Vielle's POV
The second I stepped foot in the mansion, I didn't bother acknowledging the maids bowing.
I just mumbled, "Not now," and power-walked through the hallway like I was late for judgment day. Which, technically, I might be.
Straight up bolted to my room.
My heels clacked. I nearly slipped once on the marble but recovered
"Okay. Calm down."
I slammed the bedroom door shut and immediately dropped my purse, unzipped my boots, and made a beeline for the shelf.
That stupid diary. Where is it?
"I know I saw it here last time when I was pretending to be organized..."
I yanked open drawers, shoved aside jewelry boxes, tossed a stuffed bunny wearing a tiara (don't ask), and finally spotted a corner of leather peeking from under my skincare basket.
"Aha. Gotcha, you little cursed memoir."
I grabbed it and dropped onto my bed
--
Date: 7/07/20--
"Finally met those low-class bastard parents of that uneducated little thing."
"What a flashy house. No wonder these poor peasant thought they could take what's mine."
"I gave them a choice. Either disappear... or disappear messier."
I paused.
"Jees, Vielle. Chill," I muttered, blinking at the page. "Why were you like this? Why was your whole personality just Evil
I flipped ahead, hoping for anything remotely useful.
And then-
Page torn.
"WHAT THE HECK!! I remember a page being here. where did it go??"
I stared at the uneven edge. This was probably the part where she mentioned what she left behind at Alina's old house. The thing that got Dante's men suspicious in the first place.
I called the maid and asked them if anyone came inside my room but everyone just said no.
I sighed and closed the diary, running a hand through my hair.
"Lord i am so f up"
---
"Okay... okay. Think."
I closed my eyes.
"In the story, Dante didn't just know she was behind what happened to Alina's parents. He found something. Like a piece of evidence."
I stood up and paced my room.
"So what was it? Jewelry? A letter? Perfume? One of her designer rings?"
My brain pulled up a foggy memory from the book.
Something was found at Alina's old house. And it linked back to Vielle. That's when Dante flipped the switch.
"If that thing's still there... and his men find it before I do-"
My thoughts paused.
"Yep. I die. Probably painfully. And not even in a cute, aesthetic way."
I dropped back onto my bed and stared at the ceiling.
Then I sat up again.
"Okay. No time for breakdown . I have a half-baked plan. It's stupid, it's risky, and it screams 'bad decisions'- but it might just work."
---
Just like that, I took out my phone.
Time to go full Villainess Mode
I scrolled through my contacts until I reached the guy - the same one who gave me Alina's address before. The man who definitely charged extra for doing shady stuff with a smile.
Snakeboy. Who the heck names someone Snakeboy? Anyways
Finally took a deep breath and called him.
He picked up after one ring.
"Y-Yes, Lady Vielle?"
I rolled my eyes. "Drop the 'lady' tone, we're not at a tea party."
His voice got serious fast. "Understood. How can I help you?"
I exhaled through my nose and leaned against my door, lowering my voice.
"Listen closely, and don't interrupt."
"Tonight, we're going back to that address. Alina's old place."
Silence.
Then a nervous chuckle. "Wha–again? Is there a- ?"
"No questions."
"This isn't a field trip, it's cleanup. High risk. You'll be there before midnight. This time I go inside. You wait outside unless I say otherwise."
"And this better not be heard by anyone—not my men, not your rats, not even the walls. If a single soul finds out—"
I smiled, but it didn't reach my eyes.
"—I will personally make sure your next job is in hell. Clear?"
"...Crystal."
"Good. Text me the gear list. No tracker, no tail. One wrong move and I'm turning your spine into a paperclip."
"Have a nice day~" click.
I stared at my reflection in the black screen of my phone.
"I really just threatened someone. Like a real villainess."
I didn't know whether to be impressed or scared of myself.
I tossed my phone onto the bed and rubbed my forehead.
"Okay... chill. It's not like I wanted to be this crazy."
"But if I don't act like Vielle now, I'll die like her later."
And death? Not really on my to-do list.
Not before eating the full menu at that luxury dessert place and marrying someone not obsessed with blood oaths.
I flopped face-first onto the bed and groaned into the sheets.
"How did I go from struggling student to mob drama lead in under 5 chapters..."
But no more crying.
Tonight, I was getting answers.
...
