If You Wish For My Death (6 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 14
Leaving behind a worried Harry, the two headed toward the entrance of the ballroom.
Eyes followed them along the path they took.
They politely excused themselves to those who tried to speak with them, citing poor health. Glancing sideways, Veronica saw that Cassian’s expression remained rigid as ever.
“Smile, Your Highness. Anyone would think you’re being dragged to a slaughterhouse.”
“My feelings aren’t far from that.”
“At least soften that terrifying expression a bit.”
“No.”
“His Majesty is watching.”
“…….”
Cassian closed his mouth again—his silence a quiet declaration that he absolutely would not smile.
Well, fine. Veronica had no intention of forcing him to smile anyway.
The moment they stepped outside, Cassian pulled away from Veronica.
“You’re being too harsh, Your Highness. Even I would be hurt if you shake me off like you’re brushing dirt off a rodent. At times like this, you should ask how much it hurts and take me for some fresh air.”
“Why should I do that?”
“Well, because we’re engaged.”
“That unwanted engagement—I never wanted it in the first place…”
A voice laced with bitterness and anger slipped through his clenched teeth. Veronica reacted with exaggerated drama.
“Oh dear, Your Highness. There are many eyes and ears around. You’d do well to hold your tongue. And does it even matter? What matters is that the world now knows we’re engaged.”
“Hah—”
Cassian scoffed and turned his head away.
“I don’t wish to speak with you any further, Miss Hardness.”
“But I’d like to talk more with Your Highness.”
“I don’t want to.”
“What a cruel thing to say.”
Despite her words, Veronica didn’t look hurt at all. Cassian wore an expression of utter weariness.
“But thanks to me, you managed to escape the ballroom, didn’t you?”
Claiming dizziness to step outside had been Veronica’s own subtle consideration.
Inside the ballroom, all attention was focused on the newly engaged couple, who had become the center of lively gossip lately.
Since they couldn’t ignore the public eye, unless absolutely necessary, the two would have had to stay together until the banquet ended.
“I’m not particularly grateful.”
“Then shall we go back in? I don’t mind.”
“I’ve suddenly grown dizzy myself. I think I’ll head back first.”
Cassian pressed his forehead lightly and turned to leave. Veronica followed him at a leisurely pace as he tried to walk away quickly.
“We’ve come this far—how about giving me a tour of the Imperial Palace?”
“I’m busy.”
“But you just said you felt dizzy.”
“I just remembered something urgent.”
“Then put that urgent matter aside for now and spend some time with me. Your fiancée came all the way here to see you—you should at least pretend to accompany me.”
“It’s something I cannot postpone.”
Cassian replied coldly, his face set in rigid stiffness.
Veronica stopped walking as she watched him. Whether she stopped or not, Cassian resumed walking—and even quickened his pace, as if seizing the chance.
“If you keep behaving this way, His Majesty will be disappointed.”
He halted instantly.
“You know very well, Your Highness, who was happiest about our engagement. Yet your continued attitude pains me. If rumors of discord between us start spreading… I shudder to think what His Majesty might say.”
She deliberately let the last part trail off.
A reaction came immediately. When he turned back to her, his face was burning with anger.
He understood she’d invoked the Emperor’s will precisely because he couldn’t defy it.
Meeting his fiercely glinting blue eyes, Veronica offered a sweet smile.
“Then shall we go for a walk now?”
Once they’d left the building housing the ballroom, they came upon a corridor with one entire wall open to the outside.
Through this opening, they could admire the verdant scenery beyond.
They walked along that path. Though calling it a “walk” was generous—since it was time forcibly taken—it nonetheless became a moment just for the two of them.
A cool breeze, carrying the scent of flowers, blew past. Feeling it, Veronica smiled quite contentedly.
Beside her, Cassian wore an expression so blatantly displeased it bordered on comical.
It was the same look he’d given her earlier when she’d asked him to dance—
the look of someone who absolutely didn’t want to, yet had no choice but to comply, silently warning her not to expect anything more.
Cassian remained silent the entire walk. Eventually, Veronica spoke first.
“I kept sending you letters—did you at least read them?”
“Letters arrived, yes. But I didn’t read them.”
She’d expected as much—but honestly, what a rude man.
“Why didn’t you read them?”
“I had no desire to, nor did I feel any need to.”
“Still, they were letters from your fiancée. At least pretend to read them.”
“Why should I?”
“It’s a matter of manners.”
“Is it? I didn’t know. Then from now on, I’ll be free to behave without manners toward you, Miss Hardness—so please stop sending letters. Frankly, even throwing them away is a bother.”
“…….”
His reply made the letters’ fate perfectly clear. Veronica glared at the back of his head, then drew a deep breath.
“I really don’t understand why you’re so cold toward me.”
Cupping her cheek with one hand, Veronica made a show of her hurt feelings. Cassian gave her a baffled look.
“Are you really asking that?”
“Are you perhaps protesting against me because our engagement was forced? But among people like us, political marriages aren’t unusual. Even if you hadn’t become engaged to me, Your Highness, you would’ve entered a political marriage with another woman.”
People like Lady Arin—those who married purely for love—were exceedingly rare.
Most noble families formed alliances through arranged political marriages.
