Depraved Noble: Forced To Live The Debaucherous Life Of An Evil Noble!

Cassius tilted his head, his smirk widening as he caught the curiosity in Vivi's eyes.

"You know, if you don't believe me, Viv...i." He said, his voice dripping with confidence. "...you can ask the maids I brought over last week. They'll tell you exactly how I treated them."

Vivi gasped, her eyes widening in disbelief.

"Your maids?" She squeaked, her voice full of shock and Incredulity. "You...You seduced them too?"

Her mind flashed to Isabelle, a sharp, capable maid she'd met during his last visit. Isabelle had struck her as fiercely loyal, intelligent, and utterly unyielding a woman who wouldn't bend to anyone's whims, let alone a noble's.

"Wait." Vivi said, her voice rising with disbelief. "You don't mean Isabelle, do you? There's no way she'd fall for you! She's...She's too smart for that!"

Cassius's grin turned smug, and he nodded without hesitation. "Oh, Isabelle? Absolutely. She's smart, alright, but even the sharpest minds can't resist a little charm when it's applied just right."

Vivi's jaw dropped, her mind reeling. Before she could stop herself, another name tumbled out.

"And...and Portia?" She asked, her voice trembling with disbelief. She remembered Portia vividly—a composed, older woman with a quiet dignity, a mother with a son of her own.

Portia had seemed untouchable, far too grounded to care about the flirtations of a noble like Cassius.

"You can't mean her too!"

"Yup." Cassius said, his tone almost gleeful. "Portia's no exception. And if you're still skeptical, I could call them. both in right now."

"...They'd happily tell you right here, in front of you—how much they enjoy pleasing their master."

Vivi's face flushed scarlet, and she shook her head frantically, her hands waving in protest.

"No, no, no! There's no need for that!"

She cried in panic and embarrassment. She knew Cassius wasn't one to make empty promises—he'd follow through, and the thought of Isabelle and Portia standing there, describing their escapades with him, was too mortifying to entertain.

"I believe you, Young Master! I know you'd do it!"

Cassius chuckled, clearly enjoying her flustered reaction, but Vivi's mind was already racing to the next rumor. She hesitated, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her skirt, then spoke, her voice softer but brimming with curiosity.

"The rumors...they also say you seduced every maid in this mansion. Is...Is that true too?"

Cassius's eyes glinted with mischief, and he nodded without a hint of shame.

"Every single one." He said, his voice low and quiet like he was sharing a secret. "And let me just say that whenever I catch one alone in a room with me, they don't always leave with all their clothes intact."

Vivi's blush deepened, her heart pounding at the brazen admission. But her curiosity, insatiable now, pushed her further. She leaned forward slightly, her voice dropping to a near-whisper, as if the walls themselves might judge her for asking.

"And...the Sacred Guard? The Holyfield Estate's most esteemed warriors? The rumors say you've tamed them too...Is that true?"

Cassius's smile turned teasing, but there was a glint of ambition in his eyes.

"Halfway there." He said, his tone laced with confidence. "I'm working my way through them, one by one. It won't be long before the entire regiment is under me—both literally and figuratively."

He winked, the playful edge in his voice sending a shiver down her spine.

Vivi expected to ask about another rumor, to keep unraveling the myth of Cassius, but a darker, more taboo question surfaced instead one that made her stomach twist with both dread and curiosity.

She glanced at the door, then back at him, her voice barely audible, trembling with hesitation.

"Young Master...there's another rumor. They say...they say you keep your butler, Lucius, as a...as a pet. That you don't care about gender, only a cute face."

"...Is...Is that true?"

For the first time that night, Cassius's composure cracked.

His eyes widened, and a look of genuine panic flashed across his face as he heard this absurd rumour.

"What? No! Absolutely not!" He exclaimed, his voice rising with indignation. "Whoever started that rumor is a fucking idiot! If I ever get my hands on them, I'll make sure they regret it!"

He ran a hand through his hair, clearly rattled, his cheeks faintly flushed.

Seeing this sight, Vivi couldn't help it—she giggled, the sound bubbling up despite the intensity of the moment.

Seeing Cassius, the ever-so-composed, depraved noble, so flustered was oddly endearing.

