She looked up and met his gaze. Even if he appeared very furious, she could see the pain and disappointment in his face. She could feel how heartbroken he was. “It all started from when I was brought here for your hand in marriage by my kingdom. They hoped you would pick me and I would become an internal spy for them. It is true that they hold a hidden grudge against the Persian empire for decades…” She wiped away the tears blurring her vision so she could see Dario’s face clearly as she spoke. “I was just unfortunate to have been chosen and I didn’t have a choice but to accept.” She then swallowed hard, knowing Dario wouldn’t believe what she wanted to say next. “I didn’t mind it at first until I met you and fell in love with you,” she said, searching Dario’s eyes for any sign of understanding. “I never wanted to keep hurting you but I didn’t have control over it anymore.” Dario shook his head in disapproval as he stared at her. ‘There’s no way I’m falling for your lies an
TWO YEARS LATER…The walls of Dario’s mansion echoed with the laughter and giggles of his toddlers running around with their tiny feet.The twins were now two years old, and over the past two years, they had filled the mansion with a new kind of joy and life. They always chased each other through the corridors with their giggles echoing, a beautiful contrast to the serious discussions and decisions that often took place within those walls.Two solid years had passed since the chaotic events that nearly brought the Persian empire down. During these two years, Dario had made the best memories with his children amidst the lingering hurt. In the throne room, Dario had just concluded a meeting there when his thoughts shifted to the sound of tiny footsteps approaching. His face softened as Ethan and Evan entered the throne room and ran to him, their eyes lit with excitement. “My little warriors,” he murmured under his breath, his voice thick with emotion. He got up and scooped them up,
Evan and Ethan were playing in the playground when they spotted Natalie approaching. And instantly, their faces lit up and broke into a bright smile. They hopped off the swings and ran towards her, shouting, “mama!”“Aw,” Natalie gushed. Every time she heard their tiny voices calling her ‘mama’, it melted her heart every single time. She knelt down and opened her arms wide, her eyes lit with love for them as she anticipated their hug. “Don’t get injured babies,” their nanny shouted from across the playground and broke into a laugh. “These boys,” she whispered under her breath and shook her head, her lips spread into a smile. In no time, they both crashed into Natalie for a hug and she enveloped them warmly, her heart swelling with love and affection. She heaved a happy sigh and squeezed them tight in her arms. “I missed you both so much!!” she said, her voice as low as a whisper. She then gently released them. “How are you, my loves?” she asked, ruffling their hair which made th
Days later, Blake sat in a room across Elizabeth and the air was thick with tension. They made sure no one saw them meet because, to any outsider, the sight would be very shocking. Blake who was Dario’s corporate right hand man conversing with Elizabeth who was Dario’s evil aunt? It would seem unreal. Their secret meetings had become a routine over the last year even though the stakes had never been higher. Especially for Blake. Elizabeth leaned forward, her face etched with disappointment. “Blake, even if you’re just his corporate right hand man, I still believe that you should know something.”She buried her face in her hand and shook it, “you keep disappointing me every single time! I’m beginning to see that you’re no longer of any use to me.”Blake sighed and rubbed his throbbing forehead. “I honestly wish I did, but-“ he began but got interrupted.“You never have something helpful! You have never. Or are you trying to trick me and protect your Master??” Elizabeth sneered in di
“Your Majesty, you have to see this!” Bruce exclaimed as he hurried into the throne room where Dario was sitting and reading some of his father’s books; historical books and books on leadership.Dario looked up at Bruce and seeing the urgency in his demeanor, he quickly asked, “what’s the problem?”Without answering, Bruce hurried to the newly installed television in the throne room and turned it on. “Uhm channel 6,” he murmured under his breath as he searched for the channel number on the remote control.The channel came on and Dario’s eyes squinted when he saw a familiar face on the screen. It was King Nathan. And it seemed like he was giving an announcement. King Nathan’s voice echoed through the throne room as Dario and Bruce watched attentively. “…If he wins, I will bow to him and surrender all that I possess. And if I win,” King Nathan paused for a moment to relish in his future victory. He continued, “If I win, which is definitely going to happen, he shall do the same!”Con
She then moved on to the next person to get his opinion. The young man she asked said, “The announcement by King Nathan has stirred a lot in the country. Everyone is arguing about it almost everywhere you go.”“Yes, I agree. It is almost impossible to not talk about,” she replied. “Some people think that Emperor Dario is wise to ignore and is smart to avoid unnecessary conflict…”“…what do you think about that sir?”The young man smiled and answered, “I think Emperor Dario is being cautious. Maybe he has his reasons, but I also believe he should face King Nathan. The people are talking, and his silence might be seen as fear.”“Hmm,” the news anchor nodded thoughtfully and faced the camera. “Interesting and valid points all around. It seems our Emperor Dario has the nation divided. Will he-“Suddenly, the news anchor was interrupted by a teenager’s scream.The teenager ran into the recording area and screamed, “Kings do these challenges often so why is he being a pussy?” But security m
Natalie heaved a silent sigh and put a smile on her face in an attempt to reassure Dario. “I believe in you and I know that you will win this challenge. May God go with you…” It was finally the day of the one-on-one challenge with King Nathan. Natalie and Dario stood next to the car in front of the mansion as she showered words of encouragement on him, adjusting his battle attire at the same time. Dario has a small smile stretched across his lips, “Thank you, Natalie. I can feel the worry in your tone, trust me, you have nothing to worry about. Persians are not losers,” he said with a soft voice. She adjusted his armor, her fingers lingering on the cool metal as she looked up into his eyes. “Be safe out there, I’ll be cheering for you from my seat,” she whispered, her voice filled with both worry and determination. Dario nodded. After making sure everything he needed for the challenge was in place, they took off and left for the battlefield.Back at the field, people already sat
King Nathan chuckled and kept chuckling. With each passing moment, his chuckles graduated into a louder and louder laughter. “How did I get a hold of your ring?” He asked Dario with a mocking tone. Dario’s mind then began to race with several possibilities and questions. ‘How did he get a hold of the ring??’ He thought to himself, his brows furrrowed deep. ‘Dario, that’s not an important question right now! This ring could make him immortal and give him the ability to read my mind!’ Dario’s heart couldn’t stop racing, it felt like it was about to race out of his chest. ‘How am I supposed to win this challenge then?!’ Dario began to think fast in split seconds on how he could turn things around. He needed to come up with a solution as fast as possible, as there was no time to start wondering how he got the ring in the first place. King Nathan’s heart swelled with satisfaction and victory as he stared at Dario. “You are finished!” He exclaimed, his voice low and like a d