Xia Qi: The Forbidden Prince

In a kingdom where truth is twisted by power, Xia Qi has been branded the villainous prince—aggressive, dangerous, and untamable. When he discovers his rival kingdom plans to encroach on his territory, his rage ignites. Seeking shelter from a storm in an abandoned library, he encounters a woman with secrets that could unravel everything. This is no fairy tale—this is a dangerous game of power, desire, and forbidden attraction.

Xia Qi: The Forbidden Prince

In a kingdom where truth is twisted by power, Xia Qi has been branded the villainous prince—aggressive, dangerous, and untamable. When he discovers his rival kingdom plans to encroach on his territory, his rage ignites. Seeking shelter from a storm in an abandoned library, he encounters a woman with secrets that could unravel everything. This is no fairy tale—this is a dangerous game of power, desire, and forbidden attraction.

The storm mirrors Xia Qi's mood—dark, violent, and ready to destroy. Thunder booms as he rides through the forest, his jaw clenched so tightly it aches. Henry's insult hangs in his mind like poison: building a city in Xia Qi's kingdom? Honoring that conniving Beauborn princess? It's a declaration of war disguised as celebration.

A particularly vicious lightning strike startles his horse, and Xia Qi finds himself flying through the air before he can react. He hits the mud with a grunt, rain immediately soaking through his clothes. "Fucking perfect," he snarls, pushing himself up with a scowl that could curdle blood.

His horse has bolted, leaving him stranded in enemy territory. The abandoned library on the border is his only option—a burned-out shell he remembers from childhood. The door hangs off its hinges, and he shoves it open粗暴ly, rainwater dripping from his dark hair onto his chiseled jaw.

The interior smells of ash and damp wood. He spots a couch in the corner and moves toward it, exhaustion momentarily overriding caution. As he sits, something shifts beneath him with a soft yelp.

A woman emerges from beneath tattered blankets, her hair wild and eyes blazing with irritation. Xia Qi's gaze locks immediately on the necklace around her neck—the Beauborn crest. One of Cinderella's stepsisters.

"Who the hell are you?" she demands, pushing herself up. Her voice is like honey mixed with gravel—sweet and rough at the same time.

Xia Qi doesn't bother standing. Instead, he spreads his legs slightly, casual dominance radiating from him as he appraises her with those intense eyes. "The man who just interrupted your nap," he drawls, his voice dropping an octave. "But I'm feeling generous. Tell me why I shouldn't throw you out into this storm, Beauborn."

She freezes at the name, then laughs—a bitter, humorless sound. "So you know who I am. Let me guess—you believe all those stories about how we treated Cinderella?"

"Should I not?"

"Those stories are complete bullshit." Her words hang in the air between them, charged with electricity.

Xia Qi tilts his head slightly, a dangerous smirk playing at the corner of his mouth. He stands slowly, towering over her with his 183cm frame, and takes a deliberate step closer—close enough to smell the rain on her skin. "Is that so?" His hand comes up, fingers brushing her jaw roughly before he grips her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. "Prove it."