41: Winning the War

Winning the War

Kaden DeHaven realized something. Lina was vulnerable right now. At her lowest, might he add. She had no other option, but him. If he was an asshole, he could've taken advantage of this. All he wanted was to make her his. But not like this—not with a gun pressed to her head, forcing her to choose.

Kaden wanted to be the one who proposed. Not the other way around. He was thinking she'd beg him for his help. He should've known she was much smarter than that.

Lina was going to use him. Not the other way around—something he hadn't predicted.

"Rejected." Kaden jutted his chin to the door. "Now go."

Lina was floored by his words. Her jaw dropped and she gawked. That was her only plan. She hadn't even fathomed the thought of Kaden rejecting her. She thought he wanted her. Was his treatment towards her just part of his sick twisted games?

Lina felt like she was slapped in the face. Staggering backwards, she rapidly blinked. So this was it.

Lina was going to get married to Everett.

"I'm marrying Everett," Lina said.

"I know."

Lina tightened her grip on the purse. "Against my will."

Kaden reached into his drawers and pulled out silver-framed glasses. He was a monster, but not a beast. He didn't plan to take advantage of her.

"I know."

"I can't get a divorce once I marry Everett," Lina tried again.

Kaden slipped the glasses onto his prominent nose. "I know."

Lina was hurt. Her lips trembled, but she said nothing else. If this was how he would react, she didn't want to get married to him anymore. On the spot, she thought of a Plan B—eloping with some stranger.

"Why not?" Lina sethed. "Why—"

"You're at your lowest and I'm not going to take advantage of that," Kaden said. "Go home and think your decision through."

It was a polite rejection. To Lina, it was a slap in the face. She had swallowed her pride to come to this office and beg him for his hand in marriage. Now, the villain was trying to play the hero.

"Fine then," Lina stated.

"Fine."

"Good," Lina retorted.

"Fantastic," Kaden responded.

"Marvelous," Lina shot back.

"Eccentric," Kaden deadpanned.

Lina's chest was rising heavily with each breath she took. This man aggravated her! Turning on her heel, she stormed off. Then, he said something that had her pausing.

"You're a virgin aren't you?" Kaden asked.

Lina wondered what that had to do with anything.

"You would've found out on our wedding night," Lina bit out, like the petty woman she was.

Kaden softly laughed, leaning back in his chair. He was just beginning to get to his other tasks for the day, but she always intrigued him. He had lived for one thousand years and not many people interested him. Except her. It had always been her.

"I wouldn't need to find out, I know you are," Kaden said.

Kaden couldn't take advantage of her, but he'd offer her a way out—a plan that'd involve him. It could only involve him. Or else, there would be a dead man in bed and a horrified woman.

Lina spun around, glaring at him. "What? I dress like a prude?"

"I like that about you," Kaden muttered.

Lina's heart skipped, then she scolded her foolish heart. Always falling for the wrong people. Always breaking itself for a man. She glared at him like he was her worst enemy. Here she was, putting her pride aside, to ask a man to marry her. Not only had he rejected her, but he questioned her virtue?

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

Kaden stared at Lina and she stared back. He pressed the button to open the door. Instantly, Sebastian walked inside, followed by an impatient Priscilla. A meeting was going to start soon and all three of them needed to be present.

"You can lose it with me," Kaden stated, ignoring the two standing at the doorway. His attention was solely on her, it always has been. She just didn't realize it.

"What?"

"The Leclares are more conservative than you think, especially the heir's grandmother. She'll want to see blood on the sheets," Kaden stated.

Lina was flabbergasted. She stormed towards his desk, glowering down at him. Was she a joke to him? She was furious. He didn't want commitment, he only wanted her body.

Lina slammed her hand upon his desk and he didn't even flinch. He didn't even blink. His expression was aloof yet arrogant.

"Go to hell," Lina snarled, grabbing the iced coffee and splashing it onto his face.

Silence.

Pure, deadly silence.

They could hear the coffee moving. Drip. Drop. No one said a word, no one dared to.

Sebastian looked like he was going to faint any minute now.

Priscilla couldn't believe her eyes. They shared one thought—this woman was going to die the most excruciating death.

In all the years that they knew Kaden he didn't make threats. He made assurance. Assurance you'd end up six feet under. Assurance your death would be a suicide. Assurance that not even the police would investigate the case.

"I'm already in hell," Kaden stated, not even fazed by the coffee she threw at him, like some common whore.

Kaden licked his lips and her eyes followed the action. Then, her face grew red and she looked away. He could tell she was contemplating how to kill him. How to kill an immortal.

Suddenly, Kaden grabbed her by her turtleneck, pulling her towards him. Her eyes grew wide, until he saw each individual speck of color. Then, he saw his own reflection.

"When you've lived for one thousand years tormented by heartbreak, hell and heaven are the same place," Kaden muttered, so that only she could hear him.

Lina's heart fell. Even after one thousand years, even after the lives she had lived, he had not forgotten her. Not one bit. She could see it in the agony in his abyss of eyes, a pitch-darkness where light could never shine in.

How many times has he relived the moment? How many times has he been haunted by his own screams? How many times has he dreamt of her eyes, filled with tears, as she knelt before him, begging him for something he could've easily given, but didn't.

Because of that, she was gone.

"Well then, maybe you should've given me what I wanted," Lina stated, grabbing the wrist that held her shirt.

Lina met his intense gaze. She heard men trembling at the sight of the Young Master. They'd bow their head and lower their eyes, for they knew who was in charge.

Lina still remembered the beast on the battlefield, the man who shredded skin like paper. The one who cut off heads, sent blood flying, and limbs scattering.

"And yet again, you did not," Lina whispered. "Yet again, you've disappointed the hopes I've placed onto you."

Kaden's gaze flickered. He grabbed her turtleneck tighter.

"You remember," Kaden growled.0

"All of it," Lina seethed. "Including your betrayal."

Lina shoved his hands off of her. She straightened her turtleneck and watched as the realization settled into his face.

Kaden shot out of his chair, but it was far too late. He had lost her once. Now, he had lost her twice.

"Goodbye Your Highness," Lina whispered, taking a step back, repeating the same words she told him that rainy day on the battlefield.

What was winning the war when you've lost everything?

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