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the Villainess they took for granted

Chapter 23: The First Crack · Oct 27, 2026

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Chapter List (304)

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1 Chapter 1: The Future I Already Changed 2026-10-27
2 Chapter 2: A Commoner at Court 2026-10-27
3 Chapter 3: The Crown Prince’s Routine 2026-10-27
4 Chapter 4The Heroine 2026-10-27
5 Chapter 5: There Were Supposed To Be Pastries 2026-10-27
6 Chapter 6: An Unnecessary Thought 2026-10-27
7 Chapter 7: Nothing Worth Worrying About 2026-10-27
8 Chapter 8: A Conversation Too Easy 2026-10-27
9 Chapter 9: A Strange Habit 2026-10-27
10 Chapter 10: An Unfamiliar Sight 2026-10-27
11 Chapter 11: Whispers 2026-10-27
12 Chapter 12: Some Things Seem Permanent 2026-10-27
13 Chapter 13: An Irritating Pattern 2026-10-27
14 Chapter 14: The Empty Seat 2026-10-27
15 Chapter 15: It Was Supposed To Be Nothing 2026-10-27
16 Chapter 16: Four Months 2026-10-27
17 Chapter 17: The First Fight 2026-10-27
18 Chapter 18: Almost Normal 2026-10-27
19 Chapter 19: Prove Me Wrong 2026-10-27
20 Chapter 20: Her Name 2026-10-27
21 Chapter 21: The last chance 2026-10-27
22 Chapter 22: As If Nothing Happened 2026-10-27
23 Chapter 23: The First Crack 2026-10-27
24 Chapter 24: The Man She Never Saw 2026-10-27
25 Chapter 25: Something Changed 2026-10-27
26 Chapter 26: A Very Dangerous Luncheon 2026-10-27
27 Chapter 27: The Hunting Lodge 2026-10-27
28 Chapter 28: The Wrong Man 2026-10-27
29 Chapter 29: Choose Me 2026-10-27
30 Chapter 30: The Wrong Person 2026-10-27
31 Chapter 31The First Bad Idea 2026-10-27
32 Chapter 32: a Terrible Idea 2026-10-27
33 Chapter 33: A Dangerous Thought 2026-10-27
34 Chapter 34: A Very Bad Idea 2026-10-27
35 Chapter 35: The First Move 2026-10-27
36 Chapter 36: Entirely Unhelpful 2026-10-27
37 Chapter 37: Coincidence 2026-10-27
38 Chapter 38: An Unfortunate Truth 2026-10-27
39 Chapter 39: The Worst Possible Recovery 2026-10-27
40 Chapter 40: Tomorrow 2026-10-27
41 Chapter 41: The Dance 2026-10-27
42 Chapter 42: Sleepless Night 2026-10-27
43 Chapter 43: Not an Accident 2026-10-27
44 Chapter 44: The Question 2026-10-27
45 Chapter 45: Absence 2026-10-27
46 Chapter 46: Things We Have No Right To Want 2026-10-27
47 Chapter 47: Into the Forest 2026-10-27
48 Chapter 48: The First Night 2026-10-27
49 Chapter 49: The Second Day 2026-10-27
50 Chapter 50: The Second Night 2026-10-27

Chapter 23: Chapter 23: The First Crack

Marian should have known.

Looking back later, she would think exactly that.

She should have known.

Not because Adrian had changed.

Not because Elena existed.

Not because fate was cruel.

Because hope had become a dangerous thing.

And Marian had continued hoping anyway.

The Harvest Gala was one of the largest events of the season.

Every major noble house would attend.

Foreign dignitaries would attend.

Members of the Imperial Court would attend.

The Emperor himself would attend.

More importantly—

For as long as Marian could remember, she had attended it with Adrian.

Always Adrian.

The tradition felt almost sacred.

One of those small certainties people never questioned.

Like the sunrise.

Like gravity.

Like Adrian reaching for her hand.

Her preparations took nearly the entire afternoon.

Normally she would complain.

Today she didn’t.

Which should have been alarming.

The gown spread across her bed in a sea of sapphire silk.

Thousands of tiny crystals shimmered beneath the sunlight.

The color matched her eyes perfectly.

A fortunate coincidence.

Or perhaps an expensive one.

The distinction hardly mattered.

Her golden hair fell in soft waves down her back.

Diamonds glittered at her throat.

The finished result was devastating.

Marian knew it.

Her maids knew it.

The mirror certainly knew it.

Good.

If she was going to suffer emotionally, she intended to do so beautifully.

The carriage from the palace was late.

Not unusual lately.

Annoying.

But not unusual.

Marian checked the clock.

Then checked it again.

Then glared at it.

The clock remained uncooperative.

A personal betrayal.

Honestly.

Everything seemed determined to betray her these days.

When the palace messenger finally arrived, he looked nervous.

A terrible sign.

Immediately.

”Your Ladyship.”

There was that tone again.

That apologetic tone.

Marian hated that tone.

”His Highness was delayed.”

Of course he was.

Naturally.

”He has already proceeded to the palace.”

