Twisted Empire - Episode 53&54

 

TWISTED EMPIRE

Twisted Empire - Episode 53&54

(Her Blade, His Neck )

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No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied, or reposted in any form, or by any means without a written permission from the author.

Copyright © 2025 

by Naomi Cindy B.

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The stares of everyone seemed to bore holes in Teal's body, and as she sat there, chills covered her body like second skin, and she had to wrap her arms around herself as the comments from the guests battled inside her head.

"So uncultured, who's she?"

"Probably some countryside bumpkin."

Teal decided to stand up at this point.

She's wearing boy shorts on her panty, so even if is shows, it'd cover a little of her butt. She can't keep sitting here forever. She's not that open to badmouthing.

She won't be put down easily like this. It's now or never.

She raised her figure, and the moment she tried to stand, a suit covered her from behind.

She recognizes that scent of lemon and leather, so she balanced back.

"Xanthe?" She looked back and met his smile.

"Sorry I came late" he whispered.

"My butt, I think my dress ripped over there." She said, and Xanthe quickly transferred the suit from her shoulders to her waist.

She took it from him and tied it, then she stood.

The gossips from the guests continued.

"Xanthe Dimitris?" Empress muttered, her gaze piercing.

"She knows the President's son? Is there any big man that bî+ch has no access to?" Sierra gasped, her arms falling beside her as her hate doubled.

It tripled when President Spyros came out in the company of his guards.

"What's going on?" He asked.

"She fell," Xanthe replied.

"What are you waiting for? Go take care of her." President Spyros urged.

"I can take care of myself. Thanks, Mr. President." Teal replied, leaving the hall through the east door.

"Follow," President Spyros mouthed at Xanthe.

Xanthe looked around to make sure Four isn't in here before he followed Teal using that same door.

President Spyros changed his position as he began getting greeted respectfully by the Commissioners' and royals.

"I can't believe this," Sierra gulped all her wine, but it wasn't enough to drown her anxiety. " Teal knows the President too?"

She began nailing herself nervously on the wrist. "That can't happen, she can't have all those connections."

"Shut up, sweetie. Don't ruin my thinking." Empress replied tactfully beside her, and Sierra gulped.

There's a lot for her to think about.

Hera? Four? Teal? 

She's running mad, so she nailed herself on the wrist again, so deep that her blood stained her fingers.

"When your deranged son is done making his betrothed hate him hard, and she goes for a gentleman like Xanthe, then you'll end up crashing out. You're good at it." General Pedro said beside Yulia.

"She doesn't like Four, obviously." Lady Yulia replied.

"Is that why he tried to force a sick black wedding on her?" Pedro dropped his flute of champagne.

"Oh...So this is still about the wedding." Yulia dropped her flute too, a sigh escaping her throat.

"I'm still baffled that you see nothing wrong with it. This is the same thing you did during his upbringing, Yulia. Because we lost three babies before him, because he's the first child to stay, you never corrected him when he did wrong. Instead, you praised him. And you're still continuing now that he's an adult?" Pedro said.

"I love you a lot, Pedro. But sometimes when you talk, I feel like strangling you." Yulia muttered, her voice dropping low.

Pedro went silent.

"Accepted, i have no stop button when it comes to him. He wants to kill? I'll kill a deserving person with him. He wants something? I'll get it with him even if I get badly hurt. I'll do anything, cos when I was crying and parading temples to beg all existing gods for a child to stay with me, what did you do? You turned your back on me and spent stupid nights with Empress and her daughter!" Yulia said, a little bit loud.

Thankfully, they're alone in that angle of the compound.

Her eyes are already so damn red, and the guilt that whelmed Pedro's eyes afterwards was layered.

Yulia smiled anyways, drawing in a breath to calm.

"We're at a party, Ed. This topic is over, and leave my son alone. Focus on your ex-wife." She said, picking up her cup with her black gloved hand.

She had two sips, and her radiance returned.

