"Let's dye it green, Circe. Dye your hair green on our second wedding. It's also better to put less powder on your face because I'm afraid it won't be good for Bean's health."
Aries's entire body shook when Bean's nickname came from those lips and her brain just shut off. She never mentioned Bean's name, but she was certain he heard her at least once or twice when she thought she was alone.
Joaquin smiled and rested his forehead against hers, still cupping her face with both his hands.
"I love you, my love," he expressed under his breath, eyes closed.
'Stop…' she whispered but failed to leave her mouth.
"I will give you everything you want. For you and our child… I will make you happy."
'I said stop…'
"I will clean Maganti for you. It will be a safe place for you and Bean and our children. I had more plans for the both of us, my love. More plans… for you, for our children, for our family."
Aries breathed out as she felt something in her head snap after listening to all those words that only turned her stomach. She raised her hand, caressing his collar and then his neck with her fingertips.
"Take it back," she whispered, watching him drew his head back. "Take it back, Joaquin."
His brows furrowed. "What?"
"Take it back!" this time, her voice thundered as she clutched his shoulder as tight as she could. Her eyes stung, glaring daggers at him while grinding her teeth in anger.
"Take it back!" she repeated and shook him aggressively. "Take it back! Take it back!"
"Circe!"
"Take it back!" she screamed at the top of her lungs and pounced on top of him. Her hands gripped his neck while he clutched her wrist, taken by surprise by her sudden aggression.
"You don't love me!" her voice shook as her nails dug into his neck. "Take it back! Stop saying that! Don't say it again! Keep my child's name out of your mouth!"
His eyes dilated at the sight of her, tightening his grip around her wrist. His mouth fell open while his face turned red from the lack of oxygen. Yet, she continued to scream at his face, telling him to take everything he had said back.
"Take it back! Take it back!" She kept yelling until he was able to push her off of him. Aries let out a loud "ah!" as she rolled over the bed and onto the floor. But the pain didn't deter her from springing back up to attack him with just her brute force and emotion the second he stood up.
"Circe! Calm down!" he held her wrists once more to stop her from throwing jabs, but it was as if she totally just lost it. Aries kept screaming her lungs out, biting his hand until it bled.
A loud animal grunt came from the cage, but all she could see was red and all she could feel was anger. She continued biting his hand, unbothered by the blood in between her teeth, sinking her teeth deeper into his skin.
"Ah!" Joaquin ground his teeth at the pain he tried to endure, pushing her back on instinct. With a strength of a trained man, Aries slumped on the floor once again. However, she was quick enough to snatch the sword clinging to his hips.
As the loud metal sound resonated in the air, followed by a thud of her landing, Joaquin froze for a moment. All he could do was watch her lose her mind, holding the sword with trembling hands as she rose to her feet once more.
"Take it back…" she repeated with a shaking voice, pointing the sword at him as she took a step back. "Take it back, Joaquin."
"Circe —"
"Don't call me that!" she screamed until her throat scratched. "Don't call me that…"
He had his hands raised, nodding in understanding. "My love, calm down. I don't understand why you're acting like this, but we should talk about it calmly. I will listen to you."
"Listen to me?" she snorted, laughing, while a tear rolled down her cheek. "Why… do I need to listen to you? Why? Joaquin? Did you listen to me when I said I feel unwell that night?"
Joaquin froze as he looked at her with wide eyes. "What are you…"
"You didn't! You forced yourself on me and I lost him. My last family, my child." Her lips quivered, unable to control her emotions any longer. "You killed my family, my people… you took away my land and my child. Everything, Joaquin… you took everything from me, and now, you want me to listen to your nonsense proclamation of love?"
Aries shook her head and gulped the frustrating tension in her throat. "You love me…? Me?!" she laughed maniacally.
"Are you that stupid to forget this face, Joaquin?! Right… maybe if I do this —" Aries slit her skirt with the sword until her thigh was showing. She continued to rip her bodice until a part of her bosom and stomach was revealed.
"Remember now? You won't forget this body you violated day and night, right?!" she laughed, barely blinking with the anger taking over her. "Are you still going to say you love me?! You will make me happy? And have a family with me?!"
Her face crumpled as tears swam in her eyes. "I can't even say those words to him…" she hiccuped as her vision blurred. "No matter how much I want to hear those from him… he won't say them because he knew it will hurt me. And yet you…"
"Why, Joaquin?! Tell me the truth! Why did you make my life miserable?!" Aries screamed once more while her emotion peaked. "Tell me the truth! Why did you do all that to me?!"
Joaquin blinked in disbelief, hands trembling. "Aries…?" but the response he received was thunderous, "tell me the truth! Why?!"
His lips trembled, looking at her desperate state to get the answer she had been seeking. "Because… I love you," he breathed out because that was the truth and nothing but the truth.
Her heart sank.
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