The sea hummed with its latent power, the rhythmic crashing of waves echoing through the vast expanse of golden shoreline. The setting sun bathed everything in warm hues, its lingering touch turning the ocean into molten amber.
Above, seagulls glided effortlessly, their melodic cries weaving into the gentle breeze, blending with the scent of salt and distant adventure.
The waves crept forward in quiet devotion, soaking the sand, wrapping around the bare feet of the lone passerby. Each step he took left behind traces—large footprints that the tides eagerly erased, as if the sea refused to let anything remain unchanged.
But Cathain remained unmoved by the sea's quiet reclamation, his gaze steady as he absorbed the beauty before him.
Clad in knee-length black shorts, a white shirt layered over his t-shirt, he stood tall, lost in thought—until—
"Hey!! Are you even listening to me?"
A sweet voice whispered against his ear, cutting through his reverie.
Cathain blinked, turning slightly, only to be met with the sight of a pouting face behind him.
For a moment, he had forgotten she was there.
His deep black eyes softened as they settled on her, the wind teasing his dark strands, tousling them as if nature itself sought to remind him of her presence.
Bathed in the golden glow of the sun, her dark brown hair shimmered like silk, her ocean-blue eyes reflecting the endless waves with breathtaking clarity.
She was striking.
And in the fleeting silence between them, Cathain found himself staring just a little longer than he intended.
"I am listening…"
Cathain muttered, guilt lacing his words, though both of them knew he hadn't heard a single thing.
Milenka's brows furrowed, her ocean-blue eyes narrowing dangerously.
Without hesitation, she reached forward and grabbed his hair.
"Ouch! Millie! Stop, we'll fall down!"
Cathain yelped, trying to maintain his balance, but Milenka had no intention of mercy.
"Damn you! Cathain Dickhead!!"
"How dare you ignore me!!"
She yanked harder, a satisfied smirk playing on her lips as he struggled.
"Let me teach you a lesson—aaah!"
Before she could finish her sentence, Cathain stumbled, and in the blink of an eye, they both tumbled backward onto the soft sand.
The world stilled.
Cathain lay on his back, staring at the vast sky above, sighing in exhaustion.
A gentle nudge against his spine reminded him that Milenka was very much underneath him—and she was very much about to make him regret his existence.
He swallowed hard, bracing himself for the inevitable storm.
"Cathain Donavon… you bastard…"
Milenka's voice was low, her words drawn out through gritted teeth, making his hair stand on end.
He shut his eyes briefly, preparing for the hellfire that was about to rain down upon him.
It was going to be a long evening.
Cathain quickly stood, brushing the sand from his clothes before reaching out to Milenka, who was practically buried beneath his weight.
"It's not my fault… I warned you to stay still,"
Cathain murmured as he helped her to her feet.
Milenka, arms crossed, glared at him with smoldering frustration, but beneath the heat of her expression was something softer—uncertainty.
Even so, she allowed him to brush away the sand tangled in her dark brown hair and dust off the white fabric of her dress.
Cathain's fingers combed gently through her hair, his touch deliberate, yet his focus remained elsewhere—on the lingering irritation in her gaze.
"So, what were you saying?"
She narrowed her ocean-blue eyes at him, unimpressed.
"Why should I tell you now?"
His movements slowed, hesitation creeping into the space between them.
Then, he leaned in, bending just enough so that their eyes met entirely.
"Am I to take your silence as consent to our families' arranged marriage?"
The words hung in the air like an unexpected storm.
Milenka's breath hitched, her blue eyes widening in shock, a faint blush blooming at the edges of her cheeks.
"I never agreed to that! I'm not ready to marry anyone yet!"
Her voice cracked slightly, betraying more emotion than she intended.
Cathain blinked, caught off guard by her rejection to their marriage... once again...
He had expected resistance.
"Millie, we've been dating for two years. You still won't even acknowledge me as your boyfriend... Doesn't it bother you to leave me hanging like this?"
Cathain's voice carried both frustration and amusement, a quiet plea for recognition hidden beneath his teasing tone.
Milenka, however, was entirely unmoved.
"WHO IS DATING YOU?! YOU ARE STILL UNDER CONSIDERATION!"
The sharp declaration rang out loud enough to startle the passing seagulls.
Cathain sighed, crossing his arms as he gazed down at the fiery young woman before him.
After persistent pleading, Cathain had finally managed to secure consent from his father to propose marriage to Ethan Montgomery, Milenka's father.
Ethan, however, had merely raised an eyebrow and left the decision entirely to Milenka, refusing to interfere.
And so, here they were.
Bound by years of familiarity, an unspoken understanding, and an undeniable chemistry that had seamlessly woven itself into their lives.
Neither had made a move to confess.
Neither had officially labeled what they were.
Yet their bond had long since surpassed the realm of friendship—evolved into something more, something tangled in late-night business discussions, quiet shared meals, and stolen glances that neither dared acknowledge aloud.
Cathain exhaled, shaking his head.
"So what do I have to do to pass this so-called 'consideration' phase?"
Milenka shot him a glare, her ocean-blue eyes sharp, but the faintest hint of color bloomed on her cheeks, and Cathain's gaze suddenly changed.
