C17
"Are you certain about this?" Caroline asked Rebekah as her handmaiden tightened the strings of the corset of her dress.
Rebekah rolled her eyes. "Yes I'm sure" she said and waved a hand to dismiss the servant girl. The young girl bowed her head and left the princesses to their own devices. "Now let me do something about your hair" she said changing the topic.
Caroline sat down in front of the vanity as Rebekah braided her hair. She contemplated what to do. She did not necessarily want to drag Rebekah into the mess that was her life even if she needed her help desperately. She wasn't going to be selfish enough to make Rebekah choose between her brother and her. Although the blonde Mikaelson had other ideas. She had willingly chosen Caroline's side.
"You look lovely. Now let us go and have breakfast. Mother will be furious if she discovers we are late" the blonde said hooking her arm through Caroline's and marching out of the door. They stopped, however, when a guard stood in front of them and bowed.
"Her majesty, the Queen has requested that I escort you to the gardens" he said, keeping his eyes cast down. Caroline nodded but frowned at his odd behavior. Why was he not looking at her while talking to her?
"Whenever my father and brothers go hunting, we have breakfast out in the garden. It gives us some time to enjoy nature" Rebekah informed her as they ventured towards the estate grounds. She could already distinctly see her friends, Katherine, Sage and Ester sitting there. She was late. Again.
"Good morning" she greeted everyone. Rebekah greeted everyone the same and they both sat down together, at Ester's right hand side.
"How are you feeling my dear?" Ester asked kindly. But Caroline was not going to be fooled by fake smile and kind eyes anymore.
She gave Ester a nod and a small smile. "Quite better actually" she remarked. "I've being seeing more clearly as well" she said sharing a secret look with Rebekah.
Bonnie and Ester both frowned. "I beg your pardon?" the Queen said.
Caroline coughed lightly. "My apologies for not making myself clear. I was having problems with my vision, I suppose" she said and bit her lip to contain her smirk. "But it's all better now" she reassured them.
"That's good then" Ester commented, still confused.
"Why was the guard not looking at me? In fact, no one was looking at me" Caroline whispered to Rebekah lightly.
Rebekah tried to conceal her smile. "You can hold Nik responsible for that. He has a bit of a problem with people looking at his woman" she teased biting the inside of her cheek to stop herself from bursting into laughter. Her brother was such a jealous narcissist.
Caroline frowned but nodded, accepting the answer for now.
Soon they all fell into silence. Breakfast was almost over and tea was being served when Rebekah saw the flags and horses approaching. "Our fun is over. The men are back" Rebekah whispered in Caroline's ear making the blonde laugh softly. Elena looked at Bonnie in horror and frowned. What was wrong with Caroline? She couldn't have been enjoying Rebekah's company!
"Good morning ladies" Mikael greeted in a cheery mood and nodded at the young girls respectfully.
He seemed all too jovial while the rest of the men were… looking battered. Except for Elijah who looked graceful as ever. Caroline gave everyone a small yet polite nod in greeting except Klaus and Damon. She avoided looking at them at every cost. Even when Klaus came around and lowered to kiss her cheek, she slightly turned her head away, raising suspicion in everyone's eyes.
Damon smirked at that and stared at Bonnie who was still frowning and looking at Caroline. Kol, Finn and Elijah shared a curious glance at the sudden rift between the betrothed pair. Stefan politely kept talking with Mikael, even though everyone had already noticed Caroline's not-so-subtle head twist.
Klaus clenched his jaw and curled his fingers into fists. He glared Caroline while she refused to even look at him. He couldn't even comprehend what was wrong. In his mind, they had left off at a rather good place last night. She seemed fairly content when she had conversed with him and opened up to him. When she had kissed him.
He knew, standing there awkwardly was not going to help his position. So he placed both of his hands on the arms of the chair she was sitting in and leaned in closer to her, ignoring the sharp looks he gained from everyone else. He couldn't even give a care in the world to anyone right now. All that mattered was his Queen sitting in front of him.
"I would like to have a word with you Caroline" he whispered in her ear firmly. His voice soft and gentle but it was also firm, indicating clearly that he was not asking permission. He pulled back her chair and took her hand in his. Caroline glared him and stood up on her own. She tried to snatch her hand back but his grip on her hand was unrelenting.
