Kapitel 31: Crossing The Line (2)

A sinister smirk displayed on Gregory's aging face as he spotted Madeline standing at the threshold of the Duke's mansion. His raging eyes showed a bit of satisfaction as he dusted his shirt, getting rid of whatever that filthy gatekeeper must have touched him with.

Coming from a totally different Town that only embraced people by the percentage of wealth they possessed, Gregory foolishly believed that with his power, he was capable of getting whatever he wanted, be it from a Duke's son or anyone for that matter.

Unlike Madeline who was starting to quiver at the mere sight of Gregory, Fredrick remained composed as he stood in front of Madeline. He didn't bat an eye despite noticing the silent rage that filled the strange man's presence.

"Keeping aside the fact that you behaved rudely with a worker. Who are you? And what is your purpose for barging into the Duke's mansion, unwelcomed?" Fredrick questioned firmly after Gregor furiously came to stand before him, looking annoyed that an ordinary butler would question him like this.

"Get out of my way. She's my bride, and no one else's." He pointed at Madeline whose breath hitched after locking eyes with him. "I came to get what I paid for."

"Do you not fear for your life? Coming into the house of a Duke and causing a scene, all for a woman who is now married to one of the young Lords of the mansion." Fredrick couldn't believe the audacity of the man before him.

"I'd advise you to quietly take your leave before the young Lord makes his way here. It is clear you are not from Carmarthen, so it is best you leave without trying to make an enemy."

"You cannot deny me of my rights, I bought her fair and square from her family. I have every right to take what belongs to me. She's my property!" Gregory said in a bit of rage and moved fast_ too fast that the next minute, he was grabbing hold of Madeline's wrist and taking her away.

The servants in the mansion, as well as Juliana and the rest of the family had come down to see what commotion was happening outside. Everyone was stunned to see Madeline being roughly dragged away by a complete stranger, yet no one bothered to make a move in an attempt to help her.

Fredrick had already gone inside the mansion to quickly inform Lord Cassian about the stranger who was forcefully taking Madeline away.

"Let go of me you freak!" Madeline tried to force her wrist free from Gregory's tight hold as he dragged her to the gate.

"I said let go of me!"

"You're coming with me! And that is final!"

Madeline continued to struggle, shaking her head in refusal while looking at everyone present to help her from this evil man. She doesn't want to become his sex slave, he's only going to rubbish her and then what will become of her.

In the midst of struggling for her freedom, another hand suddenly grabbed hold of hers before she could exit the gate. It stopped Gregory from moving any further with her, and when he turned around to see who had dared to stop them from leaving, he stared directly at the blazing eyes of a certain someone.

"She doesn't want to go with you, I see no reason for you to force her." Elaine firmly said while freeing Madeline from Gregory's grip. She might still have issues with Cassian considering his wedding to the girl, but that doesn't mean she would sit back and watch an innocent girl be manhandled by some scummy stranger.

"How dare you_" He hadn't even completed his threatening statement when Elaine landed a tight slap on his cheek. Everyone present couldn't hold back their gasps as the sound of someone being slapped resounded in the front yard.

"You are wrong." Elaine pointed a finger at him, looking enraged herself and she's had enough of it. "I should be the one daring you. You came into my home, and tried to take my daughter_in_law away without any form of decency. Didn't your mother teach you ways on how to treat a woman??"

Madeline blinked away her tears in surprise as she watched Lady Elaine boldly stand up for her. Inna quietly hurried over to get Madeline away from the scene, taking her back so she could stand with the housekeeper who was also consoling her.

"You slapped me, woman??" Gregory's anger had reached the tone of his voice, but Elaine barely flinched as she stood before him.

"And I will slap you a hundred times more if you go near her. She doesn't want to leave with you, so save yourself from further embarrassment and get out of my home." Elaine's finger pointed at the gate, telling him to take his leave before she called her men to drag him out.

"You..!!!.." Gregory had raised his hand, wanting to slap Elaine back when someone stopped him mid-way, grabbing hold of his wrist.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Cassian calmly warned while taking a stand in front of his mother like a protective shield. Elaine let out a breath, feeling grateful her son had intervened on time before this mad stranger did something out of line.

