To the Noble and the Vile You

Ariana had never known freedom. Born out of a cold political arrangement, she spent her life as a pawn—used, dismissed, and ultimately discarded. On the day she turned 28, she died in silence. No candles. No well-wishes. Not even a memory in the minds of those around her. She had once yearned for love. But in the end, all she received was betrayal. Whether by mercy or fate, something—or someone—granted her a second chance. When she opened her eyes, she was sixteen again. This time, things would be different. No more pleading for affection. No more lowering herself for the approval of those who wore elegant masks but concealed hearts full of filth. “I won’t love. I won’t ask to be loved. Never again.” She would play the game by her own rules now. And every wound from her past life? She would return it—with interest.