I was deep in a dream when a persistent knock on the door pulled me from the depths of sleep. I groaned and buried my face in the pillow, hoping whoever it was would go away. But the knocking continued, louder this time.
"Miss Riley," called a voice from the other side. It was one of the maids. "Miss Riley, you need to wake up. Your mother requested your presence."
"Go away," I mumbled into the pillow. "I'm still sleeping."
There was a pause, then the maid's voice came again, more insistent. "If you don't get up, I'll have to call your mother."
"Fine," I muttered, not moving an inch. "Call her if you want."
Silence followed, and I hoped the maid had finally given up. I was just drifting back to sleep when the door burst open with a loud bang, and my mother stormed in. Her bad attitude filled the room like a storm cloud.
"Riley!" she barked. "Get up this instant!"
I reluctantly lifted my head from the pillow, squinting at her through half-closed eyes. "What do you want, Mom?"
My mother's face twisted into a scowl. She was a tall woman, regal and imposing, with sharp features and eyes that could cut through steel. "I want you to stop being so lazy and start acting like a member of this family. You're an embarrassment!"
"Thanks for the morning pep talk," I said dryly, still lying in bed.
She crossed her arms, glaring at me. "You decided to abdicate and not become queen, and now you think you can laze around all day? Get up, Riley. Now."
"Get out of my room, Mom. Please, you are so annoying."
Her eyes flashed with anger, but she turned on her heel and left, slamming the door behind her. I lay there for a few moments, letting the silence settle over me. Eventually, I sighed and pushed myself out of bed.
I needed to relax. A bath would do the trick. I went to the bathroom and filled the tub with hot water, adding several drops of my favorite essential oils—lavender, eucalyptus, and a hint of rose. The fragrant steam enveloped me as I sank into the water, letting the warmth soothe my tense muscles.
After a long soak, I felt somewhat revived. I got out of the tub and wrapped myself in a soft, fluffy towel. As I dried off, I glanced at my reflection in the mirror. My brown hair was a wet, tangled mess, and my green eyes were still a bit puffy from sleep. I ran a brush through my hair and braided it loosely to keep it out of my way.
I dressed simply, pulling on a pair of black trousers and a loose, white blouse. The blouse was soft and airy, with billowing sleeves that cinched at the wrists. I finished the outfit with a pair of comfortable black boots. It wasn't anything fancy, but it was practical and comfortable.
Once dressed, I made my way to the dining room. Lydia was already there, eating breakfast. She looked up and smiled when she saw me.
"Good morning, sleepyhead," she teased. "Come eat quick before Mom comes back."
I couldn't help but laugh a little as I sat down at the table. "Thanks for the warning."
Lydia was wearing a simple blue dress, her blonde hair pulled back in a neat ponytail.
"So, what's on the menu today?" I asked, eyeing the spread of food on the table.
"Just the usual," Lydia replied, taking a sip of her juice. "But hurry up. I don't want to deal with Mom's lecture twice in one morning."
I laughed again, starting to pile food onto my plate. "Yeah, one lecture is more than enough."
As we ate, we fell into an easy conversation, mostly joking about our mother's overbearing nature.
"I swear," Lydia said between bites of toast, "she wakes up every morning and thinks, 'How can I make my daughters' lives more difficult today?'"
I chuckled. "It's like she has a checklist. Criticize Riley's choices, check. Lecture Lydia about her love life, check."
Lydia giggled. "Exactly. Oh, by the way," she added, her tone turning more serious as she reached into her pocket, "this came for you."
She handed me a sealed envelope. My heart skipped a beat as I took it from her. The seal bore the crest of the Perfect Match system. I swallowed hard, my fingers trembling slightly as I broke the seal and unfolded the letter inside.
I began to read aloud, "Dear Riley Starcrest, congratulations. Your perfect match has been determined, and it is the future demon queen, Seraphine."
Lydia sputtered, nearly spilling her juice as she tried to stifle her laughter. "Seraphine? Seriously?"
I was definitely not amused. My stomach twisted with a mix of anger and disbelief. Seraphine—the one who had killed my lover. It wasn't entirely her fault well Jade was a traitor. But still, the pain of that loss was fresh, and now to be told she was my perfect match? It felt like a cruel joke.
"Why her?" I muttered, more to myself than to Lydia.
Lydia, sensing my mood, grew more serious. "Riley, this could be an opportunity."
"Opportunity for what? To get my heart broken again?" I snapped, then immediately felt guilty as Lydia flinched at my harsh tone. I forgot that her and Aurelia were still in bad term.
"I just mean," she said softly, "maybe this is a chance for you to find some closure. Or even… I don't know, maybe it could be something good."
I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions inside me. "Closure, huh? Maybe. Or maybe it's a chance for something else."
Lydia looked at me curiously. "Something else? What do you mean?"
I didn't answer right away. I was already forming a plan in my mind. If Seraphine was my perfect match, then I would use this opportunity to get close to her. Close enough to make her pay for what she had done. Revenge. The word tasted bitter in my mouth, but the desire for it burned fiercely in my heart.
"Riley?" Lydia's voice broke through my thoughts.
I shook my head. "Nothing. Just thinking. Thanks for bringing me the letter."
Lydia nodded, still looking a bit concerned. "Just be careful, okay? I don't want to see you get hurt."
"I'll be fine," I assured her, though I wasn't sure if I believed it myself.
As we finished our breakfast, the weight of the letter settled heavily on my mind. I had a plan now, a purpose. And as much as I hated to admit it, a part of me was curious about this supposed perfect match. What would it be like to see Seraphine again, knowing what we both knew?
I pushed my plate away and stood up. "I need some air," I said to Lydia. "Thanks for breakfast."
She nodded, giving me a small, worried smile. "Take care, Riley."
I left the dining room and made my way outside, my thoughts a tangled mess. The gardens were quiet, a stark contrast to the turmoil inside me. I walked among the flowers, their sweet scent doing little to calm my nerves.
Seraphine. My perfect match. The thought seemed absurd, yet here I was, faced with the reality of it. How could the system have paired us? What kind of future could we possibly have?
I clenched my fists, feeling the familiar surge of anger. This wasn't about a future. This was about settling the score. If the system thought Seraphine was my perfect match, then I would use that to my advantage. I would get close to her, learn her weaknesses, and then I would make her pay for what she had done.
With renewed determination, I made my way back to the castle. There was a lot to prepare, and I needed to be ready. This was my chance for revenge, and I wasn't going to waste it. Seraphine had taken something precious from me, and now it was my turn to take something from her.
As I entered the castle, I couldn't help but feel a thrill of anticipation. This was the beginning of a new chapter, one that I would write with my own hands. And Seraphine? She was just a pawn in my game. A means to an end.
I smiled to myself, a cold, calculating smile. Let the game begin.