I reached the damn Grand Duke's office and took a deep breath. Mina? She bailed on me the second she showed me the way here.
Ugh, whatever, I gotta handle this.
"Okay, let's do this," I muttered to myself, feeling that old rush of nerves creeping up on me.
It wasn't the first time I'd felt it, though. The first time was when I learned to handle a damn gun. I'd survived that, so I'd survive this.
I knocked on the door. "Come in," came the deep voice from inside.
I pushed the door open, and the sight hit me right away. The room was huge, filled with bookshelves stacked up. And there, at the center, was the Grand Duke—Cecilia's father—sitting behind a damn desk like he owned the world. The view through the window showed some ancient oak tree, all twisted and gnarly.
Classic rich vibe.
And standing behind the Grand Duke, looking all serious, was Tristian—Cecilia's older brother and the main lead of this damn novel.
And then there was her mom, the Grand Duchess, sitting there with that concerned look on her face, like she gave a damn about me.
"Cecilia, have a seat, dear," the Grand Duke said, his voice all calm and collected.
I just nodded, trying to stay cool, and dropped down on the sofa. My eyes kept darting around, taking in every damn detail.
And then—what the hell?
On the table, there was a mountain of sweets. Cookies, chocolates, cakes… I swear I could feel my blood sugar spiking just by looking at it. Is this how I'm supposed to get diabetes? Just by breathing in this sugar-saturated air?
Cecilia's mom smiled like she'd just won a damn prize and said, "Cecilia dear, I ordered the kitchen chef to make all your favorite desserts today. Please, have some."
Excuse me? This much sugar? Do I really gotta eat this? If I don't, is she gonna cry or something?
Ah, screw it. Why should I care? She's not even my real mom.
"I don't want to," I shot back, giving her a look that said it all.
And, just like I expected, she gave me that sad puppy-dog face.
Ughhh...Damn it.
Fine, fine, I'll eat a bite. I don't need to deal with this tacky drama.
I picked up a cookie and forced a smile, trying to look polite. "I'll have this one, then."
Her smile lit up like I just gave her the world.
So easy to please.
I took a bite. Yeah, it wasn't bad. Pretty damn good, actually. But still, I'm not a fan of sweets. I can't handle this sugary crap. I bit again and then put the cookie back down. I wasn't about to sit here munching on sweets all day.
Then, just as I was ready to zone out, the Grand Duke walked in holding a box and placed it on the table. Tristian—Cecilia's brother—the main lead of this damn novel followed him like a shadow, standing behind him like he's some kind of bodyguard.
As I looked at Tristian, my mind was buzzing—has the damn novel even started yet?
Everything feels so off. Just as I was about to zone out, I heard the Grand Duke's voice slicing through the air, "Cecilia..."
I turned to look at him, and he slid a damn box in front of me like it was some big gift. "Here, take it."
I squinted at it, eyebrow cocked. "What's in there?" I asked, my voice dripping with that sharp, no-nonsense tone you get used to when you grow up on the streets. The kind of tone that could cut through steel.
Everyone froze. They were staring at me like I'd just kicked a puppy or something.
Tristian, that stiff jerk, shot me a glare. "Cecilia... where are your manners? Is this how you speak to our parents now?" he barked, clearly losing his patience.
I didn't flinch. I just stared at him for a second, unfazed. Yeah, I wasn't about to play the "good girl" for him.
But... survival first, right?
Ugh, whatever. I'll throw in some manners. Only for these two, 'cause they're the only ones who seem to care about this idiot Cecilia.
I sighed heavily, then dragged out an apology like it was poison on my tongue. "I'm sorry," I muttered, forcing the words out.
The moment I said that, their faces lit up. "It's okay, sweetie. It happens," Cecilia's mother said, flashing a gentle smile.
That smile... it felt warm, for once. Like, what the hell was this?
Was this... love?
Parental love?
The kind I never had?
I blinked it away, snapping back to reality.
No. No. No, Eun-byun Lee, don't fall for that. Ain't no one ever gonna give a damn about you. There's no love or trust for you in this world. You're on your own, like always.
"So, what's in there?" I asked, keeping it straight. No fluff, no bullshit.
"The jewelry you wanted," the Grand Duke replied, lifting the lid of the box.
And there it was—the red ruby jewelry Cecilia wanted so badly she died for it. Expensive-looking and old, real old. The kind of piece that belonged in a museum or some rich antique collector's vault. Damn, it gleamed like it had its own light source.
I reached out, picking it up carefully, running my fingers over the smooth surface. First time seeing something this pricey and ancient up close. My fingers lingered on the ruby, almost hypnotized. But then—that guy. Tristian.
"I knew it," he muttered under his breath, like the smug bastard he was.
His hatred practically radiated off him. Yeah, I could feel his eyes burning into me. But who cared? Not me. My focus stayed on the jewelry.
