Chapter 394 The Cat Is Out Of The Bag

"Do you think I won't find out one way or another, Aries?"

<strong>CLANG!</strong>

The sound of porcelain breaking caressed Aries's ears, but unable to dwell on the stabbing pain in her back as Joaquin pressed his hand into her throat. His eyes were glinting, sneering as he pressed his body against hers to make her feel the shards piercing through the fabrics of her clothes and onto her skin.

Aries winced, feeling sharp pieces of glass dug deeper into her back. "Joaquin…" she gasped, digging her nails into his wrist.

"What are you… saying…?" came out a muffled voice through her gritted teeth, still denying the truth until this very second. "… can't breathe…"

"I've been asking myself since this morning what I should do with you, my Aries. I told myself I will play along, but… I can't help it." Joaquin frowned, watching how her face turned completely red, and yet she was still denying it. "I need to punish you for being so, so naughty, right? You know my rule, my favorite. You can't just fucking play with my fucking head and get away with it."

"Stop… I can't… breathe…" Her eyes heated as she ground her teeth. In this situation, Aries felt like reliving those haunting days with him. The days he would try to kill her or at least make her suffer to the brink of death, only to let her live for more horror.

Her body trembled at the thought that was slowly manifesting in her. Her brain was screaming at her to fight, loudly and hysterically, reminding her she had overcome this already. She shouldn't let this trauma devour her again and make her return to how she was.

'Don't grit teeth your teeth anymore…' her own voice came to her head as one tear rolled down her temple. 'Fight now. It's alright to fight now, Aries… it's alright… you made it this far.'

Aries gasped once more and slowly let his hand go. She moved her eyes to the side, catching a knife in the area that was left untouched by them. Aries returned his gaze and ground her teeth while slowly creeping her hand to reach for the cutlery.

But alas, just when she touched the cold silvers with her fingertips, Joaquin released her neck and grabbed her hand. Without a second hesitation, he pinned her hands over her head.

"You think I won't notice, my love?" he sneered deviously, enjoying the hatred resurfacing in her eyes. "You want to strike me? But that's bad!"

Aries spat at his face. "You will regret this, Joaquin," she warned with a shaking voice. "You… will regret this."

"Will I?" he laughed, lowering his head until his face hovering over her was only a palm length away. "How will you make me regret my love? Shouldn't I be the one telling you that?"

His laughter grew even more sinister. "You were good — always so perfect. But sometimes… your stubbornness just ruins it all. I mean, what's there to lose, Aries? I fucked you many times. You can't even count, and we even had a child together." His lips stretched until his teeth were showing.

"If not for those arts on your body to hide your shame, I will never find out, my love. Never." Joaquin lowered his face, brushing the apex of his nose against hers. His mouth fell open, inhaling her deep breaths.

"It's alright. I am not as angry as you think I was." He calmed down and breathed out. "I missed you, Aries. You have no idea and I am so excited to have you back in my arms."

Aries clenched her teeth as his weight pressed on her, making the shards underneath her body sink deeper.

"This time, I promise, I will never let you go," he whispered, running the tip of his nose to her cheek, feeling even more excited at the vibration of her body against his. "I'll still marry you just as planned and make you my queen. This time, I will prove to you just how much I love you."

"I'm not… Aries," she denied through her gritted teeth, staring daggers at him as he pushed himself away. He frowned the moment their eyes met.

"You're still going to deny it?" he sighed like a maniac whose confused about which demon should control him today.

"I'm not…" Her chest moved in and out heavily, holding his gaze fearlessly. "… not Aries. You're crazy, Joaquin."

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"Your Royal Highness!"

Suddenly, a voice rang from the entrance, followed by the sound of a sword being unsheathed. Her eyes shook and when she blinked, she saw a blade pressing against the side of Joaquin's neck. Her gaze moved up to the sword's handle and to the person wielding it.

Climaco.

"Let her go!" Climaco's eyes burned with rage, pressing his sword against Joaquin's neck fearlessly. The crown prince quirked a brow, casting the knight an indifferent look.

"And who are you?" Joaquin asked out of plain curiosity, studying the knight's suit that was wearing the empire's pride.

"I am the captain of the second squadron, Your Royal Highness. And the man who pledged to protect my master against anyone who attempts to harm her." Climaco's heart thudded, but he maintained his composure at this unknown courage swelling in his chest. "Let her you, Your Royal Highness."

"The captain of the second squadron… right? You're the one who replaced the previous captain under the orders of the crown princess." Joaquin smirked, unfazed by the sword on his neck. "Were you asking me, the crown prince, to let my wife go?"

"Climaco," Aries called, but Climaco stood proudly before Joaquin.

"Yes, I am demanding you let her go." Climaco swallowed down the frustrating fear in his throat, fighting the tremor in his hand. "Or I will not hesitate to thrust my sword into your neck."

"You have some balls." Joaquin laughed. "Amusing."

As soon as the last syllables escaped the crown prince's lips, knights from outside rushed inside and surrounded the table where Aries was pinned down, Joaquin holding her, and Climaco holding his sword at the crown prince. The knights instantly drew their swords.

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And yet, Climaco was unfazed as he kept his eyes on Joaquin. Aries was his master, and for once, he wouldn't close his eyes and look away from this insolence. This was to honor his vow as a knight to protect his master, even if it meant death.

'Damn it!' Aries cursed internally, twisting her ankle since she had no choice but to get herself and her knight out of it. There was no point in keeping this act. But just before she could make a move, another familiar voice came into the scene.

"What the hell is going on in here?" Ismael gasped, looking around the dining hall surrounded by knights. When his eyes fell on the table, his pupils dilated seeing a knight threatening the crown prince's life, and then Joaquin pinning down Aries.

That second, Ismael's heart thudded and then caught Aries's gaze.

"Oy, oy… what the hell are you doing?"