Chapter 24: Marielle Would Get Married

CASSIUS

I clenched my fists in anger. So mad.

The dim light in the room cast long, jagged shadows on the walls as I paced like a caged animal, my breaths coming in ragged, heavy bursts. My nostrils flared and my jaw was set so tight it felt like the bone might snap. A storm of emotions twisted my features into a mask of pure fury and despair.

I roared, a sound torn from the depths of my lungs, and slammed my fist against the cold, unyielding wall. The dull thud echoed through the quiet space, followed by the sharp, immediate sting in my knuckles. Blood began to trickle down, staining my hand, but I didn’t seem to notice- or care.

My mind was a chaotic loop of Marielle. Marielle is fighting for her life. Marielle went limp in my arms. The memory made my entire frame shake.

“Why did she do it?” I shouted, my voice hoarse and trembling with both anger and anguish.

Enzo stood a few steps away. His face was pale but calm, though his eyes were clouded with deep concern. He reached out a hand to steady me, but I jerked away, my body vibrating with unchecked rage.

“Cassius, stop this!” Enzo urged, his voice low but firm. “You’re not thinking straight.”

“I don’t care!” I barked, turning to face him with a wild, desperate look in my eyes.

I wasn't thinking straight. Of course I wasn't. The person who got hurt wasn't just some girl. She was everything. “Why would she do that? What could possibly drive her to-” My voice broke, the raw emotion finally spilling through the cracks in my fury.

Enzo sighed heavily. “Because she felt humiliated. Disrespected. And you…” He paused, clenching his own fists as he tried to steady himself. “You made her feel like she didn’t matter, Cassius. Like she was just… disposable.”

My face twisted in disbelief. Before he could say more, I lashed out, kicking a small wooden table. It screeched across the floor and toppled over with a crash that made even Enzo flinch.

“That’s not true!” I growled, my voice cracking as the rage morphed into pure desperation. “I never- I wasn’t-”

“But you did!” Enzo interrupted, his voice rising now. “You said it, Cassius! You told her you were just having fun, that you weren’t serious about her. Do you think anyone would take that lightly? Do you think someone like Marielle..” He broke off, raking a hand through his hair.

I stared at him, chest heaving. The silence was deafening, punctuated only by our heavy breathing and the faint ..tap-tap.. of my blood dripping onto the floor.

“I warned you, Cassius,” Enzo said, his tone softer now. “I told you she wasn’t as tough as she looked. She had Vera’s support. You know she could not even look into your eyes. And now… now it’s too late to fix this. Everything’s out of our hands.”

I staggered back as if he’d physically struck me. My legs gave out, and I sank to the floor, burying my bruised and bloodied hands in my hair.

“I didn’t mean to hurt her,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

I didn’t. I just wanted to keep her safe. She was young, untainted by the horrible deeds of our world. I thought pushing her away would protect her from the enemies that circle us. But nothing was more important than her life. Nothing.

Enzo crouched beside me. “I know,” he said quietly. “But sometimes, meaning well isn’t enough.”

“I just wanted her to live a happy, beautiful life. I did not want our enemies to take her away from me.”

“Is that the only reason you pushed her away or…” My head shot up. Enzo's eyes were searching mine. “You feel something for her.”

My heart raced. What did he mean? She was my family. My best friend’s daughter. Someone I promised to protect. Was it just that? Or was it something more?

“No. I don’t feel anything for her,” I lied, the words tasting like ash.

Enzo nodded slowly and sighed. “Cassius. Think about it very well before taking any other step because now… one wrong step can be the end of… us. End of you both.”

Later, the family gathered, the air thick with tension. Marielle’s mother, Victoria, finally broke the silence. Her voice was calm, terrifyingly firm.

“I’ve made a decision,” she announced. “Marielle will be getting married.”

The words hung in the air like a thunderclap. Isobel gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. Elena’s eyes darted nervously toward Lorenzo.

Lorenzo leaned forward. “If Marielle agrees,” he said cautiously, “then no one should object. It’s her life, afterall.”

The door swung open, and I strode in. The dynamic shifted instantly. I stopped, taking in the somber faces. “What’s going on?”

Marielle’s mother turned to me, her gaze unwavering. “We’re arranging Marielle’s marriage,” she said simply, as if she were talking about the weather.

For a moment, the world stopped spinning. It felt like a bullet to the chest. A sharp ache spread through me like wildfire, leaving me breathless.

“What?” I managed to choke out, my voice barely a whisper.

Victoria continued, unyielding. “She needs stability. Someone to look after her. I don’t know what’s happening to her anymore, and this is the best solution.”

My fists clenched. I felt lightheaded. A hundred thoughts swirled, but one rose above the rest…Why does this hurt so much?..

Lorenzo cleared his throat. “But she’s still too young to be tied in a marriage.”

“No, Casius” Valentina stopped me with her authority as the eldest. “We don’t know what she’s thinking because she took this big step. It’s not normal,and Victoria made the right decision. Someone needs to help her so she can share her problems with him, and she is not that young. She can bear her children and it’s good if she goes to her own house.”

“But mom. Marielle is still not over her father’s death,” Elena intervened, but her husband held her back.

“Look at Caleb and Ethan,” Leonardo added.

“If Marielle agrees,” I repeated, my tone measured but my heart hammering against my ribs, “then it’s settled. But she has to want this.”

I looked at Marielle’s mother. “And if she doesn’t agree?” I asked, my voice dropping into a growl.

Victoria didn't blink. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

The room fell silent. I remained rooted to the spot, my chest tight with emotions I couldn't name. All I knew was that the thought of Marielle being married to someone else was unbearable.

It was a pain so deep I feared it would consume me whole.