Chapter 140: The Fall Of House Whiteguard (1)
Thank you, DereckESCL, for the two Power Stones!
I edited my synopsis. Please take a moment to read it and let me know what you think.
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"You're going to destroy House Whitguard." Melissa said with concern, "You know this will shatter your reputation."
"It's all about optics." Ciaran replied with a casual tone.
Melissa's mind wandered as she sat lost in thought. After spending almost a month with him, she finally saw his true nature, which was both manipulative and cold-hearted. She decided to confront him about it but was left speechless when he blatantly admitted that the strong always devour the weak. He then joked that he was going to devour her as well. However, just a few days later, he turned his joke into reality and took her to his bed, where she spent an evening of passion that forever left a deep and indelible mark on her memory. Thinking about that memory made her cheeks warm and her lower half itch in anticipation.
Ciaran couldn't help but feel amused as he observed Melissa getting lost in her thoughts. He suspected that she was recalling the night they spent together, and the slight blush on her cheeks confirmed his suspicion. He playfully snapped his fingers to bring her back to the present and reminded her to focus on their work before having fun.
Melissa felt her cheeks grow warmer with embarrassment but quickly became serious. He had placed great trust in her, and she wanted to prove that that trust was not misplaced.
"Optics." She rolled that word on her tongue. You plan on changing the story of why you destroyed Whiteguard," she said after a moment.
Suddenly, Ciaran's face became sad, and his voice became sorrowful. "My dear Elizabeth has been missing since the second awakening." He paused as if putting on a show. Now, all of a sudden, House Whiteguard is targeting my territories vital to House Maxamus—that only a few select members of House Maxamus know about, and one of those happens to be Elizabeth, who is my betrothed."
Melissa's eyes widened in surprise, "That's why you chased her out that day."
Ciaran nodded, "If she had just come to me first, all of this could have been avoided." He paused as his tone became colder, "Just as I'm destined to die, she is destined to become my wife."
"I see." Melissa said, "You killed a demon general for her. You even destroyed House Fairchild to protect me. You've crafted a story that you will do terrible things to those who harm the ones you care about."
"Precisely." Ciaran nodded, "Everyone loves a good romance story. So what will people think when they find out that House Whiteguard, mainly its heir, Leonardo Whiteguard, has kidnapped my betrothed and is holding her against her will? What will people say when I alone charge into the territory of House Whiteguard and tear it apart in my search for my beloved?"
"What if Elizabeth shows herself in support of House Whiteguard?" Melissa asked.
"Of course, she will. She doesn't want to see me get hurt and is willing to sacrifice herself, but it would only embolden me even more to rescue her." Ciaran said as he placed a hand over his chest.
Melissa observed him speaking about Elizabeth, she couldn't help but notice his eyes light up with a soft, gentle glow. It was as if a magical spark had been ignited in him, and the love that emanated from his gaze was almost palpable. If she didn't know better, she could have been easily deceived by the sincerity in his words.
"Am I a tool for you to use, too?" she suddenly asked without thinking before realizing her mistake. "Never mind," she quickly added.
"No, it's a valid question." Ciaran said with a soft smile, "In the beginning, yes, you were a pawn being used by Olivia and me in our little war game." He answered honestly.
"Ah." Was Melissa's reply as her shoulders slumped.
"But you changed that," he said, causing her to look at him. "When you told me about your father and what he tried to do with you, I decided to protect you."
"So, I'm a trophy to be protected?" She asked.
"While there are things I can't tell you, I've never lied to you. Even when you confronted me about my true self, I told you the truth, and you still accepted me." He paused as he stood up and approached her, "Right then and there, you had sealed a place in my heart."
Melissa felt his grip on her hand tighten, she couldn't help but wonder what was going to happen next. With a quick lift and a pull, he drew her closer, and their eyes locked. She noticed a fleeting look of longing in his gaze, but it was quickly replaced by an unsettling coldness. Yet that coldness wasn't directed towards her, and she felt safe in his embrace.
"I can be my true self around you. I can show you my true ambition and desires, and you readily accept them." He paused and kissed her.
As their lips met, Ciaran's fervor was palpable. The intensity of his feelings was conveyed in the fervency of their kiss, which left Melissa with no doubt about his emotions. It was a moment of pure passion as if the world around them had faded away, leaving them alone in their embrace. As they pulled away, Melissa could still feel the heat of his touch and the depth of his desire.
"I want you by my side." He paused as he kissed her forehead, "Not as a plaything or a tool to be used and discarded. I want you to be beside me when I conquer this world." He paused as his tone became a whisper, "Will you be by my side, even when the world labels me as a monster?"
"Will I be the only one?" She asked, even though she already knew the answer.
He replied without hesitation, his voice calm and reassuring, "There is another." He held her tighter, "And there will probably be others. But I promise you that you are special to me in your own way."
"It's the Princess, isn't it?" She asked. Ciaran could not attack the princess, even in self-defense, and escape repercussions unless something happened between them.
"Yes." He lifted her and set her on his desk, "Will you still be mine?" He paused and waited for her answer.
Melissa didn't hesitate to give her answer. Not in words but in action as she leaned back on the desk with her arms wrapped around his neck and her legs interlocking his waist.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
SithLordAno
SithLordAno Please take a few moments and review my story. Thanks!
Enjoy it? Add it to the library!
Dropping power stones? I'll gladly pick them up, lol
With this, Ciaran has finally succumbed to temptation and lost his virgin status, lol. I debated hard about writing R-18 scenes, but after careful consideration, I've decided to allude to it. I will show kissing, but that would be the extent of it. We will then cut to the aftermath of said scene. If you want me to remove the R-18 tag, let me know in the comments, and I will.
This is mainly done partly because I plan to release this as an Ebook in a series, and I don't want these scenes to hurt any potential sales. I hope everyone understands.
Also, this will officially mark the beginning of the harem tag(I need to check if this story has the harem tag, lol), with Melissa and Olivia as the first two of his harem. Although Olivia is not traditional, as it transcends the physical if that makes sense. If you are confused as to why Cas and Liz are not part of his harem, well, I am too, lol. We will just have to wait and see.
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