Chapter 193: Betrayals and consequences

Something deep inside of Ru Yi cracked when she registered what Qingyue had referred to her as. A lowly maid. Someone that was beneath her, meant only to serve her. She thought they were past that.

The rejection hurt even more than any physical pain could have.

Ru Yi had spent weeks fearing the day her secret would finally be revealed, but she never imagined that the woman who had once held her as though she were something precious would one day look at her and decide she wasn’t worth more than a lowly status.

In all the scenarios Ru Yi made up in her head, none had prepared her for the agonizing ache that was currently running through her veins. Was this what heartbreak felt like? It couldn’t even be compared to the pain she felt after Jenny had turned her down.

"Qingyue—" she started, voice cracking to give way to a horrible sob. "I’m really sorry. I didn’t have any choice then."

Lieyin had already wiped the tears that stained her cheeks with unnecessary force. "Everyone has a choice, Ru Yi. Because if you valued us even for the tiniest bit...you would’ve told us what really happened instead of hoping no one would ever expose it."

Ru Yi looked at Yexue helplessly. "Help me...tell her that it hadn’t been—" She trailed off when the emotion in Qingyue’s eyes turned murderous.

There was no confusion left in them, no desperate attempt to convince herself that Kael lied. No trace of the warmth that had filled her gaze just moments ago. Now, Lieyin stood beside her with her jaw clenched and her curled tightly around the hilt of her sword.

"Is there anything else you have lied about?" Qingyue asked.

"I—" Ru Yi stopped. She had seen Qingyue furious before, but her anger had always been controlled. Even when she was hurt she carried herself with the composure expected of a princess who had spent her entire life being watched.

This time was different.

There was something broken in her expression, something so raw that Ru Yi wished she had the power to turn back the hands of time. This was the only time Qingyue had allowed her composure to completely fracture and Ru Yi hated that she was the reason for it.

The only thing Ru Yi could do was say, "I’m sorry" over and over again.

"There’s really nothing to be sorry for," Qingyue replied in a tight voice. "I was the one that trusted you, so I’m the one to be blamed." Her eyes glistened with tears, and the sight was unbearable because Qingyue had always been the one to hold everyone together.

The one who took responsibility when anything went wrong. Even when their mother had died, Qingyue had swallowed her grief because her sisters had needed someone to stand strong by them.

But...was what Ru Yi did so bad that they couldn’t understand her?

Qingyue closed her eyes, willing tears to stop gathering at the corner of her eyes. "I want you gone, never appear in front of me again." Her words were final, hollow, and gone was the softness she reserved only for Ru Yi.

General Sheng, who was already tired of the drama unfolding before him sighed in relief. He gestured to his men, signaling that they were to take Ru Yi.

Han Shuying immediately blocked them, her sword already drawn. "You’re not taking her anywhere." She turned to Qingyue. "What is even wrong with you?" she yelled.

Qingyue didn’t even look at her. "This has nothing to do with you."

"It has everything to do with me." Han Shuying’s face was filled with distaste. "Ru Yi had no choice in the matter, her life had been at stake. Why can’t you try and understand her?"

Uncertainty flickered in Qingyue’s gaze but it was gone before anyone could see it. "Stay out of it."

"Oh please...should she have died instead? She was literally poisoned by the Empress. But I guess that’s not enough for you."

"Han Shuying—" Ru Yi tried to hold her back.

"The only thing you’ve ever cared about was the throne anyway." She looked at Ru Yi. "If it’ll make you feel any better, Qingyue was willing to walk away from you in exchange for the location of the—" Han Shuying caught herself off on time when she remembered General Sheng was there.

He was her enemy just as much as he was to the triplets. She wasn’t about to reveal crucial information in his presence.

"You were going to leave me?" Ru Yi’s voice was filled with disbelief.

It was Qingyue’s turn to be in the defense. "Look, I wasn’t really going to leave. I just needed information on something important."

"Let me guess...it has to do with getting back the throne," Ru Yi whispered in a defeated voice.

Qingyue glared at Han Shuying. "It’s not like that."

Ru Yi shook her head, not bothering to clean the tears rolling down her cheeks. "It’s exactly like that. It’s always been the throne for you..." she looked at Yexue and Lieyin, "for all of you. I’m only something secondary to your plan. Something convenient."

Yexue grabbed Ru Yi’s hand. "You know that’s not true. Why don’t we all talk it out?" Desperation dripped from her voice, unable to fathom the possibility that Ru Yi would leave her.

There was a pain in Ru Yi’s heart that she never thought it was possible to feel. "There’s nothing to talk about." The fight was drained from her. "I heard you back in Emberfall. You told Qingyue that it’ll always be the throne first. But I was willing to bear with it, after all I understood the importance of going back to the capital for the three of you. So why can’t you understand me too?"

Qingyue stood perfectly still. Only her trembling hands betrayed how badly she was hurting. But none of the sisters had anything to say.

Ru Yi nodded in understanding and stretched her hands out for General Sheng’s soldiers. Qingyue turned away as they seized her arms.

It made Ru Yi finally understand that this was the cruelest punishment of all.

Not death. But knowing that the women who once made her believe she was finally loved could no longer decide whether that love had been real.