"What...", I muttered underneath the sheets as I stared in trance at the dried tear stains on the pillow, "What... is this...?"

Maybe it was brought about by the overwhelmingly excessive stress, or maybe it was some sort of hallucination, but all of a sudden, bits and bits of familiar images came rushing into my head the moment I closed my eyes, causing a slight headache.

"Ughh!", I flinched as I tried to focus on these images, invoking sudden pain surges to come up to my temples.

"Gahh! It... hurts!!"

But the pain does not come from my headache alone. Rather, it is my heart that hurting more right now. I recall the scene from the other day.

It was the night of the school's opening ceremony. As it was expected of me, I acted calm and composed as I greeted everyone with a fake smile plastered on my face. My fiancé, however, who is one year my senior, did not even bother to come and welcome me.

So I looked for him, and alas gave up as I thought that he must have retired back to his room. And just as I was thinking about him while having a leisurely stroll around the school's beautiful maze garden, I stopped dead in my tracks upon hearing a familiar voice.

It was in fact, my fiance himself, talking intimately with that random girl in such a place all by themselves. I immediately showed myself and tore them apart without forgetting to warn the foolish girl of her position. But my fiance pushed me away and and told me that she did not do anything wrong and that I should give it a rest. The usual talk when I cause trouble for him. I hate it when he starts talking as if I was in the wrong.

At first I thought that she will learn her lesson and stop bothering my fiance after that, but turns out that it seems my fiance is the one who has fallen for her. The following week uptil now, he started eating lunch with her all the while he was obviously avoiding me. I do not know how the other people around us can easily just brush it off as if nothing was wrong while his own fiancée was left behind. In fact they would look at me as if I'm the villain whenever I try to separate them two.

And finally, yesterday when I saw the two of them having a stroll around the rose graden after school from the second floor. I looked down as I saw my beloved fiance's bright smile that not once did he ever showed me. I realized—

I had been betrayed by the person I loved most, Prince Elliot, the same person who swore his loyalty to me back when we were still children.

Turns out, he can be easily swayed by some random girl he just met. He's surprisingly easy, huh?

The most painful part was that I really did love him. And I easily believed his words back then.

"How despicable.", I whispered in a cold voice as I remembered these awful things.

But my hatred was suddenly interrupted as short, sharp pains plagued my head once again.

These... seem to be... memories...?

They have been reocurring since earlier this evening. They aren't mine. Yet they seem so awfully familiar that my chest tightens whenever I think of them.

"I'm sorry, Tia..."

A chillingly cold voice suddenly echoed in my head, and along with it came the image of a sweet, murderous smile.

I wonder how I can picture it so clearly like this. It's just like... as if I have seen this same scene before.

I tried to reach out to that cold smile, almost touching the face of that girl in front of me when suddenly—

"BANG!"

A deafeningly loud noise caused me to curl in the bed while covering my ears in pain. It sounded so near, yet as I looked around I saw not a shadow of its source.

As if there was nothing really there in the first place.

I think I'm going mad. These 'things' in my head... memories, if they are, won't stop flooding my thoughts. At first they came in bits and pieces, now they're surprisingly vivid and detailed. More and more I'm beginning to remember–!

"Remember...?", I paused. Weird. I used that term unknowingly as if these memories were mine, just forgotten, and now... they have... resurfaced...?

"...Huh?", Cold sweat one by one trickled my face. I stared at my trembling hands, frantically looking for the blood that were supposed to be there.

—there and then, it finally occurred to me.

"These are memories of my previous life...!"

Slowly I sat up as my eyes widened at the mere thought of it.

Memories of my past life... Or at least, of a certain person once called Veritia, a criminal mastermind who was backstabbed by her very own best friend betraying her trust... much like that foolish Prince Elliott himself, they're both traitors.

As I remembered more clearly, I stood up and headed to the balcony. I looked up at the same moon I used to stare at every night in my previous life. The moon was part of my family insignia back then and it's the only remembrance of my family.

So who was I? Who was the girl called Veritia?

Veritia was the daughter of a mafia family head that eventually were massacred by the police. Only she and her maid had survived and successfully ran away. That maid raised her with her daughter, Claire, out of her gratitude and respect for Veritia's late family members.

However... She eventually died and left her daughter and Veritia to fend for themselves. That's when Veritia started performing her heists and not long after, built her own little gang.

Yes, that all seems to be it. Sounds like some children involved in a dangerous hobby... only that child, was none other than me, Violetta.

I can remember it. The headaches have stopped, too, making my head clear. I started reminiscing.

The excitement of the chase, the joy of getting rich, and the satisfaction I get from outwitting the police... I still remember the time when I saved one civilian from being shot by my klutz comrade. We may be thieves, but we don't steal lives... yeah those days were great.

These were the kind of happiness I was fine with. Until, that one fateful day...

The day of the betrayal...

Now that I properly stitched my memories together, thanks to that, my hatred for that girl who I treated as my bestfriend, Claire Clemente, suddenly rose. Her grand treachery that led to my death, as Veritia, is certainly worth the highest praise. I don't know when she started planning for it, but what I do know is that she did me so good, and now I can't even take my revenge on her because I literally died.

Oh how I'd kill to get my sweet revenge—!! ...which I cannot have now that I am living as Violetta Esteban... This dissatisfaction can drive me crazy!

"Fuck!", I cursed the pillows, throwing them around till none is left on my bed.

Oh. Excuse me. That was very improper of me just now. I am after all the daughter of one of the six great dukedoms, the Esteban house, of 「Wrath」, only second when it comes to power and authority next to the Royal Family.

But...

I'm not in the mood to act all pretty and proper now that I just remembered such unpleasant memories.

From now on, I can't let anyone betray me once again. And if anyone does try, they will surely pay.

At that thought, I realized that I am currently being betrayed once again.

"The prince...", that's right. I forgot about him for a moment because his case was so awfully petty. His betrayal pales greatly to that woman's crimes.

That being said, he is still the prince. First and only son of the King. Although he isn't the most competent candidate in my honest opinion, but he is still of royal blood. Daughter of the duke I might be, but the Prince still hold the greater power. Whatever he says, let it be done. Even if he wants to change his fiancée, I cannot do anything about that. But, being the Queen would bring my family great honor though and it would definitely be a great advantage for me too... then, should I just get rid of the girl?

The corner of my mouth slightly crept up to that dark thought. Looks like my evil side arose again along with my past life's memories.

Not that I'm jealous... just looking for a faucet for my anger to be released.

The girl huh... then first I need to know her name. Then I'll need to-... Wait... No.

Right now, she's not important. What I need to do is to think of my next moves from now on. If I touch her, surely the prince will point it to me. That's not worth it if I get caught.

Thanks to this sudden influx of memories, it did well in helping me set my priorities, and somehow I feel really calm. And honestly, worrying about killing that foolish girl who I don't even know doesn't deserve to be at the top of my TODO list.

Thank you, Claire for unexpectedly opening my mind!

Now, what I want, is plain ol' sweet revenge~ Revenge on the cheating, despicable Crown Prince... And I'll make sure it won't end in just his death either.

I swear, after this day, he will regret having double-crossed me, Violetta Esteban, no... "Veritia"!