The letter in his hand, the proof, made it all the harder to lie. Until, that was, he said he'd kill her if she went on. If she was dead, then he could not use her against Cassius, and the mere thought of what Cassius might do to protect her...
No her only option was to persuade him to kill her.
'That letter is not written by me,' she insisted, true desperation finding its way into her voice. 'You have to believe me, I don't have a son!' She nearly shouted, needing him to believe her or be annoyed enough to kill her. She had no doubt in her mind that she would die sooner or later at the hands of this man. The only thing that mattered now was to protect Cassius as much as she could.