"Do you even realize what you're doing?" Lei Wei snapped, his voice sharp with frustration as he stared at Yuzhen, who remained calmly seated in the basement prison, waiting for execution.
At the council meeting, Yuzhen had remained silent, taking full blame. And when the elders cast their judgment, Chen Zeng—bound by sect law—was forced to deliver the verdict: execution by beheading, at dawn.
"Yuzhen, you promised to return with me after seeing Chen Zoe. That was the deal!" Lei Wei's voice trembled with restrained fury. "It's done now. Even Zoe is alive. So, stop being so damn stubborn!"
"I'm sorry…" Yuzhen replied softly. "I can't keep that promise. I can't… leave."
"Why not?!" Lei Wei demanded. "Isn't your beloved safe now? What else is holding you back now?"
