Chapter 8: Tell Me Everything

MARIELLE

Vera pushed me back into my chair, effectively cornering me in the middle of our empty classroom. It was lunch break, and the usual swarm of students had cleared out, leaving us in a heavy, expectant silence. I looked at her, confusion written all over my face, but the cheeky grin she wore told me exactly where this was going.

“Vera- ”

“Tell me everything,” she demanded.

My eyes widened. ..Everything?... Did she know? About the room, the vodka, the way Cassius had looked at me while he…

“I-it’s nothing-”

“Oh, come on, babe. Don’t be shy. We share the same type of secret and we’re best friends. It's actually kind of cool.”

She clapped her hands excitedly, leaving me to blink in disbelief. I didn’t see what was so "cool" about it. We were both in love with men who lived by a code that didn't leave much room for 'love.’

“I never thought my uncle would end up having you as his wife,” she added, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.

The word ..wife.. sent a violent shiver down my spine, but it was followed by a sharp, electric rush of hope. Me… Cassius’ wife.

“Now, will you tell me?” Vera smiled, taking my hand. “Babe, you don’t need to be embarrassed. Love just happens. It doesn't care who the person is . it just takes over.”

My heart skipped a beat. Had she fallen for Enzo so deeply that she’d reached this level of wisdom? I opened my mouth to finally confess, but a sudden voice shattered the moment.

“Julian!”

Before I could even process his presence, Julian rushed over and threw an arm around my neck, pulling me into a crushing hug. A small, genuine smile touched my lips as I hugged him back.

“Dude. Manners,” Vera scolded, even as Damian, Julian’s brother swatted the back of her head.

Julian and Damian had been distant acquaintances in high school, but seeing their familiar faces in the vastness of university had turned us into a tight-knit group. They had just returned from a long family trip to Europe.

“Did you miss me?” Julian asked, pulling back to look at me. He was the kind of guy who always looked out for me, whether it was fending off unwanted attention or helping me with a difficult lecture.

“What were you two talking about? It seemed serious.” Damian pulled up a chair and sat next to Vera, who promptly rolled her eyes.

“Nothing you need to know,” she sassed.

Damian pinched her arm, making her yelp before she smacked him right back. I chuckled at their usual bickering, but then I realized Julian was still staring at me.

I tilted my head, and he smiled, reaching behind his back to produce a small box. Inside was a delicate golden locket with the initial ‘M’ engraved on it.

“J-Julian—”

“How could I forget you?” he murmured, leaning in close….too close…to fasten the chain around my neck. For a few seconds, his face was so near that I forgot to breathe.

“The heck? Where is my gift?” Vera demanded, slamming her palm on the desk.

Damian chuckled, pulling something from his pocket.“We had to get you something too, even if I didn't want to. ”

..Smack.. Vera hit his forehead so hard I actually winced. ..Ouch…

I stepped into the mansion later that afternoon with Vera. She and Damian had spent the rest of the day fighting, which was par for the course. I chuckled as she mumbled curses under her breath.

“Calm down-”

“Who does he think he is! How dare he do that-”

“Do what?”

My heart stopped. My hands began to tremble. In our world, having male friends was a dangerous game. The men in our family were protective to the point of obsession, and if they found out about Julian and Damian, we would be in serious trouble.

We both turned slowly, and my breath hitched. Cassius was standing there, hands shoved in his pockets. He wore a plain black shirt with the sleeves rolled up, revealing the dark ink of his tattoos on his forearms. His hair was slightly disheveled, and his gaze was like a physical weight.

Beside him, Enzo stood like an eagle, his eyes boring into Vera.“Who did what?” Cassius asked, his eyebrows rising.

I blinked rapidly, my pulse racing. Just his gaze was enough to make me feel exposed. I looked at Vera…she was as pale as I was.

“Vera,” I said, my voice barely a whisper. She gripped my arm as if to keep me from spilling the truth.

“No one did anything,” she lied quickly. “We were talking about… the guy-”

“What guy?” Enzo’s voice dropped to a low, predatory growl. I saw Cassius’ jaw tighten, his expression hardening into stone.

“The guy in the store,” I jumped in, desperate to save us. “He… he messed up our order.”

I let out a tiny sigh of relief, but it was short-lived.

“How dare you both go out alone!?” Enzo shouted. He was as much a part of the family as anyone, and his possessiveness was just as sharp.

“W-well… M-Marielle wanted coffee, so-”

My eyes widened in horror. Vera had just shoved me directly under the bus. I looked at her, then up at Cassius’, waiting for the explosion. His eyes were dark, unreadable, and terrifying.

“Go to your rooms,” he ordered, his voice hoarse with suppressed rage.

We didn't wait. Vera pulled me along as we practically sprinted up the stairs. Once the door to my room was shut, I turned on her.

“Why would you push me under the bus like that?”

She started to chuckle. “Why are you laughing?”

“To bring them close to us,” she said, her eyes gleaming.

“How?”

“To make them realize our feelings. To make them jealous.”

“But it’s wrong, Vera. You know the family won’t accept it. And they won't either.” My heart ached. In this family, power and wealth always came before love.

“Don’t you want him?” Vera asked, her voice turning serious. She squeezed my hand. “I’m madly in love, and I want Enzo. If we want them, we have to make the move. We can’t wait for them to realize it on their own. We can't lose them.”

Tears pricked my eyes. I didn't want to lose Cassius. I didn't want to be just his responsibility or his "dirty little princess." I wanted to be ..his…

“How?” I asked.

Vera smirked, and though it made me tense, I knew she was right. It was time to stop being timid.

It was time to make Cassius realize he couldn't live without me.