"Excuse us" he said and didn't even give Caroline a chance to do the same before he began dragging her away. Caroline struggled to keep up with his stride and trying not to trip and fall over her rather large dress.
"Can you walk at a slower pace? I can hardly keep up" Caroline complained angrily, trying to free her wrist from the tight grip of his hand.
Klaus looked back and once he saw they were at a good distance from the family, he stopped and glared down at Caroline. "What was that behavior back there?" he asked a little angrily.
She massaged her wrist slowly trying to ease the blood flow back to normal. "I think it was a display of your barbarity" she snapped at him.
"Do not toy with me Caroline!" he warned her and took a menacing step closer to her. "Just because I have a certain… fondness towards you, it doesn't mean you can disrespect me in front of everyone. I will have no one thinking of me as a weakling" he barked at her heatedly.
"Fondness?" she scoffed and crossed her arms over her chest protectively. "Is lying and deception also a part of the display of your affections?" she sneered back at him.
Klaus frowned. "What are you going on about?" he questioned angry and confused. "If there is anything you wish to discuss, you may speak freely" he told her in all seriousness.
Caroline narrowed her eyes at him. "I know everything. The way you plotted to turn me against my friends" she spat at him, wanting to hurt him just as he had hurt her. He shouldn't have had such an effect on her but she didn't know why she was so greatly hurt by his actions. She should've been used to his behavior. He was a ruthless, violent man who cared about no one but himself. He was a vile man.
She kept repeating it in her head yet there was a strong voice inside her that told her she was only repeating it to make herself believe that Klaus didn't matter. That his actions didn't matter. If only that was the truth.
His actions mattered. They hurt her.
"Why would you do that? Were you planning on turning me against my parents as well?" she asked him and looked away when she felt the moisture building in her eyes. She hated crying in front of someone and lately crying in front of Klaus seemed like a habit of hers.
Klaus froze as if he had taken a blow and all air was knocked out of his lungs. "Carolin- he started but was cut off by the blonde effectively.
"After everything I told you. I willingly opened up about my past with you" she sneered at him and a tear fell from her eye onto her cheek. "I- I told you about Damon, my parents and Enzo" she stammered and more tears tainted her pink cheeks.
"And I appreciated that. All of it" he answered back quickly and took a step closer to her. He was pleasantly surprised when she didn't step back. "I didn't mean to hurt you, love" he justified calmly, hating himself for the tears on her face.
"And you would trust Katherine's word over mine?" she questioned, her lips trembling. "Let me tell you that she is playing you. I am not the one toying with you. It's her. She's been playing double agent since she got here!" she informed him with a malicious sneer.
"I am well aware which is why I never followed her plans. It was only a way to stop her from hurting you!" he shouted back, feeling his own anger rise. How could she only find him at fault here? He was trying to help her. To save her!
Just as he was about to speak, his mouth pursed into a thin line and he looked behind her in disdain.
"Everything alright?" Damon's voice came as he came up behind Caroline with Bonnie Bennett in tow.
Before Caroline could answer, Klaus took a step forward and pulled Caroline behind him. "Everything is just fine. Run along now" he sneered at Damon, keeping Caroline behind him.
Damon narrowed his eyes and took another step, standing head to head with Klaus. "I don't think I asked you" he replied stiffly.
"Care are you okay?" Bonnie asked from behind Damon, watching the tears on her friend's face. "Why are you crying?" she asked worriedly. Then turned to look at Klaus. "You did something. Didn't you?" she hissed at him angrily.
Caroline rubbed her temples in frustration before moving to Klaus' side instead of staying behind him. "I told both of you specifically to drop all the plans you had made" she started trying to calm herself.
"And we did" Bonnie argued.
"God! Stop lying to me!" Caroline shouted at her. "Everything is over. It is done. We fought. We lost. There's nothing we can do now" she told them loud and clear hoping they would get the message.
"Whoa! What do you mean? You're just going to give up and marry him?" Damon asked her angrily.
Caroline closed her eyes, absorbing his hate filled tone. "Yes" she answered quietly. An answer which made Klaus smirk. "It's over Damon. I'm sorry" she whispered, not meeting his eyes.
"Then it was better if you hadn't survived the attack after all" he spat at her. His voice broken and dejected. Caroline flinched visibly and looked up at Damon. His eyes were steely cold and icy shining with disappointment as he looked over at her.
"Damon!" Bonnie smacked his arm.
