Lilia, her cheeks adorably flushed, exclaimed with all her enthusiasm.
“His Highness Calix sent a letter saying he’s going to visit the estate!”

“Oh my, really? That means he’s interested in you!”

“It’s not certain yet, but… hehe.”

Although she claimed it wasn’t certain, Lilia couldn’t hide the shy smile spreading across her face, betraying the hope she secretly held.

“Congratulations, Lilia.”

Ciela clasped her younger sister’s hands as if sharing in her joy. Lilia, smiling brightly as she thanked her, suddenly lowered her gaze. A shadow quickly fell over her face, which had been so clear and radiant just moments before.

“…I’m so happy, but at the same time, I feel sad.”

“Why? Is something wrong?”

“Do I deserve to be happy, even though I’m just an adopted child? Especially when you’re struggling with your issues with your fiancé?”

Lilia asked, her voice trembling with guilt. Tears welled up in her eyes as she confessed, wiping them away with delicate fingers.

Ciela leaned in, wrapping an arm gently around Lilia’s shoulders, meeting her gaze with a reassuring expression.

‘As always, she’s here to flaunt her happiness in front of me.’

Ciela thought, her inner voice tinged with cold familiarity.

It was a routine she had witnessed countless times before. Beneath the guise of genuine concern, there was always a subtle mockery—a veiled taunt that seemed to whisper, Is that all you’ve got?

“It’s perfectly fine for you to be happy.”

“…Sister…”

Ciela’s words held truth, at least on the surface.

‘After all, I even asked Calix to make this happen. So, you’d better be the happiest person in the world.

For now.’

That way, when the truth finally comes to light, you’ll fall even harder to rock bottom.

“Actually, there’s something I didn’t tell you yesterday because I thought you wouldn’t believe me.”

“What is it?”

Lilia asked eagerly, leaning closer, her curiosity piqued. Ciela stood up, the corners of her lips curling into a faint smile.

“I asked a bit about His Highness’s preferences back then.”

Lilia’s eyes widened in disbelief, her hands flying to cover her mouth.

“Did His Highness actually answer you?”

“If I hadn’t gotten an answer, would I even bring it up?”

She shifted the topic with practiced ease.

“So, let’s not dwell on it and go shopping instead. You’d like to look even prettier for the Duke, wouldn’t you? I’ll help you.”

“…Thank you, sister.”

Lilia said softly, her eyes shimmering with gratitude. She hesitated for a moment before continuing.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t accept your apology right away last time. Were you upset back then?”

“No, not at all. It was my fault to begin with—there’s nothing to be upset about. Now, let’s hurry and go.”

Lilia’s face lit up with gratitude, her expression glowing as though she were looking at an angel descended from heaven. The distrust she had shown just the day before had completely vanished. In its place, trust had taken root—a trust so profound it bordered on something almost fervent in her eyes.

“Just trust me.”

“Okay!”

She was completely oblivious to the fact that the hand extended toward her belonged not to an angel, but to a devil risen from the depths of hell.

***

Lilia frowned deeply, glaring at the dress draped over the mannequin.

“…Are you sure wearing this will make His Highness Calix find me pretty?”

The dress on the mannequin was, to put it mildly, attention-grabbing. To be blunt, it was an assault on the eyes—a chaotic blend of all seven colors of the rainbow with an overwhelming abundance of frills. Just looking at it was enough to make Lilia’s voice tremble.

“Yes. He specifically mentioned that dresses with vibrant, multicolored designs like this look beautiful.”

“If you don’t believe me, you don’t have to wear it. Honestly, if I hadn’t heard it from him directly, I’d have thought it was a lie too, so I completely understand how you feel.”

Of course, the entire claim was fabricated. Acting as though there was no other choice, Ciela shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly and gestured toward other outfits with a casual wave of her hand.

“No! I can wear it!”

Lilia clutched the mannequin’s dress tightly to her chest, her expression filled with determination. The years of unrequited love made the absurdity of this dress seem insignificant in comparison. Though her face paled slightly every time she glanced back at the dress, her eyes gleamed with resolve.

“All right. Then let’s embellish it with some jewels. His Highness the Duke said the more dazzling and jewel-adorned the dress, the more it catches his eye.”

“Really?”

“Yes. The bigger, the better.”

“…Alright…”

Though her eyebrows twitched in protest, Lilia nodded her head with a resigned sigh.

“Then I’ll go talk to the madam now, since I’ve bought everything I need, you can go take care of your errands.”

“Alright. See you at home.”

Ciela replied smoothly, turning to leave.

“Don’t forget to pick out a good book.”

Leaving Lilia to discuss the details with the madam, Ciela climbed into the carriage she had arranged in advance.

“Pfft.”

The moment the carriage began to move, a chuckle escaped her lips. Unable to hold it in, she clutched her stomach as soft giggles shook her shoulders, eventually escalating into loud, unabashed laughter. By the time she calmed down, she was wiping away the tears pooling in her eyes.

“…My stomach hurts…”

She had suspected Lilia might fall for it, but even so, seeing her earnest agreement to wear such a ridiculous dress had surpassed all expectations. While she knew Lilia’s love for Calix was genuine, it was almost impossible to imagine someone with her social standing agreeing to something so outrageous.

“That’s some extraordinary love.”

Ciela mused, clapping her hands together slowly, three deliberate times. A sly smile spread across her lips, her eyes curving with amusement.

As she reflected on the scene, the carriage rolled to a stop in front of a secluded building. Despite what she had told Lilia about shopping for a limited-edition book, there wasn’t a bookstore anywhere in sight.

