Sacrificial Bride to the Feared Lord Hastings-Chapter 175: Severing ties (3)

"I don’t fear you, Dante. I love you more than you can fathom. My love for you should never be questioned, all for a woman you hardly know. Can’t we speak of this another day?" Cecilia asked, worried Dante would change before her. "It is not safe for either of us."

"If you don’t fear me and you think of my well-being, then come with me," Dante said, offering his hand to Cecilia. "Be at my side during the full moon."

Cecilia laughed, but she didn’t mean to. "Dante, we know how this goes. Instead of testing my love for you, why don’t you reveal yourself to the woman you cast me aside for? Why don’t you see what she thinks of that beast?"

Cecilia’s night was spoiled since she wouldn’t get to hear news of Ophelia’s reaction to seeing the beast. She thought of cutting off Eliza and the others since they were all useless.

Dante lowered his hand.

Cecilia’s reaction was disappointing yet expected. From his early days, it was always his father at his side.

Dante always knew Cecilia feared him, but Ophelia’s arrival showed it even more. Ophelia showed the lengths someone would go to protect those they loved, even when she was afraid.

"You can fear me. Naturally, there would be some fear, but it shouldn’t outweigh your love for me. I told Ophelia about the beast before the full moon. She’s been-"

"Dante!" Cecilia yelled and reached for a pillow to throw at Dante. "Have you lost your mind? You cannot tell outsiders your secret. What if word reaches the king that you are a beast? What will you do then?"

Once Dante was exposed, Cecilia was at risk. It would be believed that all the Hastings were beasts.

"She’s known for a while now, and her focus has only been to find a cure for me," Dante said, gladly proving Cecilia wrong.

Cecilia scoffed, unimpressed by Ophelia’s actions. "So, she’s doing what I and others have long done. I have searched high and low to cure you. To cure your father so I wouldn’t spend the night worrying that he would attack me when we lay together. She’s not special until she sees it."

"Go on and show her," Cecilia urged Dante to reveal the beast. "Will she love you then? Will she come back to you as I always did? It’s easy to be bold when you haven’t seen the beast."

"She’s seen it. There’s a full moon out, which is why you are so eager to get rid of me. I shifted and reverted thanks to Ophelia. The woman you tried to kill today saved your son, but you don’t care, do you?"

Cecilia couldn’t believe that Dante was cured. She searched all over the kingdom for anyone, but couldn’t find any. Ophelia couldn’t have been the one to find the answer.

Cecilia laughed, refusing to believe the lie. "You want me to believe that a simple woman broke the curse? Fine, let’s go along with what you say. All that matters is the curse being broken. We don’t have to be secretive anymore. We don’t have to be worried about you changing before our enemies."

"You don’t believe that I’m cured," Dante said as he took a step forward to see Cecilia backing away. "I am partially cured. I can still feel it, but it’s not as strong as before. Even though I stand before you during a full moon, you won’t believe me. You are too filled with fear."

"Luckily, I long accepted you feared me," Dante said, feeling numb to the truth. "What I came for wasn’t to speak about your love, but rather your actions towards Lady Hastings. I made my stance about Ophelia quite clear."

"I didn’t order an attack. I haven’t been anywhere near the castle since you arrived. Whoever spoke to you is lying. I am quite tired of you accusing me," Cecilia said, playing innocent.

Remus and Eliza wouldn’t have any proof of her plans.

"Accusing you? Did you not harm her during the trip here? Did you not withhold her food and place her in the tower despite my order being to place her in my chamber? I know you tried to kill her, and you were so cruel to plot for me to be the one to do it," Dante said, upset that his mother wanted to use him as a weapon.

Dante had always been against killing when he was the beast. It made him feel more like a monster.

"Eliza and the others left confessed that it was your plan," Dante revealed.

"Would you believe their word against your mother? I have always been honest about the way I treated her," said Cecilia.

"I have to set an example for everyone on my land. If I am always lenient with your punishments, then my people will keep going against me. Your time ruling the castle has long ended. Ophelia is now Lady Hastings, and for your crimes, you are to be imprisoned," Dante said, an ache forming in his chest as he gave the punishment.

He had been too lenient with his mother, and her behaviour now was the result.

Cecilia backed away from the bed, putting more space between her and Dante. "You would imprison me in my home for that woman?"

"I have turned a blind eye to all that you have done, even before she arrived, because I loved you. I excused your behaviour. I was light with your antics because I thought you were lashing out for losing your husband."

"I love you even when you hurt me, but you couldn’t find it in your heart to love me as a mother should," Dante said, his voice trembling due to the lack of affection.

Cecilia’s gaze shifted from Dante to the knights who entered her chamber. "Everything I did was for you. After I gave you life and did the best that I could when your father died, this is how you would treat me? This is how the Hastings will repay me?"

"I experienced hell with your father. You have no idea what it was like to be forced to accept that curse. I stepped up to marry your father because I loved him, but little did I know they had long selected me," Cecilia said, venting bottled-up frustrations.

"My family was always loyal to the Hastings, so I was always near your father. I thought he fell in love with me, only to learn he had been told to get close to me since we were engaged in secret. They chose me because of my family’s loyalty. They picked me to help hide the secret," Cecilia revealed.

"Isn’t this what you are forcing upon Victoria? Forcing her to chase a one-sided love because she knows my secret? If what you say is true, shouldn’t you try to save her from what you endured?" Dante asked, but he knew his mother didn’t have the kindness in her to think of others.

"It is what the Hastings wants. Before your father died, it was agreed that she would be best suited to become your wife. I am thankful the curse is gone, so it will make it easier for Victoria," Cecilia said, still pushing for her wishes. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Cecilia smiled since she would always get her way. Dante just needed a little time.

"Attempting to kill my wife will be met with imprisonment. A year in the dungeon is befitting of your crime," Dante said, sentencing Cecilia.

Cecilia’s arrogance vanished as her smile fell into a frown.