Love. It was a word that had been used in so many ways, in so many different forms.
There was familial love—the love of a parent for a child, the love of siblings bound by blood. It was warm, protective, something Vincent had felt once before, but it had never been enough.
There was friendship—a bond between those who chose each other without obligation. Vincent had never experienced this, nor did he desire it.
There was admiration—the kind of love where one placed another on a pedestal, worshiping them from afar. Many had looked at Vincent this way, but he never returned it.
Then there was romantic love. The kind of love that made people burn, that drove them mad, that made them willing to destroy the world just for the one they loved.
And then, beyond all of those, there was obsession.
A love so deep that it consumed everything in its path. A love that went beyond reason, beyond logic, beyond the constraints of what was right or wrong.
Vincent's love for Anastasia was all of those things, but most of all, it was obsession.
Anastasia was not just someone he loved.
She was his world.
His everything.
If she asked him to destroy the world, he would. If she asked him to burn his own empire, he would. If she asked him to kneel at her feet like a servant, he would.
As long as she wanted him, as long as she loved him—even if she treated him like a slave—Vincent would accept it with a smile.
As long as he was hers.
And she was his.
Vincent was possessive in a way that bordered on insanity. The thought of another man entering Anastasia's heart was enough to make his blood boil, his mind cloud with darkness. He wanted her to belong to him entirely.
He did not care about her cruelty.
He did not care about her ruthlessness.
He loved all of it.
No—he loved her because of it.
She was perfect, untouchable, divine in his eyes. No one else could match her. No one else was worthy of standing beside him.
Only her.
And so, the world remained blind to their love.
They played their roles perfectly—rivals on the surface, partners in the shadows. The world thought they were locked in a war for power, but in reality, they were two kings ruling together.
Vincent would build an empire for her.
Anastasia would reign over the world.
And no one would ever know the truth.