Chapter 7 The Tables Turned

Asher stood frozen for a moment, completely stunned by their audacity. They were nothing more than ants beneath his heel, yet they still had the nerve to threaten him. The sheer arrogance was almost laughable, but instead of humor, it only fueled his rage. How dare they, after everything they've done, they think they could still hold any power over him? His fists clenched, his body tensed, and a deep, seething anger rose within him, he was done playing games. Juliet's heart raced as Julian's voice cut through the silence. She turned to him, wide-eyed.

"Julian, don't," she whispered, panic rising in her chest. But he didn't stop. "You don't know who you're messing with!" Julian yelled, stepping forward. His voice was shaking, but he puffed out his chest like he was in control. "I've heard the rumors! The supreme general is dead! The ruler said it himself! Asher Blackmoor-" he jabbed a finger toward Asher "you're a fraud! Pretending to be someone you're not!" Juliet grabbed Julian's arm, her voice frantic. "Stop it! You have no idea what you're doing!" Her eyes flicked to Asher, who hadn't moved but was watching them with a deadly calm. "This isn't a game, Julian. Please, just stop talking. But Julian, consumed by his own arrogance, paid her no mind. He was lost in his own world, desperate to be heard, to hold onto some shred of control. He was sure, in his delusion, that he had the power to change things, to make Asher cower in front of him. He was convinced his words would have the desired effect. But Asher, for a moment, was still, too still. His gaze shifted slowly from Julian to Juliet, then back to Julian, his face a mask of cold fury. For a long second, nothing happened. The tension was thick, as though the entire room was holding its breath. And then it hit him-the sheer audacity of Julian's words. He had just been called an imposter, a fraud. Asher's expression flickered between disbelief and pure rage. He had seen arrogance in many forms, but this? This was something else entirely. But instead of reacting he stood there, his eyes narrowed, his presence cold and unyielding, watching the unfolding scene with a mixture of amusement and disgust. He didn't respond, choosing instead to let the tension build between them. The silence that followed was thick, almost suffocating, as they both tried to make sense of what was happening. Juliet's mind raced, she couldn't quite grasp the enormity of what was being said. She turned to Julian, her voice laced with disbelief. "Julian, the badge on his car... That's the badge of the supreme general. It's one-of-a-kind, it can't be faked! There's only one badge, and it belongs to the true supreme general, the one who's been leading us." Julian, however, barely spared her a glance, his eyes still locked on Asher with defiance. He scoffed dismissively, brushing her words aside like they were nothing more than a passing inconvenience. "You're wrong, Juliet. You've been played. This whole thing, the car, the badge, it's all part of his plan. He's orchestrated it all. He's the imposter, and you're falling for it." Juliet's stomach twisted as she struggled to process what Julian was saying. The confusion in her mind only deepened. She knew what she saw, knew the badge had been a symbol of power, of legitimacy. How could anyone fake something like that? Yet here Julian was, insisting that everything she had believed was a lie. She looked back at Asher, but he didn't seem angry, or defensive, he only watched, calm and collected. The man in front of her seemed as if he had no need to prove himself, like he knew something they didn't. And that made her more uncomfortable than anything else. Julian's words continued to ring in her ears, but doubt had started to creep in. Could Julian really be right? Or was it possible that Asher, the very man they had tried to destroy, was everything he claimed to be? The thought unsettled her, and she could feel her grip on reality slipping. Julian, seeing the hesitation in Juliet's eyes, pushed harder, his tone growing more desperate. "Think about it, Juliet. He's playing us. Don't let him fool you! He's not the man he pretends to be." He turned back to Asher with a glare, his voice dripping with disdain. "You can keep the act up, but we both know the truth. You're just pretending." As the weight of the revelation sank in, Juliet's expression twisted from confusion to anger. Her eyes, once filled with doubt, now burned with fury. She couldn't accept what she had just heard, she couldn't comprehend how she had missed it all the time. She had thought Asher was the supreme general but she was wrong. Without hesitation, she moved forward to Asher. Her voice was sharp, dripping with venom. "So, this is your big play, huh?" she sneered. "You really think I'll just buy into your little act?" She continued, "You're no supreme general-just a deceiver, pretending to be someone you're not. You should've stayed dead, Asher! You should have never come back!" Juliet's words were harsh, each one slicing through the air like dagger. She took a step forward, her eyes flashing with hatred, a look that was all too familiar to Asher. But what came next made his blood run cold. "Maybe if you had stayed dead," she spat, "your pathetic parents wouldn't be in the mess they're in. What a joke, right? To think I'd actually care about you... and them!" The words hit Asher like a physical blow, but he didn't flinch stikk. His jaw tightened, his fists clenched as she continued, each insult fueling the fire inside him. Juliet's face twisted with satisfaction, her words biting deeper as she relished in the chaos she was causing. "You're nothing but a fool. All your bravado, all your precious power, and for what?" Juliet's voice rang with cruel finality. "To think you actually think you can control everything. Your parents were weak, and you-you're no different." Asher's pulse raced, but he remained still, his gaze fixed on Juliet as her words rang in the silence. Every insult she hurled at him stung, but none more than her callous words about his parents. Right in front of Asher's eyes, Juliet began to put on an act, her demeanor shifting to one of affection as she leaned into Julian. Her voice softened, honeyed with false sweetness as she whispered something only he could hear. Julian smirked, clearly enjoying the attention and the chaos he was causing. His smug eyes flicked toward Asher, as if daring him to react. Asher stood there, his heart pounding in his chest, the weight of what he was witnessing making his blood run cold. Juliet, the woman he had once trusted, now seemed to toy with him in the most cruel and public way. She was playing the game, pretending to be the loving partner, while Julian reveled in the tension. It was as if they were mocking him, and it stung worse than any insult she had thrown his way. He could feel the heat of his emotions rising anger, betrayal, a sharp, painful ache that gnawed at him. But despite it all, he remained stoic. His gaze never wavered from them, his jaw clenched tightly, as though his control was all that kept him from doing something drastic. He had to remain composed. Juliet's eyes flicked toward him, and for a split second, Asher caught the glimmer of something, mockery, perhaps, or maybe even satisfaction. She was enjoying this, and it made his stomach churn. She had played him, used his trust, and now she was parading her loyalty to Julian right in front of him, as though he were nothing more than a shadow. Julian turned to Asher, his smirk growing wider, dripping with smugness. The tension in the room was unbearable, the air so thick it felt like no one could breathe. He stepped closer, his voice oozing with mockery. "If you want me to spare your pathetic life," he said, his tone sharp and cruel, "and if you want Juliet to forgive you for being the failure of a husband you are, then do it." He paused, letting his words sink in. "Kneel. Beg for forgiveness. Otherwise..." He leaned in slightly, his grin widening. "You'll rot in a dungeon so dark, you'll forget what light even looks like."