The chamber was silent.
Too silent.
Alexander stood before the shattered remains of the mirror, his chest rising and falling unevenly. The fragments lay scattered across the marble floor, reflecting pieces of him, broken, distorted… unrecognizable.
But not gone.
Never gone.
Slowly… another reflection formed.
Not from the broken glass.
But from the untouched mirror across the room.
He froze.
There it was again.
That version of himself.
Those cold, burning red eyes.
That unnatural stillness.
The faint curl of smoke rising from a hand that did not belong to a man, but something else entirely.
Something darker.
"How could I be so heartless…?" Alexander muttered, his voice low, strained. "What they say about me… it's true."
His hands clenched.
"I forced myself on a defenseless girl…"
The reflection tilted its head slightly, as if studying him.
"You could have stopped yourself, Alex."
Alexander's jaw tightened.
"How?" he snapped, stepping closer. "Tell me how! I acted like you, like a monster. A beast without control!"
The reflection's lips curved faintly.
"No… you acted like yourself."
Silence fell.
Heavy.
Unforgiving.
Alexander ran a hand through his hair, pacing once before stopping again.
"I know you did this," he said bitterly. "You've always been there… pushing me."
The reflection's expression did not change.
"When will you stop blaming me… and accept what you are?"
Alexander's breath hitched.
"I am trying," the reflection continued calmly. "You felt it too, didn't you? That pull. That warmth."
At that word,
Something flickered in Alexander's eyes.
Warmth.
"Yes…" the reflection whispered. "That was not me, Alex."
Alexander shook his head sharply.
"No… no, it wasn't supposed to happen like this…"
His hand shot out,
CRASH!
The second mirror shattered just like the first, glass scattering across the floor.
For a moment,
There was nothing.
No reflection.
No voice.
No truth staring back at him.
But then..
A faint gleam caught his eye.
Another mirror.
Farther away.
Untouched.
And slowly…
The reflection returned.
"You just broke an innocent mirror," it said calmly. "Tell me… who is the real monster?"
Alexander's expression darkened.
"You are useless," he spat, turning away sharply.
He took a step,
Then stopped.
"Alex…"
The voice followed him, softer now.
"Think about her."
His back stiffened.
"…What about her?" he asked quietly.
"Think about how she feels."
The words landed.
Heavy.
For the first time,
Alexander hesitated.
"…Do you think she's hurt?" he asked, almost unwilling to hear the answer.
The reflection didn't hesitate.
"I think you should ask Liam."
**********
The water ran cold.
Alexander stood beneath it again, unmoving, letting it pour over him as if it could wash away the memory.
But it clung to him.
Her voice.
Her fear.
Her silence afterward.
His hand pressed against the wall.
"Amelia…"
He said her name again.
"I'm sorry…" he whispered.
But the words echoed uselessly in the empty chamber.
No one heard them.
And even if she did,
Would it matter?
That night,
Sleep never came.
****
In the servant quarters,
Amelia sat on her bed.
The room was dim, lit only by a small flickering candle.
Her hair was damp.
Her clothes freshly changed.
But none of it mattered.
She stared ahead blankly, her hands resting in her lap.
Then,
A tear fell.
She didn't wipe it.
Another followed.
Then another.
Soon, her vision blurred completely.
Her lips trembled as she pressed her hand against her mouth, trying to hold back the sound.
But the pain was too much.
Her shoulders shook as quiet sobs escaped her.
"My father…" she whispered weakly.
He was still in the hospital.
Because of the emperor.
Because of his cruelty.
And now—
Her chest tightened painfully.
"He's heartless…" she choked out. "A monster…"
Her fingers curled into the fabric of her dress.
"And now… he's taken everything…"
She wanted to keep virginity for her future Husband, but this has happened.
She drew her knees closer, curling into herself, as if trying to protect what little remained.
She had wanted to find Clara.
Her twin.
Her only comfort.
But now,
Even walking hurt.
Even breathing felt heavy.
And the worst part..
She couldn't tell anyone.
Not a word.
Because who would believe her?
And even if they did,
Who would dare stand against him?
Tears continued to fall.
Quiet.
Endless.
************
Morning came.
Amelia moved slowly through the palace halls, her steps careful, controlled.
Every movement sent a dull ache through her body, but she forced herself forward.
She had no choice.
She entered the Empress's chambers and bowed immediately.
"Your Grace…"
The Empress turned gracefully, her gaze sharp despite her gentle expression.
"Did you sleep well last night?" she asked.
Amelia nodded.
"Yes, Your Grace."
Her voice did not break.
Her face did not change.
But inside,
Everything trembled.
"You didn't lock my door yesterday."
Amelia's fingers tightened slightly.
"I… I'm sorry, Your Grace."
Her throat burned.
Her eyes stung.
But she held herself together.
The Empress studied her carefully.
Then asked,
"Did you injure yourself? I noticed traces of blood on the floor."
For a split second,
Amelia froze.
Her heart pounded violently.
But she lowered her head further.
"I'm sorry, Your Grace."
She said nothing more.
The Empress watched her a moment longer… then waved her hand.
"Get to work."
Amelia bowed and stepped back, joining the other maids.
Whispers stirred quietly among them.
But no one knew what happened.
***********
The doors opened.
All movement stopped.
Every maid dropped instantly to their knees.
The emperor had arrived.
Amelia's breath caught as she bowed, her entire body tensing.
Don't look at him.
Don't—
But she felt it.
His gaze.
It found her immediately.
Alexander stood at the entrance, flanked by Ryan and Simon.
But his attention,
Was fixed.
On her.
The Empress approached him with elegance.
"My lord…"
But Alexander barely responded.
His eyes flickered again,
To Amelia.
Still bowed.
Still silent.
Something tightened in his chest.
He hadn't really come for the Empress, he came to see if he would see Amelia, and there she is,
"Join me for breakfast," he said.
"As you wish," the Empress replied smoothly.
She turned slightly.
"Assistant."
Amelia stiffened.
"Yes, Your Grace."
"Follow me."
Amelia rose carefully and followed behind her, each step slow, measured.
Pain followed every movement.
But she said nothing.
************
The dining hall was quiet.
Orderly.
Perfect.
The Emperor and Empress sat.
Simon and Ryan stood behind.
Amelia stood at the Empress's side.
Still.
Silent.
Trying to disappear.
But Alexander noticed.
The slight stiffness in her posture.
The way she avoided shifting too much.
The way her hands remained tightly clasped.
And most of all,
The way she refused to look at him.
Not once.
Not even by accident.
Something twisted inside him.
He found himself watching her.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Amelia felt it.
Every glance burned.
Her chest tightened with shame, anger, and something deeper she couldn't even name.
She hated this.
Hated being here.
Hated being near him.
Hated that she had not escaped him last-night.
Her life already changed, she is not the same girl of two or three days ago, she was no longer a virgin.
***************
Far below,
In the palace kitchen—
Laughter echoed.
"Clara, hurry up!" one of the maids called playfully.
"I'm coming!" Clara replied, smiling brightly as she carried a tray.
The warmth of the kitchen wrapped around her, filled with the scent of food, chatter, and life.
She laughed with the others, her eyes shining with ease.
Here,
She belonged.
Here—
She was safe.
She didn't know.
She couldn't know.
That just floors above,
Her twin sister was silently breaking.
*****************
And in the quiet space between guilt and power,
The emperor stood alone once more.
Her name lingered in his mind.
Like a wound.
"Amelia…"
This time—
It wasn't curiosity.
It was something heavier.
Desire
Something dangerous.
Something that would not let him rest.
And deep down,
He knew.
This was only the beginning.