Coming in contact with Lord Cassian for the first time, a brutal smile displayed on his lips as he took his hands away. He sized up the young lad from head to toe, and he now understood why Madeline would agree to marry someone like him.

He was indeed a charmer.

"You must be Cassian."

"Lord Cassian." Cassian firmly corrected, keeping his own anger in check for the meantime so he could converse with the man who was old enough to be his uncle.

"Your faults are way too many, old man. First, you came into my home and created a scene like a mad man. Secondly, you dragged my wife while proving you have no form of decency left in you. Thirdly, you tried to hit my mother. I must say that you have crossed the line, and what you just did is totally unforgivable."

Although he wasn't speaking to the people present, almost everyone was shaken by the odd calmness in his tone. Whenever he took his time with someone who had seriously offended him, it was obvious he was ready to spill blood the second he got the chance.

"She was meant to get married to me that night! Not you!" Gregory was brave enough to still accuse him, despite trying to buy off someone which is completely illegal and could get him imprisoned.

"What a fool." Mocked Cassian.

Cassian's men had already assembled to hold Gregory down, but the young lad gestured for them to back away, as though saying it was his prey to deal with, and not theirs.

Noticing the men no longer charged at him, Gregory moved fast and delivered an impromptu blow straight to the side of Cassian's face. Different uneven gasps could be heard, and Madeline's hand flew to her mouth after witnessing Cassian being hit by that evil man.

Gregory, feeling he's got the upper hand in the game, soon turned ashen when Cassian chuckled out loud. He didn't look like someone who just got hit on the face, and from his expression, it looked like he enjoyed it.

"Not bad." He commented while rolling up his sleeves before returning his darkened gaze to Gregory. "My turn."

Before Gregory could land another massive hit, it was Cassian's fist that came in contact with his cheek as he punched the life out of him. The force he used had sent Gregory rolling to the floor, and to everyone's disbelief, the man spat out blood from just a single blow.

"That's how you hit someone." Cassian said as though he was tutoring the man before walking up to where he had fallen.

"My butler was kind enough to warn you about messing with a man named Lord Cas, but it seems the pride of people eventually leads them to their doom." Helping Gregory up his feet, he grabbed the man by his hair, forcing him to wince in pain as blood seeped from his nostril.

"Come with me." Dragging him by his hair, he forced Gregory to go down on his knees before Madeline.

"Apologize to my wife before I rip your hair from its skin. Say you're sorry for causing her such disrespect in her own home. Are we clear?"

"I will never do that." Gregory refused, and that annoyed Cassian, leading him to pull Gregory's hair even harder, and a painful yelp escaped his throat.

"Apologize, NOW!" He ordered.

"I'm sorry." Gregory quickly said when it felt like his scalp was truly going to rip from his head.

"You're sorry for what? Keep speaking." Cassian prompted while pulling hard on his hair, and he screamed in agony.

"I'm sorry for disrespecting you."

"If she accepts your apology, I'll spare your shitty life. If she doesn't, then you better start saving a room in hell, cause that's where you'll be in the next five minutes."

Madeline went speechless when Gregory apologized to her. She didn't believe a man like Gregory would end up going on his knees to plead before a woman, and all that was possible because of Cassian.

He saved her once again.

"I already told you." Cassian directed his words to Madeline this time around. "Don't be afraid of speaking your mind. Don't let anyone intimidate you either, if you sincerely accept his apology, then I will let let him be, but if you don't, just say the magic words." He smirked.

Madeline looked down at Gregory who was still glaring death beams at her, as though his predicament was all her doing. It was because of his stupidity that he's lowered to a state of humiliation.

"I forgive him." Madeline said her mind after taking a deep breath. "I'm willing to forgive him for what he did to me."

"Are you sure?" Cassian asked again, wanting to confirm for the last time, and she nodded.

"Yes, I'm sure."

Just when Cassian was about to release Gregory, she added. "But there is one thing I can never forgive him for."

All eyes lifted to Madeline who was now glaring at Gregory. To everyone's disbelief, it was Madeline who landed a slap on Gregory's face when she could no longer contain her anger.

"He tried to hit my Mother_in_law. You crossed the line with your actions today, and that is something that cannot be forgivable." Looking at Cassian who was waiting to hear the magic words, Madeline finally blessed him with it.

"Do what you want with him."