How To End This Marriage-Chapter 85: Tangled Deceptions

"This is not who you are. You are trying to cover up for someone who ordered you to do so," Maximus shouted at the lady.

"No, your highness. This is what I wanted to do. I actually hold a grudge against this knight for a while, and now that I have the chance, I did it. I took my revenge," she said once again, showing no emotion on her face, which only irritated Maximus further.

"I know you are lying. You will not be executed. You will be held captive by me until you tell me the truth," Maximus declared as he put handcuffs on her bloodied hands, pulling her out of the prison. She still displayed no emotion as she calmly stated, "You can’t lock me up, your highness. The knights should be on their way, and once they arrive, I will only face the death ordered by his highness, the emperor."

"Only if they find out," Maximus replied, then pulled her into a corner as he heard the knights’ footsteps approaching.

"Are you going to be treacherous, your highness?" she asked, but Maximus covered her mouth with his hand. She didn’t resist but kept her eyes on him.

"What happened here? Didn’t His Highness the Crown Prince order that no one should know what happened here? Didn’t he say to keep this thing hidden? So who leaked the information?" the head knight shouted.

"That shouldn’t be the question. The question should be, where did you get the information to come and check the cells when His Highness was dealing with it? Who gave you the information?" another knight asked.

"I don’t know," the head knight stuttered.

"Head knight, you don’t sound genuine. Did you go against His Highness the Crown Prince?" the other knights interrogated.

"No, I didn’t," he insisted.

"Then tell us, how did you know about this?" the other knights pressed.

"I have my sources," he replied.

"Don’t you have your own sources too?" the head knight’s response left them all bewildered, and the blood from Lucius’s body kept flowing, leaving marks on the ground, making it look like the knights murdered him and were now attempting to conceal the crime.

"You two, take this body to the basement and clean it thoroughly. There shouldn’t be a single bloodstain left. I’ll stay here to clean this place, so no one will find out, okay?" the head knight ordered.

"Yes!" the other knights shouted and carefully removed Lucius’s body from the room. They secretly carried the body to the basement, ensuring they stayed out of sight.

As the knights worked to clean up, Maximus and the lady remained hidden in a corner, observing everything.

"You have such loyal followers, my lord," the lady remarked.

"Didn’t I say to shut your dirty mouth!!!" Maximus growled.

"If you really think my mouth is dirty, then you should let me free in front of all so that I can receive the punishment I deserve," she said.

"If I let you face the punishment now, I will jeopardize my mission. Executing you won’t make it easier; it will only complicate matters. I will make you speak, one way or another. You must tell me why you did this," Maximus declared.

"How many times must I confess my crime, my lord? I’ve told you I held a grudge against him, so I took my revenge," she said.

"As if I believe you. Do you think I don’t know how to read someone? Or do you think you can hide your emotions by acting emotionless? No. I can clearly see through your façade. Can’t you feel the sweat on your brow? You claim you’re not scared? I’m not a fool, lady," Maximus said.

She clenched her teeth, making Maximus smirk.

"See, you’re feeling angry, right? So you do have emotions," Maximus whispered into her ear.

"Your highness, you will regret saving me. You’re not making an enemy of me, but someone else, someone who may not reveal their true self," she warned, leaving Maximus confused.

"Let’s see who that is," he responded, pulling her out of the corner and leading her to his chamber without being noticed.

"Where are you taking me? Release me!!!" she grunted.

"You are going to my chamber. You will stay there until I know the truth," Maximus said as he pushed her inside his chamber, making her glare at him.

"Do you think being inside the crown prince’s chamber will keep me hidden?" she asked.

"Who knows! Maybe!" he smirked and began to undress, while the lady looked at him with a flushed face.

"What the hell are you doing? Stop it now! Whatever you’re trying to do, stop it this instant, or I will scream!" she panicked as Maximus came closer to her.

"What am I doing? I’m undressing myself. Is that a crime too?" he smirked.

"If you’re undressing, then why are you coming toward me? I don’t think your intentions are right," she stuttered.

"So what do you think my intentions are?" he asked.

"Don’t come closer! Don’t make me feel bad about you," she said.

"Oh, so you think I’m good right now? So bad. I was never good," he said, extending his hand toward her, causing her to close her eyes. But when he picked up his shirt from his bed, she looked flustered.

"What do you think? Did you think I want to bed you? Such a wrong thought, lady. I didn’t know you were so eager to get into bed with me," he teased her.

"Sylvia!" she said.

"What?" he asked.

"My name is Sylvia. I’m getting tired of you calling me ’lady.’ You can use my name," she said.

"Now I think we’ve gotten a little bit closer," he said and walked toward his washroom, leaving her alone in his room. She appeared flushed by the interaction with Maximus, but her face then became serious, and she muttered, "No, I shouldn’t be doing this. This is not what I’ve been assigned to."

"I should be doing my work. I can’t be with him, or my family will be in danger," she said and tried to walk toward the door when a person in black attire stopped her.

"You are not permitted to leave this place," he said in a cold voice.

"Why can’t I leave? And who are you?" she asked.

"It is the order of Crown Prince Maximus. I can’t disobey him. You will stay in my presence 24/7 until His Highness orders me to stop monitoring you," the guard in black attire replied coldly.

"I don’t care what your highness says. I want to go, so I will. No one can stop me," she insisted, attempting to leave. But Maximus stopped her.

"Can’t you get this straight in your mind? You are under my control. As long as I don’t tell you to leave, you can’t. This is my word, and you can’t defy me," Maximus said as he pulled her back into his chamber, tossing her onto his bed.

"Get some rest now. Tomorrow, you will have an interrogation session, and this time you can’t escape," he ordered.

She muttered, "I shouldn’t be doing this. This is not what I was assigned to," and attempted to walk to the door. However, a person in black attire stopped her.

"You are not permitted to leave this place," he said in a cold voice.

"Why can’t I? And who are you?" she asked.

"It is the order of Crown Prince Maximus. I can’t disobey him. You will remain here, in front of my eyes, 24/7, until His Highness orders me to stop."

"I don’t care what your highness says. I want to go, so I will. No one can stop me," she said, trying to forcefully leave, but Maximus stopped her.

"Can’t you get this straight in your mind? You are under my control. As long as I don’t tell you to leave, you can’t. This is my word, and you can’t defy me," he said, pulling her back inside his chamber and tossing her onto his bed.

"Get some sleep now. In the morning, you will have the interrogation session, and this time you can’t escape," he said, then thudded on the sofa behind him, leaving her confused.

"Don’t think of escaping because you can’t. The Black Traths are not that easy to fool," he said and closed his eyes.

"Do you think you can capture me, and I can do nothing? No, if I have to kill you to be free, I will do so, your royal highness," she said, putting pressure on his neck while he was without any weapon.

"Yes, kill me! Kill me and be free from this. Maybe prison is the suitable place for you, not the crown prince’s chamber. Is that right?" he asked.

"Yes, prison is a suitable place for me rather than being here. I will surrender myself and get executed, but I won’t answer what you wish," she said while pushing her body against him.

"Isn’t this position kind of weird?" Maximus growled, seeing her above him.