THE GENERAL'S DISGRACED HEIR

David leaned forward, his hands clasped tightly as his eyes never wavered from Angelica's face. "What was the reason you had to stay away from me?" His voice was filled with curiosity, laced with confusion as he tried to piece together why Elder La Muerte, a woman of such power and influence, would meddle in the affairs of the old David.

Angelica's shoulders slumped as if the weight of the memory pressed down on her. She let out a deep sigh, her voice barely a whisper as she spoke. "I wish it was something grand... but the truth is far more painful." Her hands tightened around the arm of her chair, her knuckles paling as she struggled to maintain her composure. "My background would only stain your nobility."

David's brow furrowed. He hadn't expected such a simple, yet harsh, reason. Elder La Muerte seemed too wise, too powerful, to care about something as trivial as bloodlines. Yet, here was Angelica, revealing that her lowly background had been the very reason she had been kept away all these years.

Before David could fully process the absurdity of it, Angelica continued, her voice more steady now. "However... she offered me a place as an executioner." She paused, drawing in a deep breath as her eyes softened, as if recalling the moment that had changed her fate. "She told me that when your elder brother took over as Earl of the county, I would be assigned to you as a shadow guard."

David's mind raced, trying to reconcile this revelation with the woman standing before him. An executioner, trained to kill and fight in the shadows? It seemed at odds with the fragile, emotional Angelica before him, yet it explained so much—the hidden strength in her movements, the calm precision she displayed even in tense moments.

Angelica's gaze grew distant, lost in the memory of Elder La Muerte's words. "She spoke of you with such reverence," Angelica said softly, her voice carrying a hint of longing. "Like a mother adores her child from afar. She always believed that by keeping me away, she was protecting your honor... but in the end, it only caused more heartache."

David's lips pressed into a thin line. He could sense the deep bond Angelica had formed with the Elder, and the admiration she held for her. Yet, beneath that loyalty was a sadness, a sorrow born from the separation forced upon them by something as inconsequential as birthright.

"Do you regret it?" David asked quietly, his tone gentle but probing.

Angelica's eyes met his, and for a moment, he saw the storm of emotions swirling behind them—regret, sadness, but also determination. "I don't know," she admitted, her voice wavering slightly. "I did what I thought was best, what I was told was best. But I always wondered... if staying by your side would have changed anything."

David leaned back, his mind whirling with conflicting thoughts. It was maddening, this constant push and pull between the past and present. But he knew one thing for certain—this revelation, this connection to Elder La Muerte, had just opened a door he wasn't sure he was ready to walk through.

"So, in the end, it wasn't your choice," David murmured, more to himself than to her.

Angelica shook her head. "No, it wasn't. But it became my life." She straightened her back, her eyes regaining their sharp focus.

David met her gaze, the weight of her words settling heavily between them.

David's mind churned with thoughts, trying to untangle the mess of connections and half-truths. It made no sense. Why would Elder La Muerte save Angelica, only to hand her over to the old David when his brother inherited the family house? The logic escaped him. David—or rather, Mark—knew Elder La Muerte only as the head of the De Gor Le Rosa. He had only learned more about her because he had altered the past, causing her to take a particular interest in him as her potential executioner.

But what connection did the old David have with Elder La Muerte? There were pieces missing, details that only the Elder herself could reveal. As he mulled over these uncertainties, a new thought struck him—something far more immediate and unsettling.

If Angelica was an executioner, then they were within the walls of the Le Rosa house. His pulse quickened as he realized what that meant. "She knows I'm here, doesn't she?" David asked, his voice laced with concern. A sinking feeling settled in his gut, already anticipating the worst.

But Angelica shook her head, her expression composed, though a faint blush betrayed her embarrassment. "No, she's currently handling diplomatic matters. I... I snuck you in here," she admitted, her tone firm despite her cheeks growing warmer.

David let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, silently thanking his luck. For a brief moment, he felt relief wash over him, though it was fleeting. He stood up from where he had been seated, his movements deliberate, as if preparing for something. The air in the room seemed to shift with him, a palpable tension hanging between them.
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Angelica could feel the change. It was as though the very atmosphere had thickened, charged with a new energy. She couldn't help but notice how different David seemed now.

