Prologue

Elena sat on her bed, her little princess on her lap. They were both painting a color book with crayons though Elena did the most work as she held her daughter's hand . She was happy, He didn't know, He won't take her little princess away as He did her son. She had lived in this cursed villa for seven years since her dethroning, she was separated from her son two years later,forbidding him from meeting the dethroned queen which was his mother. She became lonely, alone in masion, no one to give her company but the servants with their accusatorial eyes who ignored her completely. She knew she hurt and betrayed Him but she did it to protect her own and she would do it again and again if she ever went back and would be sorry for it.

"Mommy let's use the pink color for her hair so she looks preety like you." Her little princess said looking back at her mom

"Hmm let's use pink." She responded as her daughter picked up the pink crayon lying in a distance on the bed and Elena, holding her daughter's hand began to paint the picture together.

Her daughter was her only joy now and no one was taking her joy from her, or so she thought. They were almost done with the picture when Elena froze, her heart beating fast. As she heard the familiar footsteps become louder, she broke into a cold sweat and began to shiver. Her little princess sensing something was wrong looked up to her mother,

"Mommy are you ...." Before she could complete her question, she was cut shut by someone opening their rooms' door and just as Elena dreaded He stepped in.

The little princess couldn't take a good look at the intruder because her mom pushed her behind her protectively. Elena stood up with a start, instinctively pushing her little princess behind her.

He stared at her with the cold look she was getting used to, the love and gentleness in his eyes gone seven years ago.

"What do you want?" Elena asked warily. He ignored her trying to get a good look at the little princess behind her. His eyes turned gentle as he stared at her and Elena noticed,she covered his view with her body.

"I want my daughter." He finally answered looking up at her the cold look back in his eyes.

"She is not yours." She blurted out and regretted it immediately, she could fool anyone but never him.

"Then I will kill the bastard." He walked towards her and stopped a step from her. Elena knew he wasn't bluffing and he meant every word.

"I know I was a bad queen to my people but you don't intend to punish me this way do you? I am a mother, their parent too." She argued knowing it was useless he had come here himself and that meant he was leaving with her little princess but she had to put up a fight even if it was already a loss.

The look on his eyes turned colder and his voice even colder as he spoke "They are not your people, we are divorced and she already has a mother."

Not wanting to argue anymore, He stretched his hand, taking the little princess away from her mom as she stood frozen. Elena felt her chest squeeze in pain, it was true, he had remarried. She felt her eyes sting with tears, but she shouldn't cry she had done what she did knowing the consequences but it still hurt a lot, losing her people's trust and love, her title, her children and now the man she loved. It was too late to regret. She made these sacrifices for her people, her family but was it worth it?

"Mommy" Elena heard her little princess voice which brought her back. She was in His arms and looked quite happy.

"Mommy, Daddy has come to take us to his castle. He said we don't have have to live here anymore." She said with a big smile. Elena looked at her innocent little princess

"Ariana mommy loves you."she said her sight blurry with tears which she held back.

"I love you too mommy." Elena caressed her cheek and kissed her forhead. He let her, knowing it was her last time with her daughter ever.

"Go with Daddy, mummy will come later."

"But I want to go together." She pouted.

"I will bring more color books and let you paint on your own." Elena said pained that she had to lie to her little princess.

She beamed."Okay mommy. I want three books."

"Three books it is." Elena smiled but it wasn't a happy one, she just had to so that her little one will trust her. She looked away from her baby to Him, He was staring at her intently.

"You know this is for her protection." He said with a voice devoid of the coldness from before it was gentle as the look in his eyes but it lasted as long as the sentence did and his cold demeanor returned, giving her one last look he turned and left with her little princess forever.

The tears dropped but she wasn't going to cry no she won't but she did and it was a painful one.