was steady, with no extravagant vows.

Yet I could hear the sincerity beneath it.

I reached out and closed the box gently.

"Thank you."

Outside the door came a sudden, faint sound.

Before I could turn around, the closed door was flung open.

Adrian stood in the doorway, his face dark with fury.

His gaze swept from Cassian to the gift box beside my hand, and then he strode over.

I had barely gotten to my feet when he seized my wrist.

His grip was so tight it made me wince.

Cassian immediately grabbed his arm, his voice turning cold.

"Adrian, let her go."

Adrian ignored him.

He stared at me, and for the first time, his eyes held undisguised panic.

"Elena.

"You're really going to marry my brother?"

Chapter 5

Elena's POV

Adrian gripped my wrist, his voice trembling, barely containing his fury.

"You're really going to marry my brother?"

I looked at him.

"Yes."

His gaze lingered on my face for several seconds, as if waiting for me to take it back.

When I said nothing more, he let out a short, harsh laugh.

"Just because of last night?

"Vicky isn't a vampire. It's dangerous out there. I couldn't just leave her alone.

"I promised her parents I would look after her. I explained this to you a long time ago."

By the end, his voice even carried a hint of exasperation.

As though I were the one being unreasonable.

I tugged hard against his grip.

He didn't let go.

"Adrian, let go."

"Tell me first. Whose idea was this?"

His eyes moved past me toward Cassian.

"Did your father pressure you? Or did my brother talk you into it?"

I answered calmly. "It was my own decision."

Adrian's brow furrowed.

"You don't have to go this far just to get back at me.

"Marriage isn't a game.

"What if you agree now and regret it in a few days?"

I looked at him and almost laughed at the irony.

He could postpone our engagement over and over, and yet here he was lecturing me that marriage wasn't a game.

"I won't regret it."

Adrian's expression darkened.

"You once said you only loved me. That you would marry me."

"That was before."

The words seemed to cut him. His grip on my hand tightened.

"I left last night because Vicky was in danger. She needed me.

"I didn't mean to embarrass you.

"Once she's feeling better, I'll throw a new birthday banquet for you.

"You can pick any gift you want."

I glanced down at my wrist.

"None of that matters anymore."

"How can it not matter?"

He stared at me, growing more agitated.

"You're suddenly angry with me, changing the engagement. There has to be a reason.

"I'll make up every birthday I owe you. What more do you want?"

Cassian walked over from the table.

"Adrian, let go of her."

Adrian turned to look at him, his eyes cold.

"This is between Elena and me."

Cassian stopped beside me.

"Elena told you to let go. You heard her."

"Brother."

Adrian's lip curled, mockery in his eyes.

"She's been in love with me for years. You don't actually think she suddenly fell for you and wants to marry you, do you?"

Cassian didn't take the bait.

He reached out and gripped Adrian's arm, his voice still level.

"Don't make me say it a third time."

The two of them stood locked in a standoff for a moment before the door was pushed open again.

My father walked in.

He took one look at Adrian gripping my hand, and his expression hardened.

"Adrian."

Adrian finally let go.

I stepped back two paces, composed myself, and moved to Cassian's side. I took his hand.

The gesture clearly stung Adrian.

"The transfer of the engagement has been agreed upon by both families.

"From today, Elena is Cassian's fiancée."

Adrian turned to my father.

"Sir, you're really going to indulge this nonsense?"

My father looked at him coldly.

"You've postponed the engagement three times.

"Elena chose Cassian. No one forced her.

"You should be mindful of your position."

Adrian fell silent for a moment, then shifted his gaze back to me.

"You've really thought this through?"

"Yes."

"Even if I don't agree?"

"This doesn't require your agreement."

His expression finally stiffened.

I stepped around him, ready to leave.

But Adrian moved to block my path.

"Fine."

He nodded slowly, and that familiar smile of absolute certainty crept back onto his lips.

"If this is how you want to get back at me, I won't stop you.

"You'll come back to me eventually."

I looked up at him.

He was still so certain.

As if my love were something that could never change.

As if all he had to do was stand still, and I would inevitably turn around.

Adrian leaned closer, lowering his voice.

"When you've calmed down and come to apologize in person, I'll pretend today never happened.

"And I won't hold it against you for agreeing to marry my brother."

I wasn't angry. I was only tired.

"That day will never come."

He gave a quiet laugh.

"Elena, you can fool everyone else, but not me.

"You can't let go."

I passed him and took Cassian's hand, pushing open the parlor door.

Behind me, Adrian called out, "Elena, you'll regret this. Why take things this far?"

I didn't slow down.

Behind me, the attendants were already closing the parlor door.

Adrian was still inside.

This time, I was certain once more.

No matter what happened, I would never love him again.

Chapter 6

Elena's POV

The engagement ceremony was held in the grand hall of the Blackwood estate.

I had always believed that the person standing beside me in the end would be Adrian.

Our families had been close for generations, and he and I had grown up together.

Everyone assumed I would become his wife, and even I had never questioned it.

