「Some hours earlier 」

“Where is that brat!?” James yells to one of his butlers who had arrived with a tray of teacups in his hand, “Is he back yet!?”

“Yes milord, he is currently in his...” as the servant was about to speak, the Marquess marches out of his study room, pushing him all of the ways. The poor man falls, followed by the precious porcelain that gets scattered all over the floor.

The Marquess took large steps as he walked towards his son’s chambers. Displeased and angered by his previous attitudes, he was completely blind to his own feelings, thus, all the servants that appeared had to quickly dodge his body or be pushed onto the cold white marble floor.

“Father...!” Julius that happened to be passing by is completely ignored as if he wasn’t even the heir to the Marquess’s fortune and title. Confused and curious as to where his father was so eagerly going, he quietly follows his steps.

‘That filthy little...!’ James' mind was filled with thoughts that were too toxic to begin to describe. He saw Layton as a weak individual who couldn’t have been born from his blood.

Even if the Marchioness wouldn’t admit that she had an affair, it was plain logic.

His two sons, Julius and Cedric are intelligent and skilled, however, Layton is nothing more but a dumb coward who cries whenever pressure hits. He couldn’t even be considered a man due to his frail constitution.

‘He is such a waste...!’ James thought as he approached Layton’s chambers, ‘There’s no way this kid is mine!’

“Layton Verne!” the Marquess barges inside the room, suddenly opening the doors with a loud sound. The young boy is startled, making the letter he was holding fall onto the floor.

‘You little...!’ his eyes traveled through his son’s body. His face was dirty with some mud stains and so was his orange pig hair. His clothes were ripped and overused, being extremely cheap like a commoner would use.

“Where were you!?” he yells as a wave of uncontrollable anger blinded his judgment. James was tired of his middle son’s laid-back actions. It was time for him to take over some responsibility and do something for the Vernes, for his father.

“In the c-capital...” Layton quietly replies while walking back a couple of steps. He was already used to these outbursts so he knew what to do.

“You were with her again... Ah...! After so many years wasting resources in raising you, this is how you repay me...!” James approaches him and grabs him by the neck strongly, “I am tired of your little escapes, from now on you will obey me just like your filthy mother and everyone else!”

Extremely annoyed, the Marquess pushes the boy’s body onto the floor, making him hit his head strongly. Layton’s hand tried to cushion the fall but it was no use as his father’s power was overwhelming.

“The Queen’s birthday is approaching and you will go,” as if nothing had happened, James tidies his dark brown suit and begins talking calmly, controlling his anger like a well-versed nobleman, “You will seduce Ophelia Criswell into marrying you, is that clear?”

‘Ophelia...? Isn’t that...?’ Layton begins to remember Lady Catherine’s ball and the beautiful woman with charcoal hair that had approached him.

“B-But father...!” he is quickly interrupted.

“We need an alliance with the Criswell’s, you will be the key so do as your told you ungrateful brat,” James' cold glare made a shiver run down Layton’s spine. He couldn’t find the courage within him to reply to his father.

Layton was conflicted. He didn’t want any of this but he couldn’t find the will within himself to go against his father.

“Engagements end as quickly as they are made so for once do something right,” the Marquess proceeds to strengthen his argument, “If you do this I will acknowledge you as my son, I’m sure you know what that entails.”

“Yes, father...” he declares before seeing the Marquess leave the room, satisfied.

‘Why me...’ even though this question kept on popping up in his head, he already knew the answer.

Layton was always the black sheep of Verne’s family and Ophelia was the cursed child of the Criswell’s. They were a match made in heaven, the perfect yet useless couple.

He was also aware of what his father meant: if you get married to Ophelia Criswell you can claim your right as Verne’s heir. If he followed his father’s commands and do what he wished he could even become the next head of the house, not Julius or Cedric.

Him, Layton Verne, could become a Marquess and wield the power his brothers so much sought.

Even then, he had no wish to get married to anyone else besides Luana. Like he had read once in a romance novel, to him that girl was more precious than the moon and the stars. Status or wealth were something trivial when faced with what he thought was true love.

“I can’t do it,” he mumbles before hearing the wooden floor shrink.

“You don’t really have a choice little brother,” Julius was leaning on the large wooden door with a smile on his face, “That commoner will never be good enough for a Verne, even a doubtful one.”

‘I am a Verne by blood...’ he looks away, not wanting to confront his brother. He knew that he was nothing more than a punching bag, the person who was mistreated in order to relieve the stress and anxiety placed by their father.

“It will be easier for you if you accept it right now,” he walks towards Layton before glaring at him intensely, “No matter where you go, he will always find you and your little bitch.”

“She’s not a...!” he swallows his own words. Layton knew he couldn’t fight since he would always lose.

“How are you sure brother? Have you gotten a taste of her yet?” seeing his younger brother’s complexion turn flushed made Julius smile, pleased with his achievements.

“I... I...” tears begin to gather around his eyes as he tried to keep his composure.

“Ah! That’s it!” Julius chuckles loudly before playing with his younger brother’s curls, “You are like gingerbread, weak, useless, bland, and ugly, of course, she wouldn’t want anything with you, even if you are a noble.”

“I...” he grabs his hair tightly, pushing Layton’s head back. The pained expression on his brother’s face made Julius' mind be filled in ecstasy.

“I, I, I!” Julius says mockingly, “Speak like a man!”

After several years of living with his dysfunctional family, he understood that his brothers and father teased him just to see his tears. “The tears of a woman” like they called it. If he didn’t show his true emotions then they would grow tired and give up.