"No. Let him speak freely. He has the right to do so" Caroline said in a monotone voice. "I have the right to do so as well. So listen clear just for once and remember this" she said and looked at Damon directly. "You are the reason I'm here in the first place. If you and my father had let me take my decisions for once, I wouldn't have been in here" she spat back at him and ignoring the way her stomach churned uncomfortably.
Damon let out a cruel chuckle. "Oh this is precious!" he said in between chuckles. "The last time we let you handle something, you caused so much trouble for everyone" he told her coldly and Caroline averted her gaze knowing he was talking about her time with Enzo. "We had to clean up the mess of your inability to make right decisions for months!" he hissed angrily.
Bonnie and Klaus looked between the two clueless as to what they were referring to. "You haven't told him. Have you?" he asked narrowing his eyes.
"Care, what's Damon talking about?" Bonnie asked worriedly, grabbing her friend's arm.
Even Klaus' eyes were on Caroline. But she refused to look at anyone except Damon. She glared him daring him to say a word more. The elder Salvatore knew he had crossed a line and coughed uncomfortably. "This is not over" he declared.
"On the contrary, this is very much over" Klaus spoke up, feeling annoyed. What was Caroline hiding from him now? He needed to know. "Now that it is in the open that your intentions towards my fiancé are less than honorable, I would suggest you leave before I have to take drastic measures to ensure your dismissal from my home" he sneered at him and flashed him a smirk.
Caroline looked at Klaus and gave him a stern look. Bonnie took that as cue to settle the matter. "This arguing is going to get us nowhere" she concluded. "We need to sit down and discuss our options" she told them seriously.
"Bonnie is right. No hidden agendas. We have to settle this problem down once and for all" Caroline agreed and looked at Klaus and Damon who were glaring each other. "Agreed?" she stressed her voice more and watched as both of them rolled their eyes before nodding begrudgingly.
After an hour, all of them settled in the formal dining inside to sit and discuss the issue at hand which was Caroline's marriage and the political advantage of her family's alliance.
Klaus, Elijah, Ester and Mikael sat on one side while Bonnie, Damon, Stefan and Caroline sat at the other.
"How about this?" Bonnie started breathing in deeply. "The Forbes will form an alliance with you but no marital union is necessary. Caroline goes back home with us" she offered and held her head high.
Klaus glared Bonnie with such an intensity that it made everyone else shiver. "No" he answered simply.
"No?" Bonnie questioned angrily.
Elijah coughed and turned everyone's attention back at him. "What my brother means to say is that we won't be gaining anything by this proposition of yours" he stated logically. "We already have the Forbes under our control and we already have the princess. So why would we settle for our own loss?" he questioned narrowing his eyes at Bonnie but keeping a polite smile plastered on his face.
"Well we could attack your home, squash your army and your self-esteem" Damon suggested snidely. Stefan turned and glared his brother.
Klaus let out a dry chuckle. "Like you did before?" he remarked raising an eyebrow.
Damon scowled. "We weren't prepared" he argued.
"A true king is always prepared for war" Klaus retorted with a bitter smile.
"Enough! We won't reach a conclusion by this bickering between the two of you" Ester scolded and turned to her husband giving him a look. Mikael immediately straightened up and regarded them all passively.
"What is your demand?" he asked looking at Damon and Stefan.
"We want Caroline back" Stefan answered in all seriousness.
Damon let out chuckle. "To get rid of Klaus" he muttered under his breath. Klaus stood up enraged and squared his jaw, clenching his fists tight.
"How about we go at it again? Winner takes everything home, the underdog perishes. Simple" he suggested smirking, confident he could beat the elder Salvatore any day.
Damon stood up too and narrowed his eyes at his opponent. "So eager to die" he commented sarcastically.
"Maybe we should've let you both stay outside" Caroline mumbled rolling her eyes at their stupidity. "Can we not discuss this matter like civilized individuals?" she requested resignedly.
"Damon sit down" Stefan suggested and pulled at his arm, pulling him back into his seat.
Klaus kept his eyes focused on Caroline. She looked tired and her usual liveliness and glow was missing. She looked like all the energy had been drained from her.
"Caroline stays here. That is not a debatable topic. Anyone who even considers it otherwise will be slaughtered by my hand" Klaus warned everyone and stood up, walking to Caroline's side. He bent down and pressed his face into her hair. "Once you're done here, meet me in the courtyard" he whispered as his lips brushed against her earlobe and pressed a firm kiss to her cheek before storming out of the room.
