After the Ordeal, Will Your Royal Uncle Still Want You

Serena's fall cost them the best chance to escape. The men dressed as bandits quickly surrounded Serena and Prince Damien of Southlyn.

At this moment, Prince Damien's priority was to fight off the attackers. As for the animal trap clamped around Serena's lower leg?

Prince Damien couldn't care less. Whether Serena died of pain was none of his concern. Back in the underground palace, he spared her legs because he needed her to walk—now?

Whether Serena suspected him or not, he couldn't afford to take any risks. With Serena's leg injured, even if she doubted him, she wouldn't be able to escape. As long as he had Serena in his grasp, he wasn't worried about finding Prince Nolan.

Prince Nolan had turned him from a royal prince into a disgraced criminal. He wasn't going to let Prince Nolan off easily.

Blood debts must be repaid in blood!

Thinking of how he fell from grace in an instant, Prince Damien wished he could flay Prince Nolan alive, strip him to the bone.

The more he fought, the angrier Prince Damien became. Madness crept into his eyes, and the staged fight slowly turned real. Each blow was ruthless, and the subordinates ordered to put on this show turned pale one by one.

Prince Damien could kill them, but they dared not truly harm him.

"Ah—" Prince Damien's eyes turned bloodshot as he roared like a madman, seeing everyone before him as Prince Nolan. His gaze was as venomous as poison.

Serves him right!

As Serena struggled against the animal trap, she kept one eye on Prince Damien. Seeing him strike without restraint, killing many of his own men, her anger cooled a little.

It’d be best if he just went mad!

Serena cursed, watching Damien's group fight with increasing fervor. She knew they wouldn't have time to bother with her for now.

Turning away, Serena rolled up her sleeve and quickly swiped her Smart Med-Pack's panel, grabbing painkillers and anti-inflammatories. As for bulky items like alcohol or bandages, she didn't dare take them, afraid Damien would notice.

The Tiger Claw Grappling Hook from her arm and the surgical scalpel from her waist had been taken by Damien's men, so Serena retrieved replacements, strapping them to her arm and her uninjured leg.

She glanced at the ruined handgun tossed in the corner and felt a wave of frustration. If only the gun still worked—she'd gladly turn Damien into a bullet-riddled sieve. But alas...

Sigh, endless troubles and rotten luck.

Serena pushed aside her frustration, quickly closed the Smart Med-Pack, and glanced back to see Damien fighting fiercely alone. She couldn't help but smirk, popped a few anti-inflammatory pills into her mouth, swallowed them, stashed the rest close to her body, and went back to battling the animal trap.

That scumbag Damien was never trustworthy. Even dressed as Lance Quinn, he couldn't hide his vile nature.

After his frenzy, Prince Damien gradually calmed down. Seeing his own men lying dead by his sword, he regretted it inwardly. He signaled to the survivors, who instantly relaxed and pretended to be wounded.

Damien slowly stopped attacking, retreating toward Serena as he fought. When he saw Serena had pried the animal trap halfway open, a vicious gleam flashed in his eyes.

If he yanked Serena up now, the trap would snap shut again—not only clamping her leg but slicing it open.

At that point, no matter how skilled Serena was, her leg would be ruined for good.

That’s exactly what Damien intended. He feinted, driving his opponent back, then jumped to Serena’s side, grabbed her shoulder, and hauled her up. "Go."

Bastard!

Serena’s face went pale; her grip on the trap nearly slipped. But she knew how serious this was, and forced down her fear and rage. As Damien lifted her, she summoned all her strength and yanked the trap open...

She couldn’t let the trap hurt her again—otherwise, even if she survived, she’d be crippled.

Snap! Just as Serena was pulled away, the trap slammed shut, catching only her skirt.

Rip—Damien yanked hard, tearing Serena’s skirt.

“Whew, barely dodged disaster.” Serena wiped cold sweat from her brow and let out a heavy breath, nearly collapsing.

That was way too close!

Damien looked utterly disappointed. He glanced at Serena’s bleeding left leg—one plan failed, so he immediately hatched another.

Damien threw Serena to the ground, giving her no time to react, then grabbed her arm and dragged her forward, deliberately letting her injured left leg scrape along the ground.

As she was dragged, dirt and stones gouged into Serena’s wound, turning the bloody gash into a mangled mess. The pain nearly made her faint, but Damien was too strong—she couldn’t break free.

“You bastard.” Serena was so furious she could spit blood. There were no pursuers behind them anymore, but Damien still wouldn’t let her go, dragging her along just to cripple her.

“Jiuqing, stop!” Serena had no other choice and shouted out loud.

But Damien—the bastard—ignored her, dismissing her with a flat, “No.”

At first, Serena thought that as long as she didn’t expose him, she could save her own life. Now it seemed she might survive, but whether she’d remain whole was another matter.

Serena refused to become a cripple, so...

Serena gritted her teeth and shouted, “Damien, you lunatic! Have you had enough?”

Smack—Damien, as Serena wished, stopped, but accidentally flung her into a nearby tree. Serena was prepared; though she fell, she wasn’t badly hurt.

“You know who I am?” Damien snarled, more venomous than a snake.

How dare Serena toy with him—unforgivable.

Serena struggled to her feet, braced herself against the tree, and glared back just as fiercely. She sneered, “Of course I know. Did you think anyone wearing a mask could pass for Lance Quinn? Prince Damien, you’re too naive.”

Serena wasn’t afraid of provoking Damien. To deal with a madman, you had to make him lose control—otherwise, she’d never get a chance. But a provoked madman was dangerous; Damien lunged like a ghost, pinning Serena against the tree.

“Serena, good—very good. You dare toy with me? I’ll make you wish you were dead.” Damien pressed one hand to Serena’s chest, the other reaching for his mask.

The silver mask fell to the ground, revealing his corpse-like, bloodless face. His crimson eyes glowed with a sinister light.

Serena’s heart jolted. She gripped her scalpel and quietly moved it behind Damien’s back, ready to stab him. But just then, the madman suddenly lowered his head and kissed her, tearing at her clothes.

“Serena, I’d like to see if Prince Nolan will still want you after you’ve been violated by hundreds of men!”

Author’s note: Anyone who bullies Serena—Damien must pay with his life!