Chapter 53

IAN had left Emily to attend to something that required his immediate attention. Emily was looking around as the seat next to her right was empty but there was someone who had already taken the left seat.
"Is it a little gauche, don't you think so?" The sweet voice was filling the room as Emily turned to look at the lady that was next to her.
She has orange hair, which was rare considering most of the gentry would have blonde, black, or brown hair. When she turned to look at Emily, she sucked her breath.
The young woman's eyes were sapphire blue. It was so captivating to look at her. The lady smiled before she extended her hand to Emily. Emily took it before the sweet voice was filling her eardrum again.
"My name is Lady Jessica Cole from the coastal city that was ruled by the Earl of Raine. But everyone just called me Jessie. Especially my friend," she said as Emily was arching her eyebrows at her.
"Are we friends?" She asked before Jessie smiled.
"We are now. So, what's your name?" She asked Emily before she was smiling at Jessie.
"My name is Lady Emily Mo—Hassildor," she said as Jessie was arching her eyebrows.
"You're the new marchioness, aren't you?" She asked as Emily nodded.
"Guilty," she said as she was smiling before Jessie was greeting someone behind Emily. It was no doubt her husband, Ian.
"Good evening, my lord," Jessie said as Ian was nodding at her.
"Jessie, how are you?" Ian asked her as if he already knew her.
Did they have a past together? She mused as Jessie laughed.
"I have been better. But of course, it was just nice to say that I am bored to death," Jessie said as she was gagging her mouth. Emily was shocked to know that Jessie was not being courteous in the presence of the lords. Most of them were from the Higher Court.
"Of course you are," Ian replied before they all stood up as the young queen and the prince consort were entering the dining hall. Emily was looking at the royal couple as they were glowing and smiling at each other. Her heart ached. She wanted something like that as well.
"Good evening, my lords and ladies. I am happy to know that I was able to invite all of you to come and join us for this wonderful dinner. Now, shall we dig in?" Queen Arabella was smiling before the servants were serving the soup as the queen sat and the dinner was full of laughter, chat, and stories.
But Emily felt like she did not fit in. And maybe, just maybe, it was because Ian was talking with Jessie and she was being ignored.

THE dinner went well as Ian was showing her around and she met some of the lords that were his friends, aside from Niklaus, the Duke of Belikov. There was the Earl of Raine, Thomas Rambova, and the Viscount of Vyckos, Daniel Cutler, but the Baron of Fell was nowhere to be found but the trio was talking about him very fondly.
They must have been best friends then.
After dinner, Emily was sipping the wine as they were gathering in the ballroom where Jessie was talking with her. Lady Jessica Cole was an interesting lady as she would find fault in everything. She said a lot of things and when Emily thought about it, most of them were true.
"So, see that lord over there?" Jessie asked Emily as she was looking at the man that was sipping on the wine and she nodded.
"Why? What's wrong with him?" Emily asked Jessie before she smirked.
"He was not born here. He was adopted when there was a shipwreck and Lord Davenport was taking pity on him. Lord and Lady Davenport found him on the beach when he was a baby. Some said that he arrived in a crate, answering a prayer of Lord Davenport's so that his lineage will be continued," Jessie said as Emily was nodding at her. Then, she shrugged.
"But, of course, the rumor was some rumors. It was never proven that Lord Harold Davenport was adopted. He might as well be the true son of Lord and Lady Davenport," Jessie said before she was looking around again. Emily was excusing herself as she wanted to go to the loo. Jessie nodded and she told her that she would save her seat.
Emily shook her head as she was heading to the loo before she looked at the sight that was making her stop in her track and she was breathing hard. Ian, her husband, was kissing someone other than her. And he looked like he enjoyed it more than what they shared.
Ian opened his eyes before he broke the kiss and pushed the lady away. It was none other than Felicity Habiet. The young woman was smirking at her before Emily ran away. Away from this lavish ballroom and away from her cheating husband.

"EMILY, wait!" Ian was calling after his wife as Emily was rushing out of the ballroom. Her red gown was rustling against the crowd as Ian was glaring at Felicity. The courtesan was smirking before Ian was feeling his anger, his Demon was trying to take over. But he reigned it in.
"And that's how you know that your wife is in love with you, Ian. You're welcome," Felicity said as Ian was pushing her away. He did not know why Felicity thought it would be a good idea to kiss him, but now that Emily saw them, he felt awful.
And worst of all, Emily thought he was cheating on her.
"You will pay for this," Ian said as he was moving away from Felicity. She smiled.
"I already am," she said as Ian was running after his wife. He pushed the crowd to the side as he was making it to the entrance. He took his coat before he put it on, then he left the Royal Castle. Emily was standing there before their carriage was coming to a stop in front of her as the footman was opening the door for her.
"Emily," he shouted before Emily turned and she was glaring at him. Ian was running toward the carriage before Emily got inside.
Don't you dare, he mused before he saw that Emily was closing the door. But Ian was faster as he was holding the door and Emily gasped.
"What are you doing here?! I thought you might want to go down her throat as well," Emily hissed at her before Ian was tapping the rooftop so that the coachman moved the carriage to their final destination.
Their home.
"Emily, listen to me—" Ian said as he was reaching out for his wife. Emily jerked away.
"Do not touch me, you scoundrel!" She said as she was pushing him away. Ian was struggling to stand on his feet before he stumbled forward as Emily was gripping his arms.
"Ugh!" She screamed before Ian was on top of her. Emily was punching his hard chest before Ian saw something that made him stop.
Emily's tears were streaming down her cheeks.
"Emily, are you—"
"Don't you dare use that word?! I am not!" Emily screamed as the tears kept coming down as she was punching his chest. Ian was looking at her before Emily was sobbing silently.
"Why did you marry me, Ian?" She asked quietly, as Ian was looking at his wife. She was vulnerable because of her doings. He needed to fix this.
"Because I want to punish you," Ian said as he was trying to control his Demon inside him. Emily sobbed again.
"Then, I think you punished me enough, my lord. You can let me go now," she said quietly before Ian was shaking his head.
"Over my dead body," he said before Emily was snapping her eyes at his.
"You want that woman and yet you married me. You are the most despicable—"
Everything died in her throat as Ian did the only thing that would keep her from shouting at him. He kissed her delicate lips. It was the only way that Ian could think of right now to shut down Emily and to make sure that she would listen to his explanation, which would be a struggle in and of itself.