Red String (Series #1) \\ Ateez ✔

xi. devilish

"And before I forget," She deliberately paced around the room, her amaranthine eyes glinting beneath the light of the candles. "Someone proposed to you a decree to get married."

His brows instinctively raised before dropping the paintbrush. A flicker of annoyance flashed through his face before responding with a chilling tone.

"I'm a busy man."

For months, the Second Prince had endured his father's relentless badgering about marriage. Each potential suitor paraded before him was like a shiny coin, their worth measured by their family background, beauty, education, and status. But to him, they were like glittering jewels in a display case, beautiful to behold but lacking any real substance.

He was like a frosted window— beautiful to look at, but impossible to see through. Anyone's charm is unable to destroy the coldness that encased his soul. And that's how he wanted it to be.

"You know you can't decline this betrothal right?" She turns to face him, a sarcastic sigh leaving her lips as if she was pitying his disgraceful fate.

Seonghwa lifted a sharp brow. His voice dropping into a low, menacing tone.

"Who is going to stop me?"

"Because it wasn't the King who sent this woman, it was your mother." She scoffed once she took note of the widened eyes that cracked on the emotionless man's face. "Knowing her for years now, you know you can't refuse her bids."

"I know I can't" He dryly grunted. "But surely no one's going to stop me I decided to kill her on the day of our marriage."

He sure is firm with his boundaries to not committing with any women that he would have to extend his capabilities to kill them if they indulge themselves to him. Not a doubt there were rumors that he likes men instead!

He is not a romantic person, the thought of romantically loving anyone was the last thing he ever wanted.

"Ease your infuriation you bloodthirsty lunatic, there's a twist!" She stood up from the chair she just sat on, poised with elegance before taking gradual steps around the room once more.

"This marriage is simply a cover-up, the woman you are about to marry is a poison expert."

"As if she can cure me," Seonghwa retorted with a voice devoid of emotion.

"If she never tries, how will we know?" She deadpanned. "You will meet her tomorrow as the 'marriage ceremony' is going to be held. And yes this fake marriage has to happen, you see how many poison experts that tried to cure you were assassinated?"

The prince immediately descends into silence, seeming to be in deep thought. Everyone is aware, that the wizards, poison experts, and mages that attempted to cure him all mysteriously died, their whereabouts vanished like dust and as if they never stepped on this earth to begin with.

Everyone is aware that someone is behind all of this, but none could even pinpoint it— Jangmi was now sent to cure Seonghwa and for her safety, they needed a plan to help her intentions stay discrete.

Jangmi was to marry Seonghwa, and with the agreement. They will divorce the moment she finally cures him.

The Prince wanted to reject this ridiculous plan or even make a way to not let it happen, but the woman's voice resonated within his mind like a chain.

'If, we never try. How will we know?'

So he finally yields to the persistence of the people around him. Lifting his head to face her, he finally came up with a firm decision. "State her name, Luna."