"How dare you!" Grandma Bria exploded, her voice ringing through the room, her face flushed with anger as she glared at Sebastian.
However, Sebastian remained completely unfazed, his cold, dark eyes barely flickering with acknowledgment. He didn't take her outburst seriously, and his gaze shifted to his little sister.
"Go upstairs and do your holiday homework," Sebastian ordered, his voice low but filled with authority. Rose, already terrified, nodded quickly, but her eyes darted toward his suit pants pocket where her phone was tucked away. She hesitated for a split second, longing to ask for it back.
"Rose," Sebastian warned, his voice dropping dangerously low.
Startled, Rose's heart raced as she spun around and dashed up the stairs, her footsteps echoing through the silent mansion. She knew better than to test her brother's patience.
"Sebby! Is that how you talk to your grandmother?" His grandfather, Arthur, looked at him with disappointment clear in his eyes.
Sebastian sighed, his gaze falling to his expensive watch, almost as if counting down the seconds until this conversation would end. "Grandpa, I respect you a lot, but Grandma has crossed her limits." His voice was low, almost calm, but the underlying threat was unmistakable as he shifted his focus to Grandma Bria. "If you try to degrade my sister again, I'll forget we even have a grandmother."
With that, he turned on his heel and strode toward the staircase with his usual long, confident steps. But as he reached the railing, he paused, one hand gripping it lightly. Without looking back, he spoke again, his tone final. "And stop match-making for me. I'm old enough to make my own decisions—whether it's business or my personal life."
Just then, his phone rang with low vibration and without another glance at his family, he picked it up, his voice calm as he answered. He disappeared up the stairs, leaving the room in stunned silence.
***
10:29 PM
In the dimly lit Sunshine Apartments, third floor, Lilith lounged comfortably in her room. She wore nothing but a silky, purple lingerie set that hugged her body in all the right places, the fabric cool against her smooth, milky skin. Her long black hair cascaded down her back, contrasting with her fair complexion as she moved around the room, her soft pink toes sinking slightly into the plush carpet.
She glanced at her phone, her icy eyes narrowing at the notification that flashed across the screen:
'Order Placed'
Delivery time: 2 to 3 days
"Annoying," she muttered under her breath, her lips curling in frustration. Waiting wasn't exactly her strong suit.
What was even more annoying? The endless buzzing of her phone, the name flashing repeatedly on the screen— My love Ray.
Her eyes rolled dramatically. Ugh, Rayan. Of all the things that grated her nerves, her so-called fiancé topped the list. She sighed, her mind briefly wandering to the fact that she still needed to cancel their engagement. But the funny part? He wasn't just in love with her best friend—no, Rayan was madly in love with her best friend.
How poetic.
Lilith let out a dry chuckle. "How good of me to let him go," she thought sarcastically, her fingers toying with her phone, contemplating whether to send the cancellation message now or let him sweat a little longer.
Lilith couldn't wait to erase the name Rayan from her life entirely. The mere thought of being linked to him any longer made her want to gag. But there was something deeply satisfying about waiting for the perfect moment, the moment when everyone would see his true face.
After all, in front of his family, Rayan played the role of the perfect fiancé—so sweet, so caring, always doting on her as if he actually cared. His parents adored her, convinced that their son had found the perfect match. Lilith knew better. Behind that mask of charm and affection, he was nothing but a liar, chasing after her best friend while keeping up appearances.
Her fingers hovered over her phone, itching to send the message that would end it all, but she stopped. No. Not yet. She wanted the world to see what kind of man he truly was, to watch his perfect little façade crumble right in front of everyone.
A slow, wicked smile spread across her lips. "Soon," she muttered to herself, her icy eyes glinting with amusement.
**
Lilith lay sprawled across her bed, the dim light of her laptop casting a soft glow on her face. The original owner of this body had done pretty well freelancing, earning enough to keep things afloat, but Lilith found it utterly pointless. Why waste her time on such mundane work? Humans slaved away all their lives, but she wasn't here for that.
No, she wanted beauty sleep, excitement, and indulgent hobbies—everything that made life worth living. But to have those things, she needed a stable side income. Something that didn't bore her to death or demand too much effort.
Her mind briefly wandered to the stock market. Too unpredictable. She hated the constant rise and fall, never knowing when a company would be soaring one day and plummeting the next. No, that kind of volatility was frustrating. She'd seen enough of that chaos in her former life.
As a devil who had ruled the Installer World for centuries, Lilith had seen it all—chaos, harmony, rebellion, and peace. She was responsible for maintaining balance there, keeping the world from tipping into utter madness, and her role was critical.
After so many centuries, even running multiple worlds became repetitive. She had lived through ancient civilizations, ruled over kingdoms long turned to dust, and experienced the rise and fall of empires. At some point, it all began to blur into the same monotonous cycle.
In those ancient worlds, she had mastered the art of manipulation, ruled with an iron fist, and learned countless skills. Negotiation, war tactics, politics—none of it was new to her. She had handled every kind of situation imaginable, from delicate power struggles to outright wars.
Yet, here she was now, in the human world, utterly bored.
Even though she retained her identity in the Installer World, and had to ensure things didn't spiral out of control there, the thrill was gone. It was almost too easy. The centuries had worn down her excitement, and now she craved something new—something that could spark the fire she once had.