"Caroline, what is your opinion on this?" Ester asked looking at the girl sympathetically. Even though she was asking the girl, she knew that it didn't matter. Her son was in love with this girl. Like it or not, she was staying here. Even if she had to commit murder herself.
"I want no lives to be lost. Whatever decision we reach should not cause any more casualties" she answered straightforwardly.
Ester nodded. "That is fair. I suppose" she said going deep into thought. "Mikael" she said and nudged his side raising an expectant eyebrow at him.
Mikael coughed uncomfortably before locking his eyes straight with Stefan. "We are willing to offer you something that might pique your interest though" he said mysteriously. Stefan nodded motioning for him to continue. "How about the truce between the Salvatores and the Mikaelsons by a marital union?" he suggested and everyone's eyes went wide and they gaped.
"Father- Elijah started but Mikael cut him off with a stern glare.
"Let me speak" his commanding voice boomed throughout the room. "We will ensure you Caroline's safety and bright future if you ensure us Rebekah's" he suggested and watched the Salvatores' reaction carefully. Ester looked at Stefan expectantly while Elijah looked between his parents as if they were mad.
Stefan looked uncomfortable by the question posed at him. Was he willing to let go of his happiness for Caroline's safety? Yes. But could he give up Elena and marry Rebekah? No. He would never be able to give Rebekah the place she would need.
"If we are guaranteed Caroline's safety and her happiness, we will guarantee you your daughter's" Damon spoke up sternly. All hints of playfulness and softness gone from his tone.
"Stefan is in love with Elena" Caroline spoke up trying to defend her friends. She couldn't let them destroy their lives for her. She would be safe, regardless.
"Stefan is not the only Salvatore. Is he?" Mikael questioned gazing at Damon keenly.
Caroline met Damon's gaze and shook her head. 'No' she mouthed to him shaking her head. "I will go back to our own kingdom and talk to my father about this proposition of yours. Hopefully we will send back an emissary with good news" the raven haired Salvatore answered back with a cruel smirk.
Mikael smirked too before nodding in Damon's direction. He stood up and walked out of the room with his wife hot on his tail. "You'll make a fine king Damon" he said as his parting words before the doors closed shut.
Caroline stood up enraged and looked at Elijah. They both knew that this decision was only going to cause trouble. Damon and Rebekah could never make a good match. Damon was far too cunning for a girl like Rebekah. "Do something!" Caroline exclaimed looking towards Elijah who was incongruously uncomfortable. The elder Mikaelson nodded and walked out to catch up with his parents.
"Damon are you insane?" she shouted at him angrily and marched up to him, standing head to head. "Tell him Stefan" she added but her request was met by a deafening silence. "Stefan?" she questioned looking back at the younger Salvatore who looked away. She then turned to her friend. "Bonnie" she uttered quietly.
"It's a wise decision Care. That way we'll know that Klaus is treating you right. You heard Klaus. He wasn't going to let you go otherwise" she stated in a cold voice.
Caroline didn't believe her ears at that moment. They all knew that Damon would never accept Rebekah as his wife and he would never treat her right knowing she was Klaus' sister. "Rebekah is innocent in all of this!" she screeched at them angrily.
"No one is innocent in this!" Damon shouted back equally angry. "What do you think Klaus is going to do after his marriage with you? Huh?" he asked angrily and grasped her shoulders in a punishing hold when she didn't look at him. "Let me tell you what is going to happen little Princess" he spat sarcastically, shaking her shoulders.
"Damon stop" Stefan tried to intervene, knowing that whatever Damon was about to say wasn't going to be pretty.
Damon gave him a glare. "No Stefan. She needs to know. She thinks the world is all beautiful and pure. She needs a little portrait of reality" he hissed heatedly. "Once you get married to him, he will not be the Prince charming you think he is. He'll become the monster the world knows him as. He'll want you to give him an heir as soon as possible and then once you're a birthing machine for him, he'll leave you and find his own pleasure from his whores. I'm sure I don't need to tell you what kind of pleasure" he sneered at her and Caroline squirmed under his gaze and under the rain of his harsh words.