‘Going to a bookstore was just an excuse—I’m here to prepare for the annulment.’

With her last interaction, Lilia’s trust in her had solidified completely, leaving not a trace of suspicion.

Stepping down from the carriage, Ciela entered the building before her and climbed the stairs to the second floor. She stopped in front of a door with a small sign that read, “Reporter Ben’s Office.” Raising her hand, she knocked.

“Yes, come in.”

Turning the doorknob, Ciela pushed the door open, her gaze locking onto the figure of a shaggy-haired man seated at a desk.

‘So that’s the reporter from the original story.’

The man, Ben, had stood to greet his visitor but froze in place like a statue the moment he saw her.

“Ah, Lady Arcel?”

As a reporter, his mind was a repository of rumors, and when it came to Ciela Arcel, there was no shortage of wild stories.

‘I don’t fully believe the rumors, but… what if she’s as ruthless as they say?’

he thought uneasily, his expression shifting between curiosity and caution. His Adam’s apple bobbed nervously, and his eyes glistened with fear.

“I’ve come to report something.”

“W-What do you intend to report?”

“My younger sister and my fiancé are secretly seeing each other.”

Thunk.

Ben dropped the pen he was holding, his nerves betraying him. Surely not…

‘They say she torments her younger sister out of jealousy—so much so that the rumors are endless. Is she here to stir up another scandal to make her sister miserable?’

The thought of being dragged into their alleged plans sent a sharp pain through Ben’s head and his anxiety grew.

“This might take a while. May I sit down?”

“Y-Yes, of course. Let me show you.”

Ben stammered and hurriedly gestured to a chair. When she took the seat he indicated, Ben scrambled to make some tea before sitting down opposite her.

“…So, what do you think? Are you listening to me?”

Lost in his thoughts, strategizing how to safely usher her out of his office, Ben had barely processed what she was saying. When he realized his mistake, his face turned pale.

Ciela’s narrowed gaze bore into him, her silence sharp as a blade. Beads of sweat formed on his brow as he fidgeted uncomfortably under her scrutiny.

‘It would’ve been easier if he were just a greedy opportunist. Of course, if he were, I wouldn’t have bothered meeting him in the first place.’

The public’s trust in Ben rested entirely on his reputation for honest reporting. If she were only interested in that, she could have approached a more influential journalist. But there was another reason she had sought him out.

‘In the original story, Ben becomes a loyal supporter of Lilia.’

Whenever malicious rumors about Lilia surfaced, Ben was the first to publish articles exposing the truth. He even went as far as writing borderline glowing pieces, which endeared Lilia to the common people.

‘How irritating.’

Ciela’s expression stiffened briefly at the thought, her annoyance flickering across her face. She took a sip of tea, letting the soothing warmth calm her. By the time she set the teacup back on the table, her features had softened into a gentle smile.

“I won’t blame you if you missed what I said, so don’t look so frightened. It’s nothing I can’t repeat.”

“Pardon?”

“I’m saying you can take a moment to calm down and enjoy your tea.”

“…Thank you.”

Ben, still wary, nodded hesitantly and reached for his cup. He was flustered, fumbled with the teacup, unable to grip it properly and repeatedly missing the handle. He seemed thrown off now that the expected confrontation hadn’t come to pass.

“Considering how much comfort I found in you being the only one who didn’t report those nasty rumours about me, repeating myself a few times is a trivial way to repay you.”

“…”

“I was truly grateful back then.”

Ben froze mid-gesture, his hands no longer fumbling. For the first time, he looked at Ciela properly.

‘Is this shyly smiling lady really the infamous villainess from the rumors?’

It hit him suddenly. He, who knew better than anyone not to fully trust rumors, had been so consumed by fear that he hadn’t even taken a proper look at her. Realizing this, shame washed over him, and he lowered his head.

“There is no need to thank me. I simply refrained from writing because I felt that the evidence didn’t support the rumours”.

“That’s exactly what makes you remarkable. I hope you’ll remain that kind of journalist in the future.”

“…Is that so.”

Ben scratched his head, his lips pressed together in a mix of hesitation and thought. Ciela, who had been casually observing the now-composed journalist, allowed a faint smile to curl her lips.

‘In the original story, it was Lilia who supported Ben’s dream—not me.’

Ben was caught in a painful struggle, torn between pursuing his dream of being a journalist and his parents’ insistence that he take over the family business. Every visit home was a barrage of discouraging remarks that undermined his confidence in the path he had chosen. In the original story, Lilia’s praise and unwavering encouragement had been the pillar of strength that kept him going.

‘But now that I’ve taken over that role, the chance for Ben to become Lilia’s loyal supporter, as he was in the original story, is gone.’

Her smile deepened as she leaned back slightly, her gaze sharp and calculating.

“Now, shall we get back to the main topic?”

“Yes. But before that, I must apologize for showing such an unprofessional side of myself.”

“In that case, I have a favor to ask… No, forget it. Let’s pretend I didn’t say anything.”

“No! If it’s something I can do, I’d like to help! Absolutely!”

Ben exclaimed, his posture snapping into a perfect right angle as he bowed deeply, unable to bear the thought of owing her anything.

“If you insist.”

Ciela said smoothly, her voice carrying a trace of amusement. Her lips curved into a crescent smile, as if this reaction was exactly what she had expected. She reached out, picking up the calendar sitting in one corner of the table.

“Can you publish the report I mentioned earlier in the newspaper on this date?”

Her fingertip landing on a specific square.

Ben leaned in to look, his eyes widening slightly as he saw the date she had chosen: Lilia’s birthday.