Viella’s POV
I tried calming my mind as I freshened up, the cold water hit my face. I stared into the mirror. My face looked different. The cheek fat was noticeably less.
Seems like the Original Viella really was a gym freak these past two days, I thought, touching my jawline. Who even has the willpower to lose weight in forty-eight hours?
I shook my head and dressed in a simple white shirt and black suit pants. I had zero desire to get dressed up, let alone attend my own pre-wedding function. A shiver ran down my spine just thinking about it.
What if Dante is back with his obsession? I can’t handle a yandere on a good day. But even worse... what if he rembers shooting Alina and just decides to murder the mont he sees ?
I ran my fingers through my hair, letting out a jagged breath. "Hah... what luck."
The real problem was the dagger. How was I supposed to find it in this maze of a world? My thoughts were interrupted by a loud growl from my stomach. I guess I should eat sothing before I face my executioners.
As I walked downstairs, the sound of a heated conversation made stop in my tracks. I peeked around the corner to see Lucian on a call, looking more than just annoyed. He looked ready to kill soone.
"Mr. Noir, how can you do this?" Lucian’s voice rose, vibrating with suppressed rage. "You can’t just hand over our million-dollar company to soone with no experience! You won’t lose anything, but I will lose my empire—"
He kept going, his words becoming a blur of financial panic. My heart dropped. Elias. What is that crazy writer planning now? Is he taking revenge for my visit that day, or is he sabotaging Lucian to get to ? He’s probably squeezing us for the book. Dang it.
Lucian caught sight of standing there. He didn’t say a word, just gestured for a maid to escort to the table and stord out of the room, still shouting into his phone.
"My lady... please, the food is getting cold," the maid said, leading the way to the dining hall.
"Everything is really becoming a ss," I muttered under my breath. My head was pounding so bad I thought it might split open.
I sat down and looked at my plate. My eyes narrowed. It was all healthy food. Stead greens, lean protein, not a carb in sight.
Duh, seriously, Viella? I looked up at the ceiling, wondering if her spirit was hovering nearby. I an, she’s technically the one who ordered this, right? Wherever she is, she’s probably judging my posture right now.
I sohow ate everything on the plate because I was actually starving. It felt like I hadn’t eaten for two straight days, which technically, was true since the "Original Viella" was probably living on air and spite while I was unconscious.
I looked around for a familiar face. I thought Lily would be here, but she was nowhere to be found.
"Where’s Lily?" I asked the maid standing nearby.
"Uh, my lady... she went out," the maid stamred, looking a bit nervous. "She told us to serve you until she returns."
I raised my eyebrows. Lily never leaves without telling . Is she hiding sothing? I tried to brush it off, but a nagging feeling stayed in my gut. It seed like I had to investigate everything by myself now.
Just then, Lucian stord back in and practically slamd himself into the chair opposite . He started pouring himself a drink, his movents aggressive. I raised an eyebrow...yeah, he was definitely pissed.
He glared at as if this entire corporate disaster was my fault, then looked away with a huff.
Why is he mad at ? I thought. It’s not like I... well, technically it might be my fault, but whatever.
I stood up to leave, but he let out a loud, dramatic cough. I tried to ignore him, but his voice followed
"So people are so ungrateful," he muttered to his glass. "They live in soone else’s house and then have the nerve to boss them around. Hah."
I spun around and glared at him. He imdiately looked away, suddenly very interested in the ice cubes in his drink.
"Just say you’re talking about ," I snapped. "And when did I ever boss you around?"
"When?!" He stood up, finally exploding. "You cleaned out my entire closet! You even burned my imported files even after I told you it wasn’t who sold your mansion to Dante!"
"When did I do that?!" I shouted back, genuinely shocked.
"Yesterday!!" he shouted.
I stayed silent for a heartbeat. Oh. So Original Viella did that. She really went on a rampage. But then, a specific detail in his rant caught my attention.
"Wait... why were my things in your closet?" I asked, making a blunt guess based on how he worded that.
Lucian’s face went from red to a strange shade of pale. He went dead silent for three seconds before clearing his throat. "It’s... uh... it’s nice weather today, isn’t it? By the way, where is your maid? I can’t see her anywhere."
"Hah! I knew it!" I pointed a finger at him. "See that’s why I burned your files. You stole my closet! And you could’ve stopped Father from giving my properties to Dante, but you didn’t!"
Lucian looked like he wanted to jump out the window to avoid the conversation.
I didn’t let him wiggle out of it this ti. As he tried to make a break for it, I stord toward him with a speed that probably surprised both of us.
Before he could reach the door, I snatched the drink from his hand and
Smash.
shattered the glass against the table. I held the jagged, sharp edges inches from his nose.
"Tell now, or I’m going to give your beautiful face so nice permanent scars..." I hissed.
Lucian froze. He was twice my size and could easily disarm , but he stared at my eyes and saw I wasn’t blinking. He looked at his baby sister and sighed, the fight draining out of him.
"Fine... I’m letting you off only because you called my face beautiful," he muttered, rolling his eyes.
I pulled the glass away but kept my gaze locked on him. "Okay, talk."
