Obsessed to Hate Him-Chapter 59: Declaration

LIAM

Lines of displeasure cross my face as I eye the romantic setup before me warily. The warm, romantic lighting of the candles and the sweet smell of roses are enough to make my soul leave my body. I have this strong urge to turn on my heels and walk out through the door I stepped in barely a moment ago. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Come, come take a seat, Your Highness." Kian beckons, gesturing toward the white chair placed before him across the table.

I look at the door helplessly before slowly locking the door after me. And half-reluctantly approach the table—half, because a small part of me, a very small one, wants to sit there at that damn table with him and dine with him. Though it doesn’t know I will slit his throat open before the scene unfolds.

"What is this?" I refer to the setup, one eyebrow raised and a sour look on my face.

Kian smiles, amusement in his eyes thickening, "This is supposed to be our dining setup, Your Highness."

I stifle a shiver. There is something in him calling me by my title that goes straight to the region below my stomach. I don’t know if it’s me or if it is him.

I assess him, my eyes narrowed, "Why did you agree to it?"

Kian shrugs his broad shoulders nonchalantly, the movement resembling a mountain shaking, "I may not look like it, but I am actually concerned about the Kingdom I rule. I don’t want it to be the subject of the war. So, fortunately, I am here. In fact..." He leans forward, a devious smile curving on his face, "I was the one who proposed it. What do you think, Liam?" His eyes glint with the light that makes me want to launch forward and strangle him.

But of course, I have to do it in my head anyway. So sad.

An ugly mixture of anger and forbidding feelings surges through me, and I clench my fist. Seeing that his words affected me, Kian’s smile widnes.

"Come, come, take a seat." He waves his hand beckoningly, "Tell me how the setup is. Seems like the services have gone overboard with it. Maybe they thought we were planning a date. But they don’t know it’s anything but that."

I glare at him, somehow containing my tongue from lashing out and my blade not splitting his throat open.

For the sake of my Kingdom.

I recite it in my head, pull the chair out with more force than needed, and take a seat before him. "Why did you do this?"

Kian taps his finger on his chin and hums before replying, "Maybe I wanted to see you?" He leans forward.

There is a fire in his eyes, so bright that if I didn’t know, I would have thought there was a fire behind me, and it is reflecting in his ocean-blue eyes.

"Why?" My voice is low, wary.

"I think we both know why, Liam." He leans forward, his eyes piercing mine.

His words hang between us, making the air charged and humming with electricity and hate. It takes all of me not to inch away from him.

I won’t inch away from him. Why am I the one who is running away from him like a criminal when clearly it’s the other way around? Kian is the one who killed my brother and he wants to kill me now just to fulfill his primal desire. Meanwhile, I got my brother killed. I lost it because of something I don’t even know happened. I should be the one to hate him more. And I am the one who hates him the most. But there is this tension in the air that I can’t ignore completely.

The way his voice reaches all the way down to my toes and makes it curl, the way the hatred in his eyes turns me on. The way he challenges me and keeps me on my toes. I can’t ignore all of it. But they all be damned. Before giving in to them, I will kill myself first or I will kill him first.

"You know Liam," Kian starts and I have a bad feeling about this, "Eiden was my best friend. But he betrayed me during the Great War. His betrayal got my lover killed."

My eyes narrow further, "What are you trying to say?"

"I am trying to say that...since Eiden took my most beloved person from me then isn’t it fair enough I do the same?" He smiles, his fingers reaching out and tipping my chin up so that he has better access to my face. His eyes rove over my face, "You were his most beloved person. His dear baby brother. I wonder if he will despair if I am about to kill you."

A chill claws down my spine and I slap his hand away, "You can’t do that. It will only just invite war between the Kingdoms."

I pin him with a pointed glare, determined not to let him see through me, just how much his words are affecting me.

Kian lets out a sardonic laugh, "Oh Liam, when it comes to ruining you, Kingdoms be dammed. I would burn them down myself if it meant I could see myself in your defiant and stubborn eyes the moment before you die."

His words send a jolt of excitement down my spine and I stifle a shiver. The corner of my mouth tugs into a feral smirk, "You are declaring war, Kian." I lean forward so that my face is inches away from his. This is not a warning; this is an ultimatum.

"Oh yes, I am, Liam." His smile widens another friction as his forefinger slips under my chin and creases, rising goosebumps through my whole body. "But it isn’t a war between the two Kingdoms. It’s just me and you. The outcome will decide the result. And it will be out before the birthday feast ends."

I smile poisonously, "Sure."

And this is where things go to absolute hell.