The Tyrant's Pet

Aries had always known she would eventually have to make sacrifices for the greater good. She only needed to know when she would pull out that card at the perfect time.

Tonight was the night she pulled out that card.

Turning her head to where Joaquin was sleeping, she spat out of the bed. She wiped her lips in disgust, almost with the intention of wiping her lips completely. Although she managed to knock him out after pricking him over his hairline from his nape, the disgusting taste of alcohol and cigar filled her mouth.

Abel was also a person who had bad habits, but she was never this disgusted by the taste. Well, Aries was aware of the reason. Joaquin's existence already turned her stomach and every physical contact or simply being around him felt like she was standing next to human waste.

"How upsetting," she muttered, assisting herself up after she painstakingly stripped him off of his clothes. She couldn't let Joaquin wake up with clothes on. He would suspect it.

Once she was out of the bed, Aries picked up her shawl draped over the nearby chair and headed to the balcony for some fresh air. She could barely stand Joaquin's smell, which was mixing in the scent of lavender, resulting in an unpleasant smell.

"Really..." she whispered, leaning her side against the railing. "I wonder if he was able to violate women tonight. I pity them. It was too early for him to feel the effect of the poison he'd been inhaling."

Aries was aware that Joaquin get aroused at the thought of women struggling underneath him. She knew this very well since she was in that situation before. However, he also had a soft spot for fierce women.

Wasn't that the reason he went crazy over her as well? Aries had two things that Joaquin loved.

Joaquin was someone who presented himself as a man of valor, just, and compassionate, but inside his gentle and kind front was a rotten man who was sick in the head.

'Right now, my plans are going smoothly. The fish already took the bait.' She rocked her head as a subtle smile dominated her face. "He's been warned. I'll show you what madness truly is."

Her eyes glinted dangerously, knowing for a fact the first phase of her plans passed without a problem. Although she didn't expect it to be this soon, it changed nothing. Joaquin already stepped foot into her trap and all she needed to do was push him farther and farther until he self-destruct.

Aries snapped her eyes as she looked back from the balcony, eyes falling on his figure on the bed. 'Time to train my newly adopted dog. I hope he will behave well.'

*******

The next day…

Joaquin grunted at the striking pain that struck his head even before he could open his eyes. He ran his fingers through his hair, opening one of his eyes. Just as he did, he caught a figure on the armchair beside the bed. When he cast his eyes in that direction, his brow arched.

"Good morning," Aries greeted with a distant voice, arms crossed, leg resting over the other.

Seeing her expression, memories of last night surged inside his head. He grunted as his head throbbed, resting his arm over his eyes as he breathed out.

"Circe," came out a hoarse voice as he moved his arm a bit to take a peek at her. "I…"

"Sorry?" she tilted her head to the side.

He sighed deeply before propping his elbow to assist himself to sit up. "I had a lot of drink last night. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

Joaquin faced her with a dejected frown. He knew what he did last night, but he was a little out of control. It was not yet the time for him to resort to force.

"Forgive me, will you?" his voice was filled with sincerity, sighing once again as he reached his hand out to the edge of the bed. "It won't happen again, I promise."

"Of course, it won't happen again." Her expression remained cold and aloof, staring at him straight in the eye. "I don't let myself go through the same humiliation the second time. Husband, as I've said, I am your ally. Even if you have little trust in me now, I am confident we can build it, eventually."

Aries paused as she glanced over her shoulder when a faint knock came from outside the door. She ignored Gertrude as she set her attention back to Joaquin.

"However, I don't think I can ever trust or respect someone who doesn't have the slightest decency to respect me as a person. I may be a woman and the empire might see women's value less than men, but remember, I am not born and raised in this place." This time, her voice was unfaltering and solid, determination filling in her eyes. "The Maganti Empire isn't Haimirich, but the blood in me will always be a Vandran. I don't condone such impertinence even if it's you, husband. You would prefer me being your ally than your enemy because I will be the worst you will ever have."

There was a long silence between them while they held each other's gazes. Joaquin's expression remained unreadable.

"Hah…" that was all that escaped his mouth as he wrapped his waist with the quilt before flinging his legs out of the bed. He tied both ends to his hip, staring at his fierce wife, who bore a challenging look in her eyes.

"Come in," he spoke to the chambermaids outside while keeping his eyes on his wife.

As soon as he uttered his orders, the door creaked open, followed by several maids bringing fresh water for the two to wash their faces. However, the second they stepped foot inside, everyone felt the tension between the crown prince and the crown princess, who were staring at each other in silence.

'Bitch… I'll soon cut that sharp tongue of yours once I'm done using you to my heart's content,' was what came into his head while having a staring competition with her.

'I want to see you try, but you'll see who will have the last laugh,' were her wicked thoughts.