Chapter 20: Answers

"There are two things, the first, all the duties, education and training of lord Killian will be given to me." I replied, looking at Killian.

"The second?"

"The second is I want to manage the business given by my father." I started looking straight into his eyes.

Everyone around me had a single question in their mind. If Cassius hated me so much, why did he marry me?

The truth was I fell in love with Cassius the moment I saw him for the first time in my coming of age ceremony.

He was the one I shared my first dance with. My mother was very perceptive as she realised my shy look. She told my father, marquess Essendon about my feelings towards him.

My father loved me dearly. So, he instantly requested a meeting with the duke. He proposed the marriage, but Cassius told him that he has already accepted marquess paulet wiltshire request for his daughter's hand and they were soon going to be engaged.

I felt heartbroken, but as the only daughter I had responsibilities to follow. So, rather than getting married I decided to be the heir of my fathers title.

Although it was not common but many higher nobles who didn't have a male heir were following this method.

But when I turned twenty four my father told me that Elizabeth died in an accident.

I knew I should be sad, and I felt a bit sad. But a large part of me turned hopeful. I Hoped that I still had the chance to marry the man I loved.

After waiting for two more years, my father went to the duke with the marriage proposal again. There he saw marquees Wiltshire again with his other daughter Isabella.

My father requested a private meeting with the duke and offered him his business in exchange for marrying me.

His position was eyed by many other dukes, as politics was a dirty place. Archduke had many other benefits of them. So tempted by fathers offer, he agreed.

After all, my father, in spite of being a marquees, was the richest businessman of the empire.

But he didn't tell me about his deal. And Like a fool I thought he accepted because he had feelings for me.

When he did not contact me ever, I always thought he was busy, he was a reserved person, he was shy.

I gave my heart every possible excuse and waited for my marriage. It was a dream come true moment for me.

But my castle of dreams was made up of glass.

I heard my parents talking, my mother was getting angry at my father. She wasn't sure of my future with a greedy man. But my father assured her by telling her that I would be treated like a queen.

Cassius was indebted to him, so he would take good care of me.

Like a fool again, I believed in his words. I believed that no matter what the reason was, I would be his wife in a few minutes. And he would love me sooner or later.

But that illusion was also broken by his cold behaviour and the scene he created in the marriage.

He denied to kiss me after taking the vows. He even abandoned me in our marriage party,like a prey among the hawks. Cruel man didn't feel an ounce of pity for me.

After all, I was just a girl, sheltered by my parents all her life.

That night I saw tears in my mothers eyes. It had broken me. I swore right there that I would get his love.

Blinded with all the betrayal, broken heart and desire to be loved. A simple innocent girl turned into a vile creature.

I wanted him to come to me and make love, to tell me that he needed me. If not love, he cared for me.

And the biggest hurdle on my way was Killian. So all my anger, my anguish, my hatred was poured on that poor soul.

I tortured him, always assigning my trusted people in his training ground to hurt him physically and mentally.

I berated him, rebuked him everytime we attended a function together. I tarnished his image. No boy of his age was ready to befriend him.

I tried every way to make Cassius realise that he would need another heir. And for that he would need me.

Each night I wore almost transparent clothes to gain a look from him, but all I got was loneliness, pain and abandonment.

But when Killian celebrated his coming of age ceremony, Cassius announced him as the next archduke, breaking my every dream.

That's when I crossed all the lines of sanity. And in my madness, I hired a mercenary to kill Killian.

That was the start of my end. Killian not only came home unscathed. But he even collected the proof of my schemes. I was sent to prison and then beheaded in front of whole empire.

But the strange thing was, I still waited for Cassius there, see! how crazy I was.

"Ha, so you are still greedy as always" his scornful voice broke my reverie.

That's when I realized there were tears in my eyes. Yet the man who took my parents business was calling me greedy.

Look at the nerve of this man. When I moved my hand to wipe my tears I realised it was trembling. My body was shaking. So I stopped right there, I could not show him my emotion.

The truth is even I was not sure, what I felt

'What was it? Fear, pain, love or regret!'

[many asked me about the reason for Cassius' hatred towards Marriane. Or why she was so mad. Hope this chapter answers your most of the query. At the same time it didn't look like an information dump. Do tell me your views and I will improve. Thank you for all the comments and love you are giving me.]