The Mad Princess and the Dying Prince novel Chapter 4

Gaston's fury was instantly smothered by her radiant beauty. Seeing her wounded yet exuding such a fierce, fragile allure made his blood boil with lust.

"It doesn't matter! I want you, and that's all that counts!"-

He suddenly recalled the backup plan someone had fed him: if the abduction was exposed, he just had to spout these exact words to destroy her reputation and bind her to him permanently. She wouldn't be able to escape.

"You were kidnapped by thugs, and I was the one who saved you! If it weren't for me, you would have been ruined! You were the one who pledged your body to repay the debt! You were crying and begging to marry me!"

The eyes of the surrounding crowd nearly bugged out of their heads.

"But I am a nobleman of high standing with an arranged marriage! How could I possibly take you as my wife? You explicitly said you'd happily be my concubine, just to stay by my side! You even promised to bear me three children! Don't even try to deny it!"

A low, dark chuckle echoed from inside the carriage.

Lucia glanced back to see Jareth lounging comfortably, his knuckles resting lightly against his lips.

Was he enjoying the show?

Gaston squawked at the top of his lungs, "Your Highness! Did you hear that? I'm a generous man, so I'll overlook what just happened. But you can't harbor her! Kick her out of your carriage right now!"

Given how breathtakingly gorgeous she was, he decided he could stomach the fact that the Prince had just embraced her.

"Well? Have you lost the strength to beat this mongrel?" Jareth asked Lucia, raising an elegant brow.

Lucia easily caught the cruel amusement dancing in his eyes.

He clearly wanted to test her—to see if she genuinely possessed the nerve to assault the heir of a powerful Marquisate in broad daylight.

He also wanted to see if she actually had the physical capability to put Gaston in the dirt.

If she were tossed out of this carriage right now, she would immediately collapse from exhaustion.

Reaching out, Lucia swiftly snatched the heavy leather whip straight from Azure's hand.

Standing tall on the carriage platform, she drew her arm back and lashed the whip viciously toward Gaston.

Crack!

The terrifying snap of leather splitting the air made the onlookers shudder.

Gaston's eyes widened in horror as he screamed, "You dare strike me! Are you tired of living—AGH!!!"

The whip connected brutally with his shoulder. The sheer force of the blow buckled his knees, sending him crashing hard onto the cobblestones.

"You had the chance to be a decent human, but you chose to be a beast! You deserve every bit of this!"

Gasps erupted!

The commoners stared in utter disbelief, murmurs of absolute shock sweeping through the crowd.

The royal guards exchanged wild, bewildered looks. Fiancé? Since when?!

"Ugh!" Gaston spat out a mouthful of blood and promptly passed out.

Jareth’s eyes flashed with icy warning. He opened his mouth to speak, but Lucia merely tossed the whip back to Azure and collapsed backward, landing squarely into the Prince's lap.

She had fainted completely.

Jareth was momentarily speechless.

"Move out," he ordered curtly.

The carriage immediately surged forward, speeding away from the chaotic scene.

Only then did the trembling thugs rush forward with miserable faces to scoop up their battered master.

"My Lord! Please wake up!" they wailed. Was the heir beaten to death?