[Osric's Pov—Imperial Palace—Throne Room—Continuation]
The Emperor's gaze pinned me like a blade. His eyes burned—cold, merciless, and bright with a fury that only a father could wield.
"The one who brought my daughter back to me," he said, each word deliberate, sharp enough to cut. "The only man worthy of standing at her side. Not you, Osric. Never you."
The words landed like hammer strikes. My chest tightened, and my pulse roared in my ears.
Not you.
I had expected anger, maybe even his blade, but not this—this dismissal, this quiet, cruel judgment. It was heavier than any wound I had ever carried.
My throat worked, but the words came out strained. "Does… does Lavi know about this—"
His voice cracked like a whip. "'HER HIGHNESS, THE CROWN PRINCESS,'" he corrected, his tone laced with venom.
I froze, the sound of it chilling my spine.
