Reincarnate as the Villainess's Husband

"Did you have an argument with Gredor or something?"

Neonidas asked this question while lying on Velriona’s soft legs. The intensity of their night together was evidenced by the marks on Velriona’s chest and legs. The rain falling outside the warm room seemed like an ornament, making this special night even more beautiful.

Velriona was stroking Neonidas’ head, almost as if she were his mother. She had slowly begun to stop feeling guilty about what she was doing. She no longer wanted to suffer because of a man who did not love her and instead valued other women. Moreover, how could she feel anything but hatred for the man responsible for the death of her most precious daughter?

"Yes, we fought. Lately, he’s been paying more attention to Avelina than his own daughter."

Neonidas chuckled softly, as if he found the anger in Velriona’s words amusing. "So Gredor has finally come to his senses," he said mockingly. "Being with Avelina is a logical choice."

Velriona’s fingers stopped moving through Neonidas’ hair. For a moment, her eyes were filled with shadows. "Forgetting his own daughter is a logical choice?" Her voice carrying a sharp sting.

Neonidas closed his eyes and took a relaxed breath, as if the conversation did not concern him at all. "Don’t let emotions weaken you, Velriona," he said indifferently. "I will kill Gredor and Avelina. No matter what, at the end of the day, you and your daughter will live safely and happily by my side."

Velriona’s eyes widened, and her fingers slid away from Neonidas’ hair. A strange sense of relief filled her for a brief moment, but what followed was an indescribable unease. She averted her gaze.

"Killing them… It’s so easy for you to say that," There was no anger or defiance in her voice, only a dull emptiness.

Neonidas slightly lifted his head and looked at her. His face bore that careless smile that was both terrifying and mesmerizing. "It’s easy because it’s what must be done," he said calmly.

Velriona took a deep breath, feeling a cold shiver despite the warmth of the room. She no longer resisted. At first, Neonidas’ words had sounded cruel, but they now laid out the truth so clearly. Gredor and Avelina… Their very existence was nothing more than a threat to her and her daughter’s future. If they lived, she would be condemned to a miserable life. Experience more on NovelBin.Côm

She slowly nodded. "Yes," she said, her voice barely more than a whisper. "It’s what must be done."

Neonidas’ eyes gleamed for a brief moment. Not with pleasure, but with the cold reflection of approval. He lifted her chin with his fingers, making her look at him. "Then stop talking like a sorrowful woman," he murmured. "You want this. You deserve this."

Velriona looked at the provocative expression on his face. A storm raged inside her, but it was not the storm of regret. The doubts she had once felt had now been replaced by a cold certainty. She had no intention of falling into the trap of sentimentality or weakness. Without Neonidas, she would wither away in loneliness and sorrow in the years to come.

Accepting this… was strangely comforting.

Narrowing her eyes, she asked, "When?"

Neonidas slowly sat up, pulling his head away from her lap to face her. His smile had disappeared, replaced by the sharp coldness of a predator closing in on its prey. "Soon," he said. "But we won’t rush. We need to take down the Emperor in a single, precise strike. Otherwise, the empire will fall into chaos."

Velriona did not look away. There was no hesitation left in her expression. "You’re right. I trust you," she replied.

"That’s all I needed to hear."

Neonidas remained silent for a moment, as if weighing Velriona’s words and the gravity of the word ’trust.’ Velriona disliked his silence. Neonidas’ mind was a labyrinth; understanding what went on inside, it was nearly impossible. But she had grown used to it.

Tilting her head, she looked at him. "So," she asked gently, her voice soft but laced with curiosity, "have you made amends with Allea?" @@novelbin@@

Neonidas smiled. "Yes, actually, we’re planning to get married."

Velriona’s breath hitched. The warmth of the room shattered instantly, as if everything had crumbled into pieces. Her ears began to ring, and her pupils dilated.

Neonidas’ voice remained calm, still carrying that indifferent tone, but inside Velriona, a cold fury was rising. She lowered her head slightly, clenched her fingers. She wasn’t entirely sure what she was feeling. Was it jealousy? Or was she afraid of hurting her daughter’s feelings? Maybe both.

"You’re planning to get married?"

Neonidas noticed the strange tone in Velriona’s voice. It wasn’t anger, but there was something sharp hidden within it. Keeping his indifferent smile, he turned to face her.

"Yes," he repeated. "Does that surprise you?"

Velriona averted her gaze. Not even the warmth of the room could suppress the cold inside her.

"Why didn’t you tell me sooner? Neonidas, I cannot continue a forbidden affair with my daughter’s husband. You told me you no longer loved her, that you no longer wanted her. What changed your mind? Not that it matters… We have to end this."

