‘I can never love you.’

Tao's eyes widen as he looks at the person who just said those words. How much he believed that it wasn’t true. Not from him. The man who is the owner of his heart. Tao sulked as he knew there is no way he could hate him.

‘I want a divorce.’

The voice threatened Tao as he kept putting his head down not wanting to see him. As the other person couldn’t hear a response from Tao. He grabbed Tao by his arm and pulled him closer to him. Now getting Tao’s full attention he repeats himself again and clearer this time.

‘I don’t love you and I will never love you. I want you to free me from this so-called marriage we have played along for 5 years so I can be with who I love.’ The man demanded as he pressed Tao’s arm harder.

Tao couldn’t help but cry from what he has heard from him. All these years he has given his heart and soul to him. Since the moment he laid eyes upon him.

‘Yifan, don’t do this. I beg of you. Don’t leave me like this.’ Tao begged him as he tries to grab him. As he saw Tao coming closer to him, he was disgusted and threw Tao on the ground.

‘You seriously don’t get it, do you? How many times do I have to tell you that I can never love you.’ This time Tao heard it loud and clear and the words ‘I can never love you,’ echoed through his ears. He covered his ears as he doesn’t want to believe what is happening right now.

Tears start pouring out more from Tao. He just can’t stop anymore. Yifan has broken him.

‘I will give you your freedom. But please let me stay by your side.’ Tao answered.

He can hear Yifan snickers. Tao peeks at Yifan. He sees Yifan laughing like a mad man.

‘You don’t get it. Do you?’ Yifan smirks as he bends down to Tao’s level.

‘For you to stay by my side you need to be useful to me.’ He added.

‘And I know how useful you are, Tao.’ He mocked as he glared at him.

‘People say that you were born destined to marry me. You are going to be Queen of this empire. But I am afraid so. I don’t believe it at all. First, you are a man.’ He scoffed.

‘Because you were born that I cannot be together with one person who I have truly loved.’ Yifan gets up as he walks towards his desk. As he walks closer to the table he grabs hold of a picture frame and kisses it gently and put it back down.

‘It just so simple. Just divorce me and it will all end. Your suffering will end. And you will find someone you will love.’ He hummed as he came closer to Tao who was still on the ground.

‘But, you are the person I love. There has not been anyone other than you. Yifan.’ Tao clarified thinking hopefully Yifan can hear his heart.

‘You are seriously making me angry.’ Yifan growled as he grabbed a sword that was on his hip. Before he could attack Tao. Tao felt as someone grabbed him from the back and pulled him for safety. As he looks who the person was it was Kai. Tao’s bodyguard.

‘First prince, my apologies but you had too much to drink. I will take Sir Tao right away from your sight.’ Kai kneeled in one knee as he gave his respect to Yifan.

Yifan smirked as he watches Tao tremble beneath Kai’s arm.

‘Leave but Tao remembers what I want.’ He commands and walks away from the two.

Kai looks at Tao worried and checks if he is alright. Few bruises in his arms when Tao was thrown onto the ground by Yifan.

‘Sir Tao, are you alright? Sir Tao’ Kai shakes Tao gently. Tao just froze still as he was embraced by Kai.

‘Oh, I forgot I had something to do.’ They hear Yifan coming towards them.

He pulls his sword and slashes Kai in the chest area. Tao now is frozen as he watches Kai drop on the ground, gasping for air. He looks at Kai. He screams as he tries to put pressure on the bleeding wound. He hoped that would stop his over bleeding.

Yifan keeps looking at them amused.

‘It’s because of you. I cannot kill you, but I can kill the people you care about.’  Yifan grinned as he sat on a sofa.

Tao kept trying to stop the bleeding.

‘Help, somebody! Kai is hurt. Somebody call medic!’ Tao screamed his lungs out. He hands were covered with Kai’s blood. As Tao, kept watching Kai, he sees Kai give him a last smile.

‘It’s not your fault.’ Kai breathed as he held Tao’s hand.

Tao could see the light in Kai’s eyes disappear.

For this is enough for Tao.

‘You win. I will divorce you.’ Tao sniffles as he kept holding Kai’s hand.

Tao heard claps from Yifan.

‘Now, was it that hard?’ Yifan smiles as he puts his arm down in the armrest.

Tao is utterly fearful and appalled as to what did he see in him in the first place. Toa felt nauseate as he holds his puke down his throat. He couldn’t bare what he had witnessed. How could he be so blind all these years? How could he have thought that his Prince was a devil.

‘I will leave this castle and go back home.’ Tao swallows his spit as he wants his voice to be clear.

‘Right. There we go. Perfect. Everything worked out in the end. Did it not Tao?’ he chirps as he gets up from the chair and heads to the exit. Leaving Kai and Tao alone.

