My feet stopped moving, and my eyes focused on the light coming towards me quickly... A huge truck was approaching, the sound of brakes screeching in my ears, but my mind wasn't here... It was there with her.
On the other side of the road, she stood looking at me with a cold expression, her eyes holding no memory.
She finally did it, didn't she?
The moment she pushed me, everything was revealed to me clearly... It wasn't a coincidence, it wasn't just an accident.
I was naive.
All my life I had been trying to win my family's love, I thought that if I worked hard, if I was kind, if I put up with everything... they would accept me.
But... She made me look evil, slowly ruined my reputation, and now she's getting rid of me completely.
They hated me from the start, because I was nothing more than the daughter of a woman who died after giving birth to me, so I became the "curse" who stole their mother.
I feel the air hitting my body as I fall... Truck... Hahaha... Irony of fate.
Then darkness.
-
"Oriana Edward, what the hell did I do?!"
I gasped, burning air filling my lungs as I sank into endless darkness. My trembling eyes reflected a shock I still didn't understand the source of, before an angry voice lashed me across my ears like a whip.
Who...?
A tall young man stood in front of me, his dark blue hair shining under the lights, his blue eyes burning with cold anger. He stared at me as if I had committed an unforgivable crime.
Huh? Who is this person? Why is he wearing this strange outfit? And where am I?
Wasn't my sister pushing me in front of a truck a moment ago? I was a pale shadow beside her, but why am I still alive?!
"Are you going to answer? I told you, how do you spill wine on a princess's dress? Didn't you think about the consequences of your actions before you did something like that?"
His harsh voice hit me like a slap that woke me up even more than I already was. It was as if I was in a fog, and now I was starting to see clearly... but not my usual clarity. Something was wrong.
I tried to raise my hand, but I stopped for a moment. My fingers were thinner and softer... they weren't my hands! My entire body was light, even my scent had changed, a light fragrant scent that I wasn't used to. When I tried to move, I felt a little shorter than I was used to,... as if I wasn't myself anymore.
I strained my head, trying to understand what was happening, but his voice brought me back to reality.
"Are you going to stay silent like this?!"
Before I could say a word, a calm voice came from behind me, a low tone that was soothing enough to calm the tension.
"Brother, leave her alone."
I turned to find a young man with soft pink hair and violet eyes, his features calm, without cruelty or pity. He seemed like a kind person, standing confidently without arrogance, as if everything that happened in front of him was not worth caring about.
"You're exaggerating, Oscar. There's no need for all this yelling."
The person yelling at me—Oscar—looked annoyed but didn't argue with his brother much.
"Oscar: You don't interfere in family matters, but you defend her every time."
"That's not a defense. I just don't want chaos over something like this," Leonard replied calmly. "
"Okay, but as the heir to the family, I won't take responsibility for her mistakes. And you, who defended her, should take responsibility for any further mistakes she makes."
He turned to me with a slight smile and said,
"Oriana, you'd better go to your room now, before things get even more complicated."
It wasn't a threat, just a matter-of-fact remark, before he turned to the maid beside him.
"Take her to her room, and make sure she's okay."
…
As the maid walked me through the hallways, I tried to process everything.
I turned to the maid and said
"Wait, what's happening? Tell me!"
But she completely ignored me, her features expressionless, as if I was nothing but air.
I pursed my lips anxiously as I was gently pushed into a spacious room. The door closed silently behind me, leaving me in a whirl of questions.
…What is this place?
I looked around… The ceiling was high, decorated with crystal chandeliers, the walls were covered in luxurious gold engravings, while the luxurious furniture exuded a sense of luxury and sophistication. The room looked exactly like Victorian designs…
It was like a scene from a historical novel… I slowly walked around, my eyes searching for any clue that would help me understand what was going on. Suddenly, my eyes fell on the huge mirror in the corner of the room.
I approached it, my heartbeat racing uncomfortably. I stood in front of my reflection… and then froze. Huh? This isn't me!
I raised my hand in confusion, and traced my soft purple locks. Wide brown eyes looked at me in surprise, and my face was... delicate and pale, elegant in a regal way I wasn't used to.
Wait a minute! That man just called me "Oriana Edward"! That name... I know it.
It's the name of the sub-villain in "The Princess and the Burden of Miracles"
My fingers trembled as I recalled the novel... the only novel I loved because the sub-villain looked like me in my previous life.
Oriana, the adopted girl of the Duchy of Sirius. Adopted by Duchess Camilla de Valentine, even though she had three children:
Oscar Edward Sirius
Leonard Edward Sirius
Ethan Edward Sirius
Three years before her, the duke had adopted another girl named Victoria.
Victoria, the cheerful and kind girl who everyone adores, unlike the quiet and mysterious Oriana.
In the end, Oriana was accused of trying to kill the protagonist, Princess Celina Delore, who had the power of healing...
Haha... Hahaha...
I smiled with a faint sarcasm. What a cruel joke of fate.
In the end, I will die soon like my previous life, and I will be the villain too...
But this time... I will not try to prove anything.
I'm tired of trying to convince others that I'm not evil.
In my previous life, everyone treated me like a criminal without evidence, and now I'm going to try it again?
No, I won't waste my time.
At least, I won't have to work hard to earn money like I did in my previous life.
I'll enjoy my life until I meet my fate…
Knock!
"Oriana, I'm going in."
I slowly turned towards the door, to see a tall man, his hair dark blue and his eyes shining brightly I know…
It's the Duke of Sirius, Edward Sirius himself. He carried the dignity befitting a duke, his steps steady and his gaze piercing, but his voice was unexpectedly calm as he spoke:
"Oriana, I heard what you did to the princess. Why did you spill wine on her dress? If you wanted a dress like hers, you would have asked me, and I would have brought it to you. So, you don't have to be so jealous."
Yes... This event is mentioned in the novel...
In the novel, Victoria had scared Oriana and told her that there was an insect under her, and because of her fear, she accidentally spilled wine on the princess's dress...
Although this was a reprimand from Duke Edward, his voice was calm, as if he didn't want to escalate the situation...
Duke Edward... He was a duke with authority, extremely strong, wise and always just.
He had been cold-hearted ever since his wife fell into a coma, but he was the only person, besides the princess and the sub-protagonist, who truly mourned Oriana's death in the novel...
And Duke Edward was the only one who said goodbye to her with a hug...
And now... Even if I told him the truth, he wouldn't believe me.
To them, I'm the villain, and Victoria is the innocent, pure girl.
What should I answer him now?
In my previous life, I would have tried to defend myself, I would have cried, I would have tried to convince everyone that I hadn't done anything wrong...
But now... I don't care.
Even if they kill me, I don't care... I've already died once... "I apologize, Duke."
He looked at me in surprise, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"What did you just call me... Duke?!"
... I won't call him "father." That word carries a dirty and painful past for me, I can't say it even if I know he didn't do anything bad to me here.
All those things he did for Oriana, not for me...
I'm a different person now...
"Trust me, I didn't mean to, and I apologize, I won't repeat that mistake again."
Before he could answer me, our conversation was interrupted by a voice coming from the corridor...
"Father, please, don't scold my sister, she didn't mean to!"
"Sister, are you okay?!"
Red hair... Green eyes...
She's...
The girl everyone loves, who will be the reason for my death.
But this time... I won't try to defend myself.
This time... I'll watch the play to the end.