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the Villainess they took for granted

Chapter 68: No More Pretending · Oct 27, 2026

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Chapter List (304)

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51 Chapter 51: The Morning After 2026-10-27
52 Chapter 52: The Last Day 2026-10-27
53 Chapter 53: Before Morning 2026-10-27
54 Chapter 54: When Morning Comes 2026-10-27
55 Chapter 55: The Return 2026-10-27
56 Chapter 56: The Invitation 2026-10-27
57 Chapter 57: Seeing You Again 2026-10-27
58 Chapter 58: Moonlight and Consequences 2026-10-27
59 Chapter 59: Dangerous Things 2026-10-27
60 Chapter 60: Uncomfortable Things 2026-10-27
61 Chapter 61: Habits 2026-10-27
62 Chapter 62: Anticipation 2026-10-27
63 Chapter 63: Arrival 2026-10-27
64 Chapter 64: Appearances 2026-10-27
65 Chapter 65: Distance 2026-10-27
66 Chapter 66: After 2026-10-27
67 Chapter 67: Questions 2026-10-27
68 Chapter 68: No More Pretending 2026-10-27
69 Chapter 69: Panic 2026-10-27
70 Chapter 70: Eye Contact 2026-10-27
71 Chapter 71: Things She Never Asked 2026-10-27
72 Chapter 72: The Distance Between Them 2026-10-27
73 Chapter 73: The Cost 2026-10-27
74 Chapter 74: Tomorrow’s Answer 2026-10-27
75 Chapter 75: Standing Still 2026-10-27
76 Chapter 76: Tomorrow 2026-10-27
77 Chapter 77: Morning 2026-10-27
78 Chapter 78: The Last Quiet Evening 2026-10-27
79 Chapter 79: The Truth 2026-10-27
80 Chapter 80: The Name 2026-10-27
81 Chapter 81: I Don’t Agree 2026-10-27
82 Chapter 82: Consequences 2026-10-27
83 Chapter 83: After 2026-10-27
84 Chapter 84: The Morning After 2026-10-27
85 Chapter 85: Homeward 2026-10-27
86 Chapter 86: Home 2026-10-27
87 Chapter 87: Father 2026-10-27
88 Chapter 88: A Father’s Problem 2026-10-27
89 Chapter 89: The Missing Piece 2026-10-27
90 Chapter 90: What Happens Next 2026-10-27
91 Chapter 91: The Crown Prince’s Decision 2026-10-27
92 Chapter 92: Silence 2026-10-27
93 Chapter 93: Certainty 2026-10-27
94 Chapter 94: The Price 2026-10-27
95 Chapter 95: The Palace 2026-10-27
96 Chapter 96: Yours 2026-10-27
97 Chapter 97: Waiting 2026-10-27
98 Chapter 98: The Price II 2026-10-27
99 Chapter 99: The Answer 2026-10-27
100 Chapter 100: The Next Move 2026-10-27

Chapter 68: Chapter 68: No More Pretending

For several moments neither spoke.

The garden remained quiet.

The distant sounds of the hunting lodge seemed impossibly far away.

Marian suddenly became aware of how ridiculous this was.

Three days alone in a forest.

Countless conversations.

Hours spent together.

And somehow this felt more difficult.

Because the forest had been simple.

This wasn’t.

”Well,” Cassian said finally.

Marian almost laughed.

The sound startled both of them.

Because it broke the tension.

A little.

Only a little.

”That was a terrible opening.”

”I know.”

”You usually do better.”

”I am having an unusually difficult morning.”

The answer came so quickly Marian looked up.

Cassian’s mouth twitched.

”You’re laughing.”

”You deserve it.”

”Probably.”

The exchange felt familiar.

Comfortable.

Dangerously comfortable.

For a brief moment, both relaxed.

Then reality returned.

The silence that followed was different.

Heavier.

Cassian looked toward the gardens.

Then back at her.

”You’re avoiding everyone.”

Marian raised an eyebrow.

”So are you.”

”An unfortunate coincidence.”

”A remarkable one.”

”Truly.”

Neither believed him.

The realization lingered between them.

Because both knew this wasn’t an accident.

Neither had come here by accident.

Neither had followed by accident.

For the first time, neither pretended otherwise.

”Marian.”

Her breath caught.

Because he almost never used her name.

Not like that.

Not when they were alone.

Not without teasing attached to it.

Slowly she looked back.

And immediately wished she hadn’t.

Because Cassian was looking at her differently.

Honestly.

