Chapter2 Warning

Aurelia ignored Dante’s shouts as she walked away from them, her heels clicking against the marble floor. Each step she took seemed to echo the past she was determined not to repeat. Her nonchalance weighed on her mind; had she been reckless in displaying her indifference so openly? In their past life, Aurelia had been inexplicably and relentlessly infatuated with Dante. She loved him with the intensity of the sun, blinding Dante with her crazy acts and ultimately making him averse to looking her way. She even burned herself in the process, doing anything just to please him so he could give even just a quarter of his love to her. But despite her desperate efforts, it had all been in vain. Even five years into their marriage, the love she craved from him had remained elusive, a distant dream that was never to be realized. The ultimate cost of her obsession had been her own life, taken from her far too soon. And it had all been because of this man, Maximus Dante Castellan. Aurelia had now given up on the futile pursuit of his love. In this new life, she was determined to ensure that Dante would never have the opportunity to claim her heart. He can do everything, do anything - just never be able to call her heart his. It was a vow she was willing to make to herself, a promise to guard her emotions and protect herself from the anguish of their past. Anyway, Aurelia had no reason to be scared Dante would suspect anything. People believed what was in front of them. How would anyone ever suspect she wasn’t the same Aurelia? “Aurelia! I’m glad I finally found you!” Almost instinctively, Aurelia rolled her eyes to the heavens. Even if it annoyed her to death, this was one person she had to keep a close eye on. Turning around, Aurelia saw Claudio Castellan – Dante’s own nephew, the man who promised to take her away. He promised a lot of other things, but who was he kidding? Aurelia admitted it was trash of her to hold affection for two men. Can you blame her? Dante had left her feeling lonely and miserable, and anyone in her shoes might have been desperate enough to cling to the hope of someone who could rescue her from that wretched existence. Claudio had entered her life like a gallant knight, with his dashing looks and those dreamy eyes only a true Castellan would have. Essentially, Aurelia had hoped he could replace the hole in her heart that Dante refused to fill in. But, then what? Claudio turned out to have been working in collusion with Annalise. The entire scheme was both bland and basic, yet the old Aurelia had been blind to its intricacies. Annalise had feigned undying love for Dante, but her true goal had always been to ensnare him in her elaborate machinations. Once she had him within her grasp, Claudio would step in, seizing the opportunity to claim the position of the head of the Castellan clan. Aurelia smiled at Claudio as sincerely as she could manage in her fakeness. She let him run towards her and seized her in a tight embrace. “I’m glad you’re safe!” Claudio cried out in relief as he let go and held her at arm’s length. “That damned uncle of mine, how could he have just left you there?! There were guards inside, he had no reason to dive headfirst into the crossfire!” Aurelia chuckled. Ah, she remembered now. That damn bastard left his own bride to the mercy of others so he can exchange fire. It was unlike him to be so unpredictable and rash, but she suspected that the wedding had pushed him to his limits. He was unpredictable but not usually that reckless. He must have been too annoyed having been forced to marry her that he needed to let loose for a moment. “He must have really hated being married to me,” Aurelia mused, her voice laced with a tinge of bitterness. “Perhaps he needed that moment of recklessness to regain his composure. Men like him don't take well to being pushed into anything, after all.” “He doesn’t realize how lucky he is for marrying someone like you,” Claudio whispered, inching towards her. Aurelia stepped away, continuing to do so until she felt her back press against the wall. She could feel his warm breath fanning against her face because of how close he was. “Claudio…” Aurelia breathed his name, her voice a soft, delicate murmur laden with a hint of vulnerability. Claudio’s expression grew somber as he continued to caress her cheek, his touch gentle and tender. “How foolish of him, unable to appreciate such beauty being able to grace his life,” he lamented, his eyes tracing her features. It almost looked like he worshipped her with those pretty eyes. “If only I could be in his place, how wonderful that would be.” Aurelia’s eyes bore into his, her gaze unwavering as she carefully chose her words. “You had the chance,” she said, her voice quivering with a mix of longing and accusation. Yet, she cloaked her words in the guise of a naive, helpless damsel. “You could have taken me away from all of this.” Claudio sighed wearily, his fingers reluctantly leaving her cheek. “Then we’d both be dead,” he said, his voice heavy with regret and frustration. “Dante has already claimed you as his, whether he likes it or not. If I had taken you away, it would have been a direct offense to him. The consequences would have been dire.” “I understand,” Aurelia finally conceded, her tone adopting an air of resignation. “I always understand, Claudio. There’s nothing else for me to do when I'm so deeply entwined with the Castellans now.” She turned away from him, her countenance shifting effortlessly into its natural expression of indifference as she smoothed her gown, doing her best to salvage its appearance despite its hideous state. Her heart danced with amusement; it was indeed such a remarkable performance. The way she and Claudio acted out their roles, they could have rivaled the most seasoned movie stars with their acting skills. “How about giving me a ride?” she suggested. “I’d like to return to the Di Angelis residence.” Claudio hesitated, torn between his desires and the impending consequences of helping her escape. “Why?” he inquired, his voice laced with concern. “Uncle will be furious if he finds out. Not to mention the Castellan elders; they'll be incensed if you don't consummate the marriage.” Aurelia’s lips curled into a sly smile, a glint of mischief dancing in her eyes. “How cold, Claudio,” she remarked, her voice dripping with feigned innocence. “Would you truly stand by and let the woman you love consummate her marriage with another man? Aren’t you even the slightest bit jealous?” Claudio's eyes flickered with turmoil, and he began to protest, “Aurelia, you know that's not-” Before he could finish his sentence, another voice echoed from down the hall, interrupting their conversation. “Madam Aurelia, there you are!” Aurelia turned to face the approaching figure, quickly displaying a soft polite smile. “Mr. Klint,” she greeted the butler, her eyes shifting to Dante, who stood behind him, his thick eyebrows furrowed as he bore an intense gaze upon her. She refused to react to his presence, instead focusing her attention solely on the butler. “Madam, please come with us,” Mr. Klint requested, his voice firm but not unkind. “The Castellan patriarch and matriarch wishes to see you first thing in the morning. Resistance is futile and will only cause more complications. With this violent shootout and the blood of many important people in the hands of the Castellans, we don’t need another scandal breaking out.” Aurelia wanted to roll her eyes, but she had no choice. She could only look at Claudio with bitterness before following after the butler and her husband. Dante’s voice, low and tinged with a warning, reached her ears. “Do not mistake me for a fool,” he murmured, his words laced with an ominous undercurrent. “I am well aware of your involvement with my nephew. Should you step out of line, I will not hesitate to administer the appropriate punishment.” Aurelia hummed with a languid smile. “Whatever you say, Maximus dearest.”