LYDIA'S POV

　　While Oleg knelt on the floor, his arrogance shattered, Kate stepped forward. Oleg looked at her with a glimmer of hope, expecting that, once again, she would save him out of love. But I could see the betrayal in her eyes. I knew that feeling all too well. As I felt the same when she betrayed me, I felt the same when Oleg betrayed me, when I almost lost my powers. When she chose Fiona over me, when Fiona betrayed me.

　　I understood what she was experiencing, so I didn't interrupt. She needed this moment, this closure. She walked slowly to him, each step measured and deliberate. Oleg, ever the manipulator, tried to draw her back into his web.

　　"Kat… my moon," he called, his voice dripping with false pity. "Look what your daughter has done. She's gone crazy. You know that I did this for us, you know that I love you."

　　I knew that whatever was about to happen would put the final nail in the coffin. Kate knelt in front of him, her face a mask of sorrow and confusion.

　　"Why?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

　　"What?" he asked, trying to maintain his facade of innocence.

　　"Why did you do it?" she asked again, louder this time. "I knew you wanted the throne, but I thought you wanted to rule the kingdom with me by your side. Then why?"

　　Oleg's eyes flickered with uncertainty, but he quickly masked it. "I did it for us, Kat. For our future."

　　"No," she said, shaking her head. "You did it for yourself. You betrayed me, the kingdom, and everything we stood for."

　　Her words cut through the silence, heavy with the weight of her realization. Oleg's manipulative charm faltered, and his true nature laid bare. He opened his mouth to speak, but she silenced him with a raised hand.

　　"I gave up everything for you," she continued, her voice gaining strength. "I betrayed my mate, my powers, and my throne. And you? You used me. You used every one."

　　Oleg's mask of calm began to crack, his desperation showing. "Kat, please. We can still be together. We can—"

　　"No!" she interrupted, her voice firm. "We are finished, Oleg. You have destroyed everything, and you will pay for your crimes."

　　Her words echoed through the hall, and I felt a surge of respect for her. Despite her mistakes, she was reclaiming her strength and her dignity. The people watched in stunned silence, the reality of Oleg's treachery sinking in.

　　"You were right, Lydia," she said, turning to me. "I was blind, but now I see the truth. I can't believe this wretched person!"

　　I nodded, feeling a mix of sadness and relief. "It's never too late to make things right."

　　Kate stood up, her posture regal and resolute. She looked down at Oleg, who now seemed small and powerless. The tables had turned, and karma had finally caught up with him.

　　"Mother, I will soon declare his punishment. I don't think you should stay here," I asked, trying to mask the turmoil in my heart.

　　"Wait, I need to ask him a few questions," she said, stopping me. My heart stopped for a moment. Is she planning to forgive him once again?

　　"Um…sure," I said, but my heart was in turmoil and I guess my mother sensed it.

　　"Don't worry, I won't sway this time. I have realized what he did but I just need my closure." She reassured me, and I nodded, though uncertainty still gnawed at me.

　　She stepped towards Oleg and looked him in the eyes. "Kate… my moon, my love. Please listen to me…" he began, but she cut him off.

　　"Stop with the drama, Oleg. I know what you are trying to do. I just need to know why did you do it? Was any of it real? The moments you spent with me? I did everything you said, but you never loved me or was that too apart of your plan?" she questioned, her voice steady yet filled with pain.

　　Oleg smirked, a twisted satisfaction in his expression. "No! None of it was real, Kate! Yes, it was all a part of plan And you were just a pawn in this game Originally, I wanted to keep you but then you became too clingy." he mocked. He had finally accepted his fate, realizing that he could no longer fool my mother.

　　"Then why?" she demanded, her voice rising with each word.

　　"Because I needed you as my shield. You were grieving your daughter's and your mate's loss, so I kept my eyes on you. I needed someone from the Rufus family to hide my sins and I found you at the perfect time. You were mourning, Rufus didn't pay attention and you weren't receiving the support that you needed from your mate. I took advantage of that situation and got close to you. I filled your mind with all those fake scenarios that portrayed Rufus as a bad mate and you started hating him and fell for me eventually. I used you and your body for my own needs."

　　Kate's face twisted in a mix of anger and heartbreak. "You used me?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "You exploited my grief, my vulnerability? And I blindly trusted you, I loved you with all my heart that I betrayed my true mate for you."

　　"Yes," Oleg said, his tone devoid of any remorse. "Like Lydia, you were fragile and always depended on others. I knew I could use you as a tool. Your daughter though is a better judge of character than you. You were a fool and trusted me blindly that you even started drinking the poison laced tea willingly."