Chapter 557: Tears Of Rejection

"You really are an intriguing man, Young Master."

Maria’s voice finally came out warm and teasing.

"Bold, strange, and unpredictable."

He chuckled, a bit of his confidence returning. But then Maria tilted her head curiously, her eyes glimmering.

"But tell me...is this something you often do?" She asked with gentle humor. "How often do you propose to women the moment you meet them? Or am I just lucky enough to be your first victim?"

Cassius blinked, momentarily caught off guard.

"Ah, well..." He began, looking slightly sheepish now. "You remember Nala, right?"

"Yes, you’re adorable lamia wife." She giggled at the thought of Nala.

"Yes, her." He scratched the back of his head. "The truth is...I also proposed to her the very night I met her."

Maria blinked, her jaw slightly dropping. "You—what?"

"So, yes." He coughed into his hand, looking away in embarrassment. "I suppose I’ve...developed a bit of a habit lately. Of proposing rather quickly."

Maria couldn’t help it—she laughed softly, covering her mouth again at the serial proposer before her.

But then Cassius quickly raised his hand in defense, looking flustered.

"B-But wait! Don’t misunderstand! I didn’t just propose to her randomly. I spent time with her first. We even went through life-and-death situations together, and I learned who she truly was before I asked. That was earned!"

He gestured animatedly, trying to emphasize his point, and Maria giggled again at how flustered he suddenly seemed.

"But with you." He went on, placing his hand over his chest with dramatic sincerity. "I didn’t want to risk losing the chance. When I saw your name, when I read about your life, I felt something inside me—something I couldn’t ignore. I thought, if I don’t act now, I’ll regret it forever."

Maria blinked, her laughter fading into quiet surprise, as he looked at her, eyes full of conviction.

"So yes, this might seem sudden. But I’m not doing this as some game or prank. I don’t go around proposing to every woman I meet. I’m doing this because I truly mean it. Because I really like you, Lady Maria."

His face shined with sincerity. "Because I think you deserve happiness, warmth, and someone who’ll make sure you’re never even a tough situation again."

Then, in a solemn tone that carried every ounce of his emotions, Cassius bowed his head slightly.

"So please." He said gently, his voice low, steady, and sincere. "Give me the honor of making you my wife."

"I promise you, I’ll make you the happiest woman alive. I’ll never treat you unkindly. I’ll give you the life you deserve filled with warmth, laughter, and peace."

He lifted his head, his eyes locking onto hers once again.

"So." He said softly. " Lady Maria...will you grant me that honor?"

The room went utterly still.

Maria just stood there, frozen, her lips parted but no words leaving them. Her heart thudded in her chest like a drum, and she could feel the warmth of her blush creeping from her cheeks down to her neck.

She had absolutely no idea what to do, what to say, or even how to breathe properly.

Her fingers fidgeted with the edge of her sleeve as she looked away, unable to meet his gaze.

"I...I don’t..." She began, her voice trembling slightly.

Then she stopped, inhaled deeply, and closed her eyes for a moment, forcing herself to calm down.

’Get a grip, Maria.’ She told herself. ’You’re a grown woman, not a nervous girl.’

When she finally opened her eyes again, she knew what to do as it was the most obvious decision to make

So, she looked at Cassius with a shy, flustered smile, still fidgeting with her hands.

"I...honestly wasn’t expecting to be approached like this." She said nervously. "I’ve been through many strange things in life, but this, this might be the strangest of them all. You completely caught me off guard."

Cassius listened quietly, his gaze patient and kind, while Maria continued, her voice quieter now.

"And actually, this is actually the first time anyone has ever proposed marriage to me or even normally asked me out. I don’t even know how to react properly."

"I’m embarrassed, confused, and...a little flattered, I suppose." She laughed softly, her cheeks still pink. "It’s such a strange situation for someone like me."

Cassius’s lips curved in a faint smile, his eyes studying her with gentle warmth.

"But..." Maria said after a pause, her voice growing more tender. "What I can say, Young Master Cassius, is that your proposal doesn’t offend me. Not in the slightest. In fact..." Her eyes softened, her tone trembling with emotion. "...it makes me happy. Truly happy."

