Chapter 558: Pitiful Boy

Without thinking, Maria suddenly moved forward and sat beside him.

And before Cassius could even react, she reached out, wrapped her arms around him, and pulled him close—pressing his head against her chest.

He stiffened in surprise, his words muffled, "L-Lady Maria, what are you—"

"Shhh." She whispered, her voice soft and maternal. "Don’t speak."

He blinked, breath catching as she held him tighter, while her voice softened even more as she looked down at him with motherly affection.

"Even though I can’t accept your proposal...I can still hold you. So please, don’t reject it."

Hearing this, Cassius’s hands trembled, and then, hesitantly, he hugged her back, burying his face deeper into her embrace.

Maria smiled faintly, stroking his hair.

"It’s alright." She whispered soothingly. "Everything will be alright. You’ll find someone far better than me, Young Master. Someone who’ll love you dearly. You’re still young. Life’s ahead of you. Don’t let this moment bring you down."

He only sniffled in response, holding her tighter.

But even as she spoke, she couldn’t help but smile gently, her eyes glistening.

The man who had faced her daughter without fear—crying like a boy in her chest.

She couldn’t help but think that he was utterly adorable—so heartbreakingly cute like this, clinging to her as if he were a boy lost in a storm, trembling, small, fragile.

Her maternal instincts surged, and with them, something warmer, more dangerous.

And though she knew she shouldn’t...Maria couldn’t stop herself from hugging him even tighter, pressing him close as if comforting a child.

To her, he wasn’t the infamous noble everyone feared anymore.

He was just a lonely, wounded soul longing to be loved.

But little did she know...

Cassius wasn’t crying anymore.

His face, once buried in sorrow, was now pressed into the full swell of her breasts, nestled deep between them. And hidden from her eyes, his lips were curled into a wide, satisfied smile.

A slow, contented breath filled his lungs, and he exhaled in a near-silent sigh of bliss.

Her scent lightly floral, warm with skin, laced with the faintest trace of perfume was intoxicating. He took in another breath, deeper this time, and his eyes fluttered shut as if lost in ecstasy.

His hands, once trembling, had also found steadiness.

One rested innocently on her lower back, but the other—he had let it drift low, fingers brushing along her waist until they came to rest on the gentle curve of her hip.

He didn’t grope, didn’t squeeze crudely.

No. He simply held her there, fingers lightly flexed as if memorizing her shape.

But it was unmistakable. He was enjoying every part of this.

And worse, he was pulling her closer.

Inch by inch, his arms subtly tightened, drawing her body in so that her chest smothered his face more completely.

Her generous breasts, so soft and warm, cradled his cheeks like a pillow spun of heaven itself.

Neither of them spoke.

But their thoughts could not have been further apart.

She thought he was weeping.

And he?

He was already imagining how long he could stretch this moment?

How long he could keep her arms around him?

How much closer he could bring her before she noticed?

—

For a long while, Maria simply held him close, her arms wrapped gently around his trembling frame, his head buried against her chest.

His tears soaked faintly through her robes, but she didn’t mind in the slightest. She stroked his hair slowly, murmuring soft, soothing words in a low tone, like a mother comforting her frightened child.

But after a while, his crying subsided into quiet sniffles, then finally into silence.

He took a slow, deep breath, then carefully lifted his head. His face was still damp, his eyes red and glistening.

And yet, even with his messy hair and tear-streaked cheeks, there was something heartbreakingly innocent about him that made Maria’s chest ache.

Cassius then blinked, his gaze darting away from hers awkwardly before he spoke, his voice soft and strained.

"I think...I’m alright now." He said, wiping his face quickly with the back of his hand. "Completely alright."

"It’s...uh...quite humiliating, I suppose." He gave a small, embarrassed laugh and ran his fingers through his hair. "Crying like that in front of you."

Maria smiled kindly. "You don’t have to be embarrassed—"

But he quickly shook his head.

"No, please. Just...forget it happened, alright? Pretend none of this ever occurred."

He gave a half-smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

"I’m grateful for what you did, truly. You helped me calm down...but still, it’s terribly embarrassing."

He turned slightly, looking away.

"So, let’s just...pretend I didn’t cry, or say anything foolish. I’d prefer that."

Maria wanted to protest, but seeing his fragile pride, she simply smiled and nodded.

"Very well, if that’s what you wish."

He managed a grateful nod, trying to regain some of his usual composure, but his cheeks were still faintly flushed.

"Thank you." He said quietly. "Thank you, Lady Maria...for everything."

And with that, he stood up, fixed his clothes, and after one last fleeting glance in her direction, left the room.

—

Later that night, Maria lay beneath the thick, soft blankets in her bed with her daughter praying right beside her.

She had just finished her prayers when her eyes lingered on the ceiling, unfocused and dreamy.

Her thoughts wandered—back to the moment Cassius had looked at her with those tear-filled eyes, the quiver in his voice, the sincerity in his words.

It all felt like a dream.

’How did that even happen...?’ She wondered faintly. ’Was that really today? Did all of that truly happen? The proposal, his words, his tears...’

She sighed quietly, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

The warmth of his embrace still lingered on her skin, faint but unmistakable, as though he were still there.

Even now, she could almost feel the weight of his head resting against her chest, the tremble in his breath.

’He really cried for me...’ She thought, a soft pang in her heart. ’He must have truly liked me that much.’

