We’ll Play This Game Slowly

1
At seventeen, I was tied up in an abandoned warehouse by my nemesis, left to burn alive.
To save me, Christian armor took thirteen knife wounds meant for me. One of his legs was permanently damaged.
He held me, his blood staining my white dress, but he was smiling. Dont be afraid, Elara. Ill protect you for the rest of my life.
Later, fearing I would be targeted again, he left for the Golden Triangle. For seven years, he fought his way up from nothing, becoming a fearsome warlord whose name alone struck terror into the hearts of men.
He returned in a blaze of glory and, to the envy of everyone, made me his wifethe sole mistress of his domain.
Until I saw the combat medic he brought back with him.
She wore a pristine white coat, one hand resting on her pregnant belly, her smile both gentle and cruel.
Christian said a woman like you, who crawled out of the gutter, isnt worthy of bearing his child. The day I give birth to his firstborn son will be the day you die.
I laughed.
Right in front of her, I began to slowly, methodically clean a Browning pistol.
As she screamed in terror, I aimed the barrel at her stomach and spoke to my trusted subordinate beside me.
Record this. Send it to Christian.
Tell him his offspring and I cant both live. Tell him to choose.

When Christian arrived, the muzzle of my gun was pressed firmly against Amelias pregnant belly. He was still in his combat fatigues, dusted with the grime of the field, an aura of violence clinging to him that never quite washed away.
Put the gun down.
His voice was unnervingly calm, betraying no emotion.
Amelia looked as if shed seen her savior, tears streaming down her face. Christian, save me our baby Shes insane, shes going to kill our child
I smiled, pressing the gun a little harder. Choose, Christian.
He didn't even glance at Amelia. His dark, piercing eyes were fixed on me. We were like two cornered animals in a standoff. He seemed to be searching my face for any hint that this was a joke, a bluff.
He found none. The killing intent in my eyes was thicker than the scent of blood on his uniform.
The air was dead silent. The subordinate next to me had palms slick with cold sweat. Christians personal guards had already raised their weapons, a dozen black muzzles all aimed at my head. One word from him, and Id be turned into a sieve.
Finally, he moved.
He walked toward me, each step landing like a hammer blow on my heart. My knuckles were white around the grip of the gun.
Elara, stop messing around. He reached me, his voice now laced with a soft, coaxing tone.
The next second, he struck.
His hand shot out like a viper, clamping around my wrist. He disarmed me with an effortless twist, so fast I had no time to react.
BANG!
A gunshot echoed through the space.
Warm blood splattered across my face. My pupils contracted in shock.
It wasn't me. It wasn't Amelia.
It was my subordinate, the one who had been recording for me. A neat hole had appeared in the center of his forehead. He crumpled to the ground.
Christian holstered his pistol, his expression blank. He didnt spare Amelia a single glance, just spoke coldly to the medic behind her. Take Ms. Vance back to her room to rest. She is not to take a single step outside without my permission.
Amelias sobs caught in her throat, the triumphant look on her face frozen in place. She didnt understand.
But I was beginning to.
Christian turned, his tall frame casting a shadow over me. He raised a handthe fingertips calloused and smelling of gunpowderand gently wiped the blood from my cheek. The gesture was as tender as if he were handling a priceless treasure.
Elara, I told you I would protect you for the rest of my life.
So dont do dangerous things like this again.
And dont force my hand.
His voice was soft, but it carried the unyielding weight of a command. With that, he tossed the gun aside and strode away. He never once asked me why I had done it. It was as if the man who had served me for five years was nothing more than an ant crushed under his boot.
I stood frozen, an icy chill spreading through my heart.
I raised my own hand and wiped away the last of the drying blood. I looked at my subordinates wide, unseeing eyes and gently closed them for him.
Christian armor. Seven years to claw his way from a nobody in the Golden Triangle to an absolute monarch. He had taken more lives than I had eaten meals. He was no longer the boy who would foolishly take thirteen knife wounds for me.
I had been so naive.
I thought he had risked his life to save me, left his home to build an empire for me, married me in splendor because he loved me.
But it was never love. It was possession.
I was his prize, the spoils of a war he had almost died to win. He could spoil me, indulge me, put me on a pedestal. But he would never, ever allow me to challenge his authority.
The child in Amelias womb was his bloodline. His property.
And I had tried to destroy his property. So he killed my man as a warning.
I went back to our room. Everything was just as I liked itopulent, decadent. On my vanity sat the pink diamond he had acquired for me at a European auction just last week. Only you deserve the most expensive things in the world, he had said.
How ironic it seemed now.
I pulled open a drawer. Inside was an array of modified firearms. Christian had never restricted my access to them. My Elara can do whatever she wants, he used to say.
I picked up a small, silver pistol and began to polish it.
Footsteps approached the door. Christian entered, carrying a bowl of congee.
You havent eaten all day. I had the kitchen make this for you. He set the bowl down and wrapped his arms around me from behind, his chin resting on the crown of my head. His voice was tired.
Elara, the child in Amelias womb must be born.
Thats an order.
I said nothing, just stared at our reflection in the mirror. I once thought this was the happiest image in the world.
She is the only daughter of the Kachin States chief, he explained, as if discussing a routine business matter. She is a hostage in our peace talks. Her child is the collateral that secures our alliance.
So, you slept with her for the alliance, too? I finally asked, my voice as still and dead as a stagnant pond.
His arms around me tensed. Yes.
A single word. No hesitation, no remorse.
I laughed. Youre disgusting, Christian.
His body jolted. He tightened his grip, so hard it felt like he was trying to crush me into his very bones. Elara, dont say that.
