Chapter 89: I Could Not Stop From Loving You

Chapter 89: I Could Not Stop From Loving You

You have to do it.

Cassadins quiet words shot through me like lightning.

I have to do it.

It was only then that I realized what Cassadin meant.

As we had seen earlier, Damian knew our true relationship, but the nobles here did not.

Because Cassadin took the initiative before Damian could expose the truth about our relationship, the nobles would believe what they were witnessing to be the truth.

Even now.

The noblewomen all had their hands covering their mouths in surprise, their eyes wide as they stared at me and Cassadin.

Sir Cassadin is hugging Lady Serkia!

Did Lady Serkia know about this? Why is she staying still?

Goodness gracious! How could such a thing happen? Though it is true that they are no longer family, had they not once been siblings?

Ahh, Sir Cassadin, my beloved

Countless voices of confusion echoed throughout the banquet hall.Updated from novelb(i)n.c(o)m

Cassadin loved the woman who had once been his sister, the one who had accepted him into her family.

The events that unfolded today would spread across the entire empire through the mouths of those present in the banquet hall.

And those people would change their opinion on this scandal based on my reaction to Cassadins behavior.

If I complied with what Cassadin suggested, then the reputation he had worked so hard to build would crash to the ground.

On the other hand, my reputation would remain unscathed. In fact, I might even earn sympathy from others.

I had been generous enough to take Cassadin, who was once a slave, into my family, only to have him regard me as a woman rather than a sister.

It would be close to impossible to recover Cassadins reputation once it plummeted.

And there was only one reason why Cassadin would do this, regardless of the consequences.

Because I do not want my selfishness to hold you back.

Right now, Cassadin is willing to sacrifice himself to protect me.

Even if that meant the Emperor might try to take back the authority he had given to Cassadin.

So that our relationship cannot be used as a weakness by Damian and the Emperor. He is doing this in front of all these people.

Cassadin was trying to protect me, throwing away everything he had worked to build until now.

As if it didnt matter what happened to him, as long as he could sacrifice himself to protect me.

Once I realized Cassadins intentions, an indescribable sadness washed over me.

Like he said, I had to do this.

If I did not push Cassadin away right now, then the people would alienate both of us.

It was much wiser to trick them completely than to allow it to become a weakness.

And the action Cassadin was asking me to take right now was something I had actually done to him in the past.

What you are doing right now, the way you are looking at me. Everything.

Pushing away the truth that Cassadin had shown me instead of his lies.

But this is over the line. Confessing to me. How could you do this to me after Ive

Pushing away his desperate confession.

All of them were things I had done in the past.

And they were also the same things I had to do once more.

Right now.

As soon as Cassadin finished speaking, I pushed his chest as hard as I could.

I quietly stared at him, worried about how hard I pushed him, and found a very faint smile on Cassadins face.

Finding relief in that expression, I was able to continue my act.

Cassadin!

I shot my eyes open and shouted at Cassadin, remembering when he had first confessed to me.

And toward that Cassadin, I gave the brightest, happiest smile I could muster and gently caressed his cheeks with my two hands.

In a small voice that only Cassadin could hear, I whispered to him.

Cassadin, I couldnt just carelessly throw away the reputation youve built up all this time. Id rather have my own reputation ruined. So please, follow my lead just this once.

Cassadin continued to stare down at me as if he couldnt believe what he was hearing. His face bore a questioning expression, and his eyes widened.

The answer was already set.

In a voice loud enough for every single person in the banquet hall to hear, I confessed my true feelings.

I love you. Not as a family or as a sibling, but as a man and a person, I love you.

The banquet hall, which had been deathly quiet a moment ago, erupted into chaos at my declaration.

Crash!

A noble, seemingly in extreme shock, dropped his glass. It made a ringing sound as it hit the ground, scattering shattered glass and red wine carelessly over the carpeted floor.

As the glass broke, the people who had been frozen in place came out of their trance and began to speak to one another in shock.

Wh-what did I just hear?

Lady Serkia just c-confessed to Sir Cassadin.

Have the two of them been fond of each other?

Since when?

Though they are unrelated now, they were once siblings. This is unbelievable!

People turned to look at me, then at Cassadin, and back at me again, their faces filled with horror.

The Crown Prince, who was also standing nearby, stared at me, his eyes wide.

Aren, you

I smiled happily at the stunned Crown Prince.

Then, turning back to the people who dared to judge me and Cassadin, I shouted loud enough for my voice to echo through the banquet hall.

Cassadin has done nothing wrong! This is all my fault.

The one who took Cassadin, when he was a gladiator slave, into my family was none other than me.

I turned to Cassadin and smiled again. Unlike me, Cassadin looked back at me with a sorrowful expression.

The purest of them all, he accepted and became tamed by me even though he knew I was using him from the beginning.

It was natural for Cassadin to develop feelings for me upon experiencing the warmth of a family. However

Just as you dont want to become my weakness, I would rather die than become yours.

I know this might just be me being selfish.

I glanced at Cassadins silver hair and, below it, at his eyes, which revealed his profound sorrow.

I will always remember those beautiful eyes that were no longer void of emotion.

It is unnatural for me to love Cassadin.

Several sighs echoed through the banquet hall following my words. The ladies who had their hopes set on Cassadin were now glaring at me with murderous intent, their lips trembling.

The noblewomen with feathered hats raised their fans to their mouths once more, murmuring about me yet again.

One of the nobles continued to cough, the wine he had consumed apparently having taken the wrong path.

The Crown Prince wore an unusual expression, one I had never seen before; his eyebrows were knitted together, and his chin quivered noticeably.

I have never once thought of Cassadin as family, which is peculiar considering I was the one who brought him here.

I no longer wish to be protected by you.

I would prefer to see my reputation tarnished than yours.

The Emperor cant dispose of me anyway.

After all, I possess healing abilities that can snatch someone back from deaths doorstep.

Cassadins eyes trembled intensely as he watched me. He looked fragile, as though a single touch could break him.

Gazing into those eyes, I made one final declaration.

If you are seeking someone to blame for this incident, direct it at me. Cassadin is the victim here.