Shadows moved along the antique statues and silent halls in the dimly lit museum. Cassandra sat on a bench next to a massive marble column, her gaze fixated on the ground with the nonchalance she had anticipated. From a distance, she appeared to be an ordinary tourist, deep in thought. Nikolai Drakos, a few feet away, sat on another bench, his presence intense but contained.
Following the charity, Nikolai and Cassandra began to express interest in one another. It wasn't an issue of feelings but rather a continuation of their intoxicated discourse from that night. Both had already revealed their grievances, which turned out to be very similar. Even though their encounter was private, they were able to communicate more clearly now.
"I thought you wouldn't come," Nikolai murmured softly but clearly, his words flowing like a whisper.
Cassandra restrained a cynical smile and avoided looking at him. "I thought you were too busy dealing with your losses, Nikolai."
"That bad, huh?" Nikolai glanced at her with a keen gaze. "But it's not about me, Cassandra. You are harboring something darker and deeper. And I want to know."
Cassandra smiled softly before raising her face to meet Nikolai's piercing gaze. "Maybe you don't know, Nikolai. You can only see from the outside. But on the inside—"
Cassandra hesitated for a bit before continuing in a softer voice. "You can never understand the destruction he can cause."
Nikolai leaned back, his eyes never leaving Cassandra's. "Then give me a reason to destroy him, Cassandra. Give me what I need."
There was silence for a moment, just the distant ticking of a clock. Cassandra seemed to be thinking, as if deciding if she could trust the man next to her with her secret. But there was something in Nikolai's eyes that provoked her to continue.
"I know you hate him as much as I do," Cassandra said, her voice cold. "Tiber... he's unfaithful. Not just to me, but to every promise, every bond. He has someone else."
Nikolai's face changed. "Who?"
Cassandra held her breath for a moment before answering, "Ivy Cadler."
The shock on Nikolai's face was almost unbearable. He sat back and rebuilt his preparations for Tiber and Ivy. "Ivy is a sneaky bitch. I should have realized it earlier."
Cassy nodded slowly. "There was an affair. They were utilizing each other behind my back. So, Nikolai," Cassandra turned to stare at him firmly, "if you truly want to destroy her, maybe we can work together."
Nikolai remained mute, but the glare in her eyes was fiery. Nikolai's expression tightened, and a glimmer of disappointment appeared in his eyes. Suddenly, something cold and bitter clutched his chest, causing an unexpected new wound.
"All this time... I trusted her," Nikolai snarled, to himself rather than Cassandra. "I trusted Ivy. I thought she was unusual. I wondered if she was the only one who was honest among all these false people."
Cassandra remained mute, letting his words hang in the air.
"I even risked a lot for her," Nikolai said, his voice shaking with rage and sadness. "I readily caved in, turning a blind eye to her influence. It was foolish. I even considered her a potential ally."
"An ally?" Cassandra repeated with a chilly tone. "You forgot who she is. Ivy has never been on anyone's side except her own. You're just a tool for her, Nikolai."
Nikolai peered down, his grasp on the bench stiffening.
"I regarded her as someone with the same goals as mine. Someone who recognized the value of fighting... However, it turned out that I had misinterpreted everything. She... she played behind my back, with Tiber of all people." His words died off, crushed by the realization that he was now severely hurt.
"What were you expecting, Nikolai? You're in the midst of the dirtiest of games, with characters like Ivy and Tiber." Cassandra gazed up at him, her expression holding more than sympathy. There was cruelty behind it.
Nikolai snorted and took a deep breath, as if to soothe his rage. "Do you know, Cassy? I truly wish she was different. Everything she says about honesty and ethics seems like..."
"Simple deception," Cassandra interrupted quickly. "She is a lady of words, Nikolai. Everything she has done has served to conceal his unlimited ambition. And now you understand who she truly is."
Nikolai gazed at Cassandra and slowly shook his head. "I should've known. Ivy was always too perfect and silky. I'm not sure why I was so stupid."
"Because everyone around the globe is yearning for some optimism, Nikolai. Even you," Cassandra whispered, her voice low but piercing. "But believe me, that hope is just a weapon they use to trick us."
Nikolai fell silent, returning his gaze to the room packed with classical paintings, as if reflecting on the irony of his own betrayed existence.
Nikolai exhaled, the fury and agony combining into something sharper. "Perhaps it's time they felt the consequences of their dirty games," he remarked, his voice deep and cold. "Tiber and Ivy, they will regret ever trying to play us."
Cassandra grinned slightly, with a naughty glimmer in her eyes. "I've been waiting a long time for this day, Nikolai. Tiber believes he can ride roughshod over my feelings and exploit people for his own gain. But I can make them suffer gradually."
Nikolai glanced at her with fascination. "Tell me about it, Cassy. What is your plan?"
Cassandra leaned back and chose her words carefully. "I understand Tiber's frailty. He cannot afford to appear weak in public, especially if his reputation as a successful businessman begins to dwindle. And Ivy's political career means everything. If there is a scandal, no matter how minor, she will go down in flames."
Nikolai nodded, his eyes burning with wrath. "What if we started there? Spread the rumor. They leak small details that they believe are safe. Let the world know who Ivy Cadler truly is, and let Tiber know that his authority is waning."
Cassy laughed quietly. "We make Ivy a constant topic of conversation. We make her lose favor. Then, Tiber... maybe we can influence his financial situation. Make it appear as if she is trading in illegal substances. We slowly start pulling out all the stops."
Nikolai gave Cassandra a frigid smile. "And as they begin to feel the pinch, we pull harder. Destroy them from within. I want them to suffer the same agony, if not more, that we did."
Cassandra gazed up at Nikolai with a bitter smile. "They'll never forget the destruction. This time, we have control."
Nikolai nodded. "Allow them to play with their arrogance, Cassandra. In the end, we will ensure that they lose everything and have no place to return."
They both looked at each other, no further words needed. Their mission had begun, a long journey of deceit and manipulation for one purpose: the destruction of Ivy and Tiber, slowly, until there was nothing left.
***