It was Morgan Shangguan's mystical Violet Gourd, the one she used to keep spirits. The ghost inside had been tossed about until it was dizzy, but dared not emerge, while the ghost that had been standing in the room glanced nervously at the gently swaying bed curtains, then darted into the gourd as well.
Morgan Shangguan abruptly sat up, looking down at Damien Gray from above and narrowing her eyes. "Your Highness, what do you mean by this?"
Damien Gray kept sizing her up and chuckled in a low voice. "Is my Princess Consort trying to seduce me?"
Morgan Shangguan, wearing nothing, straddled Damien Gray's waist—an undeniably tempting sight!
Morgan Shangguan made no attempt to hide herself; was there any part of her he hadn't seen? She reached out and pinched his chin, snorting coldly, "Your Highness still hasn't answered my question!"
Damien Gray raised an eyebrow, flipped her over, and pinned her beneath him. His gaze became dangerous as he spoke in a deep voice, "How does my Princess Consort wish to proceed? Am I truly less important than those spirits?"
Morgan Shangguan frowned at him and remained silent.
A shadow flickered in Damien Gray's eyes as he spoke domineeringly, "You can only choose one—me or those spirits!" He stroked her face gently, voice softening, "Morgan, have you decided? Do you want me, or do you want them?" As he spoke, his hand wandered to her sensitive places, clearly trying to leave her no choice but him.
Morgan Shangguan's body trembled slightly; resignation filled her heart. She hugged him tightly and asked softly, "Damien, what are you anxious about?" Though he was domineering, he always respected her boundaries. This time, his urgent demand for her to choose seemed more like he was trying to prove something.
Damien Gray paused, then embraced her and sighed softly. "I'm sorry..." he whispered.
Morgan Shangguan cupped his face in her hands, gazing into his eyes. "What happened?" she asked.
Damien Gray pressed his thin lips together and looked at her quietly. After a moment, he asked, "Morgan, didn't you say the original Morgan Shangguan was your previous life? Do you have none of her memories at all?"
Morgan Shangguan shook her head, puzzled by his sudden concern for this topic.
Seeing the confusion in her eyes, Damien Gray frowned and spoke in a low voice, "I'm just worried her feelings might affect you. Maybe her emotions are really yours, just dormant since she passed. What if seeing someone she loved brings them back? Past and present lives are always intertwined, and you share the same body—perhaps even the same soul." There was a trace of worry in his eyes. He couldn't bear the thought of her loving someone else. Call him possessive or selfish, but he wanted all of her.
Morgan Shangguan disliked seeing Damien Gray so uneasy. She frowned and asked, "Do you love the original Morgan Shangguan?"
Damien Gray shook his head. Morgan Shangguan sighed, "Then that's it. I am myself, and she is herself. The original Morgan Shangguan's soul has scattered. Even if I had her memories, I wouldn't let her influence me!"
Seeing the determination in her eyes, Damien Gray's heart gradually settled. He cared so much that he had lost his usual composure. Morgan Shangguan was proud; even if the original Morgan was her past life, no matter how deeply they were connected, she would never let it interfere with her. Her fate would always be in her own hands!
Damien Gray gazed at her and spoke softly, "I can't change what happened before, but from now on, Morgan, for every lifetime to come, love only me, all right?"
Morgan Shangguan smiled and nodded. "All right." Had she ever wanted to let him go?
A smile tugged at Damien Gray's lips as he hugged her tightly. Morgan Shangguan nuzzled against his neck and asked, "Now can you tell me what's happened?"
Earlier, that ghost probably had something to tell her, but as soon as she woke and saw Damien Gray tossing her gourd, the ghost was so frightened it darted back inside. That's why she confronted Damien Gray—had the ghost said something important?
Damien Gray lifted the bed curtains, glanced at the Violet Gourd on the floor, and with a wave of his hand, drew it into his palm, placing it beside the pillow. "That ghost just came to report—Adrian Yarrow and Mona Shangguan have arrived!" he said.
Morgan Shangguan raised an eyebrow. Why would the arrival of Adrian Yarrow and Mona Shangguan unsettle him? She recalled his earlier words—seeing someone the 'original Morgan Shangguan' loved? Could it be that the original Morgan loved Adrian Yarrow?
She looked to Damien Gray for answers. He nodded. Morgan Shangguan frowned; she had investigated the 'original Morgan Shangguan's' background and found nothing about this. Damien hadn't just learned Adrian Yarrow was coming, yet he'd shown no special reaction until now. His anxiety only surfaced at the moment Adrian arrived, meaning he hadn't known before.
"How did you find out?" Neither the Cloud Guild nor the Ghost Guild had uncovered this, so it must be well hidden. Judging by the 'original Morgan's' personality, even if she liked Adrian Yarrow, she would have kept it secret out of insecurity. It was normal not to find anything. Now that the original Morgan is gone, how did Damien Gray suddenly realize this?
Damien Gray lay down beside her, holding her close. "Do you really think the 'original Morgan Shangguan' could hide her feelings well? Even if the succession struggle in Azure Kingdom isn't as fierce as Silvermoon, for Adrian Yarrow to hold the Crown Prince's seat, he can't be simple. Would he really not notice her feelings? Ever since I learned Adrian was coming to Silvermoon, I've had people watching him. By chance, I overheard a few things."
He had just received the news and hadn't yet processed it when that ghost rushed in, insisting Morgan Shangguan be told immediately. So it wasn't his fault he was feeling irritable!
Adrian Yarrow had never exposed Morgan Shangguan's feelings for him, acting as if he didn't know. It was simply because the 'original Morgan' had no use to him. But now, Morgan Shangguan was his Princess Consort. If used wisely, the battle for the throne could be entirely in his control. Damien Gray's eyes flashed with a cold smile—was the old Morgan really so naive as to think a little charm would make her risk everything for him? But he would never expect that Morgan Shangguan was no longer the woman she once was!