Ruinous Love

**WARNING** This story contains scenes of extreme physical violence and psychological trauma. Reader discretion is advised. The groom walked heavily across the veranda floor. The pungent, sharp scent of wine mingled with the cold night air. Dazed and unsteady, he flung open the carved double doors with the reckless haste of a drunkard and stumbled inside. Hànyuè (汉月) sat on the edge of the bed, silent and with her head bowed. Her thin, white nightdress was visible in the dark room, lit only by the candle. Her eyes were full of sadness; she knew this union was no marriage, but a blood pact between two powerful clans. The groom cast a heavy, bleary-eyed gaze over her. He slammed the door shut and leaned against it. Hànyuè looked up, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. A cruel sneer played on the man’s lips as he rasped: "I still find it hard to believe that… the unattainable daughter of the Lán (嵐) clan has fallen into my hands like this. Well... such was your fate; you had better get used to it. From now on, we are husband and wife, and we have got a long, exhilarating night ahead of us!" Without a word, Hànyuè rose. With a sorrowful expression, her trembling hands reached for the ties of her robe; the soft silk slipped from her shoulders and pooled onto the floor. The groom, his eyes glinting with arrogance, reached to untie his sash when, suddenly… The quiet room was broken by the loud sound of wood breaking. The broad blade of a sword pierced through the wooden door with unrestrained violence, passing straight through the groom's spine. The bloodied tip of the blade protruded from his abdomen, stopping directly in front of Hànyuè’s terrified eyes. Pinned to the door, the groom’s eyes bulged from their sockets as his body convulsed. A stifled, rattling sound emanated from his throat. Hànyuè covered her mouth with trembling hands and staggered back in horror. A moment later, the shadow behind the door pulled the sword out with a swift, ruthless motion. A fountain of blood sprayed from the groom’s mouth, splattering the floorboards. The man’s knees gave way, and he collapsed face-first onto the ground. While drops of dark blood had splashed onto Hànyuè's skirt, she let out a loud, and piercing scream. **ABSTRACT** Prince Hēiláng (黑狼) is deeply in love with the noblewoman Hànyuè, but tough political obstacles stand in the way of them being together. In his quest to claim her, he strikes a dangerous bargain—a choice that irrevocably alters the course of their lives and unleashes consequences far more brutal than he had ever conceived.