"He will leave you to rot in a room and you will become just a trophy wife. A political alliance to keep him powerful" he told her and let go of her breathing hard and fast. Caroline looked into his eyes. While his shone with anger and frustration, her own shone with unshed tears and hurt.
"You think I do not know all of that?" she asked. Her voice hoarse and broken. "I do. But I'm willing to do anything to keep my family safe. My family which includes my parents, Bonnie, Elena, Stefan and you!" she shouted back at him as tears slipped her eyes and fell onto her cheeks. "You still have the chance to find someone for yourself. I can look after myself. Why don't you take that chance to be happy?" she asked him and grabbed his hand in her own.
Damon gazed at her face for a few moments and his eyes softened just a bit. "My happiness isn't worth you living in agony" he whispered dejectedly and in that moment Caroline could not recognize the sweet, charming Damon she had grown up with. She could only see the monster who had scared people away, who had pushed people away, who had sent Enzo away and the person who had ruined Katherine for harming her.
She breathed in deeply before dropping his hands and taking a step back. She wiped the tears from her eyes and blinked up at him sternly. "I won't let you ruin Rebekah's life. I know very well how it feels to have your fate handed to you with a sword above your head. I won't let the same happen to her. I won't allow it" she denied shaking her head.
"Good thing it isn't your choice then" Damon retorted cockily.
Caroline looked up at him and glared him. "It's sad you still don't know how well I can make people change their decisions" she bit back with a slight smirk on her face. "If you're not with me on this, then it means you're against me" she declared and looked up at her 'friends' challengingly.
They all pursed their lips, clearly showing her that they were not going to side with her. "Game on" Damon dared openly, his eyes twinkling.
Caroline walked out of the room and looked left, right. She had to find help. Now!
She turned to the guard who was looking at her curiously. "Where is Rebekah?" she asked hurriedly.
"She is in the courtyard your majesty" he answered, looking down. "May I lead you there?" he questioned frowning.
Caroline picked up her skirts and hurried along, ignoring the pain in her wound. This was not the time for weakness. She had to hurry and save Rebekah. "No need. I know the way" she called out loudly running down the hallway towards the exit of the castle to find her way to courtyard.
Everyone looked worriedly as Caroline rushed through the hallways like a possessed woman. "Out of my way" she demanded as she saw people scurrying through the antechambers to get out of her way. As soon as she reached outside, she squinted her eyes as the bright rays of the Sun hit directly in her eyes.
She narrowed her eyes and looked ahead to see the blonde twirling around the flower bushes and admiring the work of the gardener.
Without another thought, Caroline started sprinting towards the other girl. "Rebekah!" she shouted out loudly, ignoring the pointed looks she gained from the people around her. She could show them the etiquettes she had learned from her mother later.
Rebekah frowned as she heard someone calling her name. She turned around and saw Caroline running towards her like a madwoman. "Caroline. What's wrong?" she asked worriedly as the blonde reached her.
"We have a problem" she panted out and bent down with her hands on her knees to catch her breath. "A big problem" she told her biting her lip.
"Problem? What problem might that be love?" a voice came from behind Rebekah who had opened her mouth to say something. Caroline jumped and gasped when she saw Klaus step out from behind Rebekah.
"Are you alright Caroline? You look like you've seen a ghost" Rebekah commented grabbing Caroline's arm softly.
But the blonde in question could only nod. She bit her lower lip nervously, chewing on it. "You said there was a problem love?" Klaus probed coming to stand right in front of her.
Caroline looked around nervously. "Well, your father just did something very, very bad" she said frowning and her eyes drifted to Rebekah.
Klaus' gaze hardened and he grasped Caroline's shoulder softly, turning her towards him. "What. Did. He. Do?" he questioned and from his tone Caroline could see he was more getting anxious and frustrated by each passing moment.
"He offered Rebekah's hand in marriage, to Damon, to form an alliance between the two countries" she informed him, biting her lower lip very hard.
Rebekah's eyes widened and her mouth parted in shock while Klaus clenched his fists and squared his jaw. "What?" he breathed out indignantly.
"Damon will say yes because he wants assurance that nothing will happen to me while I'm here. We have to stop this!" she exclaimed with an urgency that she knew was necessary.
Klaus looked down at Caroline and then Rebekah. His eyes then drifted back at Caroline.
"Klaus!" Caroline said loudly, gaining his attention. "Damon will ruin her" she whispered and her horrified expressions confirmed to Klaus that whatever he had heard about the elder Salvatore was somewhat true. "This marriage cannot take place" she warned, shaking her head.
