Ellena looked at Mars with a dumbfounded expression. She couldn't believe her own hearing.
No… this couldn't be right, she thought.
Thessalis promised her.
The proof was Mars could touch Emmelyn… and now he could touch any woman he encountered. This showed that Thessalis had really lifted her curse.
"I-I don't know what you're saying…" Ellena bit her lip.
"You can no longer twist the truth, Ellena. I already know everything…" Mars said with a tired voice. "All the evidence and witnesses have confirmed my suspicion and, finally, my own mother can testify that you were the one who attacked her…"
He motioned one of the king's guards, Sir Heron, to take Ellena away. Seeing the horror in Ellena's expression, Mars added, "Unlike my father, I am not one who throws accusations without proof and punishes someone without a fair trial. I will deal with you after my wife returns."
"No..! What are you doing?!! Let me go!!" Ellena squirmed and tried to get away from Sir Heron but the burly knight was much stronger than her.
"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH ME, YOU FILTHY MAN!!!" Ellena screamed her lungs out and she was punching and kicking, trying to get away from Sir Heron to no avail. Finally, she begged Mars to let her go, for their old time's sake.
"Mars… Your Majesty… please, let me go… Can't you see…? I had no choice… I was forced to do it…" She cried despondently. "You said I don't know anything about love, but you are wrong… I did it because I love you. How else are you going to survive with the curse haunting you your whole life?"
Ellena's beautiful dress was already damp with her tears and her hair looked disheveled. She was so pitiful and the people around them were starting to feel sorry for her.
She continued her words in a hoarse voice. "You told me how you are sad and worried about the power struggle because you could not have an heir since the curse prevented you from being close to any woman… That's why I left and did everything I could to beg the witch to spare you."
She wiped her tears with her sleeves but they kept streaming down harder. "If she had asked for my life, I would have given it to her. I would have died to break your curse… However, my life was worthless… There was nothing I could offer her that was valuable enough to trade for your life…"
Her tears slowly moved the people in the ballroom. Now, Ellena didn't look like the arrogant peacock who looked down on the people she encountered. She looked like a lost young woman who was helpless and pitiful.
"Thessalis forced me to agree to kill your mother… because she considered your mother as the homewrecker. Your mother came between your father and Lady Marielle… Had she not come into Jared Strongmoor's life… Lady Marielle would still be alive…" Ellena sobbed uncontrollably.
She added, "The witch didn't want anything else… She just wanted your mother's blood. I had no choice… So, I had to say yes… because I love you so much… I wanted you to live well…"
Gewen's face became red because of anger. He had heard how Ellena killed the queen and it already hurt him deeply. Now, he had to hear the confession came out of Ellena's mouth directly.
It was heartbreaking to see the person he cared about as a friend confessed to doing such a heinous crime toward someone who was close to them.
Whatever affection he had for Ellena had now gone with the wind.
"Take her to the Grey Tower," Mars said to Sir Heron coldly. He didn't want to let Ellena continue playing the victim in front of so many people. "I will deal with her soon."
"No! You better kill me if you really hate me and want to get rid of me…!" Ellena suddenly bit Sir Heron's arm with all her might, and when the man pulled his arm out of shock, she grabbed his sword and unsheathed it, much to everyone's shock.
GASP!
Ellena raised the sword and swung it around like a madwoman. "Don't you dare come closer…!!"
"Ellena! Put down the sword!" Mars shouted. "I will not hesitate to have my men kill you on the spot!"
"Then, kill me! Kill me if you are really that heartless and ungrateful!" Ellena shouted back. Her eyes were bloodshot and her expression looked menacing. "I would have died for you… but you are not worthy of my love and sacrifice… You are a liar."
She sobbed harder, "You asked me to marry you when you couldn't have anyone, but you tossed me as soon as you are free from the curse and you meet the other woman. You are just like your father… ungrateful and unfaithful…"
Jared Strongmoor who had been watching his wife longingly, as he couldn't care less about the commotion, was suddenly moved from his reverie when his ear caught Ellena's words of how he was ungrateful and unfaithful.
These words hurt him deep to the bone because they were true. He was unfaithful to his late fiancee… and he was ungrateful for everything that he had received in his life.
He had become a ruthless man who treated his daughter-in-law, who had done nothing but kindness to his family, horribly.
"Ellena Greystorm, watch your filthy mouth! Don't think you can insult my family just because you think you will die soon.." Jared Strongmoor suddenly stepped forward and grabbed Ellena's neck furiously. "My son is a good man. He is nothing like me..!!"
"Father, no!" Mars was shocked to see his father came out of nowhere and choked Ellena.
Before he could move to stop his father, Ellena had swung her sword in a panic and stabbed the old king in the back.
It all happened so fast.
When Sir Heron and Mars were moved from their daze and jumped forward to take down Ellena, Jared Strongmoor's body had fallen to the floor bathed in his own blood.
