The Regressed Villainess Tore Up The Annulment Papers - Prologue

Prologue

I looked at my reflection in the mirror.

My imposing figure stood nearly seven feet tall, muscles bulging beneath my skin. Scars, remnants of countless battles, crisscrossed my face and body. My long, unkempt hair swayed haphazardly.

If a beast were to take on human form, I imagined it would look much like me - a menacing, intimidating figure.

'Should I cut my hair short? Maybe that would soften my appearance a little.'

People often complimented my appearance, calling it "manly" and "dependable," but...

I knew those were biased opinions, shaped by the harsh realities of the North, a land where conflict was a way of life, and by the familiarity of friendship.

'No wonder... she hates me.'

Political marriage.

A union orchestrated by families for their own gain, their children's desires irrelevant.

Seen in a positive light, it was a tradition that strengthened bonds between powerful families. But from a negative perspective, it was a cruel practice, a form of legalized child trafficking for political gain.

If the parties involved were compatible, or at least had the potential for compatibility, a political marriage could work. But...

Countless historical examples proved that when there was no hope for love, no possibility of affection, the only outcome was disaster.

And so...

"Let's end this."

The words, long suppressed, finally escaped my lips. I imagined she'd been waiting for this moment.

No, she must have been. After all, she'd subtly hinted at her desire to break free from this arrangement every time we met.

I looked at her, my face carefully composed, feigning indifference.

Her white hair, as pure as a fresh snowfall, framed her delicate features. Her violet eyes, a mesmerizing blend of mystery and allure, sparkled with an unspoken plea.

She was, without a doubt, the most beautiful woman I had ever met.

Aria Floris.

Daughter of the esteemed Floris family, renowned for their mastery of magic. My fiancée. And my first love.

From the moment I first laid eyes on her, my heart was hers.

I had mistaken her for a fairy, a creature of myth and legend, a vision of ethereal beauty.

Her appearance, her demeanor, her voice – everything about her ignited a fire within me.

'But...'

Even the most fiercely burning fire eventually dwindled to embers.

Unless carefully tended, shielded from the rain and fed with fresh wood, its fate was sealed.

And she had given up on our flame.

'Had I tried?'

I had, at least to the best of my ability.

I had strived to become worthy of her, to be a man capable of protecting her from harm, a shield against any storm.

But...

'Ironically, now that I've failed to win her heart, all my efforts seem pointless.'

I clenched my fists beneath the table, calluses and scars digging into my palms.

Despite all my efforts, to someone who had grown up in the capital, surrounded by refined nobles and charming courtiers, I was nothing more than a barbarian.

Honestly, I wasn't even sure anymore.

Did I still love her? Or was I clinging to the desire for something unattainable?

At the very least, I knew the burning passion, the blind devotion I had once felt, had faded.

'Maybe I'm just tired.'

Even if my feelings hadn't changed, forcing her to spend her life with me, knowing she found no joy in our union, was cruel.

'It's time to let go.'

I reached into my pocket and placed the annulment document on the table between us, a silent offering.

It was a simple document, devoid of complicated clauses or stipulations, a straightforward request for a clean break. She would be happy to receive it.

I imagined her eagerly snatching it up, perhaps even stamping it with her family seal without a second thought.

She should have been overjoyed.

But...

"...I can't."

Her beautiful violet eyes, brimming with unshed tears, locked onto mine.

"No, I won't. I won't annul our engagement."

Her unexpected reaction, a stark contrast to her usual demeanor, left me speechless.

But her defiance didn't end there.

"Eugene... Eugene Everhart."

She spoke my name, her voice trembling with emotion. I met her gaze and flinched.

Her delicate hand, as graceful as a willow branch, reached for the document on the table.

Riiiiiip—!

Without a moment's hesitation, she tore the annulment document in half, severing what would have ended our connection with a single, decisive action.

As I stared at the shredded pieces fluttering to the ground, a wave of disbelief washed over me.

"There will be no annulment, no divorce. Do you understand?"

Tears streamed down her face, her eyes blazing with a mixture of madness and possessiveness.

I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry.

'What...'

What was happening?

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