She suddenly saw Xanthe rushing towards the main exit, and she followed him.

--

[Marquis Chamber]

The old marquis wasn't on seat when Four and Hera arrived, so Four had to sit and wait while Hera went in to escort her father out.

A gelled strand of his dark hair fell on his eyebrow as he stared at his phone.

Sergeant Kash had connected him to the Matrix, so he's seeing everything going on with the HackLord right now.

Usman's next location is still untraceable, the ERROR kept repeating.

"Try using Fx." He said.

It's one of the numerous secret hack-codes of the base.

"I tried that already." Fez replied.

"X" Four suggested again.

"Used." Fez replied.

"Qk" Four's brows rumpled.

"Not applicable, it can only trace locations we have an idea of on the map and compass." Fez replied.

Four paused for a while, his eyes twitching.

"What if we know the location, and that bastard just gave a non-existent name and origin to confuse?" He said.

Fez spranged up.

"Why didn't I think about that? Geez!" He snapped his fingers.

"Get to work," Four ordered.

"Respect, sir." Fez smiled, saluting before turning off the cameras.

Four's phone screen went off, and at the same time, Hera came out with the Marquis. The scent of sandalwood seized the chamber.

The Marquis is a thick oldie with a big belly which showed through his long gown.

His hair is evenly white, and his moustache covered his mouth completely that even when he spoke, his lips are still not visible.

"Been a long while, the man with the name of a number." He said as Hera made him sit on a leather chair.

Four took his right hand and brought his knuckle to his head as a form of greeting.

The Marquis's moustache covered all expression that there's no way to detect if he's smiling or not.

Hera came to sit on Four's laps, but he directed her to sit on the chair beside him.

She did that with a low grumble, but then she took his hand and kissed it.

The Marquis watched with patience, his white lashes shedding his eyes.

"You didn't come out for years. I visited your father's castle a lotta times, but each time...I was told you were in your room. Why? And why did you suddenly decide to come out?" He said calmly.

"I don't wanna talk about it." Four replied, flatly.

"Your bluntness didn't change." The Marquis nodded. "But I must say, you grew into a fine man, and within the two months you spent in the base, you defeated Usman once... You're graceful." 

"He has all the talent existing, papa. Do you know he studied electrical engineering too?" Hera chirped in.

"I know." The Marquis replied, his eyes not leaving Four who looks like a stone on his seat.

"Where did you learn the zither playing from? You play so well." The Marquis asked.

"From a man—a painter. He's dead, though." Four replied.

"Hmm... first time you're actually willingly telling anyone anything about yourself." The Marquis sighed.

The buds in Four's ears suddenly came on, but they beeped yellow instead of red...

"Three days left, I can't wait for you to finally get my next location. We're gonna have a whole lotta fun." Usman's voice spoke.

Four stood, skeptically.

This bastard is even hacking his earbuds now?

He left the chamber without saying goodbye.

"Eros!" Hera stood, but her ankle sprained on her heels, and a small wound peeled on her right calf, making her fall back to the couch.

"Eros!!" The whined like a baby.

--

[A Washroom]

Usman's voice was still breaking inside Four's ear as he entered the washroom.

He leaned on a dispenser, listening clearly as he shut out the sounds of the guests.

"The day I get my hands on you, you'll stop breathing , and I'm not talking about simple death. I read 101 books on how to kill cruelly, and the methods are all stacked in my head for you. I'll drink your hot tears, and I'll be your shackle, Usman. You'll beg on your broken knees in front of the whole country." He replied, his voice infused with rage, and Usman's laughter filled the buds.

Loud. Thrilled. Jesty.

"You know this is why I like you, Four. You always make sure to make your threats come to pass, and I can't wait. But I'm curious about something ... Can you really not cry? Like you don't know how to cry?" He said.

Four's fingers ticked, jaws contracting. 

He knows.

Is there anything this bastard doesn't know.

