"God…" Livia cried, pressing a hand to her chest. She inhaled heavily, but the air seemed too thick to enter her lungs. "I cannot let you do this to me."
"I am not doing anything. I gave you a choice."
"A choice? You threaten to ruin the man I love, destroy his name, shame his family and lock me away for your son's pleasure, and you call that a choice?"
"You are being offered comfort. A house. Protection. There are women who would kill for such security."
"And I refuse to choose," Livia said, forcing every word through the tremor in her throat, "until the king looks me in the eyes and tells me this is coming from him."
Theodora gave a soft, incredulous laugh. "What would that change, Livia? He is the king. He does not owe anyone explanations."
"I am a human being. I am not some hidden shame to be stored until His Highness grows lonely." Livia stepped closer, damning everything to hell. "If he is going to be my new Beaumont, then he had better look me in the eyes and tell me."
