Geoffrey went about his day normally after that night in the ducal mansion. He still went to do his obligations as the crown prince, which included heading the newly established ministry of social welfare. The creation of said ministry was something he introduced from the time he raised the issue regarding the orphans. It entered into force last year. With him as the minister, he was able to push initiatives and programs which inevitably endeared him to the masses and to some of the other nobles.
He projected the image of compassion and that the crown cares for the citizens of their kingdom.
"Your highness, should we continue with pushing this bill on tomorrow's session?" his vice minister asked.
Geoffrey smiled with some duplicity. For a time, he wanted to initiate the bill regarding women's right. He recalled that when they had their student council session almost 3 years ago, the topic on women losing her rights, property, and even identity upon marriage was brought up. It was by law that she was under the complete and total supervision of her husband and thus, through marriage, husband and wife became one person; whatever view he presented was the unquestionable truth.
It was the reason why Serena wanted to enjoy her freedom first she told him. And like a lovesick cretin, he kept her words to heart. Thus, a few months after assumption of his duty as the minister, he started drafting the bill addressing women's rights. He wanted to gift it to her before they marry. He wanted her to feel a sense of security that despite marriage he promises to love and respect her continuously. That what he presented were not shackles, but love, mutual respect, and harmony.
He was supposed to table it during their session in the house of lords after Serena's graduation, but for some reason it has been pushed back. Now that it was completely ready, he was the first person to be against it.
Although he knew that what he did to Serena was some form of revenge, he still doesn't consider himself to be completely evil. In fact, he thinks that he was already very merciful.
He has been presented with cases where married women were subjected to torture by their husbands for no apparent reason other than because the man felt like it. He felt some empathy for them, but one must understand that in their society, beatings and marital rape were completely legal.
Now, even though they were not married yet, for the longest time, he has already considered her his wife. And even if he didn't, he was by all rights entitled to give a heavier punishment to her. He could have questioned her purity publicly and she would not be able to do anything against it. Yet, he didn't. Satisfied with his own moral justification, he tried to focus.
"No. I'm not pushing for it anymore. They were right. Women were nothing more than overly emotional and mindless creatures ruled by their sexuality." Geoffrey replied. Yes, Serena was only mindless as her sexuality was what made her fall for Charlton. He tried to tell himself.
The vice minister, Earl James Walter, gave a sigh of relief.
Geoffrey looked at him and asked. "Why are you sighing in relief?"
Vice minister Walter chuckled, "I think the men will be happier."
"Are you?"
"Definitely."
Geoffrey dismissed the man as he shook his head. They live in such a society that have skewed sense of morality. He has always thought himself above them, that he was different.
But then, he now realized that he just never met that something that would trigger him. Now he did, he realized that despite his anger and madness, there was a sense of liberation in walking away from the confines of his own morality.
Then again, he never felt himself to be a villain. He was morally justified to exact his revenge.
As they say, history was written in a way where the winners become heroes and losers the villains. There were always two sides of the coin.
—
The second night, with his own justification in mind, everything felt so much better.
Come the third and fourth night, he was able to enjoy her body to the fullest.
On the fifth night, after enjoying her unconscious body, he leaned on her stomach to press his ear against it.
He smiled. Perhaps his seed has already met her egg and maybe there was already a baby forming inside her. The thought pleased him in more ways than one.
"Baby, are you inside?" he asked. Then he chuckled. "Baby, there's a man trying to steal your mother away from us, and we need to get rid of him. Getting rid of him is not too easy but we'll get there. Besides, wouldn't he be too lucky if he were just to pay with his little life?"
Geoffrey moved upwards so that he could see Serena's face. He brushed a stray hair away from her face.
"Serena, how much foolish can you still be? Changing the time of your call, did you think that I still do not know? Don't you even feel an ounce of guilt for what you did? What you're doing? You know, I found out just earlier that you have been doing that behind my back for almost 3 years. 3 years Serena. I wouldn't have known if not for that damn necklace you kept on wearing. Your dear Charlton even tried to erase the evidence, but I still found out.
3 years, the two of you lied to my face. Did you two laughed at me then? That as I escorted you to those balls, he was fucking you behind my back? I even asked him to dance with you myself. You even made me ask him to dance with you. Was it satisfying? Showing me your smiles while stabbing me at the back?
Now don't blame me if I were to do the same. I'm not some villain, Serena. I loved you. All I did was love you. You could have told me. I would have disagreed, but maybe then, I would have been able to stop the two of you.
But look at where we are now. I would have given you everything. I wanted everything between us to be special. But then, you never loved me, did you? But love is not the only issue here Serena. You have an obligation to me. I was your fiance, I still am your fiance."
Geoffrey closed his eyes in anger and frustration. Then, he stood up to head to the bathroom. He cleaned himself and came back to the bedroom to clean Serena too.
"Tomorrow is the weekend and I think that it's time I pay you a visit while you're awake. I admit that I like you pliant and submissive in bed like this, but I somehow do miss you looking at me and smiling. Did you smile at me with guilt in your eyes or did you smile at me with some sarcasm? I never did notice it before.
I wonder how you will react if I were to act more forward? Will you let me? Like how you let me kiss you sometimes? Like how you let me hold you? Giving me some form of security that you will never betray me? Or will you push me away? What face will you show me?" Geoffrey mused as he chuckled again.
After, he kissed her forehead and left the room.
—
TBC
