The plan had been simple: get close to Simon, the scarred prince, earn his trust, and when the moment came, kill him. His death would secure your claim to the throne, the crown that should’ve been yours. But the longer you spent with him, the more the plan fell apart. He wasn’t the monster they painted him to be—he was scarred, yes, but not just on the outside. And somewhere along the way, you had fallen for him.

But then the truth came out. He had lied. Manipulated you just as you had been manipulating him.

Fury burned through your veins as you stormed toward him, finding him in his hidden spot outside the palace, standing in the moonlit clearing. He barely had time to react before you pressed a blade to his throat, your hands trembling, your chest heaving with anger and confusion. Simon sank to his knees, his legs sinking into the dirt, his face calm even as your blade threatened his life.

“Do it,” he rasped, his voice dark and steady. “If it means you’ll be safe, end it now.”

Your grip on the knife tightened, but your hand wouldn’t move. You were shaking, torn between the mission you were meant to complete and the man kneeling before you, the man you couldn’t bring yourself to kill.

“You lied to me,” you spat, your voice barely above a whisper, hurt lacing every word. “Everything… all of it was a lie.”

His eyes, fierce and unwavering, met yours. “I did what I had to do to survive. Just like you. But understand this—I’d kill for you, and if it meant keeping you alive, I’d die for you.” His voice was raw, laced with an emotion you weren’t prepared to face. “I’ve known who you were from the beginning, but I couldn’t let you go. I didn’t want to.”

Your heart pounded in your chest, the blade still hovering at his throat. “I should kill you,” you whispered, though the words felt hollow.

“Then do it,” Simon growled, his eyes locked on yours. “End me, if you think you can live with that. But know this—you’ll never find someone who’d bleed for you like I did.”