The Villianess story: A 100 ways to kill your husband-Chapter 440: The condition

It was close to evening. The curtains flapped periodically as the wind blew inside the room. Abrielle was seated on the bed, her hand searching through the bag to find Rebecca’s letter.

After searching for a while she found the folded piece of paper. It was squeezed at the bottom of the bag. Abrielle pulled it out and straightened out the paper. She immediately recognised Rebecca’s handwriting on the paper.

Her eyes started to read the lines, word by word. Each second was leaving her in bigger shock. Rebecca explained her birth from the perspective she knew..

She explained her suspicions and even mentioned how she also suspected Callista to be hers. Rebecca did not spare a detail.

The last ending read

****

I am sorry things have come to this, Abrielle. To me, you will always be my sunshine. Fate is cruel and I have a feeling your father will cross sides.

If things truly come to that, I advise you to flee to Heliosa. I am going to write to your cousin Adeline explaining everything. Even if you may not be tied by blood. Your cousin loves you, and I am sure she would be able to grant you refuge.

Cedric will have to understand he has to let you go even if your marriage can’t be broken. His death lingers because Lucian won’t stop until Cedric is dead. Once he dies, Adeline will arrange for you to meet a Heliosian noble for you to start all over again.

I love you as any mother should. My hands are tied and this is the best I can do. Please survive Abrielle. That’s my last wish.

*****

Rebecca didn’t write her name on your letter but Abrielle was sure it was from the woman she thought was her mother.

"Born from a slave." Abrielle laughed. It was crazy. What was wrong with this world? Everything was twisted yet so different at the same time.

So this was the truth. Abrielle, the woman she was, the one she thought was the villainess, was actually born of a Heliosian slave with no traces. A part of her was curious to investigate. She didn’t have the luxury to find out why her biological mother was a slave sold from another continent.

There were more unknown answers. She just has to take it one at a time

*****

Back in the study, Aurelius was too surprised to react in time. His mind raced, and his thoughts were all over.

"I have answered your question. It is only fair if you answer mine." Cedric requested. Aurelius gulped down the entire glass before he placed the empty glass on his desk.

"I am not preventing you from meeting the emperor. He is willing to meet you and even grant his assistance but on one condition." Aurelius replied..

When Cedric arrived at the capital, news quickly reached his father, who summoned him to the palace. They had a little chat, and the emperor was ready to exploit the war genius of Draconia.

They all knew Cedric was more than capable of winning Lucian, but everything comes at a price.

"He has a condition before we can meet." Cedric iterated. Aurelius nodded then spoke

"The emperor of Heliosa would grant you whatever support you need for war under the condition that you take the first princess of the kingdom as your crown princess and empress. Only if you agree to this condition would the emperor grant you an audience." Aurelius explained the situation.

Cedric’s hand clenched then a laugh followed. The crazy part was that he expected this. With the princess being his wife, there was an assurance that Cedric wouldn’t break ties with Heliosa and also grant them some level of control over him.

"I am not even surprised. I am certain you don’t support the idea. Your face says that you hate your siblings. Don’t you?" Cedric pointed out.

A dry smile quirked on his face. "I guess that is what makes us similar. I don’t want them getting any stronger than they already are." Aurelius replied.

Cedric could only assume Heliosian state affairs were not as stable as he had thought. "Honestly, I didn’t expect any different," Cedric added, then got on his feet. He didn’t want to take in another wife. He just couldn’t imagine himself in anyone’s embrace that isn’t his Abrielle.

"I can see you love your wife a lot. Most men I know would jump on the offer. It is just a new wife." Aurelius chimed. Cedric glanced over his shoulder to meet Aurelius’s crafty blue eyes

They were different from Abrielle’s eyes. He held mischief in them. "I am not most men but Cedric von Drakkar. A man who loves his wife a little bit too much." He answered, making Aurelius smile.

"In that case, you have figured out a way to convince the emperor." Cedric sighed, his hands wrapped the scarf around his face. He didn’t answer Aurelius and went up to the door. Just before he was about to open it, he heard Aurelius speak again.

"Before you think of going to war, figure out a way to handle your injuries, or you might die before the war ends," Aurelius mentioned. Cedric glanced over, but he did not say or ask a word why Aurelius could detect his condition.

He opened the door and then left Aurelius in the study. The crown prince sighed after Cedric was gone. He could sense that the strong, dark presence around Cedric was fading. Cedric was growing weak, as if death were slowly coming for him.

"I never imagined a day would come when he would be so weak," Aurelius muttered. He turned towards his desk, then pulled open a drawer. He wanted to keep a parchment in it.

Aurelius’ eyes fell on an old picture. He pulled out the drawing that was framed and preserved. There weren’t any colours, but he knew his mother had similar features to him, even though the last time he saw her was when he was four, before she died while pregnant.

His father killed her. Aurelius’ mother was from a distant branch of the royal family, and her marriage was what secured the current emperor’s throne. Over 20 years ago a week before the emperor was to ascend the throne she died due to stress and depression

The emperor betrayed her and took a second wife, the current empress.

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