Depraved Noble: Forced To Live The Debaucherous Life Of An Evil Noble!

Chapter 192: Necessary Sacrifice

Diana's gaze snapped to Cassius, questions tumbling through her mind.

How had he acquired such knowledge? Where had this book come from?

What mind could contain such revolutionary insights?

But his response was a subtle smile, his eyes glinting with an untouchable mystery, as he urged her not to dwell on the origins, only to understand that the notebook, and all its secrets, would be hers if she accepted his request.

The offer elevated him in her eyes, casting him as a figure of near-mythic stature, his intellect and power placing him beyond her reach, a noble whose gifts could alter the course of history.

Yet, her cheeks burned, a flush spreading across her skin, her body tingling with the realization of how far he was willing to go for her.

In a world where men guarded their pride, where love was a weakness and women were often reduced to vessels for duty or desire, Cassius's proposal was unthinkable.

He offered her a treasure that dwarfed empires, not for wealth or power, but for her, a woman, a mother, a healer.

Her heart raced, a wild, uncontrollable rhythm that threatened to burst from her chest.

No man had ever made such a gesture, not even her husband, whose neglect had left her heart cold.

He wasn't merely using his skills to aid Vivi—that alone would have been remarkable.

He was surrendering his knowledge, the very wealth of his mind, a gift no one parted with lightly.

Even a housewife might hoard a family recipe, guarding it as a sacred secret, yet Cassius had handed her the keys to a medical revolution, asking only for her in return.

The audacity of it, the sheer manliness of his desire, left her breathless, her body flushed with a warmth she couldn't name. She felt treasured, cherished in a way she'd never known, her gaze faltering under the weight of his intensity, her embarrassment a fluttering pulse in her throat.

In that moment, she forgot her roles—noble, wife, mother and became a woman, awestruck by a proposal that dwarfed any she'd imagined. She wondered what he saw in her, what spark that had captivated him so completely.

The thought wasn't love, she told herself—she was too wise, too seasoned for such girlish notions—but the act of devotion he'd shown overwhelmed her, stirring a whirlwind of feelings she struggled to contain.

Her mind, sharp and disciplined, urged her to weigh his request, to think about the consequences of giving herself to a man when she was bound by marriage and duty. Such a choice was unthinkable for a noblewoman, a mother, a figure of moral standing; it was a scandal, a betrayal of every expectation placed upon her.

Yet, to her shock, the answer came swiftly, a clear, unwavering certainty: she would agree, without hesitation.

The decision startled her, her thoughts scattering as she questioned her own recklessness.

But as she reflected, the logic crystallized. Her life's sole purpose was Vivi's health, her daughter's freedom from the illness that caged her. She'd have endured torture, eternal confinement, anything to see Vivi thrive.

So, Cassius's request—her body, her self was a small price, a fleeting sacrifice compared to the eternity of her daughter's life.

Her husband, whose neglect had eroded her respect, held no claim on her heart; his absence, his obsession with duty over family, had left her indifferent to his judgment.

As for Vivi herself, a pang of shame pierced her—accepting Cassius would mark her as an adulteress, a stain on her role as a mother. But she trusted Vivi's wisdom, hoping her daughter would understand the sacrifice, even if it came to light.

And if her resolve wavered at any moment, the notebook sealed it.

Its pages held the power to save countless lives, to spare families the grief she'd known. To refuse it, to cling to propriety, would be a betrayal of her life's mission to heal, to protect, to end suffering.

Her husband's shadow loomed over her once again, the last barrier to her decision, but his irrelevance in her heart cleared the path.

After a moment of silent deliberation, her pulse steadying, she lifted her gaze to Cassius, her voice firm as she accepted his deal. She saw it as a necessary sacrifice, a surrender of her dignity for Vivi's life, for humanity's future.

In her mind, she braced for a life of misery, imagining a depraved master who'd strip her of her agency, her joy.

She had believed that day was her final glimpse of true happiness, certain that from that moment, she'd be bound to Cassius's whims, her body a vessel for his desires, her heart resigned to a shadowed existence.

Yet, to her astonishment, the reality that unfolded was the exact opposite of her fears.

Entering an immoral, illicit, and taboo relationship with Cassius for Vivi's sake, for humanity's future—did not shatter her as she'd dreaded.

Instead of despair under the weight of a depraved noble's grasp, she found herself blossoming in ways she hadn't imagined.

The decision, born of sacrifice, became one of the most transformative of her life, not only restoring Vivi's health and advancing her medical mission but igniting a joy she'd never known, a radiant pleasure that pulsed through her with every encounter.