Now, his older brother Cassian stood at my side.

The Prince and his wife, along with the Elder Council, bore witness to the engagement. My father and mother were seated among the guests.

As guests raised their glasses to us one after another, their eyes inevitably lingered on me a moment too long.

I knew what they were looking for.

They wanted to see whether the woman who had trailed after Adrian for years, only to be abandoned time and again, was truly willing to marry someone else.

I had once been the most promising heir of the Valerie clan.

From a young age, I had shown exceptional talent for painting. My work had earned considerable praise, and several gallery owners had reached out, hoping to exhibit my pieces.

Back then, I believed I would be remembered for my talent and would surely become the pride of my family.

Then my engagement to Adrian was postponed, again and again.

The time I spent painting dwindled, while the rumors surrounding me only grew louder.

At first, some galleries still wrote to inquire about new works. Gradually, those invitations disappeared.

People no longer cared about what I had painted, and no one mentioned how talented I used to be.

I went from being the brilliant, much-anticipated heir to being "the woman Adrian abandoned."

No matter what event I attended, someone would always ask why Adrian still hadn't married me.

They speculated that the Blackwood family had already had second thoughts. They mocked me for clinging to an engagement that never seemed to materialize, even though I knew I wasn't valued.

Those whispers reached my parents too.

When my father attended Elder Council sessions, people would deliberately ask him about the wedding date.

When my mother attended social events, she could always count on a few insincere words of sympathy.

Even the unmarried girls in our extended family were ridiculed because of me.

I had lost love, and in the long years of waiting, I had lost myself. No matter what I did, I couldn't escape that ugly label.

Yet back then, I was still making excuses for Adrian.

I kept thinking he was just too committed to his promises, unable to abandon Vicky, the daughter of the people who had saved his life.

I even believed that as long as he married me in the end, none of the humiliation I had suffered would matter.

The Elder pushed the blood contract toward us.

Cassian signed his name first, then passed the pen to me.

The room suddenly grew much quieter.

Everyone was watching my hand.

After all, no matter how much I had suffered in the past, I had always gone back to Adrian's side.

I gripped the pen and wrote my name onto the document, stroke by heavy stroke.

Elena Valerie.

Just before the final stroke, footsteps echoed from the entrance of the great hall.

Adrian walked in with Vicky.

Vicky held his arm, wearing a pale gold gown with a subtle thorn pattern on the skirt that bore a striking resemblance to the Blackwood family crest.

Hushed murmurs quickly rippled through the room.

She seemed to suddenly notice how inappropriate her behavior looked and hastily released Adrian's arm, walking up to me.

"Elena, congratulations."

Her smile was gentle, her eyes touched with a hint of concern.

"I've been so anxious these past few days. I was afraid you only agreed to Cassian because you were angry that Adrian spent too much time with me."

She bit her lower lip lightly, her voice growing softer.

"Adrian has always said the person he truly loves is you. He takes care of me only because my parents entrusted me to him before they died. What's happened between you two is partly my fault."

She paused, then quickly added, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be saying this today. I just don't want you to regret it later."

I merely glanced at her, giving no reaction.

Her performance only made me feel sick.

Adrian and she had always been like this.

They thought that as long as they declared there was no love between them, only obligation, it would clear them of everything.

Even after I had been abandoned over and over, dragged through endless gossip, and held up for public shame, the moment I voiced a single complaint, I was the one making a scene.

With just a few words, Vicky had laid out all my years of humiliation before every person in the room.

She was reminding everyone here just how desperately I had once clung to Adrian, leading them to believe that switching my engagement was nothing more than petty jealousy.

Adrian walked to her side.

"You haven't done anything wrong. You don't need to apologize to her."

Only after shielding Vicky did he turn his gaze toward me.

"Elena, the contract isn't signed yet. It's not too late to change your mind."

"I haven't changed my mind."

"How long are you going to keep this up?"

He frowned, that familiar note of long-suffering patience in his voice.

"Vicky has been having nightmares about the hunters lately. I can't just ignore her. You know I promised her parents I would take care of her."

He extended his hand toward me.

"Come back with me. Let's put an end to this."

Even now, he still believed I was only throwing a tantrum.

In his mind, he had always loved me.

He accompanied Vicky, protected Vicky, gave Vicky every important moment, yet somehow believed he had given me the most precious thing of all.

The title of his future wife.

As long as he was willing to marry me in the end, he felt he had never failed me.

But as I watched the guests erupt into whispers once more while Adrian stood there oblivious, waiting for me to place my hand in his, all I felt was the absurdity of it.

He had never cared about my reputation, never cared about my feelings, and perhaps had never truly loved me at all.

Without hesitation, I brought the pen down and finished signing my name. The text on the blood contract flashed with a faint glow, binding Cassian and me together.

"Adrian." I looked at him. "I've already signed the contract."

His hands clenched into fists, and he answered through gritted teeth, "A blood contract can be broken."

The Prince cut in sharply, "Enough. Return to your seat."

Adrian didn't step back.

