Chapter 3

Vivienne goes completely still.

She stares at me as if she’s seeing me for the first time.

I smile gently. “Your Highness, there’s no need to apologize. It was only a few jokes. Why would I take them personally?”

Instead of relaxing, Adrian turns even paler.

He knows me too well.

Before poisoning someone, I always liked to smile and tell them I didn’t mind.

Vivienne finally steps forward and moves in front of Cecilia.

“Elara, what exactly are you trying to do?”

I look down at her.

There is none of the false affection from before in her voice now.

“Are you afraid?” I ask.

Vivienne’s expression hardens. “Why would I be afraid of you?”

“Because you’re guilty,” I say calmly. “You’ve had my identity for seventeen years and enjoyed everything that should have been mine. Now that I’m back, you’re afraid I’ll take it all from you.”

Vivienne’s eyes immediately turn red.

“I am not!”

She sounds as if I’ve deeply wronged her.

Several people around us immediately look at her with sympathy.

She has always been good at this.

I only smile. “You know the truth better than anyone.”

The tension around us grows heavier.

At that moment, an announcement comes from the entrance.

“The Crown Prince!”

Everyone quickly composes themselves and bows.

The Crown Prince enters the hall and immediately notices something is wrong.

He looks at the shattered wineglass on the floor, then at everyone standing around us with tense faces.

“What happened?”

No one answers.

Vivienne bites her lip and starts to step forward, but Adrian speaks first.

“Nothing. A few ladies were careless with their words, and there was a small argument.”

He answers quickly, as if he’s afraid something worse will happen if he waits any longer.

The Crown Prince gives him a doubtful look.

His gaze moves across the group before settling on me.

The moment he sees my face, he pauses as if I look familiar.

I lower my eyes and say nothing.

The hall grows quieter.

Everyone is waiting to see what happens next.

Before anyone can speak again, another announcement rings through the hall.

“His Majesty the King. Her Majesty the Queen.”

The King and Queen enter.

Everyone bows.

I do the same.

Even with my eyes lowered, I can still feel several people watching me.

Vivienne looks at me with hatred.

Adrian looks at me with fear.

And the King is watching me too.

Once seated, the King looks over the room.

“Why was it so noisy in here?”

No one dares to answer first.

The Queen finally speaks in a gentle voice.

“I thought I heard an argument from outside. Did someone forget their manners?”

Her tone is soft, but everyone understands that she is giving them a chance to explain.

Vivienne takes it immediately.

Her eyes redden as she says, “Your Majesties, there was only a misunderstanding between my sister and a few of my friends. I’m sorry we disturbed you.”

With one sentence, she admits there was a conflict while reducing it to nothing more than a misunderstanding.

The King follows her gaze to me.

“So this is the eldest daughter House Ashford just brought home?”