"But don't worry, by the time I get done, you'll start looking for books on how to cry. I wanna see you cry when i take your betrothed from you." Usman laughed again.

"You're deadass foolish if you think you can actually use her to rattle me. She's nothing." Four replied, and Usman's laughter stopped.

"Really? Hmm? We'll see about that, my friend." Usman laughed.

Four removed the buds from his ears, cutting off the laughter as he threw the buds on the ground and crushed them with his shoe.

He let out strangled breaths, straightened his suit and left the room.

He returned to the chamber and met only Hera on seat, looking pissed.

Her right leg is on the table with the slightly bleeding calf.

The Marquis is gone, so he just knows he's in the compound to meet the guests already.

"Where were you! You took too long!" Hera pouted.

"Stop pouting, it's not cute. You're not a kid." Four replied as he settled in front of her, and she popped the pout.

"You're too blunt sometimes." She muttered.

A maid brought in a medical kit and dropped it on the table with a bow.

"I hurt my calf, treat it for me." She motioned with her toes.

"I'll never treat the wounds of others. I can only inflict pains, not pleasure, you know that." He pointedly replied.

"Urg! Too many principles. Whatever!" She snapped.

"Get her treated," Four told the maid, and the moment the maid tried to open the kit...

"Be gentle, if it hurts her, you're dead." He added.

"Y-yes.. sir" the maid fearfully replied, and Hera smiled widely.

--

[Another Washroom]

Xanthe had to go get a new dress, and Teal waited in the washroom.

She expected him to take at least thirty minutes, but he came back in less than five minutes with a new black dress.

"Already?" She said surprisingly.

"Don't ask questions, just get dressed. You're painting Hera, remember?" Xanthe replied.

He left the room, and Teal quickly peeled off her dress.

Never in her life will she wear something uncomfortably tight again.

The wine splashes is dry, but it left gummy sensations on her chest, so she cleaned up her br+àsts with wet tissues before putting on the new black dress.

But why does it feel like she has seen this black dress somewhere before?

She didn't think it for long though, she left the room, and Xanthe smiled when he saw her.

"You look good in everything you wear."

"Can I use your phone?" She asked, and without arguing, he handed her his phone.

She made a call to Uncle Dave, and she heaved when it connected.

"It's me."

"Biglady? How's it going?" 

"Pictures of my mother in a full room at the President's Mansion." Teal replied, and Xanthe shifted on his spot beside her.

"How come?" Uncle Dave asked.

"Said he was and is still a fan of mother, and he installed that room to worship her soul." Teal replied.

"Oh... really? Cool then." Uncle Dave said.

"Cool? Did you just say cool?" Teal frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"If he's really a diehard fan like he claimed, he'd have bought her paintings and decorate the walls with it, but her picture frames?" Teal said.

"Diehard fans can have pictures of their idols there's nothing wrong with it." Uncle Dave claimed.

"Gawd! Uncle D!" Teal snapped angrily.

"What? Are you saying the President knew about your parents death?" Uncle Dave said, sounding confused.

"The painting artist?" A maid entered the hall.

"Yes?" Teal ended the call, facing her.

"You're doing the creation and exhibition in five minutes" the maid reported and left.

Teal returned Xanthe's phone with a sigh.

"Dad was and is really a fan of your mum. I can vouch for that, and I was spooked when I saw that room too, but he said it's because he adored her, so I just let it go." He said.

"Thanks for being true." Teal replied, and he smiled as they began walking out of the hall together.

"Your mum?" She suddenly asked.

"She died of br+ast cancer." He replied, and she paused.

"Oh... Xanthe. I'm so sorry."

"It's fine, did you know Hera is Four's girlfriend? I heard about it when I was in the washroom earlier." he asked.

Teal paused. 

Hera is definitely the beautiful lady from before, but she doesn't even wanna think about anything at the moment.

"Can we not?" She said, and Xanthe nodded in understanding.

They returned the the compound, and now the sound of the playing zither has resumed.