"You're quite human after all, Young Master" She teased, her voice light. "And maybe a little innocent in your own way."

Cassius coughed, quickly composing himself, though a faint flush lingered on his face.

"Alright, alright, enough of that." He said, his tone regaining its usual confidence. "But this, Vivi—this is the second reason I couldn't hold back with you."

"I'm a depraved man at heart. I live by indulging my desires, barely keeping them in check. But when I saw you, so beautiful, so vulnerable, that gentlemanly facade I try to maintain? It cracked."

"...You make it impossible to stay in control."

Hearing his brazen confession, Vivi braced herself, expecting to feel disgust or fear at the truth of his nature. A man so openly lustful, so unapologetically depraved, should have repulsed her, especially as a noble lady raised on propriety.

But to her surprise, she wasn't offended.

Instead, she felt...intrigued, even impressed.

Most nobles hid their true selves behind masks of decorum, weaving webs of deceit to protect their reputations...But Cassius?

He laid himself bare, owning his flaws and desires without shame, fearless of judgment. His honesty, his raw authenticity, was unlike anything she'd ever encountered, and it stirred a strange admiration within her, even if his depravity left her uncertain.

She tilted her head, her blush softening but her eyes bright with intrigue like he was a locked box that she wanted to open up.

"You're...not what I expected, Young Master." She said softly, her voice thoughtful. "I thought I'd be scared of you, knowing all this. But I'm not. I...I think I admire you, in a way."

"...You're so honest, so you. It's...refreshing."

Cassius raised a brow, his smirk returning, though there was a hint of genuine surprise in his eyes.

"Careful, Vivi." He said, his voice teasing but warm. "Admire me too much, and you might find yourself caught in my web...And trust me, it's a hard one to escape."

Vivi's heart skipped, a bit of nerves and excitement fluttering in her chest. She didn't know how to feel about his depraved ways, but one thing was clear.

Cassius was no ordinary man, and the more she learned about him, the more she wanted to know even if it meant stepping closer to the edge of his dangerous, alluring world.

And then emboldened by the heated air between them, she decided to turn the tables, a playful glint sparking in her eyes.

Leaning forward slightly, she tilted her head, her voice teasing but edged with interest.

"Do you say these things to all your patients, Young Master? Do you act this way with them too?"

Cassius's expression shifted, his smirk softening into a look of earnest resolve.

"Not at all." He said, his tone firm, almost solemn. "No matter how lustful I am, I keep my professional life entirely separate from my...casual pursuits."

"When it comes to my work, I maintain strict discipline, no exceptions. I don't budge, no matter the temptation."His gaze locked onto hers, a flicker of vulnerability breaking through his usual confidence. "But today, with you...I couldn't hold back."

"...Seeing a woman as beautiful as you, exposing herself so openly—it shattered the discipline I've held for so long. I cracked under the weight of wanting to unravel your beauty."

Vivi had intended to fluster him, but his raw honesty turned the tables, leaving her cheeks blazing and her eyes darting away, unsure where to settle. His words, so direct and fervent, wrapped around her like a warm current, leaving her dizzy with their intensity.

She coughed, trying to regain her composure, her voice a touch unsteady.

"You're...really good at praising people." She said, a shy smile tugging at her lips. "It's obvious you're used to this. I've never heard compliments like that before, so...I'm feeling it a bit, I admit. My resistance is weak."

Cassius chuckled, his fingers idly toying with one of the origami cranes on her bed, his eyes warm with amusement.

"That's only because you've been trapped in this mansion too long, Vivi. If you ever stepped outside, every man on the street would throw himself at your feet, begging for a single glance."

"...You'd be drowning in praise for your beauty all day long."

Her face burned hotter, her heart stuttering at the vivid image his words painted. He really was the playboy the rumors made him out to be, wielding his charm like a weapon.

Yet, beneath her fluster, a quiet thrill bloomed—she was holding her own against him, even if just barely.

Cassius's gaze then softened, a wry smile playing on his lips as he continued, his voice tinged with self-awareness.

"This is why I wanted your mother here, you know. I wasn't sure I could trust myself not to crack under your gaze. I thought she'd keep me in check, stop me from doing something foolish...But the moment we started this diagnosis, I was already gone—making a stupid mistake, exposing myself when I should've stayed professional."