"First, I stole your closet because... I wanted it. Simple," he said with a smug smirk that made want to poke him.
I gave him my deadliest glare.
"Second..." his smirk vanished. "I did try to stop Dante. But he threatened with sothing, so I had to give in."
"How did he threaten you?"
Lucian imdiately looked at the floor, his jaw tight. "I ain’t telling you that one."
I glared even harder, but he crossed his arms, stubborn as a mule. "Nope. Not gonna happen."
I realized force wouldn’t work here, so I switched tactics. I softened my expression, tilted my head, and hit him with the ultimate weapon: the puppy-dog eyes. I knew he had a secret weakness for cute things, even if he played the tough guy.
"Please, big brother? Just tell ~" I cooed, leaning in.
"Hey... stop that. You can’t do this to ," he stamred, his face turning a deep, embarrassed shade of red. "Don’t look at like that."
"Please? For your favorite sister?"
"Ugh, fine!! Fine!" he shouted, throwing his hands up. "It’s just... you know I did so horrible things in the past. Dante found out. He told he’d show you everything, and I thought... I thought you’d hate . But I promise I’ve changed! I’m not like that anymore!"
I kept staring at him, my eyes wide. No wonder Lucian was acting like a cornered cat.
He noticed my intense gaze and got even more flustered. "You know what? You’re an! Whatever! Bye!"
He turned and practically bolted for the door to hide his burning face. Just before he vanished, he shouted back over his shoulder, "You better get ready fast! I’ll be back in four hours to pick you up. If you aren’t ready, Dante will personally co to get you. Don’t cry then, you crybaby!"
"I am NOT a crybaby!" I yelled back, grabbing a decorative pillow from the sofa and hurlng it at his head with perfect aim. It bounced off his back just as he slamd the door.
I stood there alone in the dining room, breathing hard.
____________
1 hour later
I paced back and forth in the room, my mind a complete static ss. I didn’t have my phone, my loyal n were probably either dead or bribed by Dante, and Lily was missing. I looked at the clock.
One hour had already vanished. I still had to get ready, find that dagger, and not die. I was going to go crazy.
Suddenly, a loud BANG echoed from the balcony.
My survival instincts kicked in. I snatched my gun from the bedside drawer and crept toward the glass doors. A figure stood there, shrouded in a dark hoodie, face completely hidden underneath a mask.
"Don’t move or I’ll shoot!" I hissed, leveling the barrel at their chest. "Who are you?"
From the driveway below, I heard the screech of tires and several car doors slamming. Whoever this was, they seed to get followed by those peoples. The hooded figure lunged inside before I could pull the trigger. They grabbed my wrist and shoved my arm upward.
BANG!
A perfect, smoking hole appeared in the ornate plaster of the ceiling. Great, I thought hysterically, Lucian is actually going to kill for the decor alone.
"You—!" I started to scream, but a gloved hand clamped over my mouth.
"Shhh! My lady, it’s ee! Lily!" The figure pulled back the hood and ripped off a black mask. It really was her, her face flushed and her hair a ss.
"Lily?! What are you doing here? What’s with the ninja getup? And who is following you?!"
"I don’t have ti to explain right now, my lady!" Lily whispered frantically, her eyes darting to the bedroom door. "First, please handle the people outside for . Don’t let them in!"
I nodded, my heart pounding. A sharp knock sounded at the door.
"Hide in the closet! Now!" I pointed to the large walk in.
Lily vanished into the shadows of my dresses just as the door opened. A maid stood there, bowing low, but behind her, I could see the silhouettes of several n in dark suits standing in the hallway.
"My lady," the maid whispered, her voice trembling. "So n are outside wanting to talk to the owner of the house. Since Lord Lucian is out, they are demanding you co forward."
I took a deep breath, straightened my white shirt, and stepped out into the hall, closing the bedroom door firmly behind .
The n in the hall weren’t Lucian’s guards. They wore a specific pin on their lapels. Lucian’s n.
"Lady Viella," the lead man said, his voice cold.
"We are under orders from Lord Lucian to conduct a security sweep of the premises before the ceremony. We believe a trespasser entered through your balcony."
I crossed my arms and gave them my best Villainess sneer.
"A trespasser? In my brother’s house? The only trespassers I see are the ones standing in my hallway without an invitation."
While I was outside doing my best offended noblewoman act to keep the guards in the hallway, the silence in my bedroom shattered.
Inside the dark closet, Lily’s ears twitched. A floorboard creaked.
Damn it, she hissed under her breath. They hadn’t just sent the n in the hallway, they had sent a specialist to slip in through the balcony behind her.
The shadow of a man fell across the closet slats. He didn’t hesitate. He reached out and gripped the handle, pulling the door open.
As the door swung wide, their eyes t for a split second. The man’s hand flew to the radio on his shoulder to signal the team outside, but Lily was faster.
Before he could let out a single sound, Lily’s hand clamped around his throat. She used his own montum to yank him forward, choking the air out of him as she dragged him into the depths of the closet, surrounded by silk gowns.
She slamd the closet door shut with a muffled thud at the exact mont the bedroom door swung open
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TO BE CONTINUED
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