Bodygyard become wife

Chapter 40

                        Villian Chen

Walking into the small garden at the back of the manor, one would find a forlorn figure resting in an outdoor pavilion. The man sipped his rice wine, fanning himself with a folding fan. He leaned back into his seat to enjoy the gentle breeze on his face in the autumn afternoon. Looking as if he didn't have a single concern in the world.

However, peace didn't last long.

A scrawny servant dashed through the gates of a mansion, his face ashen. A sheen of sweat covered his forehead.

He skidded to a stop before the man and tried to catch his breath. "Master Chen! We're in trouble-"

Before he could continue, his master held up a finger to silence him.

"No,"  Chen warned darkly. "Do not speak unless you are here to bring me good news."

"B-but my master-" the boy swallowed, "-the plan has failed and the Royal Army will soon surround this place!"

Master Chen's posture stiffened and his eyes gleamed red in anger. Throwing his head back, he gulped down another cup of wine and flung it to the ground, watching as it broke into pieces. A raucous laughter erupted from his chest.

"Let him come," he announced loudly. His eyes were of a madman - one who was reckless and fearless. "Let my cousin come. Everybody else is just as useless, I'll kill him with my bare hands."

The witch's plan was thwarted and she had vanished without a trace. Even the group of assassins that  Chen hired was exterminated, except for one coward, who revealed the true mastermind behind this whole scheme just to save his own life.

In the end, it seemed like everyone had failed him.

He only had one simple wish - to obliterate the royal family. Despite being born into royalty himself, he was exiled by his own relatives. It was all because his own father - the former Emperor from twenty years ago - was overthrown by his younger half-brother for abusing his powers and being involved in heavy corruption.

At the age of five, he saw how everything unfolded before his eyes. Witnessing his father being sentenced to life imprisonment was bad enough, but eiling and separating the  remaining family members was worse than death itself. Years later, when the news of his mother's illness followed by death came, it broke him apart on the inside.

He didn't get to see her one last time before she was gone.

That sadness was soon replaced by anger.

He never defended his father once. He agreed that the old man was heartless and incorrigible, never once looking his wife in the eye and giving her and his children the attention that they needed. However,  Chen hated the current Emperor for treating the rest of them in the same harsh, cruel manner; isolating them and ignoring their pleas.

If he had shown them some mercy, maybe  Chen's mother would still be alive today.

Moreover, the title of the Crown Prince was taken away from him and given to Jeon Jungkook nstead - the boy who possessed everything that he would never have.

An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. All Chen wanted was for the Emperor to get a taste of his medicine by taking away one of the things that he held dearest to him -  his son.

Thus, Chen had begun to devise a plan to break out of his exiled place. And this got him to where he was today - a hidden hideout that his father's old supporters had provided him. Not everyone was content with the current Emperor, which resulted in them turning to him with hopes of him on the throne the son of the late Emperor.

He didn't care about their objective or the fact he was being used. He wasn't afraid of death and would welcome it with open arms if he was able to drag that particular person down to hell along with him.

Why did he have to suffer while everybody else gets on in life happily? What sin had he committed when he was simply a child at that time?

Not long later, the Royal Army arrived at the mansion and surrounded it. Flanked by General Taehyung, the Crown Prince entered the residence with an imposing demeanour, looking ready to murder anyone that stood in his way.

"There you are - what took you so long?" Chen commented, a small smirk playing on his lips. "How did you find the surprises that I've prepared for you? Did you enjoy them?"

" Chen," Jungkookwatched him darkly, knowing that he was referring to the multiple murder attempts. "Are you intending to retrieve what used to be yours?"

He crossed his arms. "Why the frown, Cousin? Are you anxious? But don't you worry, I no longer have the desire for a bloodstained position. It's just that the sight of you and your father irks me so much that it ruins my sleep at night."

"You know why my father had to do it," Jungkook  said quietly. He may have been a young child at that time, but he knew that his cousin bore a deep grudge against his family after the historic regime change. "Our people were suffering too much."

Chen burst out laughing, mocking his words. "To do that to his own brother? Has it ever occurred to your mind that this might have been an excuse? That he was eyeing the throne too?"

Jungkook shook his head. "Come back with me to the palace, seek forgiveness from Father and repent your sins. I will put in a good word for you."

Hearing this, Chen laughed.

"You know how much he hates me. He even said that I'm too much like my father ruthless and selfish. Which is why he shut me out all these years, because he's afraid that I would pose a threat to both him and you."

A muscle on Jungkook s face twitched. "What do you want, Jeon Chen?"

"Rather than me telling you, how about I show you instead?"

Chen picked up his sword, unsheathing it and standing up slowly. He was getting tired of talking and wanted to get things done quickly. Knowing that he was quite possibly going to die today, he planned to eliminate the future king instead before putting an end to this wretched, meaningless life of his.

General Taehyung sprang into action immediately but was stopped by Jungkook.

"Do not interfere. This is between me and him."

Both princes closed the distance between them, wasting no time to engage in a fight. Their swords clashed repeatedly and neither of them was showing the other mercy.  Chen poured his rage into every blow, pushing his cousin backwards with each attack. He thought of his despicable father, his deceased mother and his ruined life.

There was nothing left for him to live on.

He fought like a maniac. And yet, the one who was trained under the best swordsman in the country was not to be underestimated. In a spur of the moment, Jungkook found an opening and disarmed him of his weapon, levelling the tip of his sword against  Chen's throat.

Looking rather disappointed, he huffed in annoyance.

"You're just so unwilling to die."

General Taehyung finally had enough of the former prince's impudence and stepped forward to intervene. He grabbed his arms and wrenched them back, forcing him to go on his knees before the Crown Prince, who sighed and shoved his sword back into its sheath.

"If you're remorseful, I'll put in a word for you so that Father wouldn't punish you that badly."

"Well, well. Such kindness you have there..."  Chen said, heavy sarcasm in his tone. He clucked his tongue as if feeling sympathy for him. "But if I were you, I wouldn't be wasting time here. Not when the spies that I've planted in the palace have already started moving. I'll never let the Emperor see another day alive."

That did it. His threat triggered Jungkook's anger. Grabbing a fistful of his clothes, he hoisted Chen up and glared into his eyes.

"What have you done?" he demanded.

Chen shrugged nonchalantly, which only infuriated him further.

"That's for you to find out."