Her lips curved into a faint, bittersweet smile as she whispered to herself. " Oh, Cassius..."

She tried to close her eyes, but her thoughts refused to settle.

Again and again, she replayed the moment when he looked up at her with that trembling voice—Will you marry me?—and even though she had refused, her heart still fluttered remembering it.

It was at that moment that a voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Mother." Came Joy’s voice softly, from beside her.

Maria blinked and turned her head. Her daughter was staring at her with concern, her brows furrowed.

"Are you alright?" Joy asked quietly. "You’ve had this dreamy look on your face ever since you came back. You’re staring at the ceiling, lost in thought. You don’t seem like yourself."

Maria froze, caught red-handed.

Joy narrowed her eyes. "Did that Cassius do something to you?" She demanded. "Did he say something or do something that’s poisoned your mind?"

Before Maria could even respond, Joy sat up halfway, frowning deeply.

"Should I cast a holy purification spell on you? Just in case he cursed you or bound you somehow—"

Hearing what her daughter was up to, Maria snapped out of her daze and immediately rolled her eyes, sighing in exasperation before reaching over to tap her daughter lightly on the head.

"Oh, my dear Joy." She said in a soft, amused tone. "You and your obsession with justice."

Joy frowned but let her mother pat her head.

"He didn’t do anything to me, nor did he curse me." Maria said firmly, brushing her daughter’s hair affectionately. "You can relax. No holy spells needed."

"Then why do you look like that?"

Joy tilted her head slightly, unconvinced.

"Like you’re...far away?"

Maria smiled faintly, her expression growing wistful.

"It’s nothing, dear. I just..." She paused, thinking for a moment, then said weakly, " I just made a decision tonight. And I don’t know if it was the right one."

"A decision?"

"Yes." Maria nodded slowly. "Though, deep down, I know it was the right decision. The most logical, the most righteous one." She sighed softly. "But for some reason, I can’t stop thinking about it. I keep wondering what might’ve happened if I had chosen differently."

But even though Maria waa pouring her heart out without exposing herself, Joy looked completely clueless.

"Mother, I don’t understand you at all." She said bluntly. "If you made a decision, then stand by it. There’s no point in second-guessing yourself."

"Indecisive people only waste their time doing that. And I absolutely despise people who are wishy-washy with their decision."

Maria stared at her daughter for a second in dismay, then groaned quietly and muttered,

"Why am I even talking about emotional matters with you of all people?"

"What’s that supposed to mean?"

Maria chuckled softly and said, " It means that anything involving emotions or feelings is completely wasted on you. You see everything so directly and logically."

Joy puffed up her cheeks slightly in mild annoyance, while Maria smiled fondly and looked toward the ceiling again.

"Honestly, if Aqua were here, I’d rather talk to her about this. She’d listen."

"Now that I mention it...where is Aqua?" Maria frowned thoughtfully. "I thought she would sneak into our bed as usual by now."

Joy sighed, pulling the blanket up to her chin.

"I thought so too. I even made sure we got a slightly bigger bed this time because I knew she’d try. But surprisingly, she said she wouldn’t be sleeping with us tonight."

Maria raised a brow. "Oh?"

"She said she’d be sleeping with her brother instead." Her voice turned sharp, her brows furrowing. "I warned her not to. Told her that devil might try something. But she just laughed and ran off."

"Of course she’d laugh it off." Maria rolled her eyes again. "Joy, he’s her dear brother. Why would he do anything improper to her?"

Joy huffed, muttering. "You never know with the devil. He’s unpredictable." Before she yawned, burrowing deeper under her blanket. "But anyway, I’m not worried. Aqua’s strong enough to handle herself. And I have a long day tomorrow—I’ll be starting the next round of investigation."

She closed her eyes with finality.

"Good night, Mother. Don’t stay up thinking about any nonsense and go to sleep."

And within seconds, Joy was fast asleep.

Maria sighed softly, staring at her daughter’s peaceful face.

’This child of mine.’ She thought fondly. ’So blunt, so stubborn...and yet so precious.’

She leaned over and gently kissed Joy’s forehead.

The girl smiled faintly in her sleep, almost like a little girl again and actually grabbed onto her mother’s hand for safety.

Maria’s heart melted. She tucked the blanket around her daughter and whispered,

"Goodnight, my Joy."

Then she leaned back, closing her eyes.

But even as she tried to sleep, her mind betrayed her—returning again and again to that image of Cassius crying in her arms, his tears warm against her skin, his trembling voice calling her name.

She exhaled softly, clutching the blanket close to her chest.

’Oh, Cassius...’ She thought with quiet sadness. ’You must be crying even now, aren’t you? You poor, pitiful boy...’

And even though she knew she had made the right decision, her heart ached for him all the same.

But while Maria lay in bed, imagining Cassius curled up in his room, sobbing into a tear-drenched pillow, unable to sleep from the heartbreak of her rejection...

Cassius was doing something entirely different.

He was in one of the dimly lit corridors of the mansion and pressed against the wall was Isabelle, her maid’s dress yanked down to expose one of her large, plump breasts, the creamy flesh spilling out invitingly.

Cassius’s mouth was latched onto her nipple, sucking aggressively, his tongue lashing the sensitive peak as he growled low in his throat, one hand pinning her shoulder while the other groped her ass through her skirt.

...not looking one bit like the pitiful boy that Maria was imagining and instead like a beast on the prowl.