Chapter 14
Because There Is No Turning Back (3)
“….”
“You should be mindful. His Majesty is watching.”
“….”
Cassian closed his mouth again. It was a silent refusal—he would not smile under any circumstances. Fine. Veronica had no intention of forcing even that much.
The moment they stepped outside, Cassian immediately shook her off.
“You’re quite harsh, Your Highness. Tossing me aside like I’m some stray rat is rather hurtful. In times like this, you’re supposed to ask if I’m unwell and offer to take a walk with me.”
“Why would I do that?”
“Because we are engaged.”
“That engagement wasn’t something I wanted in the first place…”
His voice, mixed with frustration and anger, slipped through clenched teeth. Veronica reacted dramatically.
“My, Your Highness. There are many eyes and ears here. You should be careful what you say. And more importantly—does it really matter? What matters is that the world knows we are engaged.”
“Hah.”
Cassian let out a hollow laugh and turned his head away.
“I have no desire to continue this conversation with Lady Hardiness.”
“That’s unfortunate. I’d quite like to keep talking with you.”
“I do not.”
“How cold.”
Despite her words, Veronica did not look hurt. Cassian only looked exhausted.
“Still, thanks to me, you got out of the ballroom, didn’t you?”
Her excuse of feeling dizzy had been her own way of pulling them out. Inside the hall, all attention was focused on the controversial engagement couple. They couldn’t ignore the gazes, so unless there was a reason, they had to stay together until the banquet ended.
“I’m not particularly grateful.”
“Then shall we go back inside? I don’t mind.”
“I’m suddenly feeling dizzy myself. I’ll return first.”
Cassian pressed a hand to his forehead and turned away. Veronica calmly followed behind him.
“Since we’re already out here, at least show me around the palace.”
“I’m busy.”
“You were just saying you were dizzy.”
“I suddenly remembered urgent matters.”
“Then let’s put those urgent matters aside and spend some time together. Your fiancée came all this way to see you—shouldn’t you at least pretend to entertain me?”
“It cannot be postponed.”
Cassian’s face hardened as he gave a cold reply. Veronica stopped walking.
Cassian, however, kept moving—almost as if he had been waiting for that moment to escape.
“If you keep acting like this, His Majesty will be disappointed.”
Cassian froze.
“You know better than anyone how pleased His Majesty was about our engagement. If rumors of discord spread…”
She let the rest hang in the air.
Cassian turned back sharply, his expression now clearly angered. He understood exactly what she was doing—pressing on the fact that he could not disobey the Emperor.
Meeting his furious blue eyes, Veronica smiled sweetly.
“Now then, shall we go for a walk?”
Once they left the banquet hall building, they entered a corridor with one open side. Through it, the palace gardens stretched out in full view.
They walked side by side. It was technically a “walk,” though in reality it was stolen time.
A cool breeze carried the scent of flowers. Veronica smiled faintly, satisfied.
Beside her, Cassian wore an openly displeased expression. The same look he had worn when she first asked him to dance—clearly unwilling, but forced to comply.
He said nothing as they walked.
Eventually, Veronica spoke first.
“I sent you letters. Did you happen to read them?”
“Something arrived. I didn’t read them.”
As expected—but still infuriating.
“Why didn’t you read them?”
“I had no desire to. I also saw no reason to.”
“They’re from your fiancée. At least pretend to read them.”
“Why should I?”
“Because it’s polite.”
“I see. I didn’t know. Then I suppose I can continue being impolite to you, so please stop sending them. Frankly, throwing them away is bothersome.”
“….”
That was as good as confirmation of their fate.
Veronica stared at the back of his head.
Then she exhaled slowly.
“I really don’t understand why you treat me so coldly.”
She rested a hand on her cheek, feigning hurt. Cassian looked at her as if she were absurd.
“You truly don’t know?”
“Are you perhaps upset about an arranged engagement? But that’s common for people like us. Even if you hadn’t been engaged to me, you would have been married off to another noblewoman anyway.”
She spoke lightly, as if stating common sense.
“People rarely marry for love. Most noble marriages are arranged. Either they are matched young or made to appear like fated encounters when they come of age. It’s all the same in the end.”
Like Lady Arin, who had achieved a rare love marriage.
“So why are you acting like this?”
Veronica tilted her head innocently.
“Unless you believe marriage must be based on love? I didn’t think you were the romantic type.”
“….”
“Still, don’t be so upset. We can always build affection together. Isn’t that romantic in its own way?”
Cassian stopped walking and turned toward her.
“Do you have no shame?”
“Yes, I don’t.”
His expression twisted in disbelief.
“Is this because of Prince Roel?”
“If so, then there is even less reason to be ashamed. I once had feelings for him, yes—but I was never involved with him. You know that better than anyone, don’t you?”
“Do you know what feelings Asar had when he came to propose to you?”
“Do I need to know?”
Veronica replied casually.
“That man pursued you first. You sent him obsessive letters even after he refused, demanding to meet him. Because of your noisy infatuation, the whole empire knew—and even His Majesty heard of it. And after securing his proposal, you rejected it and then demanded to marry me instead. Do you think this is something that makes sense?”
“It makes perfect sense.”
Veronica Hardiness remained shameless.
Cassian laughed bitterly in frustration.
“Feelings can change at any time.”
“So now you’ll say you love me too? Another lie?”
“I have never lied about my feelings toward you.”
“That is the biggest lie of all.”
“….”
“Lady Hardiness. When exactly did we ever share feelings? When did we ever have real conversations? When did we ever exchange proper letters? The person you wrote letters to was never me—you know that better than anyone.”
Cassian threw her own words back at her.
Veronica only smiled.
“Then we can start now. We can talk now. And you can reply to all the letters I sent you up until now.”
“You are more shameless than I imagined.”
“Then let’s get to know each other better.”
“Don’t you dislike me?”
His tone sharpened again.
The air between them tightened.
Veronica’s smile faded.
“…You dislike me too.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I know exactly what I’m talking about.”
He stepped closer.
“Even if you act, you cannot hide everything. When we spoke alone at House Hardiness, I realized it. Your feelings toward me are not affection.”
“….”
“So why claim you love me? Why say your feelings shifted from Asar to me overnight? Do you really expect me to believe that? Tell me—why do you want to marry me?”
Veronica smiled again.
“Because I love you.”
Click.
Her heels sounded sharply as she closed the distance between them.
A faint sweetness brushed the air between them—whether from the wind or from her, he couldn’t tell.
Cassian’s blue eyes widened slightly.
Veronica looked up at him, smiling.
“I love you very much, Your Highness Cassian.”
Her crimson eyes—devoid of warmth—flashed brightly as she repeated the words.
Cassian let out a bitter laugh again.
“You really are still telling that lie.”
Then his gaze hardened completely.
“I dislike women like you.”
Cold, sharpened blue eyes filled with unmistakable disgust.
Veronica felt a familiar sense of déjà vu.
