Vampire's Veil Of Obsession-Chapter 156: Wedding Night

Rose stood in front of the mirror while a maid quietly styled her hair into a perfect bun—not a loose one, but a neat, flawless bun. She was already dressed in a robe and a long, delicate nightgown as she prepared for her wedding night with the king.

Then, under the silver glow of the moon, the maid spoke softly.

"Queen Roselina," she said, the title floating gently in the air.

It still felt foreign to Rose’s ears—Queen Roselina. So strange, yet something she had to get used to.

The maid continued, "It was brought to our attention that the king mentioned your period, and we were instructed to take good care of you before it ends. That is why we prepared more fruits for you."

Rose’s eyes widened slightly. Her heart began to thud in her chest as if it might give her away.

"We apologize," the maid added, bowing. "We hadn’t been keeping track of your cycle properly. From now on, we’ll be more careful. Please also keep in mind that things may shift a little—your body may adjust to this new environment, and the meals here won’t be quite the same as back home."

Rose nodded quickly, forcing a polite smile. "Oh yes, I actually ended it yesterday. I thought it would last until today, so you needn’t worry about that."

She felt guilty, knowing that one small thing she’d said might have led to the head maid scolding her maid because of her own rashness.

The maid gave a reassuring nod. "Very well, Queen Roselina. We’ll make note of it moving forward."

Internally, Rose screamed at herself. What had she gotten herself into?

If they started tracking her cycle now and one day she needed to lie again—how would she even explain it? Panic simmered low in her chest.

And worse, Zethan had taken her words seriously. She should’ve known. Of course he would. Why wouldn’t he?

But he had seemed so uninterested when she mentioned it.

No wonder the food brought to her chambers tonight was mostly fruit—and from now on, she’d have to eat with the king. Together. Side by side, starting tomorrow.

Just then, the maid straightened and said, "Queen Roselina, we’re done. If you may, please follow me."

Rose nodded silently and rose from her seat. She followed the maid out of the room and into the quiet hallway, her nightgown brushing softly against her ankles as the sound of her own footsteps echoed in her ears.

Her heart pounded so hard, she feared it might echo in the hallway.

She was actually going to sleep in the same chambers as the king tonight. The realization hit like cold water. Not just sleep—sleep beside him. On their wedding night.

Why was her heart beating like this? It wasn’t just from nerves—something else was stirring inside her.

She was cooked. Completely cooked.

She had told him she had lots and lots of experience with men—meanwhile, she had none. Not even a kiss that wasn’t stolen in secrecy or wrapped in innocent daydreams.

He was her first kiss. Oh goodness, how had her mouth run so fast? And how was she going to explain herself when the time came?

No. She shook her head slightly. She needed to act cool. Confident.

Confidence is the key, right?

Act like you know—even when you know nothing at all.

Besides, the king had mistresses. Many of them. Her presence tonight wouldn’t mean anything special to him. She was just another name added to a long list.

And still—why did the thought of him going into another woman’s arms tonight twist her chest so painfully?

He wouldn’t do such a thing...

Would he?

No, he wouldn’t.

But why did the thought of his mistresses always spark pain and annoyance in her chest?

Finally, the maid stopped before a grand door and knocked softly. No answer came, but she opened the door anyway and stepped aside.

"Miss Roselina," she said respectfully, "you may enter. His Majesty will arrive shortly."

Rose nodded and stepped into the room. The door shut behind her with a quiet finality.

She was alone.

The scent of the room wrapped around her immediately—distinct, clean, commanding. It smelled like him. Like Zethan. For some strange reason, that scent brought her a strange calm she didn’t expect.

She let her eyes roam.

Where was he?

The room was beautiful, of course. The bed was large and made with rich fabrics, the furniture sleek and dark. Yet... it wasn’t overwhelming. Nothing flashy. Nothing extravagant. In fact, it felt a little too calm. Too quiet. Like him, maybe.

Like Zethan. And yet, there was mystery.

She took a deep breath and wrapped her arms around herself beneath the thin robe, trying to settle her nerves.

