Villains also get Second chance

As I walked out of the duchess chamber, my thoughts were in a mess. Marianne had asked me to not interfere in her life anymore. She had said that she would not come to my chamber, to share the room anymore.

I had gone there to taunt her for her one more act of getting ill. but as we spoke to each other, she demanded to stay away with her.

I knew that instant there was something amiss. In the past year, she had left no chance of creating a scene.

Whenever a guest arrived at the palace, she would cling to me. If I did not let her or ignore her then she would bawl her eyes out and convince everyone with those fake tears that she was mistreated.

I had given her enough monthly expenditure, all the luxuries, good ambience, large palace and did not even ask her to work as a duchess, yet she was always scheming with her crocodile tears, and now she was telling me that she had changed overnight.

What did she take me for, a three-year-old kid?

Since then, I had started keeping an eye on her, the library was just behind her garden where she often spent time these days. So I started going there whenever I had a hard time.

The late sun was still warm. As its orange glow covered the whole area. I currently stood next to a sunny window sill and looked at the garden of the duchess chamber. You ask what am I doing on the library's roof at this time.

But this was the only place from where the duchess could be seen. I was watching Marianne sitting there with her eyes closed. If she would not have been humming a song, I would have thought she was asleep.

But the good thing was she did not seem to realise that she was being watched. No, from the start she was far too busy writing something on the parchment she had in her hands all the time these days.

Then she opened her eyes with a start and started looking at a particular direction with keen eyes. When I followed her gaze, she was looking at Killian. It had been 10 minutes and she was still looking at him, hardly even blinking her eyes.

This was not even the first time he had witnessed this behaviour.

She had even sent her three close maids to work in Killian's chamber. She must be keeping a close eye on him. These days she just roams around his chamber all the time with one reason or the other.

Was that woman trying to spy on Killian? What was she planning?' I bit my lips unconsciously as my spy's wording came to mind.

She had gifted her marriage gifts to her maids. Such costly gifts are never given without rhyme or reason. She must be using them to plan something big.

There were some who believed that she had been changed, but I did not believe it even for a second.

Marianne truly seemed to hate Killian. She would stare at him for an extended period of time, then spend a long time circling around the garden lost in her thoughts. Then she would run and start writing in the parchments.

So, this was how that woman released her murderous feelings? Just when Killian passed from there, she bit her lip and then threw the glass of water on the floor.

Her expressions were contorted. She was purely evil. Her expressions were looking like the devil from hell. My blue-grey eyes turned cold when I saw her behaviour.

So she still hates Killian after all.

I could not really understand what was going through Marianne's mind. She was jealous of my first wife. When hating the dead did not turn out to be enough, she directed her hatred towards the living.

She even screamed at me once, asking if I would want to have a child with her if I didn't have an heir anymore.

There was no way a woman like that would change so easily. As I was contemplating all this, my aide, Ian, came running towards me.

"His highness"

"Speak," I replied curtly as I still needed time to watch them.

Look at the way she was sweetly smiling now, looking at Killian. And why was he going to her chamber?

"Were they going to have dinner together?" I spoke out loud this time.

"His highness" tilted his head and followed my gaze. Then nodded.

"Yes, your highness. Her highness had invited lord Killian for dinner," he replied, bowing his head.

My fingers clenched as I thought about her future plans, 'was she going to mix poison in his food. But she was not a fool to do that in her chamber. Right?"

"So what shall we do, your highness." Ian waited for my instructions as he finished his report.

But I was so lost in my thoughts that I had not even heard a word.

"Repeat"

Ian nodded, knowing well the meaning behind my smallest expression.

"Your highness, after three days, during the time of the royal tea party, there was a new delegation coming to check if the empress and her brother had settled well.

The previous emperor had asked you to handle the matter. So what shall I reply to them, your highness." he asked, bowing his head again.

"Since the order is already given, what is there to think about? Start preparations to give them a warm welcome." With that, I descended the stairs and walked toward the duchess chamber.

Ian was confused, but he knew better to ask any questions.

[hey, I am trying to keep it short by just showing his views and not repeating the whole scene based on his POV. But if you want to see a particular scene from his POV, then leave a comment.

Also tell me, how did you find Cassius POV. thank you]