Lina's eyes widened. Out of all the questions, he could've asked, this was the one. She glanced at him, unable to control her expression. Neither could he. His mouth twisted into a pained smile.",
"You do." Atlantis let out pained laughter, humorless and cruel.
Lina exhaled shakily. It wasn't a question. Atlantis knew it was the truth. It was why he said it.
In that exact moment, Lina had never pitied a man more. He knew. Those red strings attached to his pinky, he had seen it too. The memories of their past life had flashed across his eyes just as hers did.
"You knew," Lina whispered. "You knew what you did to me and you still pursued me."
Atlantis's expression softened.
"You… just where do you get all of this audacity from? You confessed despite knowing what you did to everyone," Lina breathed out. "How dare you?"
Lina's blood began to boil. The audacity of this man!
"I thought I could change the course of things," Atlantis stated in a pleading tone, his great shoulders caved in defeat. "I thought if I treated you well enough in this life, it could compensate for what I did in the past. I was certain if I treated Mia well enough, she would one day forgive me."
Lina was sick to her core. This man was more crazy than anticipated. Her emotions were at an all time high. She couldn't stomach him any longer.
"You killed her," Lina spat out in disbelief. "You think this is treating me well? You think ranting to Mia is treating her well? You murdered both of us."
"I didn't." Atlantis stared her dead in the eyes. "I was not the one who raised the dagger. I did not kidnap the Princess on my free will. I most certainly wouldn't have killed a child."
"Then who?" Lina demanded. She wasn't sure if she could believe him.
"What if I had said it was the Emperor?"
Lina's expression froze over. She was suddenly reminded of Linden. Her father in her first life was a kind man who favored her greatly. He was even willing to banter for war to take her back. Would the Emperor truly kill a child?
"I suffered just as much as Kaden has," Atlantis reasoned. "After all, it was my child that died inside of your womb—not his."
Lina picked up the wine glass with the intention of chucking it at him. Then, she tightly gripped the stem. Gritting her teeth, she attempted to take a sip. Who the hell told him?
"I was there on the battlefield," Atlantis begged. "I was right in front of you too, traumatized and horrified by what you've done. Did you know he told me you were pregnant?"
Lina's head began to spin.
"I know it was mine," Atlantis said. "The timing was too perfect."
"You disgust me, you vile, son of a—"
"I let him torture me," Atlantis continued. "I let him skin me. I let his dagger run deep into my body, for I believe it was the only way I could ever atone for what I have done. Had I cherished you better, had I—"
"You mean, had you not taken advance of a naive little girl," Lina growled.
"I didn't rape you. You and I both knew that. You were consenting."
Lina had never felt more disgust in this moment. "You took advantage of me. That tea, it made me warm—"
"It was supposed to calm your nerves. You know I would never intentionally poison you. You have my word, Lina. I may have loved you, but we grew up side by side. Do you think I would ever rip through the innocence of a woman I watched grow up?"
Lina's voice died in her throat. She shot to her feet, unable to continue this conversation.
"I'm sorry for every pain I've caused you," Atlantis softly said. Before she could leave, he slid the contract over to her. "I only want you to be happy, Lina."
"You don't deserve to tell me that."
"I do not know what can be done to change the pastt. I have let you go, have I not?" Atlantis painfully asked. "I have watched my destined lover go to another. I watch the red strings of fate thin between us until I can barely see it."
"There was never an 'us,' to begin with," Lina coldly said to him. He remained seated. He stared up at her with the expression of a devote man before a holy temple.
"That fateful night, I wanted to let you know it wasn't your fault, it was all mine," Atlantis uttered with the utmost sincerity. "I did not drug you, I never will and I am willing to go through a lie detector."
Lina wished her heart was not so human. She believed his words as the truth—that he did not drug her. This much, she could accept.
"But I know you did not love him at that time," Atlantis whispered. "I know your heart was not with me either, and on that bed, we were just two strangers. I will admit, it is my fault. I should not have brought your stained mattress sheet to the Emperor in an attempt to claim you back. I—"
"No, you're wrong," Lina suddenly said, her mind suddenly clearing up. "I loved him long before I met him in Teran. You may remember our past lives, but you do not share the memories I have of the castles above the sky. My relationship was Kaden started long before the time of Emperors, Princesses, and Kingdoms."
"Lina—"
"I loved him when we were just minor deities," Lina realized. "I have always loved Kaden."
The profound revelation did not shock Lina. In the five years of Lina's separation from Kaden, she had many dreams of the world above the clouds, filled with gods and goddesses. She knew what transpired between her and Kaden that lead to the downfall of the strongest deity.
"Lina—"
"I willingly jumped into the pool of reincarnation for him," Lina murmured. "We were punished by the heavens. I did not remember why, until now."
Lina stared him down. "You and I were arranged to be wed, our marriage forcibly destined in the stars, but I didn't want that. You were only my suitor because heaven forbids a favored daughter ends up with the least-liked deity—the ruler of war. He may have been the strongest, but my father, the Emperor of Heaven hated him."
Atlantis was beyond shocked. Even he didn't know that much.
Lina was suddenly beginning to remember everything now. "I'm glad I'm an immortal now, Atlantis."
Atlantis shot to his feet. "Tell me that is a lie, tell me—"
"I will never have to face those people above the clouds anymore. I will not have to argue my love for Kaden to them. They have cursed and doomed my relationship with him, but we still prevailed," Lina murmured. "That is the problem."
"I don't want to hear this, I—"
"No matter what obstacle is thrown our way, no matter what challenge is presented before us, I will always and forever love Kaden," Lina confessed. This was her own realization.
Lina offered a relieved smile, her chest light with the thought of him. His tender caress, his beguiling voice, and his rare laughter. "I will always love Kaden. Until my very last breath—and we all know that is impossible."
Lina had never realized it before. But this conversation changed everything for her. She finally remembered now—exactly what went down. The reason why everyone forbade her relationship with Kaden. They were never meant to be together, for their love caused calamities. She was just a favored Princess and he, the cruelest god of all.
"For your sake, move on. For my sake, never approach me again," Lina stated. "Our ties have long been severed. Don't hold onto imaginary threads."
Atlantis could no longer argue with her. He didn't have anything to say to this. He was stunned speechless.
For a split moment, Lina saw clarity. No matter what, she couldn't fathom doing what he did to her.
Lina glanced down and saw he had written his name on the annulment form. Atlantis Medeor. This man was once her savior and then, her abuser. Now, she was freed from him for good.
Lina picked up the contract, just as he had a final question for her.
"Will we ever be friends again? Atlantis's voice was tiny and hesitant.
Lina offered him a final farewell. "When you no longer love me, when you find the love of your life, when you can look at me and feel nothing, perhaps then, time will change something."
Atlantis bowed his head in shame.
"Goodbye, Atlantis."
Without another glance, Lina took the contract and walked out. Her heels were loud, but empty.
A chapter of her life began with Atlantis and then closed with him. This was where the destined lovers wrote the ending to their story.