Tonight would come, and with it, consequences she couldn’t undo.

But one thing was certain: she needed to stay ready. Stay alert. And maybe—just maybe—find a way out.

But then tiredness crept in, and she decided she could simply stay here.

Where was Zethan?

A strange worry began to bloom in her chest. Wasn’t he supposed to be here?

She walked over to the window and sank into the chair beside it, resting her face against the cool ledge as she stared out at the stars. They were beautiful tonight, but their beauty did nothing to soothe the heaviness pressing against her chest.

Her gaze drifted downward, settling on the garden behind the castle—a serene place, almost like a tea garden. She could see now why this room was said to have the best view. But knowing Zethan, she doubted he ever came here to admire such a beautiful sight. His pride wouldn’t allow it. He had even said so.

She rolled her eyes at the memory and then giggled softly. The sound startled her—it had come out so naturally, yet unexpectedly.

Still, as the hours passed and Zethan didn’t return, worry began to creep back in.

She was surprised by how much she cared. Wasn’t this the perfect opportunity to escape?

Yet, for some reason, she was curious—where was he?

Even if they weren’t going to do anything tonight, even if she didn’t want them to, wasn’t there some form of respect their wedding night deserved?

At the very least, he should have shown up.

Her heart lurched with a sudden thought.

Was he with his mistress?

Her eyes widened, and unexpectedly, her heart clenched. She instinctively pulled her robe tighter around herself as a wave of discomfort swept over her.

Did he really think so little of her?

But no—maybe he was in a meeting...

Yet who holds meetings on their wedding night? That made no sense.

And why was she supporting him? Why was she convincing herself?

Eventually, her eyes drifted closed, and she fell asleep on the window ledge.

Time passed, and Rose stirred from her sleep, her neck aching. She blinked as the cold wind brushed against her skin, leaving goosebumps in its wake. As she stood up to shut the windows, something caught her eye.

Two figures stood in the garden below.

Her heart pounded. Her body trembled—not from the cold, but from the shock that crawled up her spine.

It was nearly midnight, and there, in the garden, stood Zethan—with a woman beside him.

Rose’s eyes widened, and for a reason she couldn’t explain, they began to burn almost with tears.

She didn’t understand why. She had accepted the idea of him having mistresses.

She didn’t care. She had someone she was interested in too... right?

So why did her chest ache like this?

Why did she feel... disrespected?

She began to close the window—but then he moved.

Her body stilled.

His head turned upward.

Their eyes met.

Rose’s eyes widened as she quickly looked away and shut the window with trembling hands.

She turned and walked toward the bed, laying down and pulling the duvet tightly around her as if it could shield her from the coldness in her chest.

But the warmth never came.

Her voice broke the silence, soft and cracked.

"Isn’t this what you always wanted, Rose? You didn’t want him, remember?"

She swallowed hard.

"No feelings involved... You’re already into someone else."

She scolded herself, trying to hold on to the truth she had crafted—this wasn’t supposed to be her life.

"You’re just here for your queenly duties," she reminded herself.

"Besides, weren’t you planning to escape?"

But she shook her head, the resolve vanishing.

No. She wasn’t going to escape anymore. If this was how he wanted things, then fine. She would return the favor.

Yes, she had considered escape... but escape to where? Nowhere.

Not to mention, Frederick was here in the castle too. She could just meet him if she wanted. She could.

And yet, the ache from what she saw earlier refused to fade.

She didn’t understand it—why did it hurt this much?

She had never felt this kind of pain watching Frederick talk to other women back in the village. It had never mattered like this. They had never even discussed anything serious, so why... why now?

Why him?

She bit her lower lip hard, eyes shut tight.

A tear slipped down her cheek.

She didn’t want to admit it—not even to herself—but the pain she felt... it was because of him. Because of what she saw. Because it was Zethan with one of his mistresses.

And with that thought lingering in her chest like a weight, her eyes finally closed, and she drifted into a cold, dreamless sleep.

If the king was free to keep mistresses, then she would no longer deny herself the attentions of another man.