Villains also get Second chance

Cassius pov

I have never thought that I could feel this much embarrassment in a single day! But as if the god had especially designed the whole day just to make me realise the apex of  awkwardness.

Now all I wanted was a moment of peace. Better that I sleep, I have not slept for the last 48 hours anyway. But before I could walk to bed, I heard her voice.

"Cassius, I want to know a few things from you."

I turned back to see her looking at me with strange calmness, which was not there when she had entered. 

I nodded and sat on the other sofa.

"What is it?"

"My store, I went there a few days ago. My father still has its ownership" she declared and my grip on the glass tightened.

"Why have you deceived everyone?" she asked and I smirked.

"So that I could deny Isabella from getting married and marry you." there must be a few things that were already in the open, better let the truth come out rather than hiding it further.

"But you could have denied her directly and married me, why do you need an excuse to do so? You are higher noble than both families. It was not like you can be forced?" she asked furrowing her brows, if only she knew!

"I have told you before too. I never liked Isabella but she has feelings towards me and wants to marry me. But I can not deny it directly because I do not want to create a rift in my relationship with Marquees Wiltshire." i replied telling the truth, though still a few things were hidden but what i said there was not a single lie in it.

"So, you told the lie that you are getting married to me for properties, so that they would let you get married without pressuring you to marry Isabella?" she asked with an uncertain voice and I nodded.

"And what about me?" she asked again, making me confused about what she wanted to know.

"What about you? You wanted to marry me, you got married to me. Everyone got what they wanted. So, isn't my lie beneficial to everyone?" i asked, as that was what her father had said when they came with the marriage proposal.

She chuckled as if she could not believe my words and I wondered what was there that was making her so exasperated!

"Marianne" I called and she looked at me as if she wanted to kill me right there.

"What is it?" her words were filled with poison, as if she had drank gasoline and now emitting fire.

'Did i say something wrong?!'

"The tea you were drinking from the Wiltshire family. Don't drink it, it is not good for health. In fact, don't take any gift from their family. Discard it even if it was taken" i explained and she chuckled.

"Why? They mix stimulants in it, that's why?" 

"If you know, then why did you drink the tea?" I asked, bewildered, there was no way that she would come to know about it later.

Stimulants are strong to keep you in its influence; you do not have the power to think further! But then..

"How did you know about the stimulants, Marianne?" I asked but she just chuckled.

"Why, are you worried about your relationship with marquees Wiltshire if his truth comes out?" Only then did I realise she again took me wrong.

"That is not the case, Marianne. I am worried about your safety. They are more dangerous than you can think, if they came to know that you have proof or facts then they can hurt you through other underhanded means' ' i tried to explain and her chuckling stopped.

She looked at me as if trying to see deep into my soul. But I was not afraid as my eyes were honest and sincere..

"Then why are you trying to protect them Cassius? Can't you see that Killian is getting affected? Can't you see that I was almost drugged? Can't you see how Isabella is trying to snatch everything from us?" she shouted and i could see the pain, anger, anguish in her voice. She was almost shaking from anger.

"I know everything Mari, but you have to trust me over this.'' I pleaded and she shook her head.

"No matter how many times I try to trust you, Cassius, you break it every time. Now it is your turn to trust me, and tell me the truth." she said and I nodded.

"I have already told you the truth Mari. The Wiltshires are dangerous and have political reasons to do everything. And I am just trying to protect you and Killian, and collect the proof. If that would not have been the case, I would have married Isabella, not you."

You always said that I married you for money. But now you know that I didn't have any single bronze coin of Essendsons. I never took any single thing from your family Mari. Even the gifts we received were all sent to your chamber." I explained but she continued to look at me.

Her silence was pinning me, I knew I was still hiding things from her. But no matter what I did, I did not have the ability to tell her about Elizabeth. I could not tell her that I was the root cause of my parents death. Except that I have told her everything.

"You mean if you get sufficient proof, then you will help me in getting them punished by the royals." she asked with a raised brow, finally looking calmer than before and I nodded.

"Even when they are one of the founding members of the empire and Isabella is one of the higher nobles" she asked again and I nodded with more confidence this time.

"Alright then, i will help you in achieving your aim"

"But I need a lot of proof Marianne, not just simple proofs against pie and cakes or slaps in the market." i added, remembering those cheap tricks yet she nodded.

"I still have my ways, your highness. You just wait and see, what this villain in red can do"

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