the Villainess they took for granted

Chapter 163: Chapter 163: Invitation letter and program

The following morning, Marian and Cassian returned to the matter of the invitations.

There was little left to decide.

The cathedral had been secured.

The first Saturday of October was fixed.

The reception venue had been chosen.

The preliminary guest numbers had already been calculated.

Now they simply had to put everything into motion.

Marian sat beside Cassian at the writing table, looking over the notes from the previous evening.

"We can have both houses prepare the final guest lists," she said. "They’ll separate those invited to the cathedral from those receiving invitations to the reception."

Cassian nodded.

"And the lists come back to us before anything is printed."

"Yes."

He reached for the bell.

"My secretary can handle the Ashford side."

"And mine will handle Valmont."

The instructions were sent.

Their secretaries would prepare the lists, consolidate duplicates, verify titles and addresses, and return everything for their approval.

Only then would the invitations be printed.

Marian looked back at the papers.

"There is still the wording."

Cassian nodded.

"Yes."

"I don’t want it to sound too stiff."

"Neither do I."

"Formal, obviously."

"Of course."

"But not cold."

Marian picked up the pen and turned the blank sheet toward herself.

She began writing.

"His Grace, Duke Cassian Ashford, and Lady Marian Valmont request the pleasure of your company..."

She stopped.

Her nose wrinkled.

"No."

Cassian looked at her.

"No?"

"It sounds like we’re inviting people to a diplomatic function."

He glanced at the line.

"I agree."

"Then what would you write?"

Cassian reached for the pen.

Marian watched him expectantly.

He considered the blank page for a moment before beginning to write.

"With great joy, we invite you to join us in the celebration of our marriage..."

He paused.

Then continued.

"On the first Saturday of October, at the Capital Cathedral..."

He turned the paper toward her.

Marian read it.

Then looked up.

"Great joy?"

Cassian smiled.

"Yes."

She stared at him.

"That’s what you want to write?"

"I do."

"Great joy."

"Great joy."

Marian looked back at the paper.

"It sounds rather..."

"Honest?"

She glanced at him.

He was smiling.

"Yes."

She tried to suppress her own smile.

"You really want everyone to know?"

"I thought that was rather obvious."

She laughed softly.

Cassian leaned back in his chair.

"It is our wedding, Marian."

His gaze remained on hers.

"Why shouldn’t the invitation say that we’re happy about it?"

Her expression softened.

She looked down at the words again.

"With great joy..."

Then she smiled.

"All right."

She picked up the pen.

"But perhaps we should change the next line."

"Why?"

"Because the invitation should still sound elegant."

"Of course."

She began adjusting the wording, but Cassian reached over and gently stopped her hand.

"Leave that part."

She looked at him.

"The great joy?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

His smile became softer.

"Because it is true."

Marian’s eyes warmed.

"You really are enjoying this."

"I am."

"The invitations?"

"The wedding."

She laughed.

"That’s different."

"Not to me."

She lowered her eyes, suddenly shy despite herself.

Cassian watched her for a moment.

Then, almost casually, he added,

"My greatest joy."

Marian looked up.

"What?"

He tapped the words on the page.

"That’s what I meant."

She blinked.

"You said ’great joy.’"

"I know."

"And now you’re saying—"

"My greatest joy."

His eyes held hers.

"You."

For several seconds, Marian couldn’t think of anything to say.

Then her cheeks turned pink.

"Cassian."

He smiled.

"What?"

"You can’t just put things like that in the middle of wedding planning."

"Why not?"

"Because I’m trying to concentrate."

"I thought I was helping."

"You are not."

He laughed.

Marian shook her head, but she was smiling now.

She looked down at the invitation again.

The words remained exactly where he had written them.

With great joy.

She traced them lightly with the tip of her finger.

Then, very quietly, she said,

"I like it."

Cassian’s smile deepened.

"So do I."

She finished the rest of the wording with him beside her, keeping the formal details—the cathedral, the date, the reception—while allowing those first few words to remain.

Not merely an announcement.

Not merely an obligation between two great houses.

An invitation to witness their happiness.

When they finally finished, Marian placed the pen down.

"There."

Cassian looked over the completed draft.

"Perfect."

Marian smiled.

"One thing finished."

"One."

She glanced toward the next page of her notebook.

Then her expression changed.

The guest lists were not quite finished.

That realization came when Marian turned another page and found herself staring at a heading she had not yet written.

"There’s something else."

Cassian looked over.

"What?"

"The entourage."

He nodded.

"Of course."

Marian picked up her pen.

"We need to decide who will stand with us."

"Yes."