Teal took a step back to view the player well. He's sitting under a decorative black ribbon tree in the middle of the compound, and his eyes are closed under his long lashes as his fingers moved on the brown zither.

It's Four.

Her eyes moved away from him as fast as possible, and she was led to her seat in front of the crowd.

Silence filled the place, and all focus landed on her.

General Pedro and President Spyros are both sitting with The Marquis at the heart of the compound, their spot is secluded.

"She's perfect" President Spyros commented with a smile.

"Isn't she the same one who got betrothed to Four?" Marquis asked.

That question is obviously for General Pedro, so President Spyros went quiet.

"Yes, your honor." Pedro replied.

"So what's Four and Hera still doing?" Marquis asked.

"I figured out it's fair to let them find themselves. Four doesn't seem to like Teal though." General Pedro said.

"I know, right? Xanthe is the right one for Teal." President Spyros chirped, grinning as he sipped from his flute.

Teal adjusted her posture, sitting upright before clearing her throat.

"Teal Ambrose here, from the military base." She introduced herself, and murmurs started again.

"From the base?"

"An army?"

"I'm here to paint the Marquis daughter cos Mr. President asked me." She politely continued, and the murmurs continued too.

"Paint? Wait...Ambrose?"

"Is she the daughter of the Ambrose couple?"

"Rue and Vaughn!"

"Geez! They had a daughter?"

It was unending as a table was set in front of Teal with a bowl of dark ink and a box of different brushes, then a fresh expensive laid paper.

Hera entered the compound, escorted by her guards, and she stole all attention immediately as she walked gracefully.

Sierra intentionally walked past her, pushing a folded paper into her palm.

Hera gave her a disgusted look, and Sierra just walked off.

Hera has never liked Sierra cos since they were youngsters, Sierra acted too clingy to Four.

Sierra tried to poison Four's mind against her a lot of times.

She even once stole Four's gift from her, so she hates her madly, but she opened the folded paper anyways. It contains a short note...

• FYI, Four has a betrothed wife, and she's here—the painter.

Hera's eyes dilated, but she didn't show it. She folded her palm on the paper, acted normal and resumed her walk, but when her eyes met with Teal's in the front, she halted again.

Their dresses.

They're wearing the same dress!

Teal's gaze snapped up.

So this is why she felt like she has seen the dress before.

Yulia smiled in the crowd. She's the one who gave Xanthe the dress. It's one of the dresses she got for Teal at the superstore, and luckily... they're still in her car, so she knowingly gave Xanthe this one.

If the two women in her son's life are matching dresses, it's hot.

Hera smirked, and it was obvious.

First, that bî+ch is betrothed to Four, and now she's wearing same brand as her?

She walked to the opposite angle and took her sit in front of Teal.

"I look forward to what you have to paint. If I like it, I might spare you some change for dinner. I love charity." She rudely said.

Teal didn't lose the heat before speaking.

"Buy yourself a new shade of lipstick first, brown lipstick is not for you. You look like a concubine." She said, and Hera spranged up.

"Hera!" The Marquis cautioned, and Hera returned to her seat, her eyes blazing at Teal with intense fire.

The heat in the room was burning through the walls and floors and atmosphere. It's everywhere possible and impossible like darkness.

Teal adjusted her gloves and picked her favorite brush—kolinsky sable.

She flung it in the air with attitude before dipping it in the ink...

She began the painting Hera, and Hera straightened her posture.

The guests are silent, and some are stretching their necks, trying to see what she's drawing.

Four just played the zither with his eyes closed, lost in the tunes and tangled with the strings as if he's not a part of this night.

Sierra soon settled beside him under the black ribbons.

"You only played the zither once when you were 11, and you said you wouldn't play it anymore after you entered lockdown. I didn't expect you'd play again tonight. Is Hera really that special?" She asked jealously.

Four kept playing.

His eyes never opened, and his lips never moved, so she angrily drank another cup of wine.

She's already getting drunk.

