Rose was having the happiest morning of her life.
She woke up extra early...almost glowing with excitent because her beloved "new cat" had finally accepted her lap last night. Or rather... he gave up struggling and fell asleep while glaring at her with narrowed, prideful eyes. Either way, Rose took it as a grand victory.
Sadly, she had school today.
After brushing her hair and putting on her pink socks (which didn’t match her uniform, but she wore them anyway), she gently picked up her precious "baby" from the corner of her bed.
Loki, the demon prince, was not pleased.
He stared up at her with his glowing, narrowed eyes, his tail flicking sharply behind him.
"How dare this peasant child lift like a stuffed toy."
But since he still couldn’t speak in this form and couldn’t shift so he remained silent, enduring the humiliation with the silent dignity of a cursed royal.
"You be good today, alright?" Rose chirped as she placed him into a fluffy pillow basket and signaled to the maid. "Take care of him like he’s a royal prince, okay? Feed him, play with him, don’t let him miss too much."
The maid just nodded calmly.
And Loki... seethed.
A royal prince? You finally got that right, he thought. But why did Elder Lilith give to this giggling little mortal in the first place?
He didn’t mind the human world much—accidents happened, and falling through a portal while throwing a tantrum wasn’t entirely his fault. But he had found Elder Lilith! His favorite teacher from the demon realm! A woman of class, power, and terrifying beauty!
And yet...
She gave him to this small, flower-slling girl who talked too much, laughed at him, and called him "bad boy" when he bit her hands.
When he could shift again.
when he would find a way to teach her a lesson.
Maybe he’d steal her pink socks.
Maybe he’d sit on her howork.
Maybe he’d command an army of ghost kittens to haunt her closet.
But for now... he napped.
anwhile, Rose ca back from school carrying two bags.
Alot of cat supplies.
Loki had survived battles.
He had walked through flaming ruins. He had once stared down a hydra in the underworld without blinking.
But none of that prepared him for this.
Rose skipped into the room humming a bright little tune, holding sothing in her hand...soft, sparkly, and absolutely horrifying.
What’s this pheasant carrying? He didn’t care.
She approached him slowly, lovingly. "Aww, co here, baby. Let’s try this on, you’ll look so cute! Mommy got your size just right!"
"ow!! Mommy?" he blinked. Who gave her permission to call herself my guardian?!
As her hands reached for him, he bolted.
With a dramatic leap from the bed, he sprinted toward the door like a fleeing fugitive. His tail puffed out in protest, and his small body darted under the table, behind the curtain, across the pillows—
But Rose was faster.
She caught him with a playful giggle, scooping him into her arms while he wriggled with the energy of a demon having an identity crisis.
"There, there. You’re just shy!" she said, as she wrangled him into the hoodie.
The mont the soft fabric touched his royal fur, Loki’s soul left his body.
His limbs stiffened.
His pupils shrank.
He stood frozen, pink hoodie wrapped around him like a sha blanket from hell.
Then she brought out the final weapon.
The collar.
A glittery, pink rhinestone collar with a tiny bell that jingled with sound.
Loki gagged.
Was this a punishnt? A curse?
Rose smiled like sunshine. "You’re so handso! Say thank you, Prince Fluff!"
Loki didn’t move.
His spirit was halfway to the demon realm, filing complaints with his ancestors.
***
Nina had already signed another film—one she would start next month, where she was playing the lead. But that wasn’t the only surprise. She had personally offered Lilith the antagonist role.
"I want you to be the one standing opposite on screen," she had said with quiet strength. "Not because we’re close, but because I can trust you not to hurt when the caras turn off."
Lilith hadn’t answered yet. She was still thinking about it.
Gray, on the other hand, was not.
He had no patience for the gas of that world. He stood with his arms folded near the hospital bed, and his face didn’t hide his displeasure. His words ca out steady, like soone stating a final decision. "I don’t want my wife to work in that dirty entertainnt industry," he said, looking straight at Knox. "Where people pretend to be friends and stab each other behind the back the mont lights are off. It’s disgusting."
The room turned silent after that. Lilith remained seated, her eyes lowered, fingers playing with the string of her bracelet.
Knox didn’t say anything either. He didn’t respond to Gray’s words. But his eyes were on Nina. Quietly watching her. He hadn’t looked away since he entered the room. His gaze followed the arms, the bruises that peeked from under her hospital gown, the smile she forced just to keep things normal. That girl used to be the brightest star on set. Always laughing, always kind. Now she looked smaller, like soone who had been broken and was still pretending she hadn’t noticed.
But inside, Knox wasn’t calm.
He had not forgiven Clara.
He had not even planned to.
And while he said nothing, things were already in motion.
Clara wasn’t just jealous. She was dangerous. Two years ago, she had frad her own best friend, an innocent girl who had gotten a little more attention than Clara liked. That girl’s life was torn apart by cyber accusations, fake screenshots, and ugly rumors. People online had destroyed her, and no one listened when she said she was innocent. No one believed her. She had been forced to hide. And in the end... she didn’t survive it.
Clara had smiled through it all.
Acted like the grieving friend.
And walked away with no guilt.
Knox had found the docunts. The chat records. The paynt trail. Everything.
By tomorrow, Clara’s face would be on every news site.
And her career...
It would disappear.
He was going to destroy her and this ti, no one would protect her.
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