Sometimes children were paired from a young age to build a relationship; other times, upon reaching marriageable age, they were introduced under the pretense of a ‘fated meeting.’
Either way, it was hard to deny that their unions were deliberate. In that sense, Lady Arin truly had won love.
“You must know all this—so why act this way?”
Veronica tilted her head, genuinely puzzled—or at least putting on a convincing act of innocence. Her crimson eyes flicked sideways, subtly gauging Cassian’s reaction.
“Unless… do you perhaps believe marriage should only be with someone you love? Though I can’t imagine you as the romantic type…”
“…….”
“But don’t be too disheartened. Why not see this as a chance to gradually nurture feelings for each other? Isn’t that romantic in its own way?”
Cassian stopped walking and turned to face Veronica.
“Don’t you feel any shame?”
“Yes, I don’t.”
Her immediate retort left Cassian stunned—but Veronica stood her ground confidently.
“Could it be you’re acting this way because of His Highness Prince Roel? If so, you have even less reason to be ashamed. True, I once held feelings for him, but we never shared any kind of relationship. You, of all people, should know that better than anyone—am I right?”
“Do you even know with what feelings Asar went to propose to you?”
“Must I?”
Veronica countered. That story held no interest for her anymore—
it was even duller than trivial gossip.
“You were the one who clung first. You persistently sent letters and demanded meetings, despite my refusal. Thanks to Miss Hardness’s dramatic one-sided affection, the entire nation knows—and it even reached His Majesty’s ears. And now, after securing that proposal, you reject Asar and come demanding I propose to you? Do you really think anyone could understand that?”
“I don’t see why not.”
Veronica Hardness remained shamelessly defiant to the end. Frustrated, Cassian let out a bitter laugh.
“Hearts can change at any time, can’t they?”
“What, are you going to spout more lies about loving me? About sharing hearts and finding comfort?”
“I’ve never lied about my feelings toward Your Highness.”
“That’s precisely the biggest lie of all.”
“…….”
“Miss Hardness—when did we ever share hearts? Have we ever even had a proper conversation? Much less exchanged warm letters. Because you never exchanged letters with me—Miss Hardness knows that better than anyone, doesn’t she?”
Cassian threw her own words right back at her.
Though his tone bordered on mockery, Veronica merely smiled.
“We can share hearts even now. We can have conversations like this one. And while we’re at it, why not reply to all the letters I’ve sent?”
“I knew you were shameless—but I didn’t realize you were this thick-skinned.”
“It might be nice to learn the parts we don’t yet know about each other.”
“You dislike me, don’t you?”
His firm voice snapped the softening atmosphere taut again.
Veronica’s smile vanished. So did Cassian’s.
“You dislike me, don’t you?”
“I don’t understand what you mean.”
“Do you think I don’t know?”
He couldn’t possibly not know. Considering the person standing between them—the very core of their relationship—it was impossible to ignore.
“No matter how well you act your feelings, you can’t perfectly hide them. I realized that clearly when we spoke alone at House Hardness—your feelings toward me are anything but fondness.”
“…….”
“And yet you claim to admire me? You expect me to believe your feelings for Asar vanished overnight and now belong entirely to me? Don’t think I’ll fall for such lies. What exactly is your reason for wanting to marry me?”
“Because I love you.”
Click—the sound of her heels echoed. In an instant, the distance between them closed.
A faint, sweet scent hit his nose—whether from flowers carried on the breeze or from the woman before him, he couldn’t tell.
A small face reflected in his startled blue eyes. She smiled sweetly.
“Because I love Your Highness Cassian very, very much.”
Her crimson eyes—completely devoid of affection—flickered once more as she confessed her love again,
whether Cassian wanted it or not.
Male lead is a Love-Obsessed Merman
When he discovers she has gone, he risks everything to pursue her on land, enduring agonizing pain to transform his tail into human legs…
One-line summary: Male lead chases female lead. The male lead’s love is a bit sick, an invincible love brain.
Synopsis
During a voyage at sea, Jiang Yang accidentally captures a merman.
Servant: I heard that mermen are fierce and brutal.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman obediently rubbing her palm like a puppy: “You call this fierce and brutal?”
Servant: I heard that mermen have no human nature.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman with wet puppy eyes, obsessively calling her ‘A Yang’ like a childish infant: “You call this having no human nature?”
With great difficulty, she releases the merman back into the sea and returns to shore.
Who would have thought that in less than half a month, the merman, who should have been freely wandering in the South China Sea, would shed his scales, endure the pain of losing his tail, transform into human legs, and come ashore to find her?
He kneels at her feet, rubbing her palm, with merman tears rolling down: “A Yang, don’t abandon me.”
_____
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this chapter was extremely sad. I like the fact that the author keep emphasizing on her past life, like not to let go her trauma. I i have read many fast pace regression novels when as soon as fmc finds love everything else just goes really fast and nothing else matters almost as if forgetting the revenge which was suppose to be the priority, so far loving this novel i hope they don’t ruin it.
I can totally understand the fmc she don’t want fake friends cause she already has a experience where she thought someone was her friend but they where only using her for her status. I mean its always hard to trust people when u been betrayed badly. I can totally understand her having trust issues.
she must be thinking something really romantic is going on between them. If only she knew what her favorite is scheming in that head of hers.