"It has always been like this," Skylia said to herself as she looked up at her family.

The crowd was so noisy as they shouted, "Kill her!" "Kill that monster!" "She threatened the royal family!" "Yeah! She deserves to die!" People surged towards Skylia, throwing rocks at her.

She didn't say anything and endured the harsh words and wounds to her body while blood dripped, staining her clothes. She just looked up at her father, the emperor, her stepmother, the empress, and her stepsiblings.

Her eyes and heart yearned for love, acceptance, and happiness, yet fate was cruel to her.

"Princess Skylia Emerald Y Edrea, the 5th princess of the Empire of Crystal, you are sentenced to death for threatening the royal family with dark magic. Do you have any last wish?" The judge said.

Skylia took a breath and said, "Greetings, my the Sun bless the empire. Your Majesty the Emperor," and looked back at them as her eyes filled with love.

"What is your last wish?" His Majesty replied with a cold tone.

Skylia smiled sweetly as if all her wounds disappeared. "For one last time, Your Majesty, just for once, can I call you father?" Her eyes filled with anticipation, yearning for the love she craved.

The council members began to reject her, saying that the emperor mustn't acknowledge a traitor like her. The empress and the princes followed suit.

The Emperor hesitated as he felt a slight break in his heart. "Yes, you may call me father," he finally conceded, ignoring the council's protests.

Skylia's face then lit up, giving her best smile, and finally said, "Thank...