A Brief Moment

Lucy's chest tightened as she heard the choices laid out before her.

She didn't want to marry her fiancé, and that was the very reason she had run away from the Demon World in the first place.

It might have been easier to accept if the man she was supposed to marry had at least been someone decent, but he was far from that. He was known for being cruel and sadistic, the kind of person who would treat her as nothing more than another addition to his growing harem.

She wanted no part of it.

But then her gaze fell to Asher. Blood dripped from his mouth, and his skin cracked and tore. Every second brought him closer to death.

Lucian waited patiently, not pressuring her outright but watching her every move closely.

"I…" her voice shook as she clenched her fists. "I can't—"

"You can't?" Lucian's tone remained neutral.