Knowing this, Layton closed his eyes and opened them a couple of seconds later, maintaining his tears at bay. Julius snorts angrily and pushes him away, making his body waver slightly.

“You’re no fun like that,” he then turns around and leaves the room displeased with the outcome of the situation.

✽✼✽✼✽✼✽

「Back to the Present 」

“Are you perhaps following me?” I questioned Daniel and Aldrich who had been walking several steps behind me for the last ten minutes.

“Of course not milady, we just happen to be headed in the same direction,” the cocky man charmingly smiles and I feel a sense of nostalgia.

‘He’s just like...’ I kept on thinking about the familiar yet forgotten person that echoed deep inside my mind, ‘... Bradley!’

That annoyingly charming smile was that bastard’s trademark but they were not the same person, even if they shared some personality traits. At least that, I had no doubts.

“Isn’t that quite convenient?” I coldly smile, letting them know they were nowhere near welcome.

I kept on trying to lure them away but the two of them were like leeches who had a taste of my blood: they were holding onto me and not letting go. Disclosing Millicia’s house is nothing of importance since she won’t be coming back, however, I will have to play a pitiful role to prevent them from asking questions they shouldn’t.

‘Gosh... They are so...’ suddenly my eyes widen and my body freezes, ‘This smell...! Blood!’

No matter where I was, blood had a particularly strong smell and, for some reason, I could sense its presence, even if it was a small amount.

“Lady Ophelia, what’s wrong?” Daniel questions once he sees me stop in my shoes, dropping the herbs on the floor.

‘No... No... No...! Don’t tell me...!’ my hands begin to tremble slightly as several scenarios dreadful scenarios popped in my mind repeatedly. I had worked so hard to have this pawn... I couldn’t let it die so easily.

“Millicia!” finding the strength within me, I immediately run towards the entrance of the house just to see the wooden door on the floor, completely shattered. It had been forcefully broken by someone with a large body or a lot of force.

I begin looking around and notice that Charlie was still inside, unconscious but safe, on top of his hay bed, however, I still felt a shiver run down my spine.

Millicia was nowhere to be seen.

Anger began to boil within me as struggled to understand what had happened. The whole house had been turned inside out, almost as if someone had taken Millicia and forced her to leave. Several cups of soup were now shattered on the floor and next to the small wooden table, a large bloodstain was resting.

“What the hell happened here...?” the blonde general questions while observing the scenario thoroughly.

I couldn’t make sense of the situation. Millicia had no debts or any problems with anyone, so how come she disappeared like this?

‘There’s no way she would leave Charlie...’ my senses kept on tingling, telling me that this situation was suspicious and that nothing about it was right.

After a couple of seconds, I finally find a plausible justification.

‘Who dares...’ I clench my fists making my knuckles turn white, ‘...To take what’s mine!’

“Ophelia!” Daniel grabs my shoulders strongly and I wake up from my daydream. His face was in front of mine as his torso was lowered and, much to my surprise, his eyes were filled with concern just like Jade’s.

“Don’t touch me,” I shake off his hands harshly, “I am still the daughter of a Duke.”

“You slut!” suddenly, a loud male voice is heard, echoing through one of the back streets.

‘Where is it!?’ without a second thought, I rush out the door and leave both of them alone. I began running through the streets like a maniac.

I needed to find Millicia. I needed to find my precious pawn.

“Shit!” I lean onto one of the dirty walls trying to catch my breath. I had been wandering around in circles but, no matter how much I searched, I couldn’t find them. My hands remove the cloak that was beginning to feel nothing more than a weight on my chest, making it harder to breathe.

‘How can this be...!? The streets are fucking empty...! Then why...!?’ frustration began to grow within me as I felt an overwhelming sensation of loss. Sweat dripped from my pores as the overwhelming heat of the Blistering burned me alive.

“Give us your money!” another yell followed by the sound of something falling and an extremely loud scream.

‘Right...’ finally I find Millicia and a little boy, no older than six, surrounded by three men, ‘Here...!’

As I was catching my breath I begin looking around, observing my surroundings. I couldn’t help them without a proper plan.

The buildings were tall yet their windows were closed and, once again, no soul was in sight. Not even animals were lingering around. It was almost the world like the world knew that something dreadful was about to happen.

‘Alright...’ I compose myself and put my hair down, right before luring the fools in.

“What might the problem here be?” I question loudly, startling the men and capturing their attention.

Millicia was crying loudly on the floor, protecting the little boy who had fallen on the floor. Around them were several boxes and large pieces of broken wood.

“Go away if you value your life!” a large yet old man with a shiny bald head replies. From the looks of it, he was clearly the one in charge of this little spectacle.

‘He won’t come to me...?’ no matter how you saw it, I was prettier than Millicia and it was only natural that as filthy rats, they would be attracted to me, ‘Why...?’

“Ah...! I see...” I speak loudly, understanding my own ignorance.

Observing the movements of the men closely made me realize that they were drunk and their footing was unstable. They weren’t seeing things clearly and had no logic behind their actions thus, a young maiden who stood at the begging of the street was nothing more than a nuisance.

‘They can’t see me... They only see a blur...’ I grin, ‘Well, this will be easy then.’

“Get out bitch, this doesn’t concern you,” one of the two younger men speaks before laughing loudly.

‘If that’s how you want to play then let’s play...’ I lower my torso and remove a small dagger from my ankle right before walking towards them slowly.

“The thing is gentlemen...” I begin mumbling as their attention shifts back to Millicia, “I think it is.”