She tilted her head, a cruel, mocking smirk playing on her lips.
"The servants would still bow to that dog. The nobility would still toast to it. The entire country would treat that dog with the exact same respect they give you. Because the one who matters in this equation is not the dog. And it is certainly not 'you'. It is 'me'."
Heena leaned back onto her silk cushion, completely unbothered by the heavy, tense silence in the room. "So banish that ridiculous little thought from your head, my 'dear fiancé'. Do not come in here talking nonsense. If you honestly think that I need to please you or act like a good person for your sake, then please—get lost."
Orion paused. For a long, tense moment, his beautiful mask cracked, revealing the calculating, cornered viper underneath. He took a slow breath, forcing his expression to smooth out.
"It looks like my lady is simply too tired from her journey," Orion deflected, his voice a little stiffer than before.
Heena didn't even blink.
