Chapter 95: the lunch

"Because I know she is strong enough to handle me," I replied and he finally did not retort.

"That I can see, she is a wonderful lady, with wits, courage and beauty. You are a lucky man, Cassius" he added and I nodded.

These days I have seen her new version, otherwise, in the past, she only knew how to dress up and clung to me. It had been so irritating that I had to ask her to play dead or at least not show her face to me. But now... She looked different.

There used to be a dreamy look on her face but now there was disdain, like talking to me would only be a loss of time or words. Sometimes it made me wonder if she was such a good actress like Isabella or had she really been changed, but then how!

I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my chest and saw that his sword was touching my chest with a minor scratch there.

"Losing yourself in thoughts, in the middle of the battle, I had never expected this from you, Cassius. Never forget that the enemy would not spare a single chance to attack," he said and I bit my lip. This was the first time in history, that someone had disarmed me. Even her thoughts are Fatale to me.

What was I even thinking, whether she changed or not, it had nothing to do with me. She was here till I got rid of Isabella and her father and then I would divorce Marianne and pass the dukedom to Killian and leave this place forever.

"I must say, I underestimated your prowess Philp, were you playing weak before?" I asked and he chuckled.

"Only a fool would show his full power to the enemy at once, Cassius," he said and I nodded, this man was deeper than I had thought. I had to keep an eye on him now.

"Let's call it a day, I am famished," he said and I nodded.

"So, do you have lunch separately or are you going to join Marianne and Killian?" he asked.

"Alone, we don't have the same timing of lunch"

"Oh, but they must have just started lunch. You know I don't like eating alone. Moreover, I want to improve my relationship with all of you" he added and I stopped in my tracks, I did not want to give him company but then I could not let him go there alone.

"Why don't we both have lunch together?" I asked through gritted teeth.

"What will two men do if they have lunch together," he asked laughing, was there even a joke!

"Eat," I said the obvious and he looked at me as if I was crazy, in reality, he was the crazy one. I must be compensated to handle this weird creature all the time.

I had to tighten his schedule now.

"I mean, we could only talk about work, but if a family eats together, we can share other things" he explained and I wonder if it was about family lunch then where did he fit in.

"It's late, they must have already eaten," I stated, hoping it would end this discussion.

"It is possible, why don't we go and see, we can still join them for dessert," he added and I must say he was the second Isabella in my eyes now if we talk about clinging.

"It's alright Cassius if you like to have dinner alone, I understand" he stated and I finally took a breath of relief. "Go ahead, I will join Killian alone" he added and once again I wanted to clap for this man's courage.

"It's alright, you are our guest, I can at least give company to you," I said finally and his smile broadened.

We walked towards her chamber and I was sure she would look at us as the mother tiger looked when trespassers entered her territory.

"Your highness, his highness and royal highness of the Wusnaustan empire are here."

See, I had told you, her face looked like she had eaten something which she could neither swallow nor spew. It was just stuck in the throat.

"Let them in" at last, Killian was the one who spoke and gave her an assured look, which she returned with a reluctant smile.

Did she completely forget that this whole palace was mine? At the end of the day, I could go wherever I wanted to, I was just giving him some respect here.

We walked into the room as she bowed her head a bit.

"Your highness, Philip, it is a surprise to see you here." she took his name and my positional rank, what a contrast!

"We are here for lunch my lady." why did it feel that his tone had changed.

"Ah, but we just finished lunch," she added and my eyes fell on the spoon she had just put down, her plate was still filled more than half.

"Ah, Killian, are you done too?" he asked again, he was a great pushover now.

"I think I can still give you company, your grace, after all, you are our guest" he replied and I nodded, that's how it was expected to be, agreed to him yet showed him his place.

We sat and my eyes fell on Marianne, did she always look like that.

Her skin which was always painted like rainbows was looking supple pink. Her honey eyes were looking larger than usual, and her lips were looking redder than usual. Is it a chandelier effect or her skin was radiating? 

Her brown hairs were randomly falling over her neck, that curls were no less than waterfall, there was something different in her today. Her eyes fell on me, and I could see they were clear. Where did the malice that was always there go?

She was still staring at me as if staring straight into my soul. I should have retracted my gaze or looked at her with disdain but as I could not, there was something that was stopping and it did not feel wrong like it always did.