Cassius blinked, startled by the sincerity in her voice.

"For so long." She went on quietly. "I thought that because I was a woman of the Goddess, because of my vows and my title, that I was someone beyond reach. Untouchable. That no man would ever look at me that way again."

Her eyes shimmered faintly, a bittersweet smile tugging at her lips.

"And even though I tried to tell myself it didn’t matter, deep down...it did. Every once in a while, I’d feel a small ache inside. A fear that I wasn’t...desirable."

"That I wasn’t a woman anymore—just a servant of faith, living only for others."

Cassius’s expression became a little sorrowful and filled with empathy.

Maria noticed it but continued, her voice steadier now.

"So when you told me you admired me, when you said you liked me, and then went as far as proposing marriage..." She laughed lightly, shaking her head. "I can’t deny it. It filled me with happiness I didn’t even know I could feel anymore."

Her eyes sparkled as she took a small, shy step forward, her hands clasped over her chest.

"It made me feel...alive again. Like I was reborn as a woman. Like I could stand tall among others tomorrow and not feel lesser than anyone else. It reminded me that I’m still me. That I still matter."

She stopped, smiling warmly at him, her hands pressed to her chest.

"And for that, I truly must thank you, Young Master Cassius. You’ve changed me in only a few minutes. You’ve reminded me that I’m still alive, that I still have worth, and that I can still grow."

"From now on, I’ll be a better person, someone who spreads even more optimism and kindness wherever I go. And it’s all because of you."

Cassius’s heart leapt with hope as he heard those words. She spoke so much so and with such heartfelt emotion that he thought for sure that she was going to accept.

"Then...does that mean..." He said quickly, almost tripping over his own words. "That you’re accepting my proposal? That you’ll marry me?"

Maria froze for a moment, and then, to his utter horror, gave an awkward little smile.

"Well...about that..." She said softly, her tone suddenly uncertain.

Cassius blinked, the color draining from his face.

"I think." Maria continued gently. "I will have to decline."

Cassius went completely still. His eyes trembled in disbelief, as if the world had just stopped turning.

"W-What?" He stammered. "Decline? But...why? You said you were happy! You said it made you feel alive again! I thought—"

"I am happy." Maria interrupted gently, nodding with a calm, mature smile. "Truly, I am. But that doesn’t mean I can accept."

Cassius looked utterly lost. "But...why not? What’s wrong?"

She sighed softly, lowering her gaze. "There are too many problems with it, Young Master."

"Problems?" He repeated. "Like what?"

Maria took a deep breath.

"First of all." She began quietly. "I am a woman of the Church. I’ve dedicated my life to the Goddess since I was a young girl. My faith has carried me through everything. Through suffering, loneliness, and hardship. It’s a part of me."

"I can’t just give it up because someone proposes to me. It would go against everything I’ve believed in."

Cassius frowned slightly, stepping closer.

"But...you could leave the Church." He argued softly. "You could renounce your vows. If anyone tries to harm or threaten you because of it, I’ll protect you. I’ll face the Church myself if I have to."

Maria smiled warmly at that.

"I know you would. I can tell you’re the kind of man who fiercely protects the people he loves. And I admire that."

"But my faith...it isn’t something I can abandon. It’s not a chain that binds me, it’s the light that’s kept me alive."

Cassius exhaled slowly, his shoulders sinking.

"And besides..." She added with a faint, wry smile. "...there’s another problem. I’m a mother."

He looked up at her again, confused.

"I’m also not the mother of a little girl." She said softly. "But of a grown woman. My daughter is already in her late twenties. She’s an adult who could have a family of her own. So, for me to marry a man even younger than her..."

She trailed off, shaking her head with a blush.

"It’s unthinkable. Do you know how embarrassing that would be for me? The rumors alone would destroy us both."

Cassius tried to speak, but she gently raised a hand, cutting him off.

"I know what you’ll say, that you don’t care, that you’ll handle it. But I do care. I have to..."

She paused, her eyes softening again.

