No One’s Pov

Lily sat stiffly in the seat of the limousine, her fingers twitching with the urge to reach for a hidden blade. "Why did you let my lady go by herself?!" she burst out, turning her sharp gaze toward Lucian. "What if something happens to her? The roads aren’t safe tonight!"

Lucian didn’t answer immediately. His gaze was fixed on the woman beside him. Lily had shed her math teacher attire for an elegant, midnight blue silk slip dress that clung to her curves. With her hair down in soft waves and minimal makeup that made her sharp features pop.

He just stared at her, his usual witty retorts momentarily lost.

Lily waved a hand in front of his face, her brow furrowing. "I am talking to you, my Lord? Are you even listening?"

Lucian snapped out of it, clearing his throat and adjusting his cuff

"She’s not a ten-year-old, Lily," he answered, his voice regaining its usual arrogance. "Besides, she’s my sister. The Viella blood doesn’t spill easily. Nothing will happen to her."

"Yeah... I’m more worried because she’s your sister," Lily muttered under her breath, turning to stare out the window at the passing shadows.

Lucian’s eyes narrowed into a glare. "Did you say something?"

"Nothing at all," Lily said, her voice flat and professional again. She spotted the glowing lights of the Grand Hall ahead. "Seems like we are here."

"So ungrateful," Lucian muttered, rolling his eyes. He had spent hour choosing a dress for her yet she didn’t even said thanks to him.

The car came to a stop in front of the red carpet. "Young Master, we are here," the driver announced.

Lucian nodded, smoothing his suit jacket. He stepped out of the car, intending to play the part of the gentleman and open the door for Lily but he was too slow.

Lily beat him to it. She was already out of the car, her heels clicking rapidly against the floor as she ignored the photographers. She didn’t wait for him, didn’t look back. She walked straight toward the entrance, her only intention was to find her lady.

Lucian stood by the open car door, his hand extended to thin air. "Unbelievable," he hissed, his ego taking a direct hit. "Absolutely unbelievable."

Just as Lily was about to storm through the grand entrance, she collided with someone, smell of expensive perfume hit her nostrils.

"Aish! Are you blind or what? Can’t you see a whole ass human standing here?!" a sharp, high pitched shout rang out.

Lily stumbled back. In front of her stood Marcella, Viella’s older sister, looking like a literal diamond mine. Marcella glared at Lily, her eyes scanning Lily up and down. She didn’t recognize her.

"I am sorry, my lady. I was in a hurry-" Lily began, her voice flat, though her eyes were already scanning the room behind Marcella for Viella.

"Sorry? Tell me which family you belong to! You people have to pay for ruining my mood before I even get a drink!" Marcella shouted, crossing her arms.

"You’re such a trouble maker, Marcella," came Lucian’s bored voice from behind them.

Marcella’s head snapped toward her brother. She looked him up and down, then flicked her gaze back to Lily. "Oh? Is she with you? Suits your taste quiet and looks like she’d rather be at a funeral than a party."

Lucian stepped up, looking remarkably unbothered. "At least her personality isn’t as loud as your dress. I can see you from the parking lot, Marcella. Did you rob a jewelry shop? How many diamonds do you need to wear? "

"It’s called fashion, you prehistoric lizard, and I, Marcella Viella don’t need to steal I can buy the whole shop" Marcella snapped back, stepping closer to poke his chest. "Maybe if you spent less time staring at your cars and more time looking in a mirror, you’d realize that suit makes you look like a very expensive waiter."

"A waiter who owns the restaurant you’re currently standing in," Lucian countered with a sharp smirk. "By the way, did you borrow those earrings from a chandelier? I’m surprised your ears haven’t fallen off from the weight of your desperation."

"My desperation?" Marcella gasped, her face reddening. "You’re the one who showed up with a date who have no manners and specially eye to see peoples Infront of her! Are you really that out of girls??" 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"She isn’t my date, she’s-" Lucian started to turn, his eyes searching for Lily to finish his sentence with a witty remark.

But the space between the siblings was empty.

Lily had used the moment of their chaotic bickering to slip past them. She was already halfway across the ballroom, her blue dress fluttering as she disappeared into the crowd. leaving the two Velerio siblings to insult each other’s life choices in the middle of the doorway.

"Wait-Lily!" Lucian shouted, but she was gone.

".... Lily? Isn’t that Viella’s maid? That was her?" Marcella’s voice rang out, her eyes narrowing as she watched the blue silk girl disappear into the crowd. "How dare a servant look better than me!" She sneered, smoothing her own gown before storming into the hall.

Lucian followed a few paces behind, his hands in his pockets, looking bored with his sister’s tantrum.

Across the room, Dante’s gaze shifted toward the entrance. His eyes fell on the Viella siblings, but his expression didn’t soften. There was still no sign of the woman he was actually waiting for. Is she testing my patience, or has she finally crossed a line she can’t come back from? A dark gloom settled in his eyes, turning them into cold obsidian as he stepped forward to acknowledge them.

"Ah, brother-in-law! You’re looking absolutely fabulous tonight," Marcella said, flashing a brilliant smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

Lucian leaned in, his voice a dry whisper for only her to hear. "’Brother-in-law’? I thought you said Viella could never win him over and he will never be your brother-in-law." He rolled his eyes when she shot him a murderous glare.

