Chapter 3

Once the prey was gone, the hound was discarded.

Cassian had already proven he could throw me away without a second thought. There was no way he'd let the Cross family keep gaining power.

I had no way out.

"Fine. I accept." I heard my own cold voice.

Lucian smiled and stood up, saying, "Smart girl."

He turned around and walked to the door, but then paused, as if something had just occurred to him, and looked back.

He added, "Oh, and one more thing.

"Cassian should have already gotten the news of your 'death' by now.

"He's keeping it all hush-hush, no public mourning, just telling everyone you suddenly fell ill and need to rest.

"To everyone else, he's still the picture of devotion. But in private, he can't wait for his precious Isolde to take your place."

After saying that, he opened the door and walked out.

In the cold room, I was left alone.

I picked up the bowl of ginseng soup from the table and drank it all in one go.

Cassian and Isolde owed me, and I would make sure to collect every bit, with interest.

I returned to the Crown Prince's Palace three days later.

I put on a show of being newly recovered from my "illness."

The Crown Prince's Palace was still the same, opulent and grand, but utterly devoid of warmth or life.

Just like my marriage with Cassian, beautiful on the outside, empty inside.

When the servants saw me, they couldn't hide their astonishment.

They must have thought I'd never come back, just another royal casualty lost to a mysterious illness.

Tears welled up in my personal maid, Liora Reed's, eyes the moment she saw me.

She sobbed, "Seraphina, you're finally back! I thought..."

I cut her off flatly, "Thought what?"

Liora fell silent immediately and lowered her head.

I walked into the inner chamber. A strange, sweet fragrance washed over me.

It wasn't the crisp, cool scent I was used to.

I looked at the dressing table.

There was an unfamiliar jewelry box with several elegant new hairpins.

They were lively and playful, not at all my style.

There was also a half-eaten bowl of sweet soup sitting on the table.

Everything made it clear that while I was "recovering," a new mistress had already moved into my house.

I let out a cold laugh.

Cassian couldn't wait even a second.

"Throw all of this out," I ordered.

Liora paused for a moment, then quickly caught on.

She replied, "Yes, Seraphina."

She swiftly swept away all the things that weren't mine.

I sat down in front of the dressing table and gazed at my pale face reflected in the bronze mirror.

A thin layer of gauze was wrapped around my neck.

Lucian was right. I couldn't just die like this.

I had to survive, truly live.

I wanted to watch them walk straight into their own downfall, step by step.

Late in the afternoon, Cassian came back.

He walked into the bedroom and saw me sitting by the window, looking unharmed. For just a moment, his eyes flashed with surprise.

But quickly, his expression returned to its usual icy indifference.

He asked, "You're feeling better?"

His tone was utterly indifferent, as if he were asking a random person.

There was no concern, no warmth.

Like he wasn't the one who decided to let me die three days ago.

I slowly stood up and offered him a formal bow.

I said, "Your Highness, don't worry. I feel much better."

I remained calm. No questions, no bitterness.

The calmer I was, the deeper Cassian's frown became.

He wasn't used to this version of me at all.

Back then, I always chased after him, idolizing him, doing everything I could to win his favor.

Now, I just stood there quietly, with no trace of obsession or love for him in my eyes.

All that remained was a lifeless void.

"You..." Cassian hesitated, as if he was about to say something.

Just then, a gentle, girlish voice came from outside the chamber.

Isolde said sweetly, "Cassian, I made you some ginseng soup."

She walked in, carrying a tray with the soup, her movements elegant and flirtatious.

When she saw me, her smile froze instantly, and a glimmer of panic and jealousy flashed in her eyes.

But soon, she regained her composure and bowed to me.

"Hello, Seraphina. Now that you've finally recovered, I specially made this soup for you," she said.

She handed the ginseng soup to me, making sure to look as demure as possible.

What a shameless woman.

In the past, I might've confronted her, maybe even lost my temper.

But now, I wouldn't.

I took the ginseng soup, didn't spare her a single look, and handed it straight to Liora next to me.

I said coldly, "Pour it out."

The command was crisp and cold.

Isolde's face instantly turned pale.