The Dragon King's Substitute Bride

Chapter 125

CH125 Morgan

1 frowned at those words and the look on her facel

"Walk with me in the garden?"

She seemed surprised, but nodded. We walked though the the harem's halls. Eventually, we made it to the gardens. The sound of the fountain reached my ear, and I realized that this was a completely different garden than the one I had woken up in. Lady Jun bent down, her delicate hands gently brushing over the petals of a moonflower. She seemed lost in thought, her expression a mix of melancholy and weariness. I approached slowly, curious about what she would say. Despite everything that had transpired, I had felt a strange sense of empathy for her. Lady Jun wasn't like the others in the harem. She wasn't consumed by greed or ambition. There was something deeper, something quieter about her.

Hearing the way she spoke about returning home told me a lot.

"Lady Jun," I said softly. "I want to hear your story.

She turned to face me, her eyes widening in surprise before she offered a weak smile. "It's not

a human who survived the Trial of Fire," she said, her voice soft but

nearly as interesting

strained.

"We can trade stories if you'd like."

I moved to stand beside her, glancing down at the flowers she was touching.

"You said that for a reason," I said gently. "If you're okay with telling me why..."

Lady Jun let out a long sigh, her shoulders sagging slightly. "I'm not sure 'okay' is something I can ever claim," she admitted, her voice tinged with sadness. "Not with everything that's happened. But I suppose that's how life is for people like us, isn't it?" I frowned, sensing the weight behind her words. "People like us?"

She looked away, her gaze drifting toward the distant mountains. "Women caught in circumstances beyond their control. Trapped in decisions they never truly wanted to make. I married into the royal family because I thought it was my way out... but it wasn't. Not really." I stayed silent, waiting for her to continue. I knew she was speaking from a place of pain, a place that had likely been hidden for far too long. Did Hayato know?

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brother runs our estate, and to say he's cruel would be an understatement. He rules with an iron fist, controlling every aspect of our lives, including mine. Even now, he exerts a certain amount of control over me... When I was younger, he dictated who I could speak to, what I could do.

them endured. I thought of my own family- how I came to be her-and a pang of empathy hit me. I couldn't imagine the suffocating feeling of

thought Elia had an

"You loved him?"

it would have turned into that under different

so sorry," I murmured. "I had no

gave me a sad smile, her eyes glassy with unshed tears. "That's why I married Hayato," she continued, her voice barely above a whisper. "I thought that being a part of the imperial family

swallowed the lump forming in my throat. "You don't...

him on the

words,

did Elia

"I didn't know until... until well, I had already

dabbing her eyes. "I haven't even been allowed to

that..." My gut plummeted. "He's

the palace among the guards and the staff who report to

with all the money. I

more complicated than it

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CH125

better hidden, too." I smiled. "You're the smart

She blinked. "I'm... flattered."

sorry. I'd like

""To what end?"

you can defend yourself." Her eyes widened. "And I think that

bench. "And... I could use