Ascension Of The Villain

Iyana stepped further into the foyer, her eyes scanning the room with calculated ease. The soft glow of the chandelier cast a warm light over the plush furniture and ornate decorations, starkly contrasting the tension simmering beneath the surface.

"Why don't we sit down?" Edward suggested as soon as he arrived, his voice attempting a semblance of authority, his face had a different story to tell.

In just four days of losing his title, her father's condition had taken a drastic toll.

His once vibrant complexion now appeared drained of all color, leaving his face a ghostly pallor. His cheeks had lost their usual fullness, emphasizing the weight he had rapidly shed. His eyes, once stern and commanding, now held a weary, distant gaze, betraying the toll his illness had taken on both body and spirit. special

Iyana could easily guess what Vyan would have said if he had been here: your father has been humbled.

"Of course, Father," Iyana replied smoothly, taking a seat on the sofa.

Edward settled into his favorite armchair, while Carolina perched on the edge of a chaise lounge, and Sienna took the seat closest to Iyana, her eyes flitting nervously between her sister and their parents.

Edward cleared his throat and clasped his hands together. "Iyana, we should decide our next steps. With our title lost—"

"We must rely on my betrothal to Prince Easton, mustn't we?" Iyana interjected, her voice tinged with a veneer of concern. "Once the wedding is secured, I can wield my influence to reclaim our position."

"Precisely," her stepmother concurred swiftly, her face breaking into a relieved smile. "You grasp our plight so well, dear."

"Yet, I must confess my disappointment, Iyana," Edward's voice cut through the moment. "You assured us no one would discover our scheme to taint the Karloz River. It was to be an impeccable plan, a lesson to that arrogant Grand Duke before the Monster Hunt Festival. Why did it fail?"

So, the perpetrator mimicked my appearance for this as well? Iyana mused, offering him an apologetic smile.

"I apologize, Father. It seems I underestimated His Grace," she lied effortlessly, assuming the blame to shield the true culprit. "I will be more careful in the future."

Edward shook his head, disappointment etched in his features. "I expected better, especially after you spent nearly a month with Vyan. What information have you gathered about him that we might exploit?"

Iyana let out a sharp, eerie chuckle. "What use is information when your plan was to eliminate him altogether?"

Edward froze, his complexion turning ashen. "How did you know about that?"

"Well, it wasn't that hard to figure out," she said, tilting her head with a small smile. "While I don't have any problem with your intentions, I have to ask: did you know I was in the carriage with him?"

"Of course not!" Edward exclaimed, a bit too quickly to be convincing. "If we knew you were inside, there is no way we would have gone through with the plan!"

"Ah," Iyana nodded, her expression thoughtful. "That makes sense. I knew my own family wouldn't try to kill me," she said, her tone dripping with irony.

"That Vyan must have tried to poison your mind against us, didn't he?" Caroline spat, her face flushed with anger. "How dare he?"

"Exactly. Besides, nothing happened to you. You are all fine," Edward pointed out. "So why are you making a fuss about it?"

"Right," she replied, releasing a dry, joyless laugh. It was a bitter acknowledgment of her crushed expectations.

She almost lost her life, and her father was asking why she was making a fuss? If it weren't for that 'arrogant Grand Duke,' she wouldn't have made it out alive in the first place.

They hadn't even bothered to ask if she was hurt in the accident. How naive she had been to trust these people! They cared nothing for her well-being, only for the advantages her marriage to Easton would bring. She was merely a pawn to them.

With this revelation, her remaining affection or mercy for them evaporated.

"Anyway, he cannot afford to deal with Vyan at the moment. Otherwise, who knows what he will do next if we fail," Edward murmured, his fist clenching.

"Don't worry, honey. Iyana will handle him herself after she officially becomes the crown princess," Caroline suggested, leaning forward. "Right, Iyana? For the family, won't you do it?"

"Of course. For the family, I would do anything," Iyana echoed, her voice a whisper.

Her family nodded, relief washing over their faces. But as Iyana sat there, a serene smile playing on her lips, her mind was already scheming, plotting the next move.

They thought they had her fooled, believed she was on their side. Little did they know, Vyan had handed the reins of this crumbling family over to her. Now, she was the one pulling the strings, and soon enough, they would all dance to her tune.

Yet, there was one person in this family who wouldn't be deceived—the one who should have known Iyana was putting on an act.

The true perpretrator.

The one who had framed Vyan and made him think Iyana had betrayed him. The one who could conveniently assume Iyana's appearance at will. The one behind all the fake rumors about Iyana dabbling in black magic. The one who had tried to kill her with that demon pet. The one who had always been jealous of her.

"Sen, why are you so quiet?" Iyana asked suddenly, startling Sienna.

"Huh?" Sienna snapped out of her daze, her wide eyes betraying flickers of terror.

Iyana's violet eyes bore into her brown ones. "Are you alright, my dear sister? You look quite pale." She reached for Sienna's hand, but Sienna swatted it away, standing up abruptly.

"No, I am not okay. I am not feeling well," Sienna stammered.

"You should rest, sweetheart," Carolina suggested. Sienna nodded quickly.

"Yes, I will go upstairs." With that, Sienna fled to her room, her footsteps echoing her urgency.

Iyana watched her go, a knowing smile tugging at her lips. "Mother, I think I will go ensure she tucks herself in bed," she offered and followed Sienna.

Before Iyana could even knock, the doors burst open, and an unseen force yanked her inside. The doors slammed shut with a resounding thud, enveloping the room in an impenetrable darkness.

She strained to see, only to be met by the unsettling sight of her stepsister. Gone was the always-fake-smiling, seemingly dumb girl.

In her place stood a figure bathed in a sinister glow, her eyes burning with venomous intensity. Above her, three demonic shadows writhed and twisted, their ghastly forms radiating an ominous evil.

But Iyana didn't flinch. Instead, a slow, mocking smile spread across her face. "So this is the true you, Sen." She crossed her arms, tilting her head slightly as if she were dealing with an amusing child. "It's nice to finally meet you."

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