--

Yulia strolled the middle of the guests till she got to where Xanthe is, but the guy moved away from her.

"I only took the dress from you cos of Teal, so stay away from me. You and your deranged son." He said.

Yulia smiled.

"He wouldn't shoot you if you hadn't gone on a date with his betrothed." 

"Really?" Xanthe faced her. "He has a girlfriend. Hera is his girlfriend like I heard, so why is he doing this?"

"I dunno, I don't understand. He's a mystery on his own." Yulia sighed.

"See? You're even scared of what you gave birth to." Xanthe scoffed.

"It's not fear, it's mystification. By the way, tell your father to send his forces bank to their stations. They'll never be able to find out that I'm behind your kidnap." She winked, walking away from him.

The next person she came across is Empress, and she raised her flute.

With a bone-chilling smile, Empress raised her flute too, and they clinked, but instead of drinking, they both poured their wine away.

General Pedro saw them from his seat, and he became restless, hoping they don't clash cos it'd be disastrous.

"You're a environmental hazard. It must really be a hard task carrying that ugly face around." Yulia muttered to Empress's face.

"You love Pedro a lot, don't you?" Empress muttered back, war brewing in her tone.

"Your point?" Yulia's lips raised at the corners.

"I'll take him from you." Empress replied.

"Old news, change your script." Yulia pushed past her.

General Pedro relaxed on his seat, and Empress refilled her flute, laughing silently as she drank.

Yulia must be thinking she's joking.

She pulled out her phone and texted Axel.

• Plans changed, we're killing Pedro first.

--

The painting took thirty minutes, and it was exhibited immediately Teal put finishing touches to it.

It was sread wide on a metal hanger which made it dangle for all eyes to see.

Guests who were sitting before stood to their feet, eyes and mouth hung open as they stared at the surreal art.

Those standing before had to adjust their footing so they won't get swept away by the aura of the painting.

It was palpable.

Four stopped playing the zither too. He opened his eyes to look at the artwork, but his eyes never changed.

Sierra is dead drunk beside him at the moment, and she's saying gibberish.

Teal's painting left everyone stunned.

She captured every contour with her brush, conveyed every emotion on Hera's face—anger and fury. She captured it like a camera, outlining every shadow and slants and dark parts. Even the eyes.

She painted Hera so perfectly.

"She's really from the Ambrose family, look at that." General Pedro smiled.

"I know, right? She's even more talented than her parents I must say." President Spyros smiled too.

"She paints like a goddess. This is divine." The Marquis commented, his eyes unable to blink.

"Unmatched," Xanthe commented.

"I always knew she had it in her." Yulia said.

"Trash," Empress said.

As Teal heard the compliments, she smiled a little bit, admiring her own work too. There are slight ink stains on her face from when she tried to wipe her sweat.

Hera stood slowly, walking away from the leather she's sitting on. The beautiful compliments she's hearing about the painting only fuelled her anger more.

How dare she come to her house, be a  betrothed wife to her boyfriend, wear the same dress and also receive compliments.

She got to the painting hanger and grabbed a cup of champagne.

She poured it on the painting, but the paper is water-resistant, so it didn't soak.

She took the painting and tore it to pieces. Teal stood there, not even bothering to stop her till she shredded everything and poured it on her face.

"Get out of my house! Out!!" She pointed angrily at the door.

"Hera!" The Marquis stood again.

"No, papa. Tell this lowlife to leave this house!!" Hera yelled.

The guests were beyond astonished, and no one could talk or even whisper.

"I like her," Empress smiled.

"I'll leave your house, with pleasure." Teal said, walking past her on the marble.

The crowd changed direction with her, and as she walked out, it's like a dynamic exit, her heels sounds made it remarkable.

The last person she walked past beside the black ribbons is Four, and his eyes aren't even up.

His fingers are starting to tangle with the zither strings again, so his eyes are in the instrument.

She walked past, and their scents mixed—Tom Ford and ink.

