On our wedding day, I wiped out my wife Maria Garcia's entire family. Clad in a blood-soaked wedding gown, I forced myself on her.

After a night of passion, I put a knife in her hand and screamed for help. Her hands were cut, her throat poisoned, and rendered silent, leaving her no way to defend herself.

She was thrown into prison, her spirit broken, beaten, her eyes gouged out and tortured to death. Her body was dumped in a mass grave, where wild dogs tore at it.

A hundred days after her death, I was digging through a heap of bones, my eyes burning with fury, blood dripping from my fingers. "So this is how the Garcia family operates. Why didn't you warn me? Maria, come out and face me!"

***

Late that night, I was summoned to the palace by the king. I crawled and knelt before him, only able to see his feet.

"Minister Thompson, do you have any complaints about the execution of your entire family in the succession struggle?"

"I dare not," I answered.

A document was thrown at my forehead with a loud smack, instantly causing it to bleed. "Dare not? What is it that you dare not do? You've killed over eighteen members of the Garcia family and framed your own wife. If you could do that to them today, wouldn't you come for me tomorrow?"

I bowed low, pleading for forgiveness. This was all the fault of my father-in-law. I needed to avenge my family. The king chuckled as he toyed with his ring. "Christopher, you've lived a miserable life, like a dog. You've killed without even knowing who your real enemies are. , this has been the most fun game I've ever played."

I replayed his words in my mind over and over, but I couldn't understand his true meaning. Kneeling there, my face pale, I was filled with dread. "I don't understand the king's meaning. Please, explain."

With my forehead pressed against the marble floor, the pain from my wound brought me back to reality. "On the day of the succession struggle, the Garcia family didn't back me. It was your father who took the blame to protect the Garcia family, and by doing so, he protected you as well."

I was stunned. How could this be? My father-in-law had schemed for his own benefit, leading to the destruction of the Thompson family. My father was killed by arrows in the palace. My mother was hanged with a white silk ribbon in the Thompson Mansion. My elder brother was stabbed to death by my father-in-law. I witnessed all of this firsthand, and my father-in-law had told me so himself.

A wave of metallic-tasting blood surged in my throat. No wonder my mother, who had always favored Maria over me, had acted so strangely before her death.

On the day she was hanged, she cursed Maria, saying, "The moment Christopher chose to be the Garcia family's son-in-law for you, he ceased to be my son.

"Get out of this mansion!"

I watched my mother hang from the beams, her feet struggling in the air. After Maria and I were thrown out of the Thompson Mansion, the streets were filled with the stench of blood and cries for violence.

What did I do then? I let go of Maria's hand and rushed to the battlefield to save my brother. Maria, her eyes swollen from crying, struggled to follow me, holding on to the last of her strength.

I entered the battlefield where the second prince, having secured his claim to the throne, was already present with his men, rounding up the rebels. He sat in command, casually lifting the lid of his teacup, a gesture that seemed to flaunt his victory.

My older brother knelt before my father-in-law, his face smeared with blood. The second prince, stirring his tea, said with a hint of disdain, "Master Garcia, you're linked with the Thompson family. How can I trust you?"

My father-in-law's hand shook as he held his sword, the blade making a dull clank. My brother spat on the ground and retorted, "You're nothing but a cowardly prince. What makes you worthy of being king? Do you think you can prove yourself by killing people?"

"Master Garcia, in the world of kings, those who win and lose must act decisively. There's no time for hesitation," the prince replied coolly.

As my father-in-law raised his arm, Maria rushed forward and grabbed the sword. She was cut immediately, blood dripping down the blade. Maria cried out, "Please, don't kill him."

I tried to move forward, but my father-in-law's soldiers pinned me down. My usually gentle brother glared at Maria with fierce anger. "Maria, you seduced my brother into a secret marriage and now you pretend to care? I don't need your help."

My father-in-law kicked Maria aside, and in a flash, steel gleamed. My brother's blood sprayed onto Maria as she weakly crawled toward him, trembling.

I fought my way free from the soldiers, rushing to my brother's side and clinging to his lifeless body, my voice hoarse as I called his name. Applause echoed from above as the second prince approached, grinning and patting my father-in-law's shoulder. "Master Garcia, you've done well. When I take the throne, I'll make sure to reward you with a higher rank and title. ."

Tears streamed down my face as I held my brother, my hands shaking uncontrollably. At that moment, I swore I would not rest until I had my revenge. My heart was so consumed with pain and anger that I barely noticed what was happening around me.

Later, I knelt before the king, my fingers trembling. He sneered and said, "Christopher, your father-in-law's act of killing your brother hasn't eased my suspicions. I was curious to see how he would handle this situation."

"To my surprise, your father-in-law showed genuine loyalty, willing to sacrifice his own honor to save your life and let you mature."

I swallowed the blood in my mouth, remembering how Maria had called me to the study to clear up the misunderstanding. She said we needed to be honest with each other. When I arrived, I heard my father-in-law admit that he had betrayed me to gain power.

I pounded on the door frame of the study until it splintered, consumed by rage. I didn't even notice Maria's shocked and tearful state. In front of them both, I made a harsh vow, "Master Garcia, you've crossed the line. If you leave me alive, I'll rise to power over the Garcia family's corpses. Neither you nor Maria will escape."

With that, I stormed out. From then on, Maria didn't speak a word to me. Every night, I went to her room, grappling with the urge to strangle her, but my resolve faltered at the last moment.

Every time I looked at her, I remembered my mother's promise: "When Maria grows up, let Christopher marry her as a son-in-law." As a child, I had always bullied Maria, making her cry and shouting, "Maria, I don't want to be a son-in-law. If there's to be marriage, you should move to the Garcia family. Only then would I reluctantly accept."

The Garcia and Thompson families had been military families, brought together by battle. Maria's mother had died protecting my own mother. My mother always felt guilty towards Maria, thinking she was so unfortunate, losing her mother at such a young age.

In the end, I couldn't escape the consequences of my actions. My brother had often warned me to treat Maria better.

But what have I done?