David's voice cut through the silence, sharp and unyielding. "I see," he spoke, his words seeming to squeeze the air from Angelica's lungs. The weight of his tone made her heart pound in her chest. "It was kind of her to save you, and to offer you a path," he continued, his words a subtle acknowledgement of the immense hardship she had endured. Her journey—one filled with sacrifice and pain—was all for the old David. But he wasn't that dead man.

His next words, though calm, shattered the fragile hope that clung to Angelica's heart. "But I have no need for a shadow, nor a guard." Each syllable felt like a hammer striking against her chest. She had spent years molding herself into the perfect protector, a silent shadow meant to serve David. Now, with a few words, her entire purpose seemed to unravel.

"As a stranger, it would be better for you to move on and forget about me," David declared without hesitation, stepping closer to Angelica. Her gaze fell to the floor, the dejection in her posture palpable. Her whole existence had revolved around him, yet he was telling her to let go, to abandon everything she had trained for, everything she had endured. Was she truly so meaningless to him?

David stood right in front of her now, his presence overwhelming. She could feel him, though she didn't dare lift her eyes. "But," he said softly, his tone shifting, "that doesn't mean we can't start anew."

Angelica's eyes slowly lifted, confusion flickering in their depths as she looked up at him. His sapphire eyes glinted with something she hadn't expected—an offer, a chance. It was as though a hand was reaching out to her from the darkness, offering her a way forward. But there was a price. There always was.

"For you to be at my side, Angelica," David began, his gaze intense, "I need your whole servitude—entirely devoted to me." His words were direct, carrying a weight that made Angelica's heart skip a beat. This was no longer a simple offer. He was telling her to swear loyalty to him, and only him, even while she served Elder La Muerte. The conflict of loyalty was undeniable.

Angelica's breath caught in her throat. Could she do this? Could she truly betray her position under the Elder to serve David, the man she had loved for so long? Her mind raced with doubt, but her heart knew the answer long before her thoughts could process it.

David watched her closely, waiting. "If you so desire to be with me," he continued, "then prove your worth by my side." His sapphire eyes gleamed, not just with expectation but with something deeper—possession. A dark greed simmered beneath his gaze, the kind of hunger that spoke of a man who would never share what was his with anyone.

Angelica's heart pounded harder, her ribs almost aching from the pressure. She had always been devoted to the Elder, her lady, but David had always been the one her soul yearned for. Could she give herself fully to him, forsaking the life she had built with the Elder? Was there even a choice? The answer felt inevitable.

Slowly, Angelica knelt before him, her posture submissive, her heart ready to surrender. "As you wish, Master," she declared, her voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions tearing through her. "I swear myself to you."

Her words solidified her fate. There was no going back now. Whatever her life had been before, it was now in David's hands. Her loyalty, her love—it all belonged to him. She would prove herself, show him that her feelings had never wavered, no matter the cost.

David's lips curled into a satisfied smile. He knew this was the right decision, not only for her but for him. To give her a purpose, a new life at his side—it was what she deserved. But he also needed to bind her, to make sure she was his and no one else's. He lifted his hand, a faint shimmer of dark energy swirling at his fingertip. "Then with this," he began, "I mark you as my own."

A single drop of black liquid formed at his fingertip before falling onto Angelica's forehead. As soon as it made contact with her skin, something powerful began to stir.

[You have used

Shared Legacy

] the system chimed in, its voice resonating through David's mind.

Angelica gasped, feeling the dark power crawl over her skin like a living shadow. It moved across her body, spreading in tendrils of black energy that seemed to embrace her. Her whole being felt consumed by the darkness, but it wasn't painful—it was empowering. The energy wrapped around her, and as it did, her clothing began to shift and change.

Her simple attire morphed into something darker, more mysterious. Nightveil Embrace covered her form, a black, shadow-like armor that clung to her body, yet moved with the grace of silk. It was both protection and a symbol of her new role. She was no longer simply a tool or a servant—she was David's, bound by his power and will.

Angelica's heart raced, but it wasn't fear she felt—it was exhilaration. She looked up at him, her eyes blazing with renewed purpose. She was his now, in every sense of the word, and she would prove her worth, no matter what it took.

David's smile deepened as he watched her transformation, the darkness settling over her like a cloak. She was his, and now, nothing would stand in their way.