Dark Moon Third Arc (Fallen Heart) - 223. Wicked II (Patreon)

Third Arc (Fallen Heart) - 223. Wicked II

Ilex’s voice dripped with malevolence as he pointed his sword at her, seeking to torment her further with memories of her tragic past. "Princess Rose... I'll show you how I killed your husband five years ago!" he sneered, relishing in the emotional anguish he could inflict upon her.

Rose's heart pounded in her chest, her breath hitched as she stared at Ilex with a mixture of fear and defiance. She refused to let him see her break, to show him any semblance of vulnerability.

However, before Ilex could carry out his sadistic plan, a sudden interruption occurred that left everyone momentarily stunned. Ophelia stepped forward, her eyes glistening with tears. She was a striking contrast to her brother, radiating an aura of compassion and empathy that seemed entirely misplaced in the current tableau of cruelty.

"Brother, stop it! Please stop! Why are you so cruel to him?!" Ophelia implored, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and genuine concern for Angel's well-being.

For a moment, a flicker of hesitation crossed Ilex's face. Perhaps it was a fleeting glimpse of the brother he once was, the sibling who had shared laughter and memories with Ophelia in their youth. But the darkness that now consumed him was too deep-rooted to be so easily quelled.

"Ophelia! Move!" Ilex commanded, his impatience evident in his voice. He could not allow his sister to derail his carefully laid plans.

But Ophelia stood her ground, her heart torn between loyalty to her brother and the urge to protect Angel. "No! I won't let you hurt him!" she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks.

The atmosphere in the grand hall turned tense as Ophelia's emotional outburst challenged her brother's malevolent authority. Ilex's annoyance was evident in the furrow of his brow and the clenching of his jaw, but he couldn't deny the truth that lay within his sister's words.

"Why are you still defending him?!" Ilex's voice rang out, carrying a mixture of exasperation and bitterness. "I told you to throw away your feelings for him. He doesn't deserve it!"

His words were a reflection of the twisted web of emotions that entangled him. Hatred, jealousy, and a thirst for power had driven him to unspeakable acts, blinding him to reason and compassion. In his eyes, Angel represented a threat, a living reminder of the past he wished to bury.

But Ophelia wouldn't be silenced. Her love for Angel defied reason and rationality. She couldn't ignore the memories of their childhood, the bond they had shared as cousins, and the truth that whispered within her heart.

"Guard, hold her!" ordered Ilex. As Ilex commanded the guards to seize Ophelia, the air crackled with tension. The men obeyed, forcibly restraining her, but Ophelia's spirit refused to be quelled. She fought against their hold, her desperation for her brother's salvation driving her to act against his tyranny.

"Brother!" Ophelia's voice trembled with frustration, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Five years ago, you claimed that Angel rebelled against you, and for that, you executed him. But I know you lied to me! I've investigated, and I know the truth now. Angel never rebelled; he never did anything to hurt you!"

Ilex's exasperated sigh echoed through the hall as he dismissed Ophelia's concerns with a wave of his hand. His gaze settled on Angel, a cold and calculating gleam in his eyes.

"Ophelia, you are too naive," Ilex retorted, his voice dripping with condescension. "This man... he has tried to deceive us all. He may have lived under the name of Angelus Raizel, but he is not of the Reinheart Family. He is an imposter, a pretender to our legacy. And for his audacity, he deserves nothing less than death!"

Ophelia's heart sank as her brother's words cut through her, but she refused to waver in her conviction. She turned her pleading gaze towards Angel, hoping to find the truth in his weakened form.

"Ilex," Angel implored, his voice trembling. "I will tell you one more time. How can you be so sure that there is no Reinheart blood coursing through my veins? You have let your thirst for revenge cloud your judgment,” said Angel in a weak voice.