Marcella ignored him and turned back to Dante, her tone dripping with fake sympathy. "It seems Viella is once again late to her own party. Honestly, Mother and Father knew something like this was going to happen that’s why they didn’t come. They didn’t want to be disappointed yet again, haha."

"And who exactly is it that doesn’t want to be disappointed, dear sister?"

A familiar voice rang out. The massive double doors opened, and the entire ballroom fell into silence.

Viella stood still in the doorway. A smirk played on her lips.

As she stepped forward, the clicking of her heels was the only sound in the hall. Then, the whispers begin-

"Look at her shoes..."

"Is that... dried blood on the hem of her dress?"

"I thought she had changed, but look at her face. There’s a splatter on her cheek!"

The whispers kept growing.

"She probably killed someone on the way here."

"She’s still as vicious as ever... a true villainess."

"But god, she’s stunning. Look at those eyes."

Viella ignored the judgment, the fear, and the awe, her gaze locked onto three people. Alina, Elias, and finally, Dante.

Viella’s smirk grew as she caught Alina’s horrified expression, the girl looked like she was ready to strike. Beside her, Elias’s face had turned into a stone, his eyes darting to the dried blood on her hem, realizing his men were likely never coming back.

Ignoring them both, Viella turned her full attention to Dante. "I apologize for the delay, dear fiancé. Some stray dogs stood in front of my car, so I had to take care of them personally."

Dante remained silent, his gaze sweeping over her with an intensity that made the air around them feel heavy. The moment she had stepped into the room, the cold gloom that had clouded his eyes vanished, replaced by a burning focus on her.

He blinked slowly, as if forcing himself to hide the sudden flash of desperation in his eyes, and gave a nod of acknowledgment.

"Excuse us for a bit," Lucian cut in, stepping between the couple. Dante shot him a glare but Lucian merely winked and grabbed Viella’s arm, dragging her toward a more private corner of the ballroom.

"What the heck, Viella?" Lucian hissed. "You left before us and somehow arrived after us? What’s going on? What did you do?"

"Like I said," Viella replied, checking her nails with bored nonchalance. "Some stray dogs were disturbing me. I took care of them."

"Oh, really? Then why is there blood on your shoe!" Lucian pointed toward her heels.

Viella looked down, humming thoughtfully. "Hmm. You’re right. That is quite an eyesore."

She scanned the room, her eyes landing on the shimmering white of Alina’s gown. A wicked glint entered her gaze. "Hey, you. Come here."

Alina’s jaw tightened, her face flushed but with everyone watching, she had no choice. She stomped over, stopping right in front of Viella.

"What do you want my lady? You must’ve been exhausted from such long dri-"

Before Alina could finish her sentence, Viella calmly lifted her foot. With slow movements, she began to rub the blood stained of her shoe against the white fabric of Alina’s expensive dress.

The ballroom erupted into gasps. People huddled together, whispering frantically as they watched the lady use the maids dress as a common rag.

"There," Viella said, pulling her foot back and looking at Lucian with a satisfied smile. "It’s clean now. See? Much better."

Alina looked down at the red stains on her dress. Her eyes filling with tears of pure rage. "You... you monster!" She whispered only for Viella to hear.

"Careful, Alina," Viella whispered, leaning in so only she could hear. "Stray dogs shouldn’t bark so loud in a house they don’t own."

Alina’s face went pale, her breath hitching as she felt the gaze of the high society burning into her. Sensing the shifting situation, she didn’t lash out. Instead, her expression changed.

She slowly sank to her knees and used her own lace sleeves to finish wiping the tip of Viella’s heel.

"Sure, my lady... here, your heels are more clean now," Alina whispered, her voice trembling just enough for the nearest guests to hear. She looked up with wide, watery eyes.

The room erupted into a fresh wave of murmurs, but this time, the sympathy was hers. "How cruel," a woman hissed behind a fan. "Poor maid she’s so kind hearted to endure such humiliation."

Viella’s mood didn’t change. She simply looked down at the top of Alina’s head, a mocking smirk playing on her lips.

She reached out and patted Alina’s hair like one would use on a golden retriever.

"Good girl," Viella cooed with fake sweetness.

Alina’s nails dug into her palms as she endured the touch. She looked around the room, her eyes desperately searching for Dante, hoping he would swoop in and punish Viella for this blatant disrespect. But Dante was nowhere to be found.

Seeing no rescue coming, Alina stood up, the bitterness visible on her face with watery eyes.

"Excuse me," she choked out, turning and hurried toward the lady’s room.

Viella turned back to Lucian, whose mouth was hanging open and simply gave her a thumbs

up.

Across the hall, Elias watched the entire exchange. His hand tightened around his champagne flute until the stem creaked. He looked toward a waiter standing near the buffet and gave a nod. He had a backup plan for her, but this version of Viella was a variable he hadn’t calculated for.

"Who exactly are you?" he muttered, his eyes tracking the way the emerald silk of her dress moved.

"Are you Vivien... or are you Viella?"

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TO BE CONTINUED