Even the air could feel the hostility as she whiled past like the wind till she was out of the mansion.

"I... I love you ... Four." Sierra muttered drunkenly beside him, holding his shirt.

He roughly shook her off, and before she could say anything more, Empress came to take her.

The guests are still in shock, and Hera is still there, breathing hard.

The Soiree ended there.

--

[Military Base, Training Ground]

The announcement of tomorrow's continuous training with Four made the squad members gear up to personal trainings. 

Everyone wants to be well prepared to match Four's wicked ways, so after dinner, they all came here.

The squad members are 25, so the training ground is full.

April and Skye are with them as their basic helpers.

There's a burning fire just like the bonfire night.

Brent and Shannon have combatted fiercely for hours, and now they're dragging two tires each, down the field with ropes tied to their shoulders, and they look all sweaty and tired, but they aren't acting it.

"C'mon" Shannon nudged Brent when he began slacking.

They doubled their race, their shoulders at risk of tearing away from their bodies.

Rook and Theo are at the shooting range, and Rook is trying to guide Theo on balance.

Theo is holding the rifle, and Rook is behind him, breaths bathing the back of his neck.

"Your breaths is tickling me, kinda." Theo said.

"Don't focus on my breaths, focus on that rifle, orexi." Rook replied, and Theo drew in a breath, straightening his arm.

"Don't focus on your past trauma during shots, focus on me. Imagine my face, and my boner behind your ass." Rook said, curving his arm on Theo's belly and pressing his growing bulge to his ass.

Theo trembled a bit, but he quickly got himself together.

"Imagine me behind you, and shoot without tremor." Rook whispered, and Theo released the bullet, hitting the clay pigeons.

"Great!" Skye and April clapped as they walked past them.

"Sharpen your aim so you won't go shooting training dogs again." April said.

"I get." Theo smiled.

Stormy is watching from a distance, and she angrily threw furious punches at the punching bag in front of her.

Her knuckles dived into the weak bag, letting out the inner textile scraps which she kicked away.

And as for Morgan, she can't concentrate on training.

She's still staring at her pager, awaiting Quentin's reply.

Not far from the training ground, Allegra sat beside a barrel, legs hung on a table with her phone to her face.

She's in the middle of male Sergeants who're fuçkin the base prostitutes in the open, but she's too focused on her phone—on the person she's chatting.

The only one that's not around the training ground is Paine.

He's hanging around Sergeant Kash's Suite with Abbey's phone intact in his pocket, waiting for when Axel is gonna show up.

He's sure something is going on between him and Cassie, and he's hoping it's true cos he's gonna cook Cassie to burning point.

He's smoking a blunt, and he checked his time before continuing his wait.

--

[Next Morning]

It's 5am when Four entered the Matrix with a bottle of gin after getting the call from Sergeant Kash.

Kash is waiting inside the Matrix with Fez, and they're both smiling.

"Thanks to your Qk detection, I got the location sir." Fez tossed a laptop screen to him, and Four rested his palms on the table as he stared at the screen.

It's beeping red on the lower part of the map.

"It's a forgotten town for refugees in the middle of the dessert, and they live peacefully as one family. An average population of one thousand people." Kash explained.

"Print out the variables and possibilities, make blueprints too for distribution to the squad members." Four instructed.

"Yes sir!" Fez replied, and the training bell rang, filling the base with it's noise.

"You should go now, Master. The squad members are already waiting by now." Kash said, but then he came closer to Four when he saw a strand of hair on his chest.

The hair attached itself to his combat uniform shirt, and immediately Kash removed it, Four took it from him, his gaze razor-sharp.

"Don't try it ever, again." He warned strictly.

Kash took a bow. "Yes sir."

Four returned the hair strand to his shirt, then he left the Matrix, only to come across a Junior Sergeant in front of it.

"Sir! The Marquis daughter is here."

Four didn't act surprised. 

He knew this would happen after he left the Soiree without notifying her last night.

He knew she'd come.

