Chapter 273: hidden secrets of Killian

Marianne pov contd

I walked further looking at myself who was drinking tea and turned hazy.

So that's why i did not remember helping Lina, i felt glad that i had tried. But upset too that in the end the girl did not leave me like others.

I was myself laying there peacefully like it was another day, though I was panicking so much before that.

I sighed and roamed around. Hiding from the eyes of the people. I walked back to the chamber of Cassius and entered from the back door. As Ian had said the room was empty. Here I had always thought that he was lying because he did not want to meet me.

I moved to Killian's chamber from there. He was sitting there silently in front of the fireplace. His face was cold and blank like always.

Lost in his thoughts, he was looking at the flames and his eyes seemed to be burning. There was a portrait in his hands but he was not looking at it anymore. I moved to see whose portrait was that but before I could do so, he tore it into pieces and threw it in the fire. His eyes were truly burning this time as he threw all the things around him in the fire. 

I stood there struck dumb at his sudden outburst. What had happened to him?

Even when I was killed in front of him he didn't even bat an eyelid. All the time when i used to torture of humiliate him, he never said anything. As if he was devoid of emotions. He could not feel anything i say or do.

Then what happened today that had made him too agitated? Was it because I sent assassins to kill him? Or there was something else. I moved towards the fire to see if I could save a part of the portrait to see who was that but it was too late.

I shagged as I decided to move from there. 

I wandered around looking for the reason why I was here but the palace was too silent and at last I returned to myself.

Myself was still sleeping there peacefully, when the knights came and took her away. Once, I ended up in the underground dungeon. I followed her and sat there silent as myself finally understood the gravity of the hammer and started crying. Slowly I fell asleep there. 

I opened my eyes to find myself standing in the plaza again. But the difference was i was not on the stage that was set for my death penalty. I was just standing there in the open. I could see the crowd getting collected. 

They were all cursing me and praising Killian, then I saw him coming and taking his seat. The same cold eyes I had long forgotten. The same nonchalant look.

I walked with the other people trying to hide my face in case anyone recognised me, but what I noticed was they were not able to see me. They could pass through me easily.

It helped me in moving further and easily with confidence. I walked up to the stage when I saw the decree was read. 

I saw myself crying there. And at last I was beheaded. The crowd started dissipating slowly. Soon Killian stood up, but instead of leaving he walked towards my corpse. 

I thought he was coming to rebuke, or smirk at me. Or maybe he was coming to hit the dead body, though I felt bad. I did try to justify his actions. But my eyes widened when I saw him kneeling in front of the body and gently touching my face.

He was looking as if he was pained to see me like that. WHY? He looked like he was pained HOW AND WHY? Was the not the one to do that to me. Did I even see a tear there?

I looked at him stunned as he sat there like a kid who was very hurt. But I still did not get any sense from it.

"You must take care of yourself and me when you come back.. I will wait for you and we will start again. In the next life be a good mother." he added as he bent and kissed my lifeless head that had even lost color and warmth because of being detached from my body.

Only he was sitting there and no one else was there when I heard footsteps. I turned to see Isabella coming there in her high heels. There was a smug smile on her face. As if she had won everything she wanted.

He waltzed there looking at my corpse with a satisfied expression and then put her hand on Killian's shoulder. 

"I have given you enough time to say goodbyes, son. Now come with me and let us rule the empire." she said with a smile, "your father and my husband are waiting for us in the carriage. He is too ashamed to come here. Come join us now, will you?" she said and her grip on his shoulder tightened. Her nails dug on his shoulder as she forced him to stand up.

He nodded and stood up. She moved and kicked my lifeless body with contempt and I saw Killian turning and looking at her action with hurt expressions but did not say a word.

I stood there thunderstruck. What just happened, why was Killian feeling sad for me? Had he not hated me all these years? Was he not the one to ask the emperor for my death penalty and also asking for being beheaded rather than hanged. 

As a duchess it was extreme but I thought it was because of his hatred towards me. But then should he not escalate. And why was Isabella ordering him..?!!

I continued to look at them as they walked towards the carriage. But then I remembered her words, that Cassius was waiting for them in the carriage. So I walked towards the carriage behind them.