I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, but I refused to let fear take over. I knew that showing any weakness in front of this man would only give him the upper hand. Instead, I stared him down with as much defiance as I could muster, trying to hide the fact that my wrists were starting to ache from the chains.

The man across from me wore a cruel smirk, his eyes glinting with malice as he twirled the knife in his hand. The dim light in the bare brick cell made the blade glimmer menacingly. “For so long I thought you were going to be the empress to my empire. Imagine my surprise when you betrayed me.”

I didn’t respond. I simply glared at him with hatred, my jaw clenched tight.The cold metal of the chains was cutting into my wrists as I strained against them. Surprise flickered briefly in his eyes, as if he didn’t expect me to possess such a fierce spirit.

“I counted every day I was in that prison cell and marked it with thoughts of revenge at your betrayal,” he continued, his voice laced with venom. I could hear the evil in his tone now, the darkness lurking beneath his handsome façade.

“Somehow, I think the attempted murder warranted a little betrayal,” I retorted, my voice shaking slightly with anger.

He scoffed and stood up, unfolding himself from the chair as he began to stalk towards me. “I guess, I only have myself to blame for thinking that with the number of times I thrust my knife into your beautiful chest, you would have done me the courtesy of dying.”

I didn’t flinch, meeting his gaze with defiance. “I guess your aim was a little off,” I shot back, inwardly berating myself for taunting a madman.

“Well, we’ll try not to make that mistake again this time when I’ve finished with you,” he said, a cold smirk playing at the corners of his lips.