She thought for a moment.

"I’ll need my chief attendant."

"And several ladies."

"Probably."

"How many?"

Marian looked at him.

"Don’t start."

His mouth curved.

"I’m only asking."

"I haven’t decided."

"Then we’ll decide together."

She began listing the possibilities.

Her closest friends.

Several ladies from families closely connected to Valmont.

A few people who had been part of her household for years.

The more names she wrote, however, the more complicated it became.

Some were people she genuinely wanted.

Others were names that would be expected.

Marian eventually drew a line beneath the list.

"I don’t want the entire entourage to become another political statement."

Cassian nodded.

"Neither do I."

"I want people beside me because I actually want them there."

"Then that’s how we’ll choose."

She smiled.

"What about you?"

"I’ll have my best man."

"Who?"

Cassian considered it.

Then gave her a name.

Marian’s eyes brightened.

"Yes."

She smiled.

"I think he’d be very happy."

Cassian nodded.

"He’ll probably make a speech."

"Then we should warn him."

"I doubt that would stop him."

Marian laughed.

They continued through the list.

A few groomsmen.

A few bridesmaids.

People who mattered to them.

People who had stood beside them long before there had been a wedding to celebrate.

When they were finished, Marian looked at the page.

It was surprisingly modest compared with the size of the wedding itself.

She liked it.

"That’s enough."

Cassian nodded.

"I think so."

Marian closed the list.

Then paused.

"There is also the ceremony."

Cassian looked at her.

"The program?"

"Yes."

She turned to a fresh page.

"The procession."

"The vows."

"The readings."

"The signing."

"The blessing."

She wrote each one down carefully.

Then she paused.

"And Father will walk me down the aisle."

Cassian’s expression softened.

"Of course."

Marian looked at the words for a moment.

She could already picture it.

The cathedral doors opening.

Her father beside her.

The man who had stood with her through everything that had happened over the past year.

He had spoken to the Emperor.

He had endured the strain placed upon their family.

He had watched her engagement collapse and never once made her feel that choosing her own happiness had been a burden.

Through everything, he had remained beside her.

Marian’s fingers tightened slightly around the pen.

"I want him to do it."

"He should."

She smiled faintly.

Then she wrote beneath the procession:

Lady Marian Valmont — escorted by Duke Valmont.

Cassian watched her finish.

"And the reception?"

Marian nodded.

"The entrance will be different."

She looked at him.

"That’s when I enter with you."

His mouth curved.

"As my wife."

She smiled.

"As your wife."

She wrote that down too.

Reception entrance — Duke and Duchess?

She stopped.

Then laughed softly.

"Not yet."

Cassian smiled.

"Almost."

She crossed it out.

Reception entrance — Lady Marian Valmont and Duke Cassian Ashford.

"For the moment," she said.

"Only for the moment."

She continued down the page.

"And then the first dance."

Cassian nodded.

"With me?"

Marian shook her head.

"With Father."

He immediately understood.

"Of course."

Marian smiled.

"I think he deserves it."

"He does."

She looked down at the page again.

Her father would walk her toward Cassian.

Then, later, he would have the first dance with his daughter.

Only after that would she dance with the man she had married.

It felt right.

The thought made something warm settle in her chest.

She wrote:

First dance — Lady Marian Valmont and Duke Valmont.

Then beneath it:

Second dance — Lady Marian Valmont and Duke Cassian Ashford.

She looked at the two lines.

Her father.

Cassian.

The family she had been born into.

The family she was about to join.

A small smile touched her lips.

"I like that."

"So do I."

She closed the notebook.

"Now we’re actually finished."

"With the invitations."

Marian sighed.

"Yes. With the invitations."

Cassian picked up their draft.

"With great joy, we invite you to join us in the celebration of our marriage..."

He looked at her.

Still smiling.

Marian noticed.

"You really like that line."

"I do."

"Why?"

His gaze settled on her.

"Because it tells the truth."

Her expression softened.

Then she smiled.

"Great joy."

Cassian’s mouth curved.

"My greatest joy."

Marian immediately looked down, her cheeks warming.

"Cassian."

He laughed.

She shook her head, smiling despite herself.

The final wording was settled.

The guest lists would be prepared by their households.

The invitations could now be designed and printed once the names were verified.

The entourage would be contacted.

The ceremony program would be arranged.

And the wedding was beginning to take shape—not merely as an enormous event, but as a series of moments that belonged specifically to them.

Marian looked at the papers spread across the table.

Then at Cassian.

"Now."

He stood and offered her his hand.

"The dress?"

She slipped her hand into his.

"The dress."

--

Tbc

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