Wicked Husband-Chapter 100 - 99

Cesare never lied to Eileen. Rather than speak falsehoods, he prefers silence. He is always truthful with her, and this situation was no different. He meant every word he said. If Eileen promised him, he would reveal everything she wanted to know.

But Eileen couldn’t make such a promise. The request shook her to the core.

Her mother had always taught her that their lives belonged to the Prince. Even her mother’s final words had been for the Prince’s sake.

"My dear Lily," her mother had whispered with parched lips, her face pale from illness.

"Live for the Prince."

Her mother’s eyes had shone with a complex mix of jealousy, anger, and love, leaving an indelible mark on Eileen’s heart—a curse of sorts.

Yet Eileen had willingly accepted that curse. Even without her mother’s words, she would have lived for the Prince.

That’s why she couldn’t lie to Cesare by promising not to die for him. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

When she didn’t respond, Cesare’s smile widened faintly. A twisted smirk tugged at his lips, as if he had known all along she would be unable to comply.

Seeing that smile stirred something in Eileen. Before she could fully process her emotions, the words spilled from her lips.

"Then you, too."

It was a gut instinct, the same one Eileen had felt when she saw his unscarred hands and when she had questioned how he knew about the wedding ring in her journal. That intuition gripped her again, compelling her to speak slowly and deliberately.

"Promise me you won’t die for me."

The absurdity of her request struck her even as she uttered the words. Cesare, giving his life for her? The very idea seemed laughable. Cesare would probably find it ridiculous too.

The sky was more likely to fall than for him to make such a promise. Yet, despite this, Eileen couldn’t stop herself. She didn’t fully grasp why, but she needed him to answer. She needed him to promise her life, not death.

"If you do that, then I’ll promise too."

As she finished speaking, a heavy silence settled between them. Eileen lowered her gaze, unable to keep looking at Cesare. The fear of his reaction to her foolish words made her heart race. She hoped he wouldn’t mock her too much.

She waited anxiously for his response, and then she heard it—a laugh. Hesitantly, Eileen lifted her head to see Cesare laughing. At first glance, it seemed like a genuine laugh, but there was a coldness to it that made Eileen shrink back even more.

"This is troublesome," he said, his eyes crinkled with laughter. Then, almost to himself, he murmured, "I’ve already broken that promise..."

Eileen couldn’t quite grasp what he meant. She wanted to ask if she had misheard, but the words wouldn’t come.

Cesare pulled his chair closer, trapping Eileen between his legs. Without asking for permission, he took her hand. Though his movements were assertive, the way he held her hand was surprisingly gentle. As if touching her hand wasn’t enough, Cesare slowly removed his leather gloves.

Their skin touched, and just holding hands sent a tingling sensation deep into her lower abdomen. Eileen became acutely aware of Cesare’s muscular thighs encasing her.

Her gaze darted around, unfocused. Although they had been married for a while, they had only been intimate twice. Since then, Cesare had been so busy that even sharing a bed was rare. Eileen would usually fall asleep before he arrived in the bedroom, and by the time she awoke, he would already be gone.

Eileen swallowed nervously. While she trembled with tension, Cesare remained calm, his eyes lowered as he gently traced his fingers over hers. He caressed the tips of her nails and then slowly interlocked their fingers, his grip firm and reassuring.

The simple act of holding hands, amplified by her heightened sensitivity, felt unexpectedly intimate.

After a moment, Cesare tugged gently on her hand.

"Ah!"

Eileen gasped as her body leaned forward, and in the next instant, their lips met. It was as if they had made a silent promise from the beginning to kiss.

He slid his tongue into her parted lips, gripping their interlaced hands tightly enough to make them ache. The faint pain only heightened the tingling that spread through her body, making her shiver.

With one hand still entwined with hers, Cesare’s other hand traced down her back. His long fingers ran along her spine, and Eileen let out a soft moan each time they passed.

"Huh..."

The sound of her small whimper escaping between their parted lips was immediately swallowed as Cesare pressed his mouth back against hers. His tongue explored her mouth, causing a strange tickling sensation deep in her core.

He dominated her mouth, stealing her breath away. Dizzy from the lack of air, Eileen squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them again. Just as their lips parted briefly, they collided once more, continuing the passionate kiss.

The kiss overwhelmed Eileen, clouding her thoughts and making her head spin with heat. Amidst the whirlwind of sensations, a sudden thought pierced through her daze.

’In the end, he won’t tell me anything.’

Would it really end up like this again? Despite failing to meet Cesare’s expectations, Eileen couldn’t let herself be completely swept away by the kiss. She gently pushed against his chest with the hand he wasn’t holding and tried to disentangle their fingers, signaling her need to pause and talk.

However, Cesare seemed to interpret her gesture differently. He didn’t relent, holding her firmly. As their lips parted briefly, Eileen managed to call out his name.

"Cesare..."

But he didn’t respond to her call. There was no space for words between them; Eileen was entirely consumed by the intensity of his kiss, leaving her unable to voice her thoughts.

When the kiss finally ended, Eileen gazed at Cesare, her eyes reflecting the many things she couldn’t put into words. Cesare gently brushed his fingers over her damp lips and spoke softly:

"It’s okay if you don’t know everything."

If this had been the past, when she was still his child*, perhaps it would have been acceptable. But now, Eileen had changed; she wanted more. When she shook her head, Cesare’s gaze became intense, probing, as if he was searching for a new understanding within her.

"What is it that you want to know so badly?" he asked, his voice tinged with curiosity. "When you can’t even make a promise."

Feeling unfairly judged, Eileen snapped back, her voice steady despite her emotions.

"But you, Cesare, you can’t make a promise either."

"So, I can’t make it?"

"Yes..."

Cesare let out a brief, mirthless laugh. His expression, once faintly smiling, now turned blank. The sudden shift in his demeanor caused Eileen to freeze, a belated realization of her own audacity washing over her.

"I’m sorry."

Even as she apologized immediately, Cesare remained silent, his gaze fixed on her. The silence, though brief, felt interminable to Eileen. Unable to endure the heavy quiet, she nervously bit her lip.

"I just..."

As her voice wavered, Cesare covered his eyes with his hand. After a moment, he stood and walked to the window, staring out at the forest before returning to her.

Eileen remained motionless, feeling as if the tension had frozen her in place.

Cesare then looked down at her and spread his arms. His previously intense gaze softened. Eileen, relieved, rose and embraced him.

"I didn’t mean to scare you."

As he held her, his voice was almost contemplative.

"It’s difficult. I thought you were more obedient when you were younger."

Eileen wanted to respond that things were different now that she was an adult, but she wisely kept that to herself. Instead, she replied softly,

"I wasn’t scared."

In truth, she wasn’t afraid of Cesare; rather, she feared that his affection for her might have waned, and that was what had frightened her in that moment.

Their relationship was always defined by clear power dynamics. Everything required his permission. Hidden truths, affection... Eileen had nothing she could claim for herself.

Overwhelmed by her emotions, Eileen stood on tiptoe and pressed her lips to the corner of Cesare’s mouth. She intended to kiss him, but her trembling caused her to miss slightly. Cesare’s eyes narrowed in response.

Seeing his reaction, Eileen gently kissed his lips. Up until then, Cesare had allowed her to act on her own accord.

While she could not claim his affection outright, she could still express it. Within the confines Cesare permitted, Eileen sought to convey her feelings.

"Please... hold me."

***