But from behind him, Vicky asked softly, "Elena, do you really not love him anymore?"

She raised her eyes, the picture of fragile innocence.

"You gave so much for him. Now you're throwing it all away. Are you truly at peace with that?"

At last, the smugness hidden beneath her vulnerability showed itself.

I looked at her and said evenly, "I'm perfectly at peace."

Vicky's expression froze for an instant.

"If you enjoy picking up what I've discarded, be my guest."

Adrian immediately stepped in front of her.

"If you have a problem with me, take it up with me. She's already lost her parents. How much more do you want to hurt her?"

It suddenly struck me how utterly ridiculous this scene was.

All Vicky had to do was let her eyes redden, and he would rush to stand between her and the world.

As for what I had endured, he had never once truly looked.

Just as I was about to have them escorted out, a deafening crash came from above.

Stained glass shattered, and several vampire hunters burst into the hall, their silver weapons gleaming under the lights.

Guests scattered for cover. Guards drew their weapons instantly. The hall plunged into chaos.

I looked up. One of the hunters had his gun aimed directly at me.

In that split second, Adrian instinctively took a step toward me, but Vicky was still holding his arm. One light tug from her, and he froze.

The shot rang out. The obsidian brooch at my chest flared with heat.

A dark protective ward unfurled before me. The silver bullet struck the barrier and clattered to the ground.

A visible crack appeared across the surface of the brooch.

The hunter reloaded.

I dove to the side, but the bullet had already been fired. There was no time.

"Adrian!"

At some point, Vicky had dropped to the floor nearby. There was no hunter near her, not a scratch on her body, yet she reached toward him in terror.

"Save me!"

Adrian stopped in his tracks.

He spared me a single glance, then swept her into his arms and carried her to safety behind a stone pillar.

"Don't be scared. I'm here."

Vicky clung tightly to his neck. Over his shoulder, she looked back at me.

There was no fear in her eyes. Instead, the corner of her mouth curved upward, just slightly.

I watched Adrian's retreating back as he shielded her, and flashes of memory tore through my mind: the dust-covered canvases, the invitations that had stopped coming, the years of ridicule my parents had endured on my behalf.

And I had stood here, foolishly rooted to the spot, believing I was the only one he loved, telling myself not to mind that he always chose Vicky over me.

Now, when it came down to life and death, he made the very same choice and showed me just how laughable my years of devotion had been.

The second gunshot split the hall.

I had no time to dodge.

A figure lunged from the side and pulled me into his arms.

The silver bullet tore through flesh. Cassian's body shuddered violently, and blood quickly poured from his arm.

"Cassian!"

I caught him, but he pushed me behind him first, placing his body between me and the hunter.

"It's all right. Stay behind me."

Guards rushed forward to subdue the hunters, and the Elders raised defensive wards.

Adrian finally turned around.

Vicky was still safe and unharmed in his arms.

When he saw the blood staining Cassian's arm and me sheltered behind Cassian, his face changed in an instant.

"Elena!"

He let go of Vicky and started toward me.

Vicky immediately grabbed his sleeve.

"Adrian, I feel so dizzy..."

He instinctively steadied her, bending to check if she was hurt.

I supported Cassian, no longer paying attention to Adrian. My only thought was to get Cassian to a doctor as quickly as possible.

Adrian caught up quickly, blocking our path.

His breathing was rapid, his eyes fixed on the cracked obsidian brooch.

"You're a vampire. Your strength and reflexes are far superior to Vicky's. I thought you could protect yourself, so I went to save her first."

He glanced at Vicky, still leaning against the pillar behind him, then hurried to explain.

"I didn't expect the hunter to fire a second shot so quickly. If I'd just had a little more time, I would have come back for you."

I looked at him, struck by how absurd those words sounded.

"So even though you knew the hunter's gun was aimed at me, you still thought I could afford to wait."

"Elena, that's not what I meant."

"But that's exactly what you did."

Adrian's face went pale.

"Vicky is only human. I had to protect the more vulnerable one first."

"You always have a reason."

I gripped Cassian's blood-soaked arm, my palm warm and wet.

"Because I'm a vampire, because I'm stronger than her, I'm always the one who can be left behind."

"That's not what I meant... I thought you would understand."

"I used to understand."

I looked at him, my voice settling into calm.

"So I accepted your choices, time after time, and explained them to everyone on your behalf."

I held Cassian's blood-soaked arm, my palm burning.

"You cost me my painting career. You destroyed my reputation. You made my parents and our entire family endure years of mockery. But you always believed that as long as you were willing to marry me in the end, you had been good enough to me."

Adrian's lips moved.

"Elena, I can make it up to you."

"It's too late."

I tightened my grip on Cassian's arm.

"I will never regret marrying Cassian."

I looked at Adrian, each word deliberate.

"My only regret is that I didn't wake up sooner, that I let you waste so many years of my life."

With that, I turned and walked away, supporting Cassian.

Before I left the hall, I saw Adrian still frozen in place.

He watched my retreating back, his eyes filled with nothing but belated anguish.