The Junior Sergeant led the way, and Four followed.

--

[Teal's Suite]

The base atmosphere felt new even when Teal only spent two nights away from this place.

It's snowing heavily since it's middle December, and the fact that they'd be training under the snow is just diabolical, but she's not even thinking about that.

Her mind is on that picture room she saw at the President's Mansion. She wasn't able to close her eyes for a good sleep last night after she returned from the Soiree.

There's no way the President created a room for her late mom just because she was his idol.

There's gotta be something, but she's just not getting anything. Her brain isn't braining, once again.

Maybe she's gonna have to talk to Xanthe again...after this upcoming mission.

She quickened her steps, not wanting to arrive late to the training ground.

It's past 6, but the base is bright, thanks to the lights.

She was almost at the training ground when she saw who she wasn't expecting.

The villain from last night—Hera.

She's standing on her way like she's waiting for someone, and a maid is beside her, covering her head with an umbrella.

Teal walked past her, but the moment Hera saw it's her, she followed.

"Hey, it's you, the talentless painter." She said.

Teal was quiet, she kept walking.

"I'm talking to you, lowlife. Do you know I had the whole mansion fumigated last night cos of you? A lowlife like you shouldn't have stepped that place." Hera continued, quickening her steps behind.

Teal kept walking, still quiet.

"Did you hear our story? I and Four started since we were 10, and though our relationship was platonic back then, we were each other's treasures back then and now! You can't change that cos you're betrothed to him. He hates people like you!" Hera continued rambling.

When Teal kept up her walk despite that, she pulled her back by the arm, and they came face-to-face.

"That should be the last time you ever touch me, Hera." Teal warned, then she resumed her walk.

"I bet your late parents knew they were gonna die, and that's why they got you betrothed to Four cos they knew his money would take care of your pathetic arse after their deaths. Your parents are lowlifes too, and it's not even surprising." Hera laughed.

Teal was on the third step when she said that, and she stopped immediately.

"Admit it, it's his money, not him. I know desperate leeches like you...

Hera was still talking when Teal retraced the three steps, coming back to her to grip her hair.

By now, they're right beside the training ground, and there's a large bowl of water for washing sweat beside the field tap.

Teal dragged Hera to the bowl and shoved her face inside, completely. She held her head to the bowl, making her drink water.

Her limbs flailed wildly as she writhed in anguish. Her arms and legs jerked, twisted in pains as she kicked and struggled, left and right.

Her maid pressed a button on her wrist, contacting the guards..."Miss is getting bullied, send protection!"

Teal sent a kick to the maid's face, and she fell down the green pasture, hitting her head and passing out straight.

Teal returned to Hera, shoving her head more and more and more into the bowl of water.

Hera's legs has left the ground completely, and her pale skin is reddening fast as she struggled with the bowl.

"Do you see me with your damn man? If you're so sure you own him, then go to him and get off my back! I don't give a shit about you, or your childhood love story! And my parents aren't lowlifes, they were legends who're still popular even after their death! Go get your man and get off my back, or I'll kill you." She muttered, shoving Hera's face again.

Gurgles and throaty sounds filled the bowl from Hera.

She vomited her dinner into the water, but Teal still didn't release her, so she began drinking her own vomit with the water.

At the training ground, the squad members are all staring at that direction. They're transfixed, their gaze frozen on the scene.

Four is already with them, and his eyes held a dark, hellish fascination as he watched.

The Junior Sergeant beside him gasped out.

"She'll get killed by the Marquis, I'll stop her, sir." He said and began running to that direction.

"Did I tell you to?" Four's gravelly voice made him turn back.

"Sir?"

"Sit down." Four ordered, and the Sergeant looked at the ground, then at him.

The look he met in his eyes was viciously biting—venomous.

He quickly dropped low, sitting flat on the bare ground.

"Good," Four opened his gin bottle, taking a sip. "Now, watch the thriller. Don't be a joy killer."

TBC.

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