Which was somehow worse.

”Are we going to keep pretending?”

The question landed softly.

Yet Marian felt it like a physical blow.

Because she knew exactly what he meant.

The terrace.

The library.

The forest.

The dinner.

Everything neither of them had acknowledged.

Marian swallowed.

”I don’t know.”

The answer was honest.

Painfully honest.

For a moment neither spoke.

Then Marian surprised herself.

”When did it happen?”

Cassian was silent.

Then he laughed softly.

Without humor.

”At first I thought it was the forest.”

Marian’s heart skipped.

”Then I thought it was before the forest.”

The smile faded.

”And eventually I realized I was asking the wrong question.”

Marian held his gaze.

Then Cassian said quietly:

”It stopped mattering when it started.”

Silence.

The words settled heavily between them.

Dangerous.

Honest.

Impossible to take back.

Marian looked away first.

Toward the garden path.

Toward the trees.

Anywhere except him.

Because suddenly she couldn’t breathe properly.

The future she had been imagining all night pressed against her thoughts.

And before she could stop herself, the question slipped out.

Lightly.

Almost carelessly.

As though it meant nothing.

”What if I simply broke off the engagement?”

Cassian blinked.

For a moment he genuinely looked confused.

Not by the question.

By the way she asked it.

As casually as one might discuss the weather.

Then he noticed her expression.

And immediately understood.

This was not a joke.

Not entirely.

”Lady Marian.”

The warning came automatically.

Marian laughed.

A little too quickly.

A little too lightly.

”See?”

Cassian narrowed his eyes.

”See what?”

”That reaction.”

”That reaction is entirely appropriate.”

”It probably is.”

Neither smiled.

Because neither was joking anymore.

Cassian stared at her for several seconds.

Then asked quietly:

”Are you serious?”

The question should have startled her.

Instead Marian found herself strangely calm.

Because she had spent months thinking about Adrian.

Months thinking about Elena.

Months thinking about the future she had expected her entire life.

And somewhere along the way she had already begun letting go.

Not all at once.

Little by little.

Painfully.

Quietly.

The kiss the previous evening had only confirmed what she already knew.

Something had changed.

Irreversibly.

Marian folded her hands behind her back.

”We’re still talking about how it happened.”

Cassian remained silent.

”Whether it started before the forest.”

A pause.

”Or after it.”

The corner of Cassian’s mouth twitched faintly.

Because that was exactly what they had been discussing.

”But that’s not really the problem anymore.”

”No,” Cassian admitted.

”It isn’t.”

Marian’s gaze drifted toward the horizon.

For a moment she seemed to be choosing her words carefully.

Then she laughed softly.

A quiet sound.

Almost self-deprecating.

”I know exactly what happens if I stay.”

The Crown Prince.

The palace.

The life she had expected since childhood.

The life she had spent years preparing for.

The life she had once wanted.

Marian looked down at her hands.

Then back at him.

”What worries me isn’t Adrian.”

Cassian went still.

Because that was not what he had expected her to say.

Marian’s smile was faint.

Tired.

Honest.

”I already know I can let him go.”

The words hung between them.

Difficult.

Unavoidable.

”I think I’ve known that for a while.”

For a moment neither spoke.

Then Marian continued quietly.

”The problem is what comes after.”

Her gaze met his.

Steady.

Unflinching.

”If I walk away from that future...”

A pause.

”...am I walking toward you?”

Silence.

The question settled between them.

And suddenly the entire conversation changed.

Because Marian had not intended to confess.

Yet somehow she had.

Not her feelings.

Her choice.

For the first time, Cassian forgot every prepared answer he had ever possessed.

Because this was no longer about wanting her.

No longer about liking her.

No longer about feelings.

This was about a future.

And for the first time, Marian had placed one directly in front of him.

The terrifying part was that she trusted him enough to ask.

When he finally looked away, it was only because he needed a moment to breathe.

Needed time to think.

Because unlike Marian, he had never allowed himself to imagine that future completely.

Not seriously.

Not until now.

A faint smile touched Marian’s lips.

Small.

Tired.

Almost apologetic.

”You don’t have to answer now.”

Cassian frowned.

Marian held his gaze.

Then said quietly:

”But think about it.”

The words settled between them.

Simple.

Reasonable.

Terrifying.

Because for the first time neither of them was talking about feelings anymore.

They were talking about a future.

And somehow that was far more dangerous.

A/N: ok, at this point, I just want to say.... finally! Haha! Anyone here with me? Say Hi!

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