Chapter 38: The Beginning of Suffering

"That should be enough," I stated, halting Papa's henchmen as soon as I entered the prison cell.

"Yes, my lady."

My chest tightened upon seeing Valerian groaning in pain. He was chained to the wall, bathed with his blood.

I had begun making Valerian suffer under my palms and told Papa's henchmen he would be suffering from fifty lashes before they splashed him with some liquor to intensify the pain in his wounds.

"You will have to present yourself for supper," I said coldly when Valerian slowly opened his eyes as our eyes met. My heart flipped outside down, but I ignored him and turned to the guards. "Make him presentable for tonight."

"D-Domi..."

"How dare you address our lady in her name, you scumbag!"

I did not turn around when Valerian called my name I heard some loud thud as if they were kicking him. I pretended I did not care as I left the prison cell and went to my chamber.

When I arrived there, I almost collapsed, wanting to help Valerian immediately, but he was well aware of his mission, and he must suffer, or else, our plans would not work.

'Are you certain this plan will work, Domi?' Ismael asked through mind-link when he was watching me hyperventilating. He was sitting beside me while I was lying in my bed, feeling like I was going to get sick.

I used my forearm to hide the tears that were trying to form in my eyes. 'It must work. If it does not, it will be a matter of time before Papa hurts your mate, Izzy.'

Ismael chuckled and caressed my hair. "It has been long since you last called me by my nickname."

I did not say anything. Since Ismael and I started working together, I thought it would have been better to call him by his nickname, even though he was one of those people who pestered my life.

He was prepared to help me to protect Airene. He wanted to bring down the House of Cantavalle as well.

It was a win-win situation, but I had to be wary just in case Ismael would betray me in the end.

I already had Ingram as one of my allies. I already told him what he needed to do on how he would steal the heir candidate seat from Lambert. If he followed what I told him, perhaps, Ingram would become an heir candidate after the next two weeks.

"Well, I shall prepare for supper." I felt the bed become light after that. 'Get yourself together, Dominixe. We are only getting started,' he said in a bright tone.

'Don't see Airene often. You are going to get caught in no time.' I looked at him earnestly.

'I know.' He winked at me.

Sighing, I summoned Airene and Anita to help me prepare for supper. I had to be presentable since tonight was not an ordinary night.

Tonight was the night of Warren Porter's arrival.

I had never felt so annoyed when I heard that he was coming to visit for some 'business.' I already knew what that bastard man wanted.

He wanted to see me.

That was his agenda. He was starting to show his interest in me.

I knew it since it had already happened in my previous life. I might have changed some future, but some things flowed the same.

"My lady, we are done."

Nodding, I returned to the prison cell to see that Valerian had more bruised on his face. That made my blood boil before I slapped the guard using the back of my hand.

I growled and grabbed him by his collar. "Didn't I say his handsome face is my prize possession? How dare you bruise it?" I asked dangerously.

"P-Please forgive my insolence, L-Lady Dominixe..." He gulped.

My face darkened as I did not hesitate to unsheath his sword from his scabbard and stab him in his eye. "Perhaps, your death can only mean forgiveness." I tossed the dead body aside and looked at Papa's henchmen, who were horrified. "Do it again that you touched his face. You shall meet your own fate like him."

"Y-Yes, Lady Dominixe."

"Clean that body. I do not want to see it again." I picked up Valerian's leash before roughly pulling it up, looking at my mate with a deadpan expression. "Stand up there, Valerian. You are coming with me."

Even though he looked like he couldn't walk anymore, Valerian groaned and tried to stand up. "A-As you command, master..." he said in a meek tone.

He followed me quietly while I heard the difficulty in his breathing. I brought him back to my chamber before I took the antidote and coerced him to look at him so I could transfer the potion toward his mouth.

Valerian groaned inside my mouth and wrapped his arm around me as he kissed me back. But that was a brief moment before he broke our kiss and started coughing some blood.

"Easy..." I guided him to my bed. "I can only bestow an antidote to heal the internal damage, but not your physical wounds, Val," I said softly as I caressed his back.

"That was so fucking painful, Dominixe..." He kept coughing before I granted him a glass of water to drink. "You are making me suffer enough... You made me sign up for this..." He gripped the glass he emptied before he glared at me.

I averted my gaze. "You know why you came here. If you regret it, you should not have let yourself fall from my father's scheme." I sighed. My chest throbbed, seeing him in a difficult situation. I cupped his face to flatten his creasing forehead. "You can still revoke what you said that you still want me. Because after everything that shall happen here, you will question if I am still worthy of being your mate."

Valerian's face darkened, unhappy at my words. "I am not that shallow, Dominixe. Remember that. So, drop that idea I would not want you after this." He took my hand and clasped it with mine. "I am going to help you end your suffering. I want to be with you, so I will endure all tortures here."

I looked at him intently, seeing how he uttered those words that might backfire sooner or later.

"Alright." I softened and held his hand. "There is one thing that I need you to know of what will happen tonight."

"What do you mean? Is your father going to betroth you?" He gritted his teeth. "You said he wouldn't do that as long as you are the heir candidate..." His other free hand clenched.

I felt like I shouldn't have opened this up. But seeing that he was eager to know meant he wouldn't be at ease.

"That is not what is going to happen tonight... A much worse if I am right."

"And that is?"

I was hesitant if I was going to say this to him or not. This would enrage him for certain. This would make him change his mind if he still wanted me in the end or not.

I bit my lower lip before I opened my mouth. "Papa ordered me to seduce Warren Porter and sleep with him in my chamber."

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