Chương 21: I'm Screwed... The Media Thinks So Too

Lina opened her eyes in dreamland. She was a lucid dreamer and well-aware of her nightmares. But this time, things were different. The setting was no longer dazzling pillars, golden rooftops, and eastern walls. Now, she was in a land of clouds, light, and marble columns. Where was this place…?

Lina felt like she was floating in the clouds, high above the skies. Was she in Heaven? Did she die in her sleep?

"Kade!"

Lina gasped at the familiar voice. She turned around to see who it was, her eyes growing wide. It was Lina. This time, she was dressed in airy clothing, with multiple pastel layers. She was excitedly dashing towards a man and ran right past Lina's ghostly body.

Lina turned and the blood drained from her face. Kade. He was covered with red. Splatters of blood remained on his cold features, his clothes drenched with an eerie color, and the same liquid dripped down his sword.

Despite that, the Dream Lina wasn't afraid. She was holding her fancy dress and running straight to him.

"Are you injured?" Dream Lina asked, worriedly grasping his blood-covered hands.

It was then that Kade's aloof expression finally changed. His eyes were desolate and distant before. Now, spring has blossomed, and winter melted away. Kade softly shook his head, the sword clanging onto the ground.

Before Kade could touch her, thunder striked in the distance.

"I WARNED YOU!" A voice boomed above the clouds.

Suddenly, the white cotton clouds transformed into storm grey. Thunder crackled in the skies, the sun fleeing away. The heavenly realm was wrecked with chaos, lightning striking the marble floors, dangerously close to where Kade stood.

"I've won the war," Kade coldly said, grabbing his woman and yanking her close. "The head of your enemy generals lay beneath your feet."

Lina didn't remember this part in her first life. In fact, she had never witnessed this scene before. Where were they? Why were the clothes much more different? Why did it look like they were beyond the mortal realm? What was going on?

"A promise is a promise. Your daughter is mine." Kade wrapped his bloodied hand around her waist, bringing her to his side. The white muslin fabric was instantly tainted with filth. Filth created by him. Filth from the people he had slain.

The number of people he had killed would be enough to cause a river of blood to spill from the heavenly castles and into the mortal world. Nothing in this world could hold him back from her. Not even a losing war.

"My daughter is destined to be more than the God of War's wife," a voice boomed from above the skies. "You have no power in my realm. LEAVE."

Lina's head began to ache. She recognized the voice somewhere, but from where? She winced in pain, clutching her forehead. She felt like a fog in her mind had begun to clear away, but everything was still blurry.

What was going on?

Lina glanced at the star-crossed couple. Kade resembled Kade. Lina resembled Lina. There was no mistaking it. This was her. And that was Kade. What did this mean?

"Lina's destiny has always been entangled with mine. Her fate belongs to me. I will take your daughter with or without your consent," Kade growled, tightening his hold on her, daring the Emperor of the Heavenly Realm to come and take the woman from his arms.

"FOOL!" The voice above the skies roared. "My daughter's destiny with yours has long been severed by the very women that wove your strings of fate!"

Kade didn't even blink when lightning struck the ground. The marble floors cracked, and the low fences shattered into nothingness. The trees beside them even caught on fire. He was unfazed by the chaos. Unfazed by everything, for he was the God of War and nothing in this world terrified him.

"If the price to pay for love is death, then this world will be a battlefield," Kade slowly said, calm and composed. "If I am given a lifetime with her, I will bargain for eternity. Nothing you do or say will keep me from my woman."

"So, it is death that you seek!" The voice in the skies shouted. "Then it is death you shall receive."

But death didn't come for Kade. It came for Dream Lina who had shoved her lover out of the way. Without warning, thunder struck the spot he once stood. Thousands of sparks flew in the air, sending everything flying back.

Lina screamed. And without warning, Lina sat upright in her bed, breathing heavily. She rapidly blinked and gazed around her room, realizing she had just woken up.

What the hell was that dream?

Lina suddenly thought back to Kaden's words in the museum.

"Just one lifetime?" he had asked her.

Lina's eyes trembled with realization. Had they… spent more than one lifetime together? Was there more to her than the death during her past life as a favored Princess?

Lina didn't understand what was going on. She thought they were only destined for one lifetime, but what did that nightmare mean?

"Ouch," Lina groaned.

Lina couldn't remember. The more she thought about it, the more her head began to pound. She clutched her chest, gasping at the pain spreading across her heart. It felt like someone had plunged a knife straight through her body. The pain was unbearable.

Finally, when Lina decided to stop thinking about it the pain went away.

"What the hell," Lina breathed out.

Lina believed there was more than what meets the eye. It was as if her own brain had blocked out memories dear to her. Memories that caused sheer agony.

Immediately, Lina flung the blanket off of her legs. She had so many questions and zero answers. The only one who could calm her curiosity was Kaden. He must've known something that she didn't.

With a mission in mind, Lina quickly got dressed for the morning. The sun was barely peeking out of the clouds when she had exited from the shower and brushed her teeth along the way. In no time, Lina was dressed and heading downstairs.

But as Lina was heading down, she received a text on her phone.

[Isabelle: You won't believe what I saw today. Hurry and meet me at the local mall. Here is the address!]

Lina blinked in confusion, but quickly responded.

[Alright, I will see you there in two hours.] Lina texted back.

"Lina!" Milo cried out, running up to her before anyone could.

Lina lifted her head and nearly tripped down the stairs. Milo quickly grabbed her wrist to steady her. The last thing he wanted to happen was for her to fall on her face and flatten it even more!

Suddenly, Lina saw flashes of his future. She witnessed black pills, a sullen Milo, and… hot tea?

Luckily, Lina's reaction to the clairvoyance wasn't as severe as last time. Her reactions usually weren't bad, at most, she'd be light-headed. This only made her even more curious about why she had fainted in front of Kaden.

"I don't understand!" Milo seethed. "Uncle should've wiped all of the pictures from existence, but look at this."

Milo quickly shoved newspapers and magazines into her hand. Lina's brows raised at the reputable publishing companies with unreputable pictures. What the hell was this?!

"It's that damn Leclare!" Milo argued, his face filled with irritation. He was going to kill that bastard!

"I bet that bastard had something to do with it!" Milo shouted, pointing an accusing finger at the papers.

"Milo!" Evelyn sharply scolded, frowning at her only son's behavior. "Your language is improper."

"So are your actions, Mother!" Milo shot back, glaring at her. "I know you were the one that set up the blind date yesterday."

Lina's hands trembled at the photos. There were so many. In so many different positions. She and Everett were perfectly captured in every picture. They looked like a picturesque couple. He looked deeply in love, especially with the way he gazed at her.

"Look, it's all over social media," Milo told his older sister. "See!"

Milo shoved his phone in front of her face. Lina's heart dropped. In the country's most popular social media there were multiple articles and posts about these pictures.

Without a doubt, everyone in this country would think Lina Yang was dating Everett Leclare. Soon, her name and identity would be known everywhere. Her affiliations with the Yangs, her university, her personal life. They were broadcasted loud and wide.

"I'm screwed," Lina seethed.

"The media thinks so too," Milo snarled. "They're beginning to say you've screwed the Leclare heir and managed to bring one of the nation's most eligible bachelor's home!"

Lina gritted her teeth. How could this happen? Her Uncle's men were diligent. There was no way they'd allow these photos to be published across the nation. No way… unless someone had intervened beforehand.

But who?