Love Among the Ruins

Chapter 66

Aurelia stood in the atrium, her heart pounding as a servant informed her that Gaius had requested her presence. She knew she could no longer avoid confronting him about his actions. As she approached the parlor where he waited, Aurelia gathered her courage and prepared for the encounter.

"Ah, there you are," Gaius said with a predatory smirk as Aurelia entered the room. "Come, sit. We have much to discuss."

She hesitated for a moment before taking a seat across from him. The room seemed to grow colder, the air heavy with tension.

"Let's dispense with the pleasantries, shall we?" Gaius began, leaning forward. "I know you're aware of my plans for Lucius – your beloved gladiator."

Aurelia's breath caught in her throat, and she forced herself to remain composed. "What do you want from me?"

"Your cooperation, of course," Gaius replied, his eyes locked on hers. "You will cease all contact with him, and you will marry me as planned. In return, I can ensure that Lucius's punishment is... less severe."

She shook her head in disbelief at his audacity, her voice barely a whisper. "You would use my love for him against me?"

"Consider it an incentive," he replied coldly. "One that you would be wise to accept."

At that moment, the door to the parlor swung open, and Aurelia's family entered, their expressions a mixture of anger and disappointment. Her father's eyes bore into her as he spoke.

"Is this true, Aurelia? Have you been consorting with a gladiator behind our backs?"

"Father, please," she pleaded, desperation creeping into her voice. "Lucius is innocent. He has been ensnared in a web of lies by Gaius!"

"Enough!" her mother snapped, her face flushed with indignation. "You have brought shame upon this family. We have given you everything, and yet you choose to defy us for some... common slave?"

"Mother, I never meant to hurt anyone," Aurelia cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. "But my heart belongs to Lucius, and I cannot turn my back on him."

"Your heart?" her father scoffed. "What about your duty? Your responsibility to your family? To Rome?"

"Sometimes we must make sacrifices for the greater good," Gaius chimed in, echoing his earlier words to Aurelia. "You'll understand one day when you're my wife."

"Never!" Aurelia shouted, her eyes burning with defiance. "I will not be a pawn in your twisted game!"

"Then you leave me no choice," her father said gravely, sorrow etched on his face. "Until you learn to put your family first, you are no longer welcome in this house."

"Father, please," Aurelia sobbed, reaching out to him. But he turned away, unable to meet her gaze.

"Go," he whispered, his voice cracked with pain. "Find your gladiator, and may the gods have mercy on us all."

As Aurelia stumbled from the room, she could feel the weight of her family's betrayal crushing her spirit. But even through her tears, her resolve remained unbroken; she would find a way to save Lucius, no matter the cost.