The Crown's Seduction-Chapter 486: His Inner Turmoil

Raul stormed into his chamber, slamming the door so hard the hinges groaned in protest. His chest heaved with fury, his mind a storm of betrayal and confusion. Every memory with Niran replayed in his head, tainted now by the knowledge that she had been deceiving him all along.

He grabbed the nearest chair and hurled it against the wall with a deafening crash, the sound echoing in the empty room. The ornate vase on his desk was the next victim, shattering into countless pieces as it struck the floor.

"How could she?" he roared, his voice raw with emotion. "How dare she make a fool of me!"

He overturned the table, scattering documents and sending a tray of wine bottles crashing to the ground.

The ruby-red liquid pooled on the floor, stark against the dark wood, like blood spilled from his wounded pride.

Raul paced the room like a caged beast, his hands clenched into fists. The walls seemed to close in on him, suffocating him with memories of her laughter, her touch, her smile... every moment they had shared was now tainted by her betrayal.

"I trusted her," he muttered, his voice shaking with rage. "I let her into my life, into my heart... and she was a spy all along."

His eyes landed on the mirror above the dresser. The sight of his own reflection, a man undone by anger and pain, only fueled his fury. With a snarl, he grabbed a heavy candlestick and hurled it at the glass. The mirror shattered, shards raining to the floor like jagged tears.

Breathing heavily, Raul leaned against the wall, his head pounding. His anger began to give way to something deeper, something more painful. Beneath the betrayal was a wound that cut to his very core.

"How could I have been so blind?" he whispered, sliding down to sit on the floor amidst the chaos he had created. His hands raked through his hair, pulling at the roots as he tried to make sense of the turmoil in his heart.

He thought of her face when she confessed, the way her voice trembled with sincerity, her eyes filled with regret. Part of him wanted to believe her, to trust that her feelings for him were real. But another part, the part still raw from the sting of betrayal, wouldn’t allow it.

Raul clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. "She doesn’t deserve my forgiveness," he told himself, his voice barely above a whisper.

And yet, even as he sat there amidst the wreckage, her voice lingered in his mind. Her tears, her plea for understanding... they haunted him. No matter how much he wanted to shut her out, Niran had woven herself into his heart, and tearing her out now felt like ripping apart a piece of his soul.

The anger burned hot, but beneath it, something else began to simmer... a battle between his pride and his feelings for the woman who had betrayed him.

Raul’s breath hitched, his chest tightening as the voice of his mother, Thea, echoed in his mind, cold and relentless.

’Still a weakling, Raul... Still letting people walk all over you, deceive you. Pathetic.’

His trembling hands clenched against his knees, but he couldn’t block it out. Her voice clawed at the darkest corners of his mind, a venomous reminder of the years he spent under her cruel dominance.

"You’re dead! You’re not real!" Raul’s voice cracked, each word forced through the lump in his throat. "You don’t control me anymore!"

But the voice only grew louder, laced with mockery and disdain.

’Control? You think I’m trying to control you? No, Raul. I’m here to remind you who you are... what you were born to be. Weakness will destroy you. Emotions make you vulnerable. And look where it’s gotten you!’

He pressed his hands harder against his ears, his whole body trembling. Memories flashed before his eyes... her harsh glares, her unforgiving lectures, the cold emptiness of her version of love. For so long, he had lived trying to escape her shadow, to silence the echoes of her impossible expectations.

But now, with Niran’s betrayal, that voice had returned. It was louder than ever, feeding on his pain and anger, twisting the knife of his hurt deeper into his chest.

"You’re wrong!" he shouted into the void. His voice cracked a mixture of rage and desperation. "I’m not like you! I’ll never be like you!"

His body slumped further against the wall, his forehead resting on his knees. A wave of exhaustion washed over him, the emotional battle draining what little strength he had left.

For a long moment, he sat there, the wreckage of the room around him a physical manifestation of his inner turmoil. Slowly, the taunting voice began to fade, replaced by the pounding of his heart in his ears.

But the pain didn’t leave. The sting of Niran’s betrayal and the weight of his mother’s lingering influence clung to him like a suffocating shroud. He couldn’t escape the thought that, maybe, his mother had been right all along.

To rule, to survive, perhaps he truly needed to shut out his emotions... to never trust anyone again.

And yet, somewhere deep inside, the memories of Niran’s smile, her touch, and the moments of peace she brought him refused to be silenced. They flickered faintly, like a fragile light trying to push back the darkness.

But could he ever allow himself to trust her again? Could he let himself be vulnerable, knowing the risk of betrayal?

Raul didn’t know the answer. Not yet.

*****

Outside Raul’s bedchamber, Niran’s feet felt as though they were weighed down by the guilt and sorrow churning in her chest. She had intended to give him the space he so clearly needed, but the sound of his anguished screams pierced her resolve, rooting her in place just outside his door.

She hesitated, her hand trembling as she reached for the door handle, but the raw emotion in his voice made her pause. ’He’s hurting... because of me.’

Unable to take another step, she slowly sank to the floor, her back leaning against the cold stone wall. Niran wrapped her arms around her knees, pulling them close as a quiet sob escaped her lips.

"I’m so sorry," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the muffled sound of Raul’s turmoil within. Tears spilled freely down her cheeks, and she buried her face in her arms, gasping softly as the weight of her actions crushed her.

She didn’t know how long she sat there, lost in her thoughts. Memories of Raul’s warmth, his rare but genuine smiles, and the way he made her feel safe filled her mind, intertwining with the haunting reality of how she had betrayed his trust.

’He’ll never forgive me...’ The thought clawed at her heart, but she quickly shook her head, refusing to give in to despair.

"No," she murmured to herself, her voice shaking but resolute. "I’ll stay. No matter how angry he is, no matter how much he punishes me... I’ll stay. I’ll prove to him that I’m sincere."

Her fingers curled into fists against her knees, and she wiped at her tears with the back of her hand.

’Maybe one day... Maybe once he sees my sincerity, he’ll forgive me. Maybe we can start over, build something new.’ ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com

But deep down, a part of her feared that no matter what she did, the damage might already be beyond repair.

Still, she stayed. Outside his door, where she could feel his presence even through the thick wall, Niran resolved to endure whatever came next. For Raul. For the chance, however slim, that she could make things right.