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the Villainess they took for granted

Chapter 224: v2- - 43: the emperor’s decision II · Oct 27, 2026

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Chapter List (304)

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201 Chapter 201: v2- - 20: his private chambers III 2026-10-27
202 Chapter 202: v2- - 21: choose me, everytime 2026-10-27
203 Chapter 203: v2- - 22: certainty 2026-10-27
204 Chapter 204: v2- - 23: breakfast I 2026-10-27
205 Chapter 205: v2- - 24: breakfast II 2026-10-27
206 Chapter 206: v2- - 25: breakfast III 2026-10-27
207 Chapter 207: v2- - 26: a small packet I 2026-10-27
208 Chapter 208: V2- - 27: a small packet II 2026-10-27
209 Chapter 209: v2- - 28: free to choose 2026-10-27
210 Chapter 210: v2- - 29: the second test I 2026-10-27
211 Chapter 211: v2- - 30: the second test II 2026-10-27
212 Chapter 212: v2- - 31: the second test III 2026-10-27
213 Chapter 213: v2 - 32: the second test IV 2026-10-27
214 Chapter 214: v2- - 33: the second test V 2026-10-27
215 Chapter 215: v2- - 34: The second test VI 2026-10-27
216 Chapter 216: v2- - 35: the third test I 2026-10-27
217 Chapter 217: v2- - 36: the third test II 2026-10-27
218 Chapter 218: v2- - 37: the fourth test 2026-10-27
219 Chapter 219: v2- - 38: the fifth test I 2026-10-27
220 Chapter 220: v2- - 39: the fifth test II 2026-10-27
221 Chapter 221: v2- - 40: the fifth test III 2026-10-27
222 Chapter 222: v2- - 41: aftermath 2026-10-27
223 Chapter 223: v2 - 42: the emperor’s decision I 2026-10-27
224 Chapter 224: v2- - 43: the emperor’s decision II 2026-10-27
225 Chapter 225: v2- - 44: the emperor’s decision III 2026-10-27
226 Chapter 226: v2- - 45: the emperor’s decision IV 2026-10-27
227 Chapter 227: v2- - 46: the emperor’s decision V 2026-10-27
228 Chapter 228: v2- - 47: more than sufficiently 2026-10-27
229 Chapter 229: v2- - 48: morning after I 2026-10-27
230 Chapter 230: V2- - 49: morning after II 2026-10-27
231 Chapter 231: v2 - 50: Morning after III 2026-10-27
232 Chapter 232: v2 - 51: lunch 2026-10-27
233 Chapter 233: v2- - 52: a moment of peace 2026-10-27
234 Chapter 234: v2 - 53: a father’s concern I 2026-10-27
235 Chapter 235: v2 - 54: a father’s concern II 2026-10-27
236 Chapter 236: v2 - 55: a father’s concern III 2026-10-27
237 Chapter 237: v2 - 56: a father’s concern IV 2026-10-27
238 Chapter 238: v2 - 57: days in passing 2026-10-27
239 Chapter 239: v2 - 58: the Imperial wedding 2026-10-27
240 Chapter 240: v3 - 1: the man who survived I 2026-10-27
241 Chapter 241: v3- - 2: the man who survived II 2026-10-27
242 Chapter 242: v3- - 3: the arena I 2026-10-27
243 Chapter 243: v3- - 4: the arena II 2026-10-27
244 Chapter 244: v3 - 5: arena fighters I 2026-10-27
245 Chapter 245: v3- - 6: arena fighters II 2026-10-27
246 Chapter 246: v3- - 7: Arena fighters III 2026-10-27
247 Chapter 247: v3 - 8: The deathly course I 2026-10-27
248 Chapter 248: v3- - 9: the deathly course II 2026-10-27
249 Chapter 249: v3 - 10: the deathly course III 2026-10-27
250 Chapter 250: v3 - 11: the deathly course IV 2026-10-27

Marian stopped mid-step.

The music had stopped.

For a moment, she simply stood there, one hand still resting lightly in Julian’s.

She had no idea why.

Neither, apparently, did anyone else.

The dancers around them remained frozen, their expressions caught somewhere between confusion and uncertainty.

Then Marian noticed something.

People were looking past her.

Not at Julian.

Not at the musicians.

Somewhere behind them.

She followed their gazes.

Her eyes found Adrian.

Their eyes met.

Marian’s heart slammed against her ribs.

He stood exactly where he had been before, his hand already lowered.

He said nothing.

He didn’t need to.

For several seconds, the entire ballroom seemed to wait.

Then Adrian began walking toward her.

Slowly.

The crowd parted before him.

No one spoke.

No one dared move into his path.

Marian watched him approach.

She had spent eight days telling herself she would not do this again.

She would not chase him.

She would not look for him.

She would not allow herself to be pulled back simply because he had decided to give her his attention.

She had made her choice.

She would move forward.

And yet Adrian was walking toward her.

