The Villainess' Husband For Hire

The ornate study was eerily quiet, the ticking of the clock amplifying the tension in the air. Selena felt like her heart was beating out of her chest, but her face remained stoic. She wouldn't let him see how deeply his words affected her.

Alex stood before her, a striking figure in his royal attire, though his dishevelled hair and the dark circles under his eyes betrayed his desperation.

"Be my Empress, Selena," he repeated, his voice soft yet resolute, his emerald eyes fixed on her with a pleading intensity that made her chest tighten.

She wanted to scream at him, to tell him he had no right to stand here, making demands of her after everything he had done. But she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her unravel.

Her lips curved into a humourless smile as she crossed her arms. "Be your Empress?" she echoed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Do you think I've forgotten what you did, Alex? You lied to me. And then disappeared for months! Did you know how I felt wh-" 

She stopped herself. She thought of numerous ways to confront him earlier but it was just a waste of words. She wanted him to leave her alone. 

His jaw tightened. "I had no choice. You know that."

She turned her head away immediately. She didn't want to hear his excuses. She just wanted him to leave. She couldn't go through another heartbreak again.

"No..." She whispered. She couldn't give in. She looked at him again. He looked so tired... The journey from his Empire to her small kingdom must have taken a while... Leaving everything he came for her...

But he also left her... She will not give in.

"I don't want to be an Empress, Alex," she said firmly. "I don't want you. I've built a life for myself—one where I'm free. I'm not going to throw that away for you or your crown."

She pointed to the door, her finger trembling only slightly. "Get out."

He didn't move. Instead, he stepped closer, closing the distance between them in two strides. Before she could back away, he caught her hand, his grip firm but gentle.

"You can't get rid of me that easily," He said, his voice low. "You know how stubborn I am, Selena. When I want something, I fight for it. And I want you."

Damn it! She was always weak in front of those emerald green eyes. She couldn't resist him. She couldn't help but blush. She wanted to scream at herself for giving away her feelings for him. This wasn't the time to get all twirly!

"I said... Leave." She turned her face away. If she looked at that face of his, she was going to lose it!

He knew her weakness, he was thankful for his face. Pinching her chin he forced her to look at him, "Do you really want me to leave?"

Did she?

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The night was chilly, but Ming Yue barely noticed as she trailed behind her boyfriend and her best friend, the takeout bags swinging from her hands. They walked ahead of her, their laughter ringing out in the quiet street.

Ming Yue smiled faintly, pretending she didn't notice how they often forgot to include her in their conversation. It was fine. She was used to it.

They stopped at the crosswalk, the red light casting a glow over the trio. Her best friend, Liying, was saying something animatedly, her hands gesturing wildly, while Ming Yue's boyfriend, Mu Chen, chuckled softly, his gaze fixed on her.

Ming Yue tried to ignore the pang of discomfort in her chest. She told herself she was imagining things. Liying and Chen had always been close... It didn't mean anything.

The pedestrian light turned green, and Ming Yue stepped onto the crosswalk. She took a few steps before realizing they hadn't moved. Turning back, she froze.

There they were, standing at the edge of the sidewalk, their faces inches apart. And then they kissed.

The world seemed to blur around her, the distant hum of traffic fading into a deafening silence. Her chest tightened painfully, her breath catching in her throat.

She wanted to look away, to pretend she hadn't seen, but she couldn't move. All she could do was stand there, her heart shattering into a million pieces.

A blaring horn snapped her out of her daze, and she turned her head just in time to see the headlights of a speeding truck bearing down on her.

Pain radiated through Ming Yue's body as she lay on the cold asphalt, her vision blurring. The distant sound of sirens grew louder, but she knew they wouldn't make it in time.

She thought about Chen and Liying, still standing on the sidewalk, their shocked faces the last thing she saw before the truck hit her. She thought about all the times she had let them take advantage of her, all the times she had smiled and pretended everything was fine.

Regret twisted in her chest, sharper than the pain of her injuries. She regretted letting them walk all over her. She regretted letting their happiness become more important than her own.

If I had another chance, she thought, her vision darkening. If I could do it all over again, I wouldn't let anyone treat me like that. I'd live for myself.

When Ming Yue opened her eyes, all she could see was light. It was blinding, pure, and all-encompassing. Her first thought was that she had died. Was she going to meet God? Was this the afterlife?

But then, the light began to dim, fading as if retreating into the distance. Slowly, her surroundings started to take shape. The harsh white glow transformed into something more mundane—an ornate chandelier casting its light over a grand room.

Is that a lightbulb? She thought, blinking rapidly to adjust her vision. Her body felt heavy, and sluggish, as though she had been underwater for years. Her arms twitched as the sensation returned, and then her legs. A flicker of hope ignited in her chest.