PROLOGUE

"Empress," I whispered to myself before I felt my lips curve into a smile.

Sometimes I couldn't help but laugh whenever I remembered why my parents named me Empress. Do I look like a ruler? I can't even rule my life properly, so I don't know why my parents named me like this.

I have the things that everyone wants. Im rich. My parents give me everything I want, and I can manipulate everything if I want to.

There's just one thing I can't even take and manipulate.

"Travis," I whispered before turning to the man lying next to me.

I couldn't stop myself from smiling because... I don't know. There is a part of my body that says "Success," and there is also a part of me that says "You're such a fool, Empress." Why would I feel disappointed if I also liked what happened between the two of us? Yes, I'm scared, but I can't stop myself from feeling this kind of emotion because, finally!

I finally got the man I wanted for a long time.

But then, was it right for me to give myself to him when there is no certainty in our relationship? It won't be long before I marry him according to our parents' wishes. I don't want to think that he is only being forced into our relationship or that I am being forced into my parents' decision.

I want him to love me for who I am. I don't want him to marry me because his parents want him to. I don't want him to marry me because he is forced into this kind of agreement.

"How hard am I to love, Travis?" I asked, knowing that he would not be able to answer my question because of his deep sleep.

From our bed, we could hear the music coming from the other room. I only felt a little more ashamed of myself when I heard the congregational music they were playing in their room.

I want to be ashamed of myself because of what happened between us.

Why, Empress? When Travis invites you, will you suddenly give up and give yourself away? Fuck it, Empress! You are too weak!

Until now, I can still feel the heat from what happened between the two of us. I quickly took the robe that was on the side and didn't think twice about wrapping myself in it.

"Nathalie," I whispered to myself with a mixture of annoyance for my friend. "What did you do, Nathalie?"

I know, and I'm sure Nathalie had something to do with what happened between the two of us. She has a plan. She put something in the wine we drank earlier. I have a gut feeling that she's going to do this to us, but why? Why didn't I stop her from carrying out her plan?

Was Travis just carried away by a gust of emotion, or... maybe he was just carried away by the medicine that Nathalie mixed in our drink?

And... where the hell is she?

I quickly raised my trembling hand to grab the cellphone that was on the side of our bedside table. I saw Travis sleeping soundly. There was a ghost of a smile on his lips, and that's why I couldn't help but blush, especially every time I remembered what we talked about earlier.

I let out a sigh before I decided to check my phone. I saw some missed calls from Nathalie. I also saw messages from Lucas and from Lucho, but this is not what I focused on.

"Enjoy, kitty! Hahaha."

I quickly felt my face heat up when I read Nathalie's message. When I calmed myself down, I didn't think twice about getting ready, and just like that, I was able to leave that place.

I don't want to remember what happened between the two of us!

I immediately picked up all the clothes scattered on the floor and hurriedly went to the bathroom to get dressed. It didn't even take me an hour to dress myself because I was afraid I might wake him up.

I know he will do everything just to stop me, and I don't want that to happen.

I will runaway, and I will leave him. That was the plan I kept whispering to myself until I decided to walk out the door, doing my best not to make any noise. I'm afraid I might wake him up.

That's right, Travis. Don't wake up forever!

I don't like him, and I despise him. Until now, I still carry my anger towards him, even though it was a few years ago. He humiliated me that day, which almost ruined my life, so why should I forgive him?

Even at my job, he did nothing but torture me. He was not satisfied with what he had done before! He didn't even ask me if I was still mad at him or if I was hurt by him humiliating me before! He still wants to be mad at me for what he did to me!

"The audacity of him," I whispered to myself as I briskly walked towards the elevator.

An old woman was with me in the elevator. I pouted my lips when I saw her staring intently at my neck. I was even more surprised when she handed me the scarf she had been holding since earlier.

"Looks like you need it, hija."

I smiled at her before refusing. "No. Thank you, Auntie. I'm not cold."

"If I am you, I will use it," she said before looking at my neck. "It looks like your boyfriend is controlling himself," she added before smiling at me.

My face immediately warmed up when I understood what she wanted to convey. Fortunately, it didn't occur to her to laugh at me, so somehow I breathed a sigh of relief.

I thanked her profusely before I decided to walk to the front desk to check out.

"Is Mr. Bonifacio still upstairs, ma'am?"

Please don't ask me about that bastard!

I closed my eyes and nodded at her, which caused her to snort in front of me.

"Does he know, ma'am, that you are leaving?"