"And most importantly...my daughter."

Maria sighed deeply.

"You’ve met her, haven’t you? You’ve seen how she is. She already pushes away every man who dares come near me. She’s protective to a fault. To her, every man who even looks at me is a potential threat."

Cassius’s lips pressed into a thin line.

Maria looked at him knowingly. "And you, Cassius, the man she already considers dangerous, maybe even evil."

"Do you really think she’d accept you as her step-father?"

He faltered, no words coming out this time.

Maria smiled sadly. "Exactly."

"So." She said quietly, bowing her head. "As much as I appreciate what you’ve said, as much as I’m grateful."

"I’m afraid I have to decline your proposal."

She kept her head bowed, her tone soft but resolute.

"I’m sorry."

There was silence for several long seconds and Maria felt a heaviness in her chest.

The words had hurt to say, even more than she’d expected. She even felt a heavy guilt, fearing she was letting down this young man who had just given her such a gift of confidence.

But still she expected him to take it with his usual noble grace—after all, with his reputation, surely he was used to women falling at his feet.

She assumed he would move on by tomorrow morning, being the famous playboy he was.

After all, he was handsome, powerful, and charming. If one woman turned him down, surely ten others would be waiting.

But when she slowly lifted her head again, expecting to see his usual smirk—

Her heart stopped.

Cassius, the man who had seemed so strong and indestructible, was tearing up.

Right there, in his beautiful eyes, heavy tears were welling and spilling over. He looked like a child who had been denied, oppressed, and truly heartbroken.

It was so genuine and pitiful that Maria gasped.

"Y-Young Master!" Maria gasped, rushing forward. "What—What happened? Why are you crying like this?"

But then, her eyes then widened in realization.

"Wait—don’t tell me...I-It isn’t because of me, is it? You aren’t crying because I said no?"

But to her horror, he nodded pitifully, wiping his tears with the back of his hand.

"Didn’t you hear everything I said? I meant every word. I wasn’t playing around, I wasn’t joking—I truly meant it." His voice cracked. "And hearing you say no...it hurts."

"B-But..." Maria stammered, completely at a loss for words. "I thought...I thought you’d move on easily and would simply brush it off."

Cassius let out a small, broken laugh through his tears. "Do I look like I’m moving on right now?"

Maria’s heart twisted painfully, while he let out a reluctant chuckle.

"I-I thought I could hold it in." He continued softly, his voice barely above a whisper. "I thought I could wait until you left, and then cry after you were gone. But I can’t. It’s too much."

He looked up at her, smiling faintly even as tears continued to fall. "So, please don’t think I’m pathetic for this. I just...can’t help it."

"No!" Maria said swiftly, shaking her head. "Not at all! I would never think a man brave enough to be this vulnerable is pathetic."

"I just...I never knew you cared for me so deeply."

Cassius smiled faintly through his tears.

"As unbelievable as it may sound." He said quietly. "I meant every word. You’re simply the kind of woman a man can’t forget. The kind he’d cry for if rejected."

"And that’s...exactly what’s happening right now."

He then wiped his cheeks, his shoulders slumping in defeat as he walked over to the bed.

"You also don’t need to see this miserable sight anymore." He murmured before sitting down heavily on the bed. "You can go join your daughter. Don’t worry about me. I’ll...I’ll just sit here for a while, let the tears run their course."

Maria stared at him.

This man who had stood tall before her daughter, confident and unshakable, now sitting before her, shoulders drooped, tears glistening in his crimson eyes.

Her heart broke.

She realized then that Cassius, for all his charm and power, was just a man who wanted to be loved—and time and time again, he had been denied it.

First by his family, now by her.

Not to mention, that while other men had egos that would turn to anger or indifference when rejected, Cassius was raw and honest.

And seeing how he was reacting, she felt a profound guilt for underestimating his feelings, for thinking they were something that he would quickly forget.

But at the same time, she also felt a surge of warmth and pride filled her.

That a man like him would cry over her made her feel more valuable than she ever had.

And feeling all these emotions at the same time, she couldn’t hold back anymore.