Once the situation here is stable, I will get rid of her. Then we can go back to how things were. All right?
There was a faint, almost imperceptible tremor of panic in his voice.
I didnt answer him.
The night passed in silence.
The next day, under the pretext of my being "traumatized," Christian placed me under house arrest. For my own protection, he called it.
It wasnt long before Amelia came calling, oozing triumph. She dismissed the guards and sauntered in, her pregnant belly leading the way.
Elara, you must hate me so much right now.
I leaned back on the sofa, lazily flipping through a magazine, not even bothering to look up.
Do you really think Christian explaining things to you means he still cares? Dont be a fool. Hes just afraid youll screw up his plans. A prostitute who crawled out of the gutter really thinks shes the lady of the manor?
Her words grew uglier, more venomous. Did you know, when he holds me, he says hes been sick of your lifeless body for years? If you weren't still useful, he wouldnt even bother to touch you.
The corner of the magazine crumpled in my hand. I finally lifted my eyes to hers, my gaze like ice.
Are you finished?
My stare made her falter, but she quickly straightened up. What? You want to hit me? Do you dare? Your mans body isnt even cold yet. Elara, I suggest you recognize your place. Be a good little ornament. When I give birth to the firstborn son, Christian will make me his official wife. And on that day, Ill make you kneel and lick my shoes.
I looked at her face, twisted with jealousy, and suddenly found it amusing.
Amelia, do you really think that just because Christian is protecting you, I wont touch you?
I set the magazine down and rose slowly, deliberately. I walked toward her, step by step. My aura forced her to back away instinctively.
What do you want? Im telling you, Im carrying
SLAP!
A sharp, clean crack of my hand across her face cut her off. She clutched her cheek, staring at me in disbelief. You you hit me?
Hit you? I grabbed her by the hair, forcing her head back. Im going to kill you.
I dragged her toward the second-floor terrace, her screams echoing through the villa. Help! Someone, help me! Elaras gone mad!
The guards outside rushed in, but froze when they saw the scene, too afraid to intervene.
I slammed Amelia against the railing, half her body dangling over the edge. Below was a cliff of jagged rocks, a drop of a hundred feet. A fall would be certain death.
Elara! Let me go! Youre crazy! Amelia shrieked, her face white with terror.
I leaned in close, my lips brushing her ear, and whispered in a voice only we could hear, You wanted to be the mistress of this land, didnt you? Ill grant your wish. Jump from here, and youll be the shortest-reigning mistress in history.
I applied a little pressure. Amelia let out a final, deathly scream.
Just then, Christian and his men arrived.
Stop! he roared, his voice thick with an anger he couldnt contain.
I turned and met his furious dark eyes. But a slow smile spread across my face.
Christian, youre here.
Look. Your woman is in my hands. Tell me, should I let her live, or should I let her die?
Christians face was so dark it looked like it could drip ink. The guards behind him raised their guns in unison once again.
Amelia was sobbing. Christian, save me! Shes going to kill me! Shes going to kill our baby!
He stared at me, his fists clenched so tight his knuckles cracked. Elara, Im saying this one last time. Let her go. Otherwise, dont blame me for forgetting our past.
Our past? I laughed as if it were the funniest joke in the world. Is there anything left between us? Not since you started sleeping with other women for profit. Not since you killed my man for a piece of collateral. Christian, from the moment you brought her here, we were finished.
My words were a knife, twisting in his heart. A flicker of pain crossed his eyes, but it was quickly consumed by rage.
So youre going to destroy everything Ive built?
Yes, I admitted without hesitation. Im going to destroy your child, destroy your alliance, destroy everything you hold dear!
Youre insane! he snarled, veins bulging on his forehead.
Im not insane. I looked him straight in the eye. I just dont love you anymore.
Those words were more lethal than any bullet. Christians body visibly swayed. The fire in his eyes went out, replaced by a raw panic I couldnt decipher.
As we stood locked in our standoff, a sudden wave of nausea washed over me, followed by a familiar, sharp pain in my lower abdomen. My face went pale, and my grip on Amelia loosened. She seized the opportunity, scrambling away to hide behind Christian.
I clutched my stomach, a cold sweat breaking out on my forehead.
Its over.
My period was two weeks late.
I looked at Christian, my mind a complete blank. He seemed to notice something was wrong, his brow furrowing. What is it?
Before I could answer, the villas doctor rushed in. He saw the color of my face and immediately moved to support me. Maam, you
Get away from me! I shoved him off.
I couldnt let Christian know. I couldnt.
But the strange feeling in my body was intensifying. My vision tunneled to black, and I lost consciousness.
I woke up in a hospital room, the sterile scent of antiseptic filling my nose. Christian was sitting by my bed, holding my hand, his expression unreadable.
He saw I was awake. Elara he began, his voice hoarse.
I ignored him, my hand instinctively going to my stomach. It was still flat, but I knew something had changed.
In the doorway, the doctor was speaking in a low voice to Christians second-in-command. Shes two months along. Her constitution is weak, and this episode has stressed the pregnancy. She needs complete rest. This child is a miracle.
My heart sank like a stone.
A child. I was carrying Christians child.
What was I going to do?
Christian overheard the doctor. His body went rigid, and he turned to look at me. Our eyes met. A storm of emotions swirled in their depths: shock, elation, and a flicker of something I couldn't name. A struggle.
After a long moment, he dismissed everyone. The room was silent, occupied by only the two of us. He walked to my side and bent down, as if to embrace me.
I turned my head away.
His hands stopped in mid-air. He awkwardly pulled them back. Elara, were having a baby. His voice trembled with a joy he couldnt conceal.
I looked at him, my expression cold. Get rid of it.
The smile on his face vanished, frozen in place.

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