Visions of a silver-haired girl with tear-stained jewel-blue eyes haunted him whenever he contemplated drawing nearer to Milenka.
She reminded him that her closeness was only due to her lack of memory of their past.
Cathain's dark eyes held an unspoken weight—an ache that lingered beneath the quiet strength he carried.
Milenka saw it.
Felt it.
Yet he refused to say a word.
The cold wind brushed against them once more, causing her white dress to sway elegantly, flowing like water as the sun inched closer to the horizon, bathing the sky in a golden glow.
A slight curve formed on her lips—not quite a smile, more an acknowledgment of what she was about to say.
"Who are you thinking about?"
Cathain flinched.
The question cut through him with startling accuracy, shaking him from his trance, forcing him to return to the present—to her.
His gaze flickered, uncertain, as he attempted to compose himself.
"No one..."
The words barely escaped him, unsteady.
Milenka sneered, the quiet disappointment in her expression far louder than any anger. She turned away, casting her gaze toward the endless sea, her head bowing slightly.
"I am not a fool, Cain…"
Her voice trembled, yet remained firm—a painful contrast.
"I recognize that look in your eyes. You seem lost when you gaze at me… as if you're not really seeing me—but searching for someone else within me..."
Her words spilled out in one breath, raw and vulnerable, as she fought back the tears threatening to fall.
Cathain remained still, his fingers twitching at his sides, unsure whether to reach for her or step away entirely.
In that moment, silence weighed heavier than words.
Clutching her dress tightly in her fists, she mustered the courage to meet his gaze once more.
"I HATE YOU, CAIN!"
Milenka's voice cracked as she screamed, her words slicing through the air like a blade. She turned sharply, fleeing in the opposite direction, her hair whipping with the force of her movement.
Cathain stood still.
His feet refused to move.
His chest tightened as he watched her figure retreat—only for another image to take her place, superimposing itself over his vision.
Eleanora.
Empress Eleanora Cathain Valentino,
Cold, indifferent jewel-blue eyes bore into his soul, piercing him deeper than any blade ever could.
"I will never forgive you, Cain… for killing me and… my child."
Cathain's breath hitched.
Pain exploded in his chest, crushing him from the inside. His knees buckled, giving way to the weight of his past, and he collapsed onto the sand.
The memories came like a flood—violent, merciless.
Handcuffed thin wrists, bound in iron, too cruel for the one who once smiled so brightly.
That shabby white dress, torn and stained, was clinging helplessly to her fragile frame.
The deafening roar of the crowd—cheering, laughing—celebrating her death.
His own hands—clutching the bloodied sword, the weapon that had ended her.
The world spun, drowning him in regret, suffocating him in something worse than grief.
A broken gasp left his lips as he snapped his eyes open, desperate to escape the torment.
The sea stretched before him, vast, endless.
And yet—
Not even its infinite depths could wash away the sins he carried.
'I am sorry, Elle... I have made you cry again...'
…
Cathain couldn't recall how he had made it back to their hotel room. The journey was a blur, a haze of unwelcome memories and unspoken emotions that clung to him like shadows.
Upon entering, his gaze immediately landed on Milenka's sleeping form.
She lay curled on her own bed, peaceful, oblivious to the turmoil within him.
The room was dimly lit, the golden glow of the bedside lamp casting soft warmth across her relaxed features.
With a sigh, he locked the door behind him and wandered into the bathroom, grabbing the hairdryer after noticing the damp strands clinging to her face.
"This girl… when will she ever learn to look after herself?"
The thought came as second nature, a quiet grievance laced with affection.
Sitting beside her, he carefully began drying her hair, fingers threading gently through the silken strands, watching them flutter under the warm breeze.
As his gaze settled on her side profile, his heart tightened.
Their faces bore similarities.
The sharp angles, the delicate features.
But their personalities were different.
Milenka laughed freely, unburdened by the weight of ghosts.
She spoke to him without hesitation, without walls.
She shone in a way she never had.
He had never seen her smile as brightly.
Never heard her speak without reservation.
Never witnessed her happiness—not truly.
And yet, despite the warmth of Milenka beside him—despite the present—he knew.
He would never be able to forget her.
"She is right; I'm searching for someone else in her,"
"My empress... whom I might never see again."
.
.
.
[A/N: PLEASE READ THIS NOTE!!
This is the story of the starting Cathain and Eleanora from the first volume of the book saving the abandoned empress; the one who was actually executed.
The second timeline's Eleanora only had this first timeline's Eleanora's memories and they were not the same as the first timeline's Eleanora was trapped in Abyss.
For those who are reading Season 02 directly without reading Season 01 can check out a few chapters from that book to know about this story better.
Season 01: Saving The Abandoned Empress.
CH 1-13 (The story before her execution, mostly from Eleanora's pov)
CH- 58, 75, 76, 119, 120, 122, 124, 137-138, 169-170 (The story after her execution from different characters pov and vision or dream)
CH 188 - 192 (The story after her execution, mostly from Cathain's pov)
CH 210 - 211 (The scene of their rebirth in the modern timeline)
Both timelines are the same, except for the main leads. So the starting is the same but the development and ending will be different. This season won't have anything that involves the first season drastically either]