𝑫𝑨𝑮𝑮𝑬𝑹𝑬𝑫 𝑯𝑬𝑨𝑹𝑻𝑺 & 𝑷𝑶𝑰𝑺𝑶𝑵𝑬𝑫 𝑳𝑰𝑷𝑺

Chapter Five: The First

The garden was full of people.

That was the problem.

Li Yue preferred shadows, silence, distance—but today, she had no choice. Appearances mattered. And in the palace, appearances could decide survival.

“You’ve drawn quite the attention.”

She didn’t need to look to know who it was this time.

A young nobleman stood beside her, smiling politely. Too politely.

“I don’t intend to,” she replied.

“And yet you do.”

He leaned slightly closer—not enough to be improper, but enough to be noticed.

That was when she felt it.

A shift in the air.

Cold.

Sharp.

Watching.

Li Yue’s gaze lifted—just slightly—

And found him.

Xiao Zhen stood across the garden, half-hidden beneath the shade of a flowering tree. Still. Silent.

But his eyes—

Locked onto her.

Onto the space between her and the man beside her.

The nobleman continued speaking, unaware.

“You must allow me to show you the eastern gardens sometime—”

“No.”

The word slipped out before she could soften it.

The nobleman blinked. “I—beg your pardon?”

“I said no.”

Her voice was calm. Firm.

And yet her attention wasn’t on him anymore.

It was on the prince already walking toward them.

Each step slow. Controlled.

Intentional.

The nobleman straightened as Xiao Zhen approached. “Your Highness—”

Xiao Zhen didn’t even look at him.

His gaze remained on Li Yue.

“You seem occupied,” he said quietly.

“I was leaving,” she replied.

The nobleman hesitated. “I meant no offense—”

“Then don’t give one,” Xiao Zhen said flatly.

Silence.

Heavy. Immediate.

The nobleman bowed quickly and stepped back, retreating without another word.

Only then did Xiao Zhen move closer.

Too close.

Always too close.

“You let him stand near you,” he said, voice low.

“It was a conversation.”

“It was unnecessary.”

Li Yue met his gaze. “You don’t control who speaks to me.”

A pause.

Then—

“No,” he said softly. “But I control what happens to those who forget their place.”

The words weren’t loud.

But they carried weight.

Danger.

Possession.

And something far more complicated beneath it.

Li Yue’s heart tightened.

“Why does it matter to you?” she asked quietly.

For a moment—just a moment—

He didn’t answer.

Then his hand lifted, brushing lightly against her wrist.

“Because,” he said, “you are no longer something I can ignore.”