"Do I still have to say goodbye to him?" I asked with a frown that made her sneer. "I said I'm going to check out. It doesn't matter if I'm with him or what..."

"W-Would you like me to call him on the intercom?"

My brows furrowed because of what she asked. For fucking what?!

"For what else?"

She shyly bowed before answering again. "He told all the security earlier... not to let you leave without his permission."

"Why would he tell you that? We're not a thing! He's not even my boyfriend," I said, making her bow. "I'm sorry for raising my voice. I'm about to leave, and the two of us talked before I went down."

The woman just gave me a nod before pressing something on the intercom. I watched her fix the form I gave her before she nodded at me, which made me smile.

I will run away because I know that once he catches up with me, he will do everything to turn me around. I will be forced to agree to a marriage I don't want. I knew he didn't want to marry me either, which is why I couldn't help but question myself every time I saw him, as if he didn't even care that I would marry him.

If he doesn't want me to marry him, then why isn't he doing anything to cancel it? In the first place, it was his parents who had the idea of ​​this arranged marriage, which is why I can't help but wonder why he is not doing anything.

I knocked loudly outside Nathalie's suite. From outside, I could hear her rushing inside to open the door for me.

"I said, I'm not going to order—"

She hurriedly shut her mouth when she saw me glaring at her. When she saw the edge of my gaze on her, she quickly smiled, as if she were still mocking me.

What's so funny? Does she have any idea what she did?

I don't want to blame her for what happened between us, but then... all this wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for what Nathalie did! After all, she is to blame for everything that happened between me and Travis!

"Oh, hi there, Kitty!" she still greeted, which made me roll my eyes. "How was your night with your fiancé?"

I didn't answer her, and instead of paying attention to her, I just decided to walk inside.

I watched her adjust the covering of the robe on her body. Based on her look, it looks like she just finished showering. And I can't deny the joy on her face when our eyes met.

"This is your house? The audacity of you, huh?" she said before crossing her arms. "What happened to your errands?"

Instead of looking at her, I just decided to walk towards the sofa and sit down there. I did everything to avert my eyes from her, but no matter how much I avoided her question, she just continued to ask again and again.

"I'm asking you, Empress. What happened?" she asked, to which I rolled my eyes. "Did you two fight again?"

I quickly removed the aviator I was wearing and turned to look at her. Based on her look, it looks like she has no idea what she did to us. She looks so innocent.

"Something... happened to us," I answered.

She wasn't even surprised by what I told her, which is why I'm sure she had something to do with what happened to Travis and me.

"Then?"

"Then?" I asked, raising my voice because of her question. "Do you even know what you fucking did?"

Her brows furrowed because of my question.

"What did I do?" she asked while pointing to herself.

"Don't deny it, Nathalie. I know you had something to do with what happened to us!"

She grinned at what I said, and I don't have any idea if she's really happy, but based on her smile, it looks like she can't believe what I'm saying.

I was blaming her, and I know what I'm doing is wrong. And one more thing: is it right to blame her if I also liked what happened between me and Travis?

"And so?" she asked before crossing her arms. "Won't you even thank me? Because of me, something happened between you two, Empress. If it wasn't for me, maybe your rotten arou—"

"Shut up," I hissed, making her laugh. "Where's my luggage?"

"Why?" she asked. She followed me when I decided to get up from the sofa. "What are you planning to do, Empress?"

"I'm leaving," I replied.

I quickly took my luggage and hurriedly put all my things in it. I don't care where I would go. I just want to escape from it. I don't want our paths to cross anymore because I don't know how to deal with him after what happened to both of us.

"Are you leaving again?" Nathalie asked before she grabbed my arm, stopping me. "You're planning to leave us again, Empress?"

"Nathalie, you don't know if —"

"Answer my fucking question, Empress!" she demanded, which made me purse my lips. "What? You're going to leave us again? After doing something wrong, you're going to leave again? You're going to run away again!"

"You don't know how I feel, Nathalie," I answered before hiding the tears that welled up in my eyes. "I'm afraid..."

"Are you afraid of him?" she asked me with a frown.

"I'm scared of myself," I corrected, causing her to quickly release her grip on my arm. "I'm afraid that my feelings for him might return. You know what he did to me before, right?" She avoided looking at me because of what I said. "Nathalie, I'm so tired. I want to run away. I want to leave, but I don't know where to hide."

"What, then, is your plan?"

I hurriedly shook my head because of the lack of an answer. What exactly is my plan? I will run away? Where do I hide?

If Travis has feelings for me, he will do anything to keep me from escaping his grasp.

That is, if he has feelings for me.