"It's good to see you again, Cedric."
Cedric clenched his hands so tightly his knuckles turned white, fighting the burning urge to wrap them around the throat of the woman who had always been the source of his suffering and countless others for many different timelines.
Yet, beneath the raging storm in his chest was confusion. Arisa should have been dead. And yet there she was, standing before him, smiling faintly as though the chaos she left behind had nothing to do with her.
"…I'll leave the two of you alone."
Sensing the heavy tension between them, Aram excused himself. He ushered out every servant and guard until only Cedric and Arisa remained in the chamber.
The moment the doors closed, Cedric stormed forward. He wasn't here for pleasantries. His hand shot out, seizing her slender neck in a brutal grip. That grip was not quite enough to kill her instantly, but at least it was enough to channel some of the raging anger that was burning in Cedric's heart.