Then, Cecilia's mom spoke, her voice soft but weighted. "I'm giving this to you, dear, but... can you promise me one thing?"
I looked up, finally tearing my eyes away from the ruby. Her face was... different. Emotional. "What?" I asked, trying to sound casual.
"Can... can you please keep it safe? This is the last treasure your grandfather gave to me," she said, her voice shaky. Her eyes, though, told the whole story. This thing wasn't just some fancy heirloom—it was everything to her.
For a second, I froze. Did Cecilia know this? Did she still insist on taking it just to give it to Lora? What the hell kind of person was she?
I sighed, the weight of her words sinking in. If I took this jewelry, I could probably sell it, run far away from all this mess, and live easy. But then... I glanced back at her face.
Nope. I can't do it. I cannot.
I placed the jewelry box back on the table, sliding it toward her. "I don't want it," I said simply.
The room froze. Stunned silence. They all exchanged looks, their faces a mix of shock and confusion.
"Why?" the Grand Duke finally asked, his tone sharp. "Didn't you want this?"
I leaned back against the sofa, crossing my arms. "Yeah, before? Sure. But now? Nope. Lost interest. It's not even that gorgeous," I said, shrugging like I couldn't care less.
Tristian, that bastard, scoffed. "Look at her, pretending like she never wanted this jewelry after stirring up the whole mansion." His voice dripped with sarcasm and that holier-than-thou attitude he loved flaunting.
My jaw clenched. This guy was begging for a punch. One good swing to shut him up. But I held back, barely. Not worth the trouble—yet.
The Grand Duke stayed quiet, just staring at me like I was some kind of puzzle he couldn't figure out. His silence was worse than Tristian's barking, honestly. Felt like he was thinking the exact same thing.
Then Cecilia's mom chimed in, her tone flat and blunt, but it cut like a knife. "But dear, you tried to take your life for this," she said.
I sighed, long and loud. "Yeah, I know. I was stupid," I said, locking eyes with her. "But I don't want this anymore. And... I'm not doing dumb shit like that again, okay? So just take it back," I finished, my voice steady.
The room went dead silent, the kind where you could hear a pin drop. The Grand Duke, still not buying it, asked again, "Are you sure?"
"Yeah, yeah," I said, waving him off like it was no big deal.
They all exchanged looks, probably thinking I'd lost my damn mind. Honestly, I got it—Cecilia's been a mess, and now here I was, acting all chill. Hard to process, huh?
Then my eyes dropped to my dress. Ugh, these dull-ass clothes Cecilia always wore. Nope, not my style. I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees. "But I want something else," I said, my tone serious.
Tristian scoffed, of course. "I knew it," he muttered, like the annoying little know-it-all he was.
"What is it, dear?" Cecilia's mom asked, her voice soft and curious.
I stretched out my hand, palm up, like I was making a deal. "Money," I said flatly.
"Money?" The Grand Duke echoed, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, I need new dresses. So, give me money," I said, straight to the point, no fluff, no nonsense.
Cecilia's mom blinked, then tilted her head with a kind smile. "But dear, you can just go to any boutique and tell them to send the bills here," she explained.
I paused, blinking. "I can?"
She nodded, still smiling, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Alright," I said, standing up and heading for the door. "See you then."
I walked out, leaving them all dead silent behind me. But as I took a few steps, something clicked. Ah, right. I need to figure out how far this damn novel's gone. For that, I'd need to deal with him.
Turning back, I reached for the door again, but before I could step in, guess who walked out? Yep, Tristian. I nearly bumped into him.
He stopped, giving me that sharp, scanning look he always did. "I thought you left," he said, his tone as icy as ever.
Yeah, buddy, I would've, but you see, my life's hanging by a thread here. I need to know when the hell I'm supposed to die so I can flip the script before it's too late.
"I wanted to meet you," I said, keeping my tone soft, casual. Like I wasn't about to interrogate him.
"Me?" he asked, his brows pulling together.
I nodded. "Yeah, I wanted to ask you something."
He didn't reply right away. Instead, he just stared, scanning me like I was some puzzle piece that didn't fit. Then he said it, "You're weird today."
I frowned. "Weird? How so?"
"You… always used to tremble before me. But now…" His gaze lingered, sharp and probing.
"Now what?" I asked, crossing my arms.
"You've changed," he said, his voice low, almost suspicious. "Like… you're not Cecilia anymore." He leaned in asking. "Who are you?"
I almost laughed, the word bast— forming in my mouth before I swallowed it down. No time for insults. "I'm not here to chit-chat, alright? Just answer me one thing," I said, rudely.
His eyes narrowed. "What?"
I didn't hesitate. "Do you know someone called Elara Fendrich?"
His expression froze, and his eyes widened in pure shock. It was like I'd just dug up a buried secret—a big, messy, mysterious one.
And that was the moment I knew. This wasn't just some random question for him.