Lilic Aster lounged across a chaise, idly twirling a quill between her fingers as she watched her brother pace the room. He was fuming—again.
"You are causing me a lot of trouble," he hissed, glaring at her like she was a particularly stubborn stain on his meticulously planned life.
She sighed dramatically. "Yes, yes, I got the memo. A tragic illegitimate daughter meets an unfortunate end at the hands of her cold, brooding brother. Very poetic. But, alas!" She threw her arms up. "Here I am. Alive. Thriving. Annoying you."
Her brother, the oh-so-honorable heir of House Aster, pinched the bridge of his nose. "Do you even care that you're ruining everything?"
She gasped. "Ruining everything? Brother, please. I am improving it. Have you noticed how much more interesting court gossip has become? Just last week, someone swore I was secretly the lost princess of a neighboring kingdom. A princess, Leor. That's an upgrade from 'unwanted extra daughter' if I do say so myself."
Leor scowled. "I should have just—"
"Ah-ah-ah," Lilic interrupted, wagging a finger. "Should have what? Finished the job? Brother, dearest, you are too late! The people love me now. Infatuated right ?." She leaned forward with a smirk. "You can't kill me. Not without making things… messy."
He muttered something indecipherable under his breath.
Lilic grinned. She had spent her entire life—well, this life—carefully rewriting her fate. She had charmed, manipulated, and outright bamboozled her way into noble society. No one questioned how she had avoided death; they were too busy being entertained.
"So, what now?" Leor asked through gritted teeth.
Lilic stretched, kicking her feet up onto the table just to watch him flinch. "I think I'll open a tea shop. Maybe meddle in some politics. oooooohhhhhhhh Possibly adopt a dog."
"You are impossible."
"And yet, alive!" she sang, twirling in her seat. "And that's all that really matters, isn't it?"
For the first time since she'd arrived in this world, she had a future—one she chose.
And she was going to make everyone's life as chaotic as possible with it.