Chapter 224: v2- - 43: the emperor’s decision II

Marian stopped mid-step.

The music had stopped.

For a moment, she simply stood there, one hand still resting lightly in Julian’s.

She had no idea why.

Neither, apparently, did anyone else.

The dancers around them remained frozen, their expressions caught somewhere between confusion and uncertainty.

Then Marian noticed something.

People were looking past her.

Not at Julian.

Not at the musicians.

Somewhere behind them.

She followed their gazes.

Her eyes found Adrian.

Their eyes met.

Marian’s heart slammed against her ribs.

He stood exactly where he had been before, his hand already lowered.

He said nothing.

He didn’t need to.

For several seconds, the entire ballroom seemed to wait.

Then Adrian began walking toward her.

Slowly.

The crowd parted before him.

No one spoke.

No one dared move into his path.

Marian watched him approach.

She had spent eight days telling herself she would not do this again.

She would not chase him.

She would not look for him.

She would not allow herself to be pulled back simply because he had decided to give her his attention.

She had made her choice.

She would move forward.

And yet Adrian was walking toward her.

As he came closer, Marian instinctively released Julian’s hand.

She didn’t know what else to do.

The Emperor was approaching her.

There were dozens of people watching.

Her body responded before her mind could catch up.

She lowered into a curtsy.

"Your Majesty."

Adrian stopped before her.

Marian remained lowered for a moment, then slowly rose.

Their eyes met again.

Adrian extended his hand.

"Come."

Marian stared at him.

The word was quiet.

But it was not a request.

It was a command.

For one clear moment, Marian’s mind went completely still.

He was the Emperor.

The man standing before her was not simply Adrian, the boy she had once known, nor the man she had spent the past weeks trying to understand.

He was the sovereign of the Empire.

The musicians had stopped because he raised his hand.

The entire ballroom had fallen silent because he had commanded it without saying a word.

And now he was telling her to come.

There was no question of whether she could refuse.

She could not.

Not here.

Not before the entire court.

Not when the Emperor himself had given her an order.

Marian knew exactly what was expected of her.

She placed her hand in his.

Adrian’s fingers closed around hers.

Only then did the other realization reach her.

He had come for her.

Of all the people in the ballroom, he had crossed the floor for her.

The Emperor had stopped the music, interrupted her dance, and summoned her to his side.

Her heart gave another, softer, more treacherous beat.

She hated that it made her feel special.

She hated that some part of her was still so easily pleased by him.

She had spent eight days telling herself that she would move forward.

And now she was walking beside him again.

Because he had said one word.

Come.

Julian stepped back as Adrian led her away.

They crossed the ballroom together.

No one tried to stop them.

No one dared.

The whispers had not yet begun.

The entire room was still too stunned by what had happened.

Marian kept her gaze ahead.

She could feel Adrian’s hand around hers.

Firm.

Certain.

Possessive.

They passed through the ballroom doors.

Adrian continued down the corridor.

Marian followed.

She said nothing.

Not until they reached a quiet passage where no one was nearby.

Then she stopped.

She pulled her hand free.

"What are you doing?"

Adrian turned.

Marian’s heart was still beating too quickly.

"I don’t understand you anymore."

Adrian said nothing.

"You keep doing this."

Her voice was low, but the anger beneath it was unmistakable.

"You pull me toward you, and then you push me away."

He watched her carefully.

"You ask me to prove that I chose you, and I do."

Her eyes glistened.

"I came to you. I stayed beside you. I gave you everything you asked for."

She swallowed.

"And then you hurt me again."

Adrian’s jaw tightened almost imperceptibly.

He knew exactly what she meant.

He had watched the hurt cross her face.

He had watched her leave.

And now she was standing before him telling him that she had reached her limit.

Marian looked away.

"I know what I did."

Adrian’s gaze remained fixed on her.

"I know I chose Cassian."

The name settled heavily between them.

"I know I was the one who ended our engagement."

Her voice grew quieter.

"And I know what you must think now."

Adrian said nothing.

Marian looked back at him.

"You probably think I only came back to you because Cassian is gone."

For the first time, something shifted in Adrian’s expression.

Marian swallowed.

"I can’t change that."

She spoke carefully.

"I loved him. I chose him. I believed I was going to spend my life with him."

Her eyes lowered.

"And when he disappeared, I waited."

She paused.

"For a long time."

Then she looked at Adrian again.

"Only after all that time had passed, after he was presumed dead, did I finally understand that I had to continue living."

Her voice softened.

"So yes. I came back after Cassian was gone."

She took a breath.

"But that isn’t the whole truth."

Adrian’s gaze sharpened.

Marian’s fingers tightened at her sides.

"I came back thinking about the future."

She gave a small, almost embarrassed smile.

"I thought about what would be practical. What would be good for Valmont. What kind of husband I should choose."

Her eyes met his.

"And you were the obvious choice."

Adrian remained silent.

"But then I saw you again."

The words were barely above a whisper.

"And somewhere along the way, it stopped being only practical."

Her throat tightened.

"I began to want you."

A pause.

"Not because Cassian was gone."

She shook her head.

"Because you were here."

Silence.

"And I think..."

Her voice broke slightly.

"I think I fell in love with you again."

Adrian went still.

Marian looked down.

"I didn’t want to admit it at first."

She gave a small, helpless laugh.

"Perhaps because I was afraid that if I told you, you’d think I was only saying it because you are the Emperor."

Her eyes lifted to his.

"But I’m not."

She stepped closer.

"I want you, Adrian."

The words were simple.

No calculation.

No careful phrasing.

Nothing hidden behind them.

"I don’t know what else I can give you."

Her eyes filled.

"But that is the truth."

--

Tbc

AN: This is the marian that i love. The honesty. The one who speaks her heart out. The admittance. I know everything happened so fast we only had 5 tests and not a lot of interaction but we need to move.