As he came closer, Marian instinctively released Julian’s hand.

She didn’t know what else to do.

The Emperor was approaching her.

There were dozens of people watching.

Her body responded before her mind could catch up.

She lowered into a curtsy.

”Your Majesty.”

Adrian stopped before her.

Marian remained lowered for a moment, then slowly rose.

Their eyes met again.

Adrian extended his hand.

”Come.”

Marian stared at him.

The word was quiet.

But it was not a request.

It was a command.

For one clear moment, Marian’s mind went completely still.

He was the Emperor.

The man standing before her was not simply Adrian, the boy she had once known, nor the man she had spent the past weeks trying to understand.

He was the sovereign of the Empire.

The musicians had stopped because he raised his hand.

The entire ballroom had fallen silent because he had commanded it without saying a word.

And now he was telling her to come.

There was no question of whether she could refuse.

She could not.

Not here.

Not before the entire court.

Not when the Emperor himself had given her an order.

Marian knew exactly what was expected of her.

She placed her hand in his.

Adrian’s fingers closed around hers.

Only then did the other realization reach her.

He had come for her.

Of all the people in the ballroom, he had crossed the floor for her.

The Emperor had stopped the music, interrupted her dance, and summoned her to his side.

Her heart gave another, softer, more treacherous beat.

She hated that it made her feel special.

She hated that some part of her was still so easily pleased by him.

She had spent eight days telling herself that she would move forward.

And now she was walking beside him again.

Because he had said one word.

Come.

Julian stepped back as Adrian led her away.

They crossed the ballroom together.

No one tried to stop them.

No one dared.

The whispers had not yet begun.

The entire room was still too stunned by what had happened.

Marian kept her gaze ahead.

She could feel Adrian’s hand around hers.

Firm.

Certain.

Possessive.

They passed through the ballroom doors.

Adrian continued down the corridor.

Marian followed.

She said nothing.

Not until they reached a quiet passage where no one was nearby.

Then she stopped.

She pulled her hand free.

”What are you doing?”

Adrian turned.

Marian’s heart was still beating too quickly.

”I don’t understand you anymore.”

Adrian said nothing.

”You keep doing this.”

Her voice was low, but the anger beneath it was unmistakable.

”You pull me toward you, and then you push me away.”

He watched her carefully.

”You ask me to prove that I chose you, and I do.”

Her eyes glistened.

”I came to you. I stayed beside you. I gave you everything you asked for.”

She swallowed.

”And then you hurt me again.”

Adrian’s jaw tightened almost imperceptibly.

He knew exactly what she meant.

He had watched the hurt cross her face.

He had watched her leave.

And now she was standing before him telling him that she had reached her limit.

Marian looked away.

”I know what I did.”

Adrian’s gaze remained fixed on her.

”I know I chose Cassian.”

The name settled heavily between them.

”I know I was the one who ended our engagement.”

Her voice grew quieter.

”And I know what you must think now.”

Adrian said nothing.

Marian looked back at him.

”You probably think I only came back to you because Cassian is gone.”

For the first time, something shifted in Adrian’s expression.

Marian swallowed.

”I can’t change that.”

She spoke carefully.

”I loved him. I chose him. I believed I was going to spend my life with him.”

Her eyes lowered.

”And when he disappeared, I waited.”

She paused.

”For a long time.”

Then she looked at Adrian again.

”Only after all that time had passed, after he was presumed dead, did I finally understand that I had to continue living.”

Her voice softened.

”So yes. I came back after Cassian was gone.”

She took a breath.

”But that isn’t the whole truth.”

Adrian’s gaze sharpened.

Marian’s fingers tightened at her sides.

”I came back thinking about the future.”

She gave a small, almost embarrassed smile.

”I thought about what would be practical. What would be good for Valmont. What kind of husband I should choose.”

Her eyes met his.

”And you were the obvious choice.”

Adrian remained silent.

”But then I saw you again.”

The words were barely above a whisper.

”And somewhere along the way, it stopped being only practical.”

Her throat tightened.

”I began to want you.”

A pause.

”Not because Cassian was gone.”

She shook her head.

”Because you were here.”

Silence.

”And I think...”

Her voice broke slightly.

”I think I fell in love with you again.”

Adrian went still.

Marian looked down.

”I didn’t want to admit it at first.”

She gave a small, helpless laugh.

”Perhaps because I was afraid that if I told you, you’d think I was only saying it because you are the Emperor.”

Her eyes lifted to his.

”But I’m not.”

She stepped closer.

”I want you, Adrian.”

The words were simple.

No calculation.

No careful phrasing.

Nothing hidden behind them.

”I don’t know what else I can give you.”

Her eyes filled.

”But that is the truth.”

Tbc

AN: This is the marian that i love. The honesty. The one who speaks her heart out. The admittance. I know everything happened so fast we only had 5 tests and not a lot of interaction but we need to move.

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