Villain of Fate: The Tyrant System-Chapter 26: Read. Ignored. Blocked.

Read. Ignored. Blocked.

Back in her Maserati, Selene Aurevale sat frozen behind the steering wheel, her fingers hovering over the phone screen. After several deep breaths, she finally summoned the courage to open Hello Messenger and find Julian D’Aurelius.

"Are you free tonight? I want to talk to you."

Julian, cruising down the city streets with golden eyes sharp on the road, felt his phone vibrate. Glancing at the message, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"What the hell does Selene Aurevale want with me now?"

He eased the McLaren Senna to the side, the engine’s hum fading as he parked, and tapped a reply.

"Is it about breaking the engagement? You should’ve said so earlier. Let’s get this over with and inform our parents."

"...."

Selene’s reply blinked on his screen—a string of ellipses that made him exhale sharply.

Who would seriously want to talk about ending an engagement right now? And yet... she didn’t type anything else. S

Maybe it was silence she needed, maybe words would come later. Seeing him mattered more than speaking.

Tightening his jaw, Julian held back a sharp comment itching to escape

"What does ’...’ mean? Are you laying eggs?"

Footsteps slowed. Too harsh, that. Maybe she’d snap the message - share it across Snapora - pull a Bianca De Dominicis move.

He took a deep breath and crafted a message that sounded "civilized," thanks to nine years of rigorous school discipline:

"If you have something to say, say it. If not, get lost. Contact me when you want to break the engagement."

Her hesitation, her indecision about the engagement—it was pushing Julian to the edge.

Look here, you’re hiding behind him while pulling me straight into the flames.

Muttering under his breath, he wondered - could anyone really act like that?

Out at the edge of calm, Selene’s blue eyes held a quiet glimmer. Her face, shaped by irritation, softened just slightly under tension.

Fingers shook above the keys, frozen mid-air. Would you truly feel such anger toward me? The question waited, unsent.

Fingers paused above the keyboard - suddenly they crashed down hard

"Isn’t that obvious? Who told you to use me as a shield? I don’t like being used."

Still gripping the line, his hands stung from its chill. Yet something deeper pulled him forward. Her silence felt sharp, like frost on glass. Beneath it, a tremble gave her away.

"Alright, I still have to go drink with a few girls. If you want to break the engagement, just say so. Otherwise, contact me through a message in a bottle."

A soft laugh slipped out, surprised by what he’d just done. The seat creaked as he leaned into it. With this tone, how could she possibly continue her act? Just admit the truth and go be the female lead somewhere else. Victory, he thought, was clearly on his side.

"You bastard! I won’t break the engagement! I’m going to marry into the D’Aurelius Family, just you wait!"

Suddenly, her next message arrived with a ping that made Julian almost drop his phone.

Is she seriously this crazy?

"Are you out of your mind!!!" he typed, fury and disbelief mixing in his golden gaze.

The message returned with a red exclamation mark. His stomach churned. She had blocked him.

Damn it, I went too far. This woman responds to kindness, not toughness... Don’t most women prefer toughness?

Julian muttered helplessly, leaning against the polished leather interior of the car. Breaking an engagement should have been simple, right? If he married her, wouldn’t that brainless Evan come flatten the D’Aurelius Family?

Just then, Hello Messenger buzzed again. Julian swiped—it was a new message from Mike Valquin.

Mike wasn’t a forensic doctor here—he was the eldest young master of the Valquin Family, one of the four major families in Valemont.

Back in the original storyline, he and Julian had been known as two of the Four Young Masters of Valemont, loyal companions to Julian. In feel-good novels, such "Young Masters" usually ended up crushed under the hero’s boots. Julian had nearly met that fate before.

"Damn, bro, what are you up to lately?"

Julian’s mind raced. Perfect. Why not use some outside help? He was the villain here! It was time to exploit the privileges of villainy.

"Feeling troubled. Where are you? I’ll come find you."

"I’m at MoonDrift Club. Can you come? If not, I’ll wait somewhere else."

MoonDrift Club—a sprawling entertainment complex filled with neon lights, music, and chaos—was the hangout for Valemont’s second-generation elite. The original Julian D’Aurelius would have never set foot here, pristine and proper as he always was.

But now? He didn’t care. Rich, handsome, untouchable—why not enjoy a little freedom?

"Wait for me."

He started the McLaren Senna, engine roaring as golden eyes gleamed with anticipation. Tonight, the villain would take the stage—and Selene Aurevale would have no choice but to follow.