The Scarred Queen's Rise (Athena) novel Chapter 385

Chapter 385

Fiona had never believed herself to be someone capable of such bravery. For half her life, she had been a wallflower, yet what she did today filled her with self–admiration.

She reflected, ‘Back then, I adored Nicolas. To me, he was like the moon in the sky. Distant and unattainable.

‘For a merchant’s daughter like me to marry him felt like a blessing.

‘But, I finally witnessed his callous nature after I married him. Only then did I realize how terribly wrong I’d been. I learned the hard way that I should never judge someone by appearances. On the surface, he seemed like a gentleman, but deep down, he was nothing but a despicable, shameless scoundrel.

‘He never loved me, and he wouldn’t even bother pretending that he did. All he ever cared about was his gain.

‘I won’t become their accomplice like the others,” Fiona thought bitterly as her broken heart hardened with resolve.

She hurried out of the courtyard and headed towards the back gate. She had to warn Athena about their schemes.

Just then, a figure abruptly appeared, blocking her path.

Startled, Fiona instinctively slammed to a halt, her heart pounding. Her gaze shot up, only to meet Nicolas’s chillingly

sinister face.

Nicolas stepped in front of her, his voice deceptively gentle as he asked, “My love, where are you rushing off to in such

haste?”

Having spent years steeped in officialdom, especially within the notorious Justice Ministry, Nicolas carried a heavy, murderous aura.

Though he deliberately tried to rein it in, his presence still sent Fiona’s heart racing with terror.

“I–I’m just going out for a walk…” Fiona forced her voice to sound calm, though her heart was racing wildly in her chest.

Fiona couldn’t read Nicolas, nor could she fathom what was on his mind.

She only felt that his eyes could see right through her, exposing every bit of fear in her heart.

Nicolas flashed a faint, calculated smile as he stepped forward and firmly pulled Fiona’s hand into his own.

In an uncharacteristically gentle voice, he said, “It’s freezing out. Why didn’t you wear more? Your hands are cold as ice.”

As he spoke, he brought her hand to his lips and gently breathed warm air onto it.

He cupped her hands in his, warming her with a tenderness that felt more like control than comfort.

Yet, the more he acted this way, the more terrifying Fiona found him.

Nicolas fixed his gaze on her, his tone deceptively gentle. “I noticed you coming from Willow’s courtyard just now. Why didn’t you go inside?”

Fiona’s heart pounded in her throat. Her expression tense, she stammered, “I–I was afraid of disturbing Willow, so I didn’t go

in.”

Her voice was already soft, but under Nicolas’s intimidating presence, it grew even fainter and more uncertain.

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Nicolas let out a thoughtful hum, his scrutinizing gaze fixed on her. “Matthew is still at that impulsive age, my dear. Don’t take his wild talk to heart. It’s all nonsense.”

Fiona stammered, her voice barely above a whisper, “N–no… I didn’t… I didn’t really take it to heart…”

Fiona broke off mid–sentence, fear freezing her words.

Nicolas hadn’t even said what Matthew had told him, yet she blurted out that she hadn’t taken it seriously.

That slip was as good as admitting she’d overheard everything.

Sure enough, Nicolas’s expression darkened by degrees, his gaze locking onto Fiona with viper–like intensity.

Fiona’s face paled with terror, but what filled her heart was more than fear. It was utter disappointment.

‘I’m Nicolas’s wife, she thought bitterly, ‘yet in his eyes, I’m worth less than a criminal.‘

Nicolas tightened his grip on Fiona’s hand, squeezing with increasing force until a searing pain shot through her wrist. Her face contorted in agony as she gasped, “My lord, you’re hurting me.”

“Are you trying to tip off Athena?” Nicolas growled, his eyes blazing with menace.

Fiona, timid by nature, was so thoroughly intimidated by him that she dared not entertain any other thoughts.

Fiona shook her head frantically, forcing her eyes to shine with the same adoration she used to show him. “No, my lord, it’s not like that at all! I–I just thought, since Willow was hurt, I only wanted to buy her some medication, that’s all…” she stammered.

Perhaps it was Fiona’s timid display, or perhaps it was Nicolas’s excessive confidence, he was certain that Fiona was utterly devoted to him.

Chapter 386