Tao begins sobbing as he pulls Kai’s head closer to his chest.

‘I am so sorry. I am so sorry.’ As he repeats to himself repeatedly.

---

‘I heard you are divorced Tao.’ The man asked Yifan with caution. ‘Will you be fine with the king’s lecture?’

Yifan stopped writing and put his fountain pen down. And looking at the man who asked him the question.

‘You don’t understand how long I been waiting for this. With this she and I can be together.’ Yifan smirked as he grabbed his pen again.

‘Don’t you feel sorry for him?’ the man adds as he looks at Yifan.

‘Sorry?’ he chuckles as he puts his arm down and takes a deep breath. ‘If she and I can be together. There is nothing wrong with some sacrifices.’ He added.

‘Why must you go this far? I heard you killed Tao’s bodyguard.’

‘Eh. How did you find about this? I told the palace servants to keep quiet about this matter.’ Yifan defended.

‘Yifan, this is madness. You were not like this at all.’

‘Chanyeol, Chanyeol. My good friend. I learned this from my parents. If you have the power than you can use that power to get what you want.’ Yifan smirks as he crosses his arm.

‘I don’t think they meant you can abuse that power. Yifan.’ His friend shouts at him.

‘Wow, why are this heated? Did you have a thing for Tao?’ Yifan laughs as he stares at his friend.

‘No, I don’t. I just felt bad for him. Ever since he was born he was told that he was going to marry you. And he will become the queen to this empire. It was yours and his destiny and-‘

‘I will stop you right there.’ Yifan glares at Chanyeol.

‘I am not really fond of what you call destiny. My destiny is that I will marry Jessica and we will have a happy family. Did you know that Jessica is pregnant?’ Yifan added.

To Chanyeol’s dismay. He couldn’t believe is the person who he had been friends with so long. He doesn’t know when did he change so much into someone he doesn’t even recognize.  

Before Chanyeol could say anything. A maid rushed in the room.

‘Better be a good reason for you to barge in like this.’ Yifan glared at the maid.

‘First prince, First prince, Ms. Jessica she is in troub-‘before maid could finish her sentence. Yifan bolted from his seat and headed towards where Jessica was.

Chanyeol followed Yifan as he nodded to the maid.

---

‘Someone has poisoned lady Jessica.’ Royal doctor says as he checks Jessica’s pulse.  

‘What? How is she?’ Yifan asked the doctor.

‘I am afraid, but the child is lost. First prince.’ Doctor answered.

With this Yifan raged. He knew who did this her.

‘It’s that Huang Zitao. I swear to you that you will be dead by my hands.’ Yifan growled.

Chanyeol held Yifan.

‘Calm down, Yifan. Think it through. There is no way Tao could have done this.’ He tried to calm Yifan. But because of how angry Yifan was Chanyeol couldn’t hold him. He punched Chanyeol. Chanyeol fell to the ground. He could only see the back side of Yifan as he walked away angrily.

At Huang Mansion

Tao couldn’t help but cry. He lost his friend. He was in his room sitting by the window. As he remembered Kai in his last moment. He couldn’t help himself again and hugs himself to calm himself down.

He heard a loud noise outside his room. He knows that sounds like his father. He seemed angry. His father barged into his room and comes face to face with Tao.

‘I am so sorry, Tao.’ Mr Huang cried as he hugged his son. This was the first time in his life he saw his father cry in front of him. ‘I thought this is what that would make you happy. I am so sorry. Your mother in heavens. She must be so sad if she saw you like this.’ His father tightens his hug.

Tao couldn’t help himself and bawl his eyes out. It has been ages since he has met his father. Since he was 18, he couldn’t meet his father since he was married to first prince.

‘Father, it was my fault that Kai died. If only I wasn’t so stubborn. Kai would have been alive. He would have been here with me.’ Tao sobbed in-between his breath.

‘It’s not your fault, Tao. I am sure Kai would have said the same thing.’ His father cooed him, his head.

Tao remembers Kai telling him that its not his fault.

Tao cried even more.

Before Tao could say anything. There was a loud banging sound in their front door.

Tao looks outside his window and sees Yifan and his royal soldiers. Tao shivers as to what is going to happen.

---

*mention of blood and gore*

What Tao feared the most happened. Yifan is destroying what he cares about the most. His family. Everyone from Huang family was being killed off. Tao saw his own father’s head on a spike as it was raised high on the wall outside of Huang Mansion.

Tao was on the ground. He was chained by the two guards that Yifan have brought. Tao tried to fight back but he couldn’t set himself free. He was kicked and pushed onto the ground.

When he was on the ground he could see that someone’s shoes coming closer to him. Until it stopped in front of his head.

‘Raise him up. Let me see his face.’ Yifan commands his guards.

