---- Chapter 9 Dante POV: | watched, frozen, as she worked. She was calm, efficient, a leader in the chaos. She directed the other survivors, her voice clear and steady, her hands gentle as she checked a young man for injuries. This wasn't the quiet, reserved woman | had married. This was someone new. Someone forged in the fire of her own escape, and tempered by the mountain's fury. She was a survivor. She didn't need me. She had never needed me. Hours later, when everyone was safely evacuated back to the lodge, | found her sitting by the fire, a wool blanket wrapped around her shoulders while a medic checked her vitals. | approached her slowly, my heart hammering against my ribs. "Elara," | said, my voice barely a whisper. "Are you okay? The baby..." Her head lifted, and her eyes, still cold, met mine. "We're fine," she said, her tone flat and dismissive. "No thanks to the amateur who almost caused another rockslide." The casual cruelty of her words hit me harder than any shouted accusation. "| was terrified," | admitted, the confession feeling raw and exposed. "When | heard you were up there, | thought..." ---- She cut me off with a bitter, humorless laugh. "You thought what, Dante? That you could swoop in and play the hero? Where was this terror when | was alone at my gallery opening? Where was it every night for the last four years when | sat in that empty penthouse?" "| know," | said, my voice thick with a regret so profound it felt like | was choking on it. "| know | failed you. | failed both of you. But I'm here now. We can fix this. Our child..." "There is no 'we'" she said, her voice dropping to an icy whisper. "There is me, and there is my child. You have no part in this." "He is my son. Or my daughter. | have a right-" She stood up then, the blanket falling from her shoulders. She faced me, and for the first time, | saw not emptiness, but a blazing, righteous fury in her eyes. "You have no rights, Dante. Do you remember those papers you were in such a hurry to sign? The ones you didn't bother to read? You didn't just sign away our marriage. You signed away your parental rights. A pre-emptive clause. My lawyer is very thorough. You legally disavowed any claim to a child of our union. You signed it away like it was nothing, because to you, it *was* nothing." The ground fell away beneath my feet. | stared at her, unable to process the words. She had thought of everything. She hadn't just built a wall; she had salted the earth so nothing ---- could ever grow between us again. A few of the other artists, her new friends, moved to stand beside her, their expressions protective. One of them, a burly sculptor, stepped forward. "| think you should leave," he said, his voice a low rumble. | looked at Elara, searching her face for any crack, any sliver of the woman | once knew. There was nothing. | was an intruder here. An unwelcome ghost from a life she had successfully buried. This was her home now. These were her people. She was safe here. She was happy. She let them lead her away towards a small cabin, not giving me a backward glance. | stood there in the muddy, chaotic lodge, the smell of wet wool and woodsmoke filling the air. | had never felt so utterly alone. So completely powerless. | didn't leave. | couldn't | walked out into the cold, relentless snow and found the rental car. | spent the night in it, the engine running for warmth, my eyes fixed on the single light burning in the window of her cabin. My kingdom for a crumb of her attention. My empire for a single, forgiving glance. All my power, my money, my influence-it was all worthless here. | had tried to conquer the world, and in the process, | had lost my entire universe. Title: A Princess? No! I'm the Female General! In "A Princess? No! I'm the Female General!" by CrushReel, Adela Taylor, a noble family's daughter, disguises herself as her brother to secure their Duke title by joining the army. Despite facing obstacles, she achieves remarkable success. However, upon her triumphant return, her brother betrays her, setting off a chain of events that will test her resolve and reveal hidden truths. This captivating novel delves into themes of secrets, reincarnation, revenge, murder, and drama. Adela's journey from deception to betrayal is filled with intrigue and suspense as she navigates through a world where power dynamics and family loyalties collide. What sets this story apart is its strong female lead who defies expectations and challenges societal norms in a quest for justice and redemption. Experience the riveting tale of Adela Taylor online at CrushReel and witness the transformation of a princess into a formidable female general.