Chapter 4

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By now, Evelina had expected some shift in the Academy's atmosphere.

But even she hadn't anticipated just how much everything had changed.

Whispers trailed behind her as she walked through the grand corridors, the faint rustle of silk skirts and murmured gossip filling the air. It was subtle, but unmistakable—curiosity, uncertainty, fascination.

The nobility had seen something new in her.

And nothing drew people in more than the unknown.

She had gone from a predictable villainess to someone they didn't understand.

And that made her dangerous.

Evelina exhaled softly, slowing her steps.

Good.

Let them wonder.

---

She entered the Academy's main hall, where nobles gathered for the midday break, standing in elegant clusters with teacups in hand.

At the far end of the room, near the large arched windows, sat Seraphina du Lys.

Surrounded by her usual group of admirers, she looked… off.

Evelina could see it in the way she sat too stiffly, the way her hands clenched slightly over the delicate porcelain cup.

Seraphina was losing her grip on the story, and she knew it.

Her golden eyes flickered briefly toward Evelina—just for a second.

Then, she quickly looked away.

Evelina hid a smile.

Not yet broken.

But close.

---

Before she could take her usual seat, a shadow loomed over her.

She barely had time to glance up before a voice, cool and measured, cut through the air.

"You're acting strange."

Evelina stilled.

She turned her head slightly—and met the piercing blue gaze of Cassius Lorian.

Ah.

So it was finally happening.

She had avoided him for days.

But now, he was seeking her out.

She tilted her head slightly, her expression polite but unreadable.

"Am I?"

Cassius' gaze narrowed.

"You ignored me this morning," he said.

There was no accusation in his tone.

Just fact.

Evelina barely resisted the urge to laugh.

So that's what this was about.

She folded her hands neatly in front of her. "I wasn't aware I was obligated to greet you."

Cassius' jaw tightened.

"You always did before."

Evelina smiled faintly.

"Yes," she murmured. "And now I don't."

A sharp silence.

Cassius' fingers curled slightly.

She watched him carefully—the way his shoulders stiffened just slightly, the way his blue eyes darkened with something unreadable.

Cassius was a man who had never needed to chase anything.

Power. Status. Admiration.

It had always come to him effortlessly.

And yet—

Evelina had walked away without hesitation.

And that?

That unsettled him.

For the first time, he had lost something.

And worse—he didn't understand why.

---

Before Cassius could respond, a new voice interrupted.

"Is there a problem here, Your Highness?"

The air shifted.

Evelina turned, her gaze landing on Adrian Everhart.

Dressed in dark silver, his expression was amused, unreadable.

He leaned casually against one of the grand marble pillars, watching the exchange with thinly veiled interest.

Cassius' gaze snapped toward him, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Tension crackled between them.

But Adrian?

Adrian simply smirked.

"I didn't realize you cared so much about greetings, Cassius."

Cassius' jaw clenched.

Evelina bit back a sigh.

They were posturing.

Like two predators circling each other, neither willing to back down.

She had no patience for this.

"Honestly," she murmured, "you're both in the way."

Cassius' gaze snapped to her.

Adrian chuckled softly. "Oh? Are we?"

Evelina exhaled.

She turned slightly—and walked past them.

Neither followed.

But she could feel their eyes on her.

And somewhere across the hall, Seraphina was watching, too.

Seething.

---

The Academy's afternoon tea gatherings were a delicate battlefield.

Dressed in fine silks, noble ladies and gentlemen exchanged polite smiles and subtle insults, forming alliances with every carefully chosen word.

It was a game of power.

And Evelina had every intention of winning.

She took her seat at the long garden table, lifting a porcelain teacup to her lips.

Conversations quieted.

She felt the nobles glance at her—hesitant, curious.

Waiting.

Clarisse Ivonne, the Academy's greatest gossip, leaned forward slightly. "Lady Evelina, I must say, you were quite impressive during training today."

Evelina set her teacup down, her expression smooth.

"My, Lady Clarisse," she murmured. "I didn't know you had such an interest in combat."

A soft laugh rippled through the table.

Clarisse's cheeks flushed, but she didn't back down. "We're all simply… curious."

Evelina tilted her head.

"About what?"

Clarisse hesitated.

Then—

"About why you've changed."

The question everyone wanted to ask.

Silence stretched.

Evelina let it linger.

Then, she smiled.

"I simply realized," she said lightly, "that chasing after things that aren't mine is rather exhausting."

Soft gasps.

Clarisse's eyes widened.

The nobles exchanged stunned looks.

Because they knew what she meant.

Prince Cassius.

The man she had once been obsessed with.

The man she had now completely abandoned.

The whispers would spread like wildfire.

And that was exactly what she wanted.

---

Seraphina felt sick.

Evelina had stolen everything.

She had turned Cassius' attention away.

She had gained respect instead of mockery.

She had rewritten the story.

Seraphina's hands trembled.

No.

No, she refused to let this continue.

She had to fix this.

Before Evelina took everything.

---

By the time the sun began to set, Evelina knew she had won this round.

The nobles had stopped talking about Seraphina.

Now, they only whispered about her.

But she wasn't naïve.

This was just the beginning.

Seraphina was desperate.

Which meant she was about to do something reckless.

Evelina sighed, watching the sunset over the Academy grounds.

She had changed everything.

And soon, she would see who could keep up.

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