Neonidas chuckled softly, though there was no joy or mockery in it. It was the expression of a man listening to the naïve thoughts of his sweet wife.

"Velriona, calm down. Allea already knows about us."

Velriona’s heart stopped for a moment at those words. It was as if she had been thrown into icy water. She tried to mask the disappointment and anger on her face. "Allea knows?" she asked, her voice trembling.

She feared that her relationship with her daughter was now irreparably damaged.

Neonidas locked eyes with Velriona, studying her carefully. The way her breath hitched, the worry in her eyes… Seeing all of it neither amused him nor truly surprised him. He had expected Velriona to react so emotionally.

"Yes, she knows," he repeated calmly. "And she doesn’t care. She is much stronger than you think."

Velriona’s fingers involuntarily gripped the blanket. "What do you mean, she doesn’t care? How could she not care? How can she remain silent knowing her own mother shares a bed with her husband? This… this is madness!"

"Because I explained to her the pain you will endure in the future and why you chose to be with me. And she values you far more than you realize."

Velriona’s chest rose and fell rapidly. Neonidas’ words chilled her, despite the warmth of the room. Her own daughter… her own flesh and blood… how could she not care?

Neonidas could see the turmoil in Velriona’s mind. Watching the storm in her eyes, he softened for a brief moment. He slowly placed his fingers over her hand.

Velriona looked into Neonidas’ eyes. For the first time, she saw something different—rather than the cunning and calculative gaze she was used to, there was a flicker of sincerity. Yet, it didn’t bring her comfort.

"What do you mean, she understood?" she asked, her voice sharp but carrying a trace of fragility.

Neonidas gently squeezed her hand. "Allea saw how much you’ve suffered," he continued. "She saw you being used as a pawn by your father, how Gredor turned his back on you… Ask yourself, Velriona. If a girl spends her whole life watching her mother in pain, what would she do?"

Velriona’s lips trembled. She averted her gaze. The sound of rain outside wasn’t enough to drown out the silence within her. "So she forgave me because of my pain?" she asked, her voice softer now.

Neonidas tilted his head slightly. "I wouldn’t call it forgiveness. Understanding is a more fitting word. I don’t know if you realize how much Allea loves you, but just like me, she sees you as a loving, graceful mother who would do anything for those she cherishes. She doesn’t blame you—the ones she truly holds accountable are those who caused your suffering, especially Gredor."

Velriona’s breath hitched. Neonidas’ words cut through her like a sharp blade, echoing in her mind. She turned away, trying to hide the war waging inside her in the dimly lit room. But Neonidas had already seen the depths of her fears and vulnerabilities.

"Allea truly doesn’t blame me?" she whispered.

Neonidas’ gaze softened, though the sharp glint of his intellect remained. "Blame you?" he repeated. "No, Velriona. She chose to understand you. In her eyes, you are a victim. But at the same time, you are a survivor—a woman who found her strength. And now, she chooses to stand by your side."

Velriona’s chest rose and fell rapidly. These words should have brought her peace, yet they created an unfamiliar emptiness within her. Accepting Allea’s love and forgiveness felt like an unexpected burden. How could her daughter embrace her with such maturity when she couldn’t even forgive herself?

"I am her mother," she said, her voice thick with emotion yet firm. "I don’t want her to forgive me. I don’t want her to carry this burden."

Neonidas narrowed his eyes. "But she does," he said simply. "And that doesn’t make her weak. On the contrary, it makes her strong. Just like you."

Velriona swallowed hard. The guilt, anger, and frustration she had bottled up tangled together inside her. Being with Neonidas at this moment filled her with both security and unease. With him, she felt both free and bound by unseen chains.

And yet, for the first time, a light shone at the end of the tunnel. A path forward had been revealed.

And he was right. Allea was far stronger than she had given her credit for. Perhaps she truly did understand her.

Velriona took a deep breath and met Neonidas’ eyes. "Then," she said slowly, "if Allea understands me, and if she accepts my presence by your side… then I can live in peace with my daughter, with my family."

A faint smile played on Neonidas’ lips. This was the answer he had been waiting for. Seeing Velriona unafraid of her own shadows pleased him. She was finally ready to break free from the chains of her past.

"Then be with me," he whispered, his voice both husky and commanding. "Forever."

Velriona gazed at him. For a long moment, she said nothing. Only the sound of the rain filled the room. Then, slowly, she leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his lips.

It was an acceptance.

Neonidas closed his eyes, savoring the moment. This was how it should be. A bond where all past fragility was erased, leaving only power and loyalty. Velriona was no longer a shadow.

She was an empress by his side. Cherished, triumphant, and most importantly—loved.