They pull Tao right up to face Yifan.

‘Why did you poison, Jessica?’ Yifan growled as he glared at Tao.

‘What?’ Tao answered back.

‘I know you did it. Don’t act so innocent. I know it’s you. After what I did to your bodyguard.’ Yifan growled as he put his hands-on Tao’s neck.

‘Believe me. It’s not me at all. I swear to you.’ He said as he gasped for air.

‘If Jessica dies, you die too. You hear me.’ Yifan raged as he lets go of his hand from Tao’s neck.

‘Banish him from this kingdom. And rot him to jail.’ He puffed as he leaves.

‘Yifan, believe me. It's not me. How can do this to you? Its wasn’t me!’ Tao screamed his lungs out. But Yifan didn't look back once. 

---

Day 8th of confinement

Tao no longer had an appetite. he started to feel sick but no one really cared for Tao. He heard murmurs around his cell. As he looked up to see it was. It was her. The one who caused him so much pain. Jessica. 

She smiled at Tao and lower her self to Tao's level. 

'Come closer, Tao. I have something to tell you.' she begins crying. 

Tao could do nothing but came near her. 

'I know you didn't poison me at all.' she added. 

Tao looked at her. 

'Yes, I didn't do it. Why would I try to do such a horrible thing to anyone.' Tao wept as bawled his eyes out. 

'I know this because I poisoned myself.' She smirked at Tao. 

Tao who was on the ground, he lifted his head up and looked at her. 

'Say that again.' Tao commanded. 

' I poisoned myself and you want to know why?' She smiled again and extended her hand towards Tao's chin. 

'I did this because I was never pregnant. I had to save myself. Yifan told me that I should bear his child so he could leave you. But I couldn't get pregnant you see. I paid the doctor to give Yifan the false news about me getting pregnant and losing the child due to poisoning. It's a easy way for me to survive.' Jessica smiled again at Tao. hoping he would understand her. 

'You. He loved you out of all the people.' Tao looked down and starts walking away from her. 

'I was going to live like that I didnt exist at all to the royal family.' Tao said as he walked towards her. 

'I was fine getting my heart broken.' Tao added as he smiled at her. 

'But, I was not fine when Yifan killed Kai. My father, my home.' Tao had this creepy smile that creeped her out. 

'This is the destiny all of the people wanted for me and Yifan, Right?' Tao grinned as he placed his hand on her cheek. 

'RIGHT?' he shouted as he scratched her cheek.

She screamed in pain and fell onto the ground as she held her bleeding cheek. Guards came over and helped Jessica up and took her away from that place. Jessica kept looking at Tao. He grinned at her and waving back at her. 

Now, Tao is broken. 

---

Death sentence to Huang Zitao

It was a talk of the town. Everyone went to the execution place and they saw Tao. Whispers and disbelief mixture of things was happening in this town. 

'I heard he cheated on the first prince. Serves him right.' 

' I heard he killed his own bodyguard out of jealousy.' 

'I heard he attacked first prince soon to be wife'

'Not only that he poisoned her too.'

Words were exchanged from left and right. 

Tao couldn't even react. He didn't want to. Knowing no one will listen to him and believe him. Now he is here for his death sentence. 

He saw Yifan and Jessica together. The best seat in the house to watch someone get executed. Jessica couldn't hide her smile as she ducked down to hide her face. Yifan smirked at Tao. 

Tao closed his eyes and waited for his life to end. 

His head was placed on the wood that chopped heads. 

He had nothing he could lose now. 

You are the one thing I regret meeting. I hope I don't meet you ever even in my next life. He smiled at Yifan. 

The Axe came down hard. 

---

 

'Tao....Tao'

He heard someone call out his name. 

He didn't want to open his eyes. He felt someone nudging him. 

'Tao...your mom will be mad if you don't wake up soon.'

Tao opened his eyes. It was a blurry vision. When he opened his eyes he saw Kai. But it was a mini Kai. He was so shocked and surprised to see Kai. It didn't matter to him if it was small Kai or adult Kai. He was very happy to see him. 

'Ah, this is what heaven feels like.' Tao said as he hugged Kai. 

'Let me go, Tao.' Kai pushed Tao. 'What's wrong with you?' he added. 

'I missed you!' he hugged him again. 

'We saw each other yesterday before we went to bed.' Kai commented. 

This time Tao jerked away from Kai. He pinched Kai's cheek and his own cheek. They both winced in pain. 

Tao got out his bed and went straight to the closest mirror. 

There he saw himself in the mirror. 

The 13 year old version of himself. 

---

 

END OF CHAPTER 1

I made Yifan into such bad guy hahaha. 

I hope you enjoyed chapter 1. 

There will be massive character development for Tao. 

Thanks for reading!