Vivi's chest swelled with a secret pride, a warmth spreading through her. He'd seen countless patients, many surely beautiful, yet she was the one who'd undone his control, the first to make him falter.

The realization sparked a quiet confidence, a sense of power she hadn't known she possessed.

But before she could savor it, Cassius's tone shifted, taking on a pitiful, almost theatrical note as he sighed dramatically.

"And now that I've shown you my true nature, there's no way you'll let me continue diagnosing you without your mother. You'll probably want me gone, knowing what a depraved man I am."

"...It's only natural."

Vivi's stomach plummeted, a sharp jolt of panic slicing through the quiet pride that had warmed her moments before.

The idea of pushing Cassius away, of banishing him from her room, was unthinkable, a prospect that sent a cold shiver through her despite the firelight's glow.

His brazen honesty, his unfiltered presence, had woven a spell around her, making her feel alive in a way she'd never known within the confines of her sheltered world.

The ease she felt in his company, the way he saw her—not as a fragile invalid but as a woman with fire and curiosity was a rare gift she wasn't ready to relinquish

So, as he began to rise, as if he'd already accepted her rejection, his voice carrying a resigned weight,

"I'll head out now, Vivi...You probably don't want someone like me in your room any longer."

The word "No!" erupted from her lips and before she could cage her emotions, raw and desperate, her hand darted out to seize his wrist. Her fingers trembled against his warm skin, a fragile tether to keep him from slipping away.

Feeling her soft hand around his wrist, Cassius froze, his body half-turned, and as he slowly pivoted to face her, his brow lifted in quiet surprise, his eyes searching hers, while Vivi's heart thundered, a wild rhythm that echoed in her ears, her mind a tempest of conflicting impulses.

She stood at a precipice, teetering between the safety of propriety and the reckless pull of something deeper, something that thrummed in her veins like a forbidden melody.

To speak her next words would be to bare a piece of her soul, to admit a vulnerability that terrified her—yet the thought of his absence, of this electric moment fading into silence, was far more unbearable.

Her breath hastened, her teeth grazing her lower lip as she summoned the courage to meet his gaze. Her eyes, wide and shimmering with defiance yet softened by a quiet yearning, locked onto his.

"T-There's no need to leave, Young Master." She whispered, her voice a fragile thread, trembling with the weight of her confession. "And...there's no need to call my mother either, as you can diagnose me further. Just you."

"...No one else needs to disturb...what's happening here."

The words spilled out, heavy with unspoken desire, and as their meaning sank in, a scorching flush flooded her face, painting her cheeks a vivid crimson.

She'd done it—She'd crossed a line, stepped beyond the boundaries of the noble lady she was meant to be, and the realization sent a tremor through her.

What did this make her?

A reckless girl chasing a thrill?

Or a woman claiming a moment of urgency, of connection, in a life too long confined?

The uncertainty gnawed at her, yet beneath it, a quiet certainty bloomed this felt right, like a piece of her soul had unfurled in his presence.

Cassius's eyes widened for a fleeting instant, a rare crack in his composed facade, betraying a flicker of genuine shock. Then, slowly, his lips curved into a knowing smile, warm and laced with a hint of admiration.

"Well, now..." he said, his voice low and rich, wrapping around her like velvet. "That's a bold choice, Vivi."

And in response she ducked her head, her pulse racing, her thoughts a chaotic whirl. Mortification battled with a soaring sense of triumph—she'd spoken her truth, however trembling, and he hadn't turned away.

Her fingers still clung to his wrist, and she released him hastily, her hands retreating to clutch the edge of her gown, as if to anchor herself against the storm of emotions threatening to sweep her away.

She was terrified of what she'd unleashed, of the unspoken desires now hovering between them, yet exhilarated by the power of her own voice, by the way his gaze held hers, steady and unyielding.

Cassius also settled back down, his eyes never straying from her face, while Vivi's breath caught, her thoughts racing with the possibilities of what lay ahead.

She was stepping closer to the edge of Cassius's dangerous, alluring world, and though fear whispered at the edges of her mind, a bolder voice—one she scarcely recognized urged her forward, eager to discover what lay beyond the precipice before her...