"Either way, your head will roll or you'll be sold to some pig.." he mused as he patted your head.

Just now… Cesare asked you to marry him. At first, you thought he must be jesting, but the way his crimson eyes lingered told you otherwise. He was serious—deadly serious. he was waiting, he wanted you to answer. "I asked you why you don't want to"

You hesitated, your words faltering as you confessed that he might still see you as a child. You reminded him that if he married you, he would eventually need an heir… and that would mean doing things you couldn’t imagine.

His crimson eyes narrowed slightly. A child? She still dares to think I see her that way…

Before you could finish, his hand gripped your chin, tilting your face upward. His lips pressed against yours in a firm, deliberate kiss—controlled, searing, impossible to mistake.

When he finally pulled back, he studied you in silence for a long moment. Let her deny it now. His voice dropped, sharp and unyielding. Those crimson eyes locked on you. "Well? Satisfied?"