"The Crown Prince is dead"
Paisley took a step backwards. Was she hearing correctly? It couldn't be.
"What did you say?" She asked the maid again.
"His Highness, the Crown Prince, died when he was twelve years old. Everyone knows that" The maid looked uninterested with the topic, quickly excusing herself and leaving Paisley, who was in shock.
Paisley quickly ran up to her room and tried her best to calm down, but to no avail. She couldn't control the sudden tears which welled up in her eyes and flowed down her cheeks.
Why was she crying? A part of her chest ached as she felt like she had lost something precious to her. Well, she technically did.
'Crown Prince Nathaniel, the male lead…. He's supposed to lead me to my happily ever after!'
There was this strange obsession that had sprouted within Paisley, ever since her reincarnation. She was obsessed with the thought of living a perfect life as the heroine. She had to have her male lead!
This life was meant to be perfect. Being reborn with memories from your past life intact, didn't happen everyday. Her rebirth was a blessing. A blessing, which was supposed to enable her to do all, she had been unable to do in her past life.
Having a love interest had always been one of, if not the biggest, amongst her wishes. She had always envied the women who she saw with loving boyfriend's or husband's. She wanted someone to hold her hand warmly. Wanted someone to stare intensely into her eyes and say 'I love you'.
The days went by rather bleakly. Paisley felt depressed. Nothing could get her mind of from the sadness she felt.
Truly pitiful. How could the female lead not have a romantic life? She found such a situation difficult to comprehend.
In her depressed state, she sluggishly carried herself to sit by her window. She quietly watched what was going on outside.
"Have a nice day, Lord Belv" A sweet voice said. It belonged to Paisley's half sister, Adrianna. Adrianna Deor, was the villainess of the novel.
Paisley watched keenly as Adrianna bid her fiancé, the young lord of the Belv Duchy, a farewell.
Long red hair and deep purple eyes. Paisley couldn't help but admit, Adrianna was….beautiful. Too beautiful for her liking. The heroine was supposed to be the only beautiful one….
Paisley continued watching Adrianna silently as she took a walk through the garden. She suddenly felt jealous of Adrianna. She looked so happy. She wasn't supposed to be happy! The villainess was meant to suffer! Why was she the only one experiencing so much sadness?
To Paisley, Adrianna had such a good relationship with her fiancé. This fact angered her greatly.
'Something is definitely wrong' Suddenly, she had a genius idea.
Maybe her reincarnation had changed some things. Maybe Ronald was the male lead now! After all, he was Adrianna's fiancée! In stories like this…wasn't the villainess' fiancée usually the male lead? Ha! She finally solved this complicated puzzle.
Sure, Adrianna had been acting nice to her, but that didn't really matter to Paisley.
'Why should I be loyal to some novel character?'
Even if Adrianna turned on Paisley, she was the female lead! No matter what the villainess were to do, she'd always turn out successful. Besides, she had some knowledge from the novel to help her.
'Like the relationship between Adrianna and Cardin. I'm sure that it hasn't changed!'
An evil grin spread across Paisley's innocent features. For her own satisfaction, she was willing to tear down other people's happiness. Moreover, there was this thing about Adrianna that irked her. Just like that woman who she had paid to be killed by hoodlums…Paisley hated it when people were better than her. Especially when these people constantly appeared around her.
From that moment onward, Paisley worked towards seducing Ronald. When Ronald accepted her as his lover, she couldn't help but feel proud of herself.
'No one can truly escape my charms' She didn't seem to acknowledge the fact that Ronald was just a sleazy and lecherous person. To Paisley, the 'heroine charisma' wrapped everyone around her fingers.
Just like that, Paisley's secret affair continued with Ronald for a few years.
.
.
.
It was a rather normal day, when a war broke out between the Empire and a neighboring kingdom. Everyone was shocked to hear that the Crown Prince, who has been proclaimed as dead, was fighting on the battlefield.
Paisley was greatly surprised. Her eyes shook as she realized that her male lead was actually alive. She felt a heavy thump in her chest. Her heart beat already accelerated with the mere thought of meeting the Crown Prince.
Her mind wandered and recalled Ronald who she shared a relationship with. Duchess Belv sounded nice, but becoming the Empress of the nation. Well. The position of Empress was meant for her.
'I can have Ronald for now. Then when Nathan comes, he'll beg to have my love!'
So Paisley continued her relationship with Ronald even after hearing about the Crown Prince's sudden return from apparent death. She wondered why everyone had said he was dead. But she quickly forgot the thought and saw it as unimportant.
Two years passed and Adrianna discovered Paisley and Ronald's relationship.
"You've made your decision and now there's no turning back" Adrianna said after seeing Ronald and Paisley make out.
Paisley didn't mind Adrianna's words much because she felt overjoyed watching Ronald protect her. It felt so nice being the heroine! Being in the arms of Prince Charming was absolutely the best!
Seeing Adrianna threaten her with a wicked expression, made Paisley smile.
'A villain will always be a villain'
It would be good if Adrianna were to come at her. Drag her. Ruin her clothes or anything of that nature. That would quickly bring the villainess to her doom. But none of that happened and Adrianna left with a simple warning. A rather scaring one though.
After her relationship with Ronald was made public, she expected everyone to refer to them as an ideal couple. As the perfect match. She clapped her hands excitedly while getting dressed to attend and event.
Unlike what Paisley expected, everyone seemed to look at her with disdainful eyes. After her relationship with Ronald was revealed, people called her unpleasant names.
'There must be something wrong'
In her head, she had imagined everyone laughing at Adrianna for having her fiancé break up with her. For losing the attention of Lord Belv to her illegitimate sister.
Paisley continued to put up with the hateful glares she constantly received. For now it wasn't important. She still had Ronald wrapped around her finger. Right? But in reality, the case seemed to be different from what Paisley fathomed. It seemed like Ronald was slipping out of her grasp. After the lunch today was ruined, Ronald had left angrily after shouting at Paisley.
Recalling this, she punched the nearest pillow in anger.
'It's Adrianna's fault!'
Hate towards her half sister, grew in her heart. She wanted the troublesome Adrianna to just, just.... disappear! But she was the heroine. In this life, she wouldn't get her hands dirty. People would do it for her.
'Should I ask mother?'
Paisley decided to meet up with her mother, who lived in the mistress quarters at the northern part of the mansion.
The servants had stopped her from entering into the mistress' annex. They claimed that no one was allowed to see the Marquis' mistress for now.
Two weeks ago Paisley had tried seeking comfort with her mother, but as of late, her mother denied an audience with all who came to see her. Not even letting her own daughter see her. Paisley considered throwing a tantrum but shook of the thought. Her mother in this life didn't really matter to her. She rarely ever interacted with her even though she was her biological mother.
'After all, my mother isn't an important character in the book'
She chose not to pay any attention to the woman's strange actions. Could the actions of a mere side character, affect her, the female lead? Of course not.
So Paisley just shrugged it off and wandered around in the mansion. While moving around, she noticed the slight commotion amongst everyone.
"What's going on?" She asked a nearby servant. Her curiosity had heightened extremely.
As if the world wanted to compensate her for the ill luck today, she heard the best of unexpected news.
"Marquis Deor is returning to the South this evening"
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