Later that night
I stood in front of the mirror, my reflection staring back like she had way too many regrets for one face. Black turtleneck? Check. Dark pants? Check. Hair in low bun, minimal makeup, ready for sneak mission?
Double check.
"Alright, Vielle. Let's go find that clue and not die tonight, shall we?"
One deep breath. Then another. Then one dramatic sigh because I deserve it.
I grabbed my bag of "discreet tools" (aka gloves, flashlight, pepper spray, and chocolate bar—don't judge), and slipped out of the mansion.
---
Outside
Snakeboy was already waiting by the car. He opened the door and gave a respectful nod.
"Lady Vielle."
"Drive. Don't talk. Don't ask."
He wisely zipped it and we drove off in silence. About halfway through the trip, I chewed half the chocolate bar out of nerves.
We reached the destination.
The old house stood like Dark, dead, and abandoned.
"Home sweet cursed home."
I circled to the back. Thank god the car was parked behind some overgrown bushes.
"Alright. You stay. Don't move."
He nodded
"Got it."
---
Inside the House
I pushed open the creaky door like I wasn't seconds away from a nervous breakdown. No lights. No noise. No signs of life.
Dust everywhere. Cracks in the walls. And the kind of silence that screams "someone's definitely watching you."
I tiptoed into the hallway, my flashlight casting shadows that I tried really hard not to think about ghosts.
I spotted a broken frame.
Family picture.
Mom. Dad.. brother. But... no Alina?
"Wait. Where's the little heroine of the house?"
I opened drawers, old boxes, flipped faded magazines- nothing. Not even a school portrait. Weird.
I bet Dante the Obsessed Maniac took them. Probably keeps them next to his wine collection and obsession shrine.
"Okay focus. Clue. Bracelet. Ring. Diary. Anything."
I started heading to the upstairs hallway when suddenly i heard a noise outside-
A car pulled up.
"No. NO. NOPE."
I ran to the window and peeked through the blinds.
"Of course. Of course tonight. Who else but Dante's men?? Did they use plot GPS to track me here?!"
I panicked and ducked behind a nearby shelf, muttering "I don't exist, I'm a shadow, I'm dust..."
Footsteps neared.
The front door creaked open.
My heart nearly exploded.
"I'm dead. I'm dead. I'm gonna be caught and dragged into mafia court and sentenced to plot death. Why didn't I fake faint and skip this?!"
Suddenly—
A hand grabbed me from behind.
I opened my mouth to scream—
Another hand clamped over my mouth.
A deep whisper right beside my ear sent chills up my spine.
"If you don't want to be caught, stay quiet."
I froze.
"Who–?!"
"Shh."
We backed into a dark closet. I was still trying to figure out who the hell this guy was and why he smelled like expensive soap
Footsteps echoed.
Dante's men were inside now, their flashlights searching. I held my breath.
One guy walked past us. Then stopped. Looked at the closet door.
"No, no, no- go back! Nothing here but dust and trauma!"
His hand reached for the knob.
But
Then his phone rang.
"Boss?"
He answered, distracted.
"Nothing here. It's clean. Place has been dead for months."
After sometime
they left.
Silence.
I exhaled like I'd just survived the apocalypse.
I tried to turn to the guy but hes still caging me inside the closet.
"Who the hell are y—?"
He cut me off.
"I know what you're looking for. The bracelet right/"
My eyes widened.
So it's a bracelet
"You know where it is?!"
He smirked. "It's safe. But if you want it, there's a condition."
"Of course there is. There's always a condition."
He leaned closer. Way too close. Honestly, I could smell his rice cologne
"Attend the party."
I blinked.
"What party? Whose party? WHY party?"
He didn't answer.
Instead—
He pushed me back onto the dusty bed, stood up, and vanished into the hallway.
"HEY! WHAT PARTY? WHICH PARTY?! GIVE ME A NAME, A DATE, SOMETHING—"
I scrambled out of the room, but he was gone.
Vanished.
Like Batman with a better skincare routine.
---
Back in the Car
I stomped back to Snakeboy who looked half asleep.
"Start the car."
He jolted awake.
"Did you find it?"
"No. I found a human plot twist, who gave me a riddle and disappeared."
"...What?"
"Drive, Snakeboy. Before I make you walk home."
---
I leaned back in my seat, head pounding.
"Now I have to find out what party he meant... among the dozens these rich psychos throw every week."
"And somehow not die in the process."
"Love that for me."
.
.
.
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TO BE CONTINUED