"How could father do that? He knows that Damon is still in love with you!" Rebekah screeched, upset. But Klaus tuned both the blondes out. He should've known that everything he had done with Caroline would've come back to haunt him. In this case, through his baby sister. He couldn't- wouldn't let Rebekah walk into the den of a lion.
He should have known that doing everything he had done to force Caroline here, he would somehow have to pay for it. He also should never have trusted Mikael to be an honest and loving father. He had always been a King more than a father. He would not even bat an eyelash if his daughter was unhappy. As long as the alliance brought him power, he would be satisfied.
He knew he only had one choice now. Either to give Caroline up or to let Rebekah walk into a death trap.
His heart ached with even the thought of living without any one of the blondes. He couldn't believe it. All his years, he had never found an interest in anyone outside of his family and just a few weeks ago, he would've gladly given Caroline back. But now, something tugged at his heart and his stomach churned uncomfortably at the thought of letting her go.
Because he knew, once she was gone, she wouldn't come back.
Always and Forever.
At the end, he knew he didn't have much of a choice. It would have to be Rebekah. He wouldn't ever be able to look at Caroline the same way if Rebekah was hurt because of him. Deep down in his heart, he knew he wouldn't be able to look at Rebekah the same either but he ignored it and braced himself for what was to come.
"Don't even think about it Nik!" his sister's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. He looked around to see Caroline nowhere in sight, only Rebekah looking at him sternly.
"Where is Caroline?" he asked, trying not to let the despair in his voice appear. He would have to tell her that she was free to go.
"She left to talk to father when you were playing out your stupid plans in your head" she hissed at him. "I'm telling you Nik. Don't even think about it" she warned him, wagging her finger at him. "You're not letting Caroline go" she declared crossing her arms over her chest.
Klaus let a soft smile play on his lips. "I was unaware that my little sister was so cunning" he teased hoping to divert her attention. However, the blonde remained unfazed. He sighed. "We don't have a choice. Everyone is rallying up against us. We will find new allies" he said and kissed Rebekah's temple, lovingly. "You do not need to worry" he reassured her petting her hair. For the first time in his life, he felt the danger of losing his sister and it was maddening.
Rebekah stomped her foot in annoyance. "STOP TREATING ME LIKE A CHILD!" she complained loudly and uncrossed her arms. "You may find new allies but you will not find Caroline again" she argued, feeling tears flowing down her cheeks. "You cannot give her up Nik. She is our last chance. She is our hope for redemption" she pointed out, speaking softly.
Klaus knew that. He knew that Caroline was the lightness to his darkness and she would forever hold his heart in her palm but there was too much at risk and he had too little options.
"I know" he whispered quietly, pursing his lips.
Rebekah grabbed his face him her hands. "Nik. You love her. Don't give her up just yet" she said with a small smile. "We'll find a way. We always do" she added smirking up at her brother.
Klaus smiled back. "She doesn't want to stay here. I forced her to be here" he debated ruefully. "She will go back" he announced silently.
Rebekah frowned and shook her head. "She doesn't want to go back" she disputed back, pouting a little as she did so. "Don't you see Nik? She's working so hard because she wants to stay. She's just not bold enough to say it yet" she claimed with a smile. "She cried the other night when I told her about your part in the plans. She told me she trusted you and she was hurt when you broke her trust" she told him and Klaus frowned, embarrassed by that information. "A person only gets hurt once they feel something about the other person" she said rolling her eyes.
"Rebekah…" Klaus started, hoping to explain that he could never live with himself if he let her get married to Damon, of all the people.
"Nik. Just give her a chance." She pleaded grabbing his arm, like he used to when they were just little children. Klaus nodded. "Where is she?" he asked tiredly. There was no point in arguing with Rebekah but her argument had made his decision even more difficult.
"She wanted to talk to father herself. Maybe fix the situation we have" Rebekah said looking away. She couldn't believe how easily her father would trade her away for power. She knew that he loved supremacy and authority above everything else but she had deluded herself into thinking that maybe he cared enough for his only daughter, not to turn her into a source for more influence.
Clearly she was wrong. She knew she couldn't burden Caroline and Klaus with her problem. She knew they already had too much to fight for. This was one battle she had to fight for herself.
And she was not going to lose.