A Deal?

She flinched and struggled desperately to keep her tears at bay and her emotions in check, but his words were too much for her to handle. For a second, a silver hope had been in her mind that he still loved her. But the harsh reality left her wounded.

"I do not need you, i am well satiated." he continued though his jaws were clenched, his face was still emotionless.

She averted his gaze and wiped the tear off her face, thinking she could behave the same way as him but another tear showed her the harsh reality. She was broken by his cruel words.

She stood up, ready to leave but he was not done with her yet. He did not want to let go of her even if it meant hurting her.

"You do not have a choice, but if it is your desire. I am not asking you to deprive yourself."

He watched as she quivered with more tears spilling her eyes. She was hurt! He should have been happy but why was he feeling guilty?

Her tears always have the power to control him. Though he had never told her, she should have known. Yet she was crying in front of him. The efforts to hide her tears from him were all in vain. He could see her struggling. And the fact that she was trying to hide her struggles from him was unnerving him further.

His hands clenched into tight fist and the desire to break something was filling his mind. He wanted to hold her and comfort her, tell her that he was there for her. But he forced himself to stay still. It was all her trick, he kept reminding himself but it did not work.

But she seemed so vulnerable and lonely that it hurt him physically and mentally to not to hold her in his arms.

"I will provide you with whatever you need. I will take care of your luxury and comfort. You will not be sick again or starve then why are you crying so hard. Damn it?" she flinched at his cold words.

Could he really not see what was the reason for her suffering? When she had met him first in that shop. He was so clumsy, so confused as if he had never talked to a woman before, yet he was so kind and gentle that she could not help but let go of the defenses around herself.

She had let him sweep her away from the ground and take her with him. But the fairy tale soon turned into a nightmare and now.. She did not know this man anymore.

She knew she could not win against him. She took some breaths, trying to control her emotions. She raised her head to look at him but he was only looking at Penny as if she did not exist there.

A mocking smile formed on her lips, somewhere she was hoping that he would care!

"Do I have another choice?" he shook his head at once, when she laughed. "Then I have a few conditions."

His gaze moved to her, as if he was waiting for her to speak further.

"I want new maids for myself. Those who had never worked for you. So that they can be loyal to me." he paused, but nodded his head.

The fact that maids were treating her badly did not sit well with him too.

"And I want freedom to decide things for myself. I did not want to be watched out all the time."

"As long as you do not leave the palace, you are free to eat anything, do anything and roam anywhere. The guards will only stop you from leaving the door." her jaws clenched, she felt like a prisoner for a second before taking a deep breath.

"And I want to proceed for divorce. We can be discreet so that Penny would not know about it?" his brows knotted and his face turned cold as he looked at her.

She did not say a word but she could read his face and sighed.

"Why? Did you not say that you are well satiated? I do not want to cheat you. So, I will divorce first and then look for other men. It is time that I move on too."

"...." she wanted to meet other men. Was she missing Jack already? But she said that she would not cheat him until they were married. But the idea of someone holding her and comforting her. Wiping that tears off her face and kissing her did not sit well with him.

But he had already told her that he did not want her. That he knew she was trapping and he did not want to deprive herself.

What excuse could he give now to refuse her? Ha! Who would have thought that she would accept the offer right away.

"Very well." he felt his throat burnt but he justified that it was only because he found her actions disgusting. He was not jealous at all.

"But you have to wait till divorce and you have to choose a person that will stay here with you for the rest of his life. Once he chooses you, he will not be allowed to leave either." he replied, trying his best to sound calm and collected.

She bit her lips again but nodded her head.

"Then we are sorted. I will send a few new maids to you and you can interview them. Now, I do not need this discussion again." he dismissed her with the wave of his hands and then stood up to play with Penny again.

Cassey stared at them for a few seconds. At least her daughter would have a father and she did not need to worry about meeting her needs.

"It is not such a bad deal!"