Shame gnawed at her for reveling in such feelings, for finding ecstasy in the arms of a man who was meant to be her ruin, a man with whom she was entangled in an affair.

Yet, the truth was undeniable: Cassius had woven happiness into her life, threading it with pleasures her husband, nor any other man, could ever offer. His touch, his words, his very presence stirred her in ways that left her breathless, her body alive with a vibrancy she'd thought lost to her years of duty and grief.

A faint smile curved her lips as she recalled his gestures—the way he'd tease her with a knowing glance, the warmth of his hands, the whispered promises that made her heart race.

But before she could sink deeper into those memories, the carriage driver's shout pierced her reverie, announcing their arrival at the estate.

"We've arrived my lady...Should I call upon the maids to assist you?"

Her cheeks flushed crimson, a wave of embarrassment washing over her as she realized she'd been fondly lingering on thoughts of Cassius.

She shook her head, chastising herself.

This was a sacrifice, a deal struck for Vivi's life and the greater good—she shouldn't find pleasure in it, shouldn't let her heart flutter at the thought of him.

Yet, the feelings persisted, defiant and unyielding, and rather than wrestle with them, she pushed them aside, stepping swiftly from the carriage. Her steps were brisk, her voluptuous figure swaying as she moved toward the mansion, her sweat-dampened dress clinging to her curves.

The maids, startled by her sudden return, gaped, but she waved them off, her voice firm yet strained. She instructed them to carry on with their duties, to leave her be, as she hurried toward Vivi's room, her heart pounding with a mother's worry.

Despite all she'd learned of Cassius—his genuine kindness, his sincerity, the safety she felt in his presence, she couldn't shake the shadow of his other side, the one that haunted her.

His lustful nature, the insatiable hunger that had driven him to offer a kingdom's worth of knowledge for her alone, was a force she couldn't fully reconcile. She'd seen it in his eyes, felt it in the way he claimed her body, and it sparked a fear that he might turn that desire toward Vivi.

Her daughter, beautiful despite her frailty, was a beacon that could draw such a man's gaze, and without Diana there to chaperone, as she'd always been during his visits, she dreaded what his unchecked impulses might provoke.

She knew, rationally, that Cassius was no brute, no lecher who'd force himself on an unwilling girl. His heart, she'd seen, was good. Yet, her maternal instincts roared, fueled by the memory of his fervor with her, the blush-inducing intensity of his touch, and she couldn't quell the terror that he'd crossed a line.

Her steps quickened, her breath shallow as she reached Vivi's door, her fingers trembling as she found it locked.

Panic surged, her breath hitching as she knocked sharply, her voice trembling with urgency.

"Vivi? Are you alright? It's Mother, please, open the door! Is Cassius in there? I'm worried, darling, answer me!"

She banged again, the wood unyielding, her calls met with silence.

Her mind conjured horrors—Vivi, helpless, subjected to something unthinkable, Cassius's lust overwhelming his better nature. She didn't want to believe it, couldn't reconcile it with the man she'd come to know, but the locked door, the silence, painted a grim picture.

Her hand rose to bang again, her thoughts spiraling toward breaking the door down, when, to her shock...it swung open.

Cassius stood there, his familiar smile curving his lips, his crimson eyes glinting with their usual charm as he looked down at her.

But Diana didn't bother to greet him, her gaze darting past him, her body ducking to peer into the room and to her immense relief, Vivi lay in bed, a serene smile on her face, her delicate fingers toying with one of her paper creations, an origami crane that danced in the lamplight.

Her daughter's contentment was unmistakable, her ease a mirror of every visit with Cassius, whose presence she'd always cherished.

Nothing was amiss...Vivi was safe, happy, untouched by harm.

She exhaled, a deep, shuddering sigh that loosened the knot in her chest, her shoulders sagging as she thanked the heavens. She then straightened, her graceful poise returning, but as her eyes met Cassius's, she faltered.

His gaze was bold, possessive, locking onto hers with an intensity that unraveled her composure.

Her cheeks burned, her heart stuttering as she looked away, suddenly shy, like a girl caught in the stare of a first love.

The weight of their history—their intimate moments, his sacrifices, the forbidden bond they'd forged pressed against her, transforming him in her eyes.

He was no longer just the savior who'd healed Vivi, nor the noble who'd offered her the world for her heart.

He was something closer, a presence that stirred her soul in ways she couldn't untangle, leaving her breathless, her body tingling with a warmth she both craved and feared...