"You spoke so rudely with me, what happened to you there?" Zhao Han asked playfully, a teasing glint in his eyes as he leaned back against the carved wooden pillar.
Aoi's eyes narrowed slightly. "You can't kill me since you need me. But she…" Her gaze darkened at the thought of the Empress Dowager. "She can kill me. And I'd rather live a bit longer."
Zhao Han's smile faded. His gaze sharpened as the humor in his eyes dimmed. "If it comes to that, I won't let it happen."
Aoi's brows furrowed at the sudden shift in his tone. "Why would it come to that?"
Zhao Han's gaze drifted toward the moonlight spilling through the lattice window. "The palace is full of dangers, Aoi. People will test you—especially now that you're by my side."
"And why would they target me?"
"Because of what I represent," Zhao Han said quietly. His expression darkened. "And because of the shadow behind the throne."
Aoi studied him closely. "What shadow?"
Zhao Han hesitated for a moment before speaking. "My father."
Aoi's breath caught. "What…?"
"He's alive," Zhao Han said, his voice steady but cold.
Aoi's heart hammered in her chest. "That's impossible. He died in the rebellion years ago—everyone knows that."
"Everyone was meant to believe that." His lips curled into a bitter smile. "My father survived. He's been in hiding all these years."
Aoi's eyes widened. "Why?"
"He's been building his strength. Gathering allies. He believes the throne belongs to him—and that I'm only holding it temporarily."
Aoi's mind reeled. "And you've known this the whole time?"
Zhao Han's gaze darkened. "Since I was twelve." His eyes glinted coldly. "He told me that one day, he would reclaim what was his."
"And you…" Aoi's voice steadied. "Do you intend to give it back?"
Zhao Han's expression hardened. "No." His tone was sharp. "The throne is mine now."
Aoi's chest tightened. "So why tell me this now?"
"You deserve to know what you've stepped into." Zhao Han's gaze softened slightly. "My father won't see you as a person—only as a means to control me."
Aoi's mind swirled with questions. Her fingers curled at her sides as her thoughts raced.
After a moment of silence, her voice softened. "Where is my aunt?"
"She's fine. Do you want to meet her?"
Aoi nodded slowly. She walked toward the window and glanced up at the night sky. A cluster of stars shone brightly above the horizon. "My aunt told me that the brightest star is my mother… and the second one beside it is my father," she said quietly. "I used to talk to them when I couldn't sleep."
Zhao Han watched her with quiet fascination. She looked so peaceful—so unguarded—for the first time since they'd met.
"They must be happy to see you happy," he said softly.
Aoi's smile faded slightly. "Why did you choose me?"
Zhao Han's gaze sharpened. "What do you mean?"
"You could have married anyone. Why me?"
Zhao Han's expression darkened. "Because you were… familiar."
Aoi frowned. "Familiar?"
"The first time I saw you in the capital, I thought I recognized you." Zhao Han's voice softened. "But it wasn't until I saw your eyes that I remembered."
Aoi's heart raced. "Remembered…?"
"You saved me once."
Her breath hitched. "What are you talking about?"
Zhao Han's expression softened. "Years ago. In the mountains."
Aoi's mind flashed back to long-lost memories—of a small boy, trembling in the cold, his cheeks red with tears. A boy she had taken by the hand and guided to safety. A boy who had clung to her side, laughing and crying with her under the open sky.
"No…"
Zhao Han's smile was faint. "Yes."
"Xian?" Her voice trembled.
Zhao Han's gaze softened. "It's been a long time since someone called me that."
Her hands flew to her mouth. "You—You're Xian?"
Memories flooded back—memories she had buried long ago. They had spent two months together. Exploring the woods. Sharing stolen fruits. Talking beneath the stars. And then one day… he disappeared.
"You disappeared," she whispered.
"I didn't want to leave," Zhao Han said quietly. "But I had to. My father's men came for me. After that… I couldn't return."
"You could've told me." Aoi's voice was steady, but the tremor beneath it was undeniable.
Zhao Han's gaze darkened. "It wasn't safe. If anyone knew you were connected to me…" His jaw tightened. "They would have used you against me."
Aoi's hands trembled. "So… all this time, you were watching over me?"
Zhao Han took a step toward her, his eyes never leaving hers. "I owed you everything," he said quietly. "And I've never stopped watching over you."