Villains also get Second chance

Marianne (pov)

I did not understand what made Cassius come here and sit with us. I had already sent a thank you note with lunch to him in his chamber, then why was he here? Did he not hate the crowd! Then why was he here trying to enter into the conversation, which was not related to him anyway?

If it would have been past, I would have been blushing, laughing and trying my best to be a good hostess and make him feel comfortable, but now his presence only annoyed me.

And if this was not enough, he wanted to celebrate our anniversary, so that the nobles would not talk, did he forget he had left me in the middle of our wedding party alone, or he had not danced with me in any ball party till now. When had nobles not talked about us, we had always been talk of the town!

'Marianne, the archduchess, who only got married because she was rich.

Duke and Duchess don't like each other.

Poor Marianne never got the love of her husband, she didn't even know the feeling of being a married woman.' I had heard these taunts and gossips for a long time.

I wonder if he had not heard them ever, it didn't seem to be possible, since Ian was the best information collector in the whole empire.

I started at Ian and he quivered. I sighed, I should not take out my anger on that poor soul, he had lost his whole family, parents, sister in the fire which had killed Cassius's parents. 

That was the time which had changed Cassius a lot before he was a warm person but soon the loneliness had turned him into a cold and ruthless person.

"If you don't want to have a dinner party, then I would not pressurise you, but then do you want us to nothing on our first anniversary, not that I am much interested, but we are on higher rank, and there are expectations from us," he added and I sighed.

He was right, we had to celebrate it to show the world. I felt Killian's hand on my lap and looked up to see, both Damien and Killian were giving me an assured smile.

I smiled back, there were many who cared for me, I could not disappoint them.

"Alright, we can have a dinner party," I replied, nodding.

"Good, I will ask Ian to manage it."

"It would not be needed, I will organise it myself," I replied and he raised a brow, but nodded.

Since I had to do it anyway, I would rather do it in my style. I would make sure he would remember the dinner he was dying to have.

I smirked and Dami shook his head, he must have guessed my thoughts, oh lord! Why did he always know what I was thinking? 

Rose chuckled and that was the indication she also knew my plan.

"Is there something worth laughing about sir Roselia?" asked Cassius. 

"People should laugh often, your highness, otherwise they would turn old sooner" I replied before Roselia and he looked back at me,

"This lunch is organised to talk and laugh together, your highness, this is not a meeting to pass the bills." I reminded him and he nodded, though I was sure he did not agree to me.

"Father, I was thinking, I shall start working in the boutique and art store you had given us during our marriage since a woman had better knowledge of clothes and fashion than a man." I started the topic and my father looked back at Cassius as if asking his permission, for which he shook his head.

"I think you already have enough on your plate, Marianne. You had recently taken over the duchess duties. You are also having a tea party, this weekend and in ten days you will again have a dinner party.

We will talk about this later, once you will have some free time." he made an excuse, which I knew because his tone was coaxing.

My father only used a coaxing tone when he was not going to fulfil my wish. If he just wanted to postpone it for a while, he would have just said so without giving explanations.

"Alright, but since I have to look good at the parties, why not visit those stores to see if there is something that would suit my taste?" I replied with a smile and again his eyes went to Cassius.

"Oh, my, how could I forget, I should ask his highness, after all, he is the owner now." I looked at Cassius and his face hardened.

"Shall I visit the store, your highness?" I asked and the hold on his fork tightened. 

I wonder why they were behaving so shady. Did something happen to stores, or had he already sold them?

"You would not want me to ask his majesty about the store again, right? '' I said and his eyes turned cold, but I was long habitual of his glares and cold words. I just felt bad for the people collected here, who would have thought that we would have a happy meal here.

But if I would not ask him in front of everyone, chances are I would never get to know about the stores, their silence and the looks they were giving each other, making me curious.

"I thought you would control your behaviour today Marianne, at least in front of everyone, but I can see, you are long gone habitual of been doing what you wanted, even enough to treat your husband like this. If you are so desperate to go to the stores, suit yourself," he spoke loudly but I just smiled.

"Thank you, your highness, I know you are wise enough to make the right choices," I replied with a bright smile completely ignoring the fact that he had insulted me in front of everyone.

He looked back at me and then continued having his meal, I thought he would always leave like always. So I was not the only one who was being habitual enough now, huh.

"Mari," my mother called me worried and I laughed, it was something she had never seen, but I am just used to it.