That evening, Vanessa and Henry's families celebrated their engagement with a shared dinner.
The room was all bright, filled with joy and smiles.
Before her family, Vanessa offered a sweet, innocent smile—a deception only William perceived. Who wouldn't know about Vanessa's fake smile who pretended to love Henry just to make the position of the duchess all herself and take advantage of Lita?
William's gaze followed Vanessa, a keen observer of her every move, emotion, and word.
No wonder people mistook her for a sweet, innocent noblewoman of Astoria; they were ensnared by her charm and manipulation, trapped like mice. Her cunning was perfectly concealed.
People wouldn't expect that Lita was the problem here, but in reality, it's Vanessa and the crown prince, Prince Daniel's disgusting actions. Making Lita suffer and drown in their gasp, it's pathetic to see.
Their reprehensible actions cast doubt on Lita's victimhood, obscuring the fact that she was the one who initially sowed discord between Vanessa and the Crown Prince.
All those suffering from Lita who had misunderstood her a lot of times, risking her life to take revenge on how the nobles and royals treated her so badly. Their disgusting actions made every single tear go down from Lita's light sky-blue eyes.
Who would even help her from it? Nothing... No one... She's all alone...
She's all chained up by the Crown prince's advantages who just make her more suffer.
—silence—
Vanessa takes a sip of wine as she sips in her thoughts going towards Lita and how everything is going successfully according to her plans.
That commoner is blissfully unaware of what awaits her. The anticipation of her suffering is almost intoxicating; I long to see her struggle, as if a tightening chain were around her neck.
A satisfied grin formed on her face.
The thought of her watching me and Henry together fills me with cruel satisfaction. It's pathetic, I know, but it's also intensely gratifying.
And I'm satisfied that the dukedom will one day be a part of mine... Only mine.
What a foolish duke... Oblivious what's happening and what is the truth behind this stuff happening.
No matter what I don't want someone ruining my plans. No, not ever. She thought to herself as her hand gripped the handle of the glass wine. her expression darkens inside of her.