The explanation sounded reasonable.

Normal.

Harmless.

Marian smiled.

Years of noble training proving useful once again.

”I see.”

The messenger visibly relaxed.

Poor man.

If only he knew.

The carriage ride felt longer than usual.

Perhaps because Marian spent the entire journey reminding herself not to be ridiculous.

Adrian was busy.

Adrian was responsible.

Adrian was Crown Prince.

The list continued.

A very useful list.

One she’d been using for months.

Unfortunately, it was beginning to lose effectiveness.

The palace glittered beneath hundreds of lights.

Music drifted through open windows.

Carriages lined the entrance.

Nobles filled the grand staircase.

Everything looked magnificent.

Exactly as it should.

Marian stepped from her carriage.

Heads turned immediately.

As expected.

The Empire’s greatest beauty had arrived.

People noticed.

They always did.

Normally she barely cared.

Tonight she welcomed it.

Petty.

But satisfying.

The ballroom doors opened.

And Marian walked inside.

Smiling.

Graceful.

Perfect.

Every lesson drilled into her since childhood displayed flawlessly.

Then she saw them.

And everything stopped.

Adrian.

And Elena.

Not kissing.

Not embracing.

Nothing scandalous.

Nothing improper.

Nothing she could point at and say:

There.

That.

That is the betrayal.

Which somehow made it worse.

Because Adrian was escorting her.

Walking beside her.

Speaking quietly to her.

Giving her his full attention.

His focus.

His presence.

The exact thing Marian had been begging for.

For months.

The sight struck like a physical blow.

Not because it was romantic.

Because it wasn’t.

Not because Adrian looked in love.

Because he didn’t.

The problem was simpler.

More painful.

More humiliating.

Marian had waited for him.

And he had walked into the ballroom with someone else.

Around them, whispers began immediately.

Tiny whispers.

Soft whispers.

The sort of whispers noble society specialized in.

Marian heard every single one.

Unfortunately.

For one terrible moment, she couldn’t breathe.

The festival.

The cancelled lunches.

The arguments.

The flowers.

The explanations.

The medical initiative.

The endless apologies.

Everything came rushing back.

All at once.

Like a dam finally breaking.

Then Marian smiled.

Because she was Marian Valmont.

And if she intended to fall apart—

It certainly wouldn’t happen here.

Adrian noticed her almost immediately.

The color drained from his face.

Not completely.

Just enough.

Enough for Marian to see.

Enough for her to know.

He understood exactly how this looked.

Good.

He excused himself from Elena immediately.

Then started toward her.

Fast.

Too fast.

Like a man trying to stop a disaster.

A little late for that.

”Marian.”

The moment he reached her, she looked away.

Deliberately.

A small thing.

Yet Adrian flinched.

Good.

Let him.

”Marian, let me explain.”

Of course.

There it was.

The explanation.

Always the explanation.

Marian laughed.

A short sound.

Beautiful.

Cold.

Nothing like her usual laugh.

”Don’t.”

One word.

That was all.

Yet Adrian froze.

”It isn’t what it looks like.”

The worst possible thing he could have said.

Marian turned slowly.

Very slowly.

Then looked at him.

Actually looked at him.

And for the first time in eighteen years—

Adrian looked uncertain.

The sight should have satisfied her.

Instead it hurt.

”Really?”

Her voice remained perfectly calm.

Which was significantly more dangerous than shouting.

”Marian—”

”No.”

The interruption came immediately.

Sharp.

Precise.

Final.

”For once, Adrian.”

His name sounded strange on her tongue.

Not because she never used it.

Because she suddenly remembered how much she loved saying it.

And hated that.

”Just once.”

The smile never left her face.

”Please don’t talk to me about Elena Hart.”

Silence.

Immediate silence.

Adrian stared.

As though she’d struck him.

Perhaps she had.

The realization brought no satisfaction.

None at all.

Then Marian stepped around him.

Gracefully.

Effortlessly.

Without another word.

Leaving him standing alone in the middle of the ballroom.

For perhaps the first time in his life.

Her heart was pounding.

Violently.

Painfully.

She hated it.

Hated him.

No.

Not him.

The situation.

The confusion.

The uncertainty.

The fact that she still loved him.

That was the worst part.

If she loved him less, this would be easier.

As she crossed the ballroom, she felt it.

A gaze.

Steady.

Unwavering.

Familiar.

Marian turned instinctively.

And found him.

Cassian Ashford.

Standing near one of the marble columns.

Watching.

Not smiling.

Not approaching.

Not interfering.

Just watching.

Gray eyes fixed on her.

Observant.

Quiet.

Knowing.

For one brief moment, neither moved.

The ballroom seemed to fade.

The music.

The conversations.

The laughter.

Everything.

Gone.

Leaving only that look.

And suddenly, unexpectedly—

Marian felt seen.

The realization startled her.

Because it wasn’t comfort.

It wasn’t affection.

It wasn’t romance.

Nothing so dramatic.

It was simply this:

Someone had noticed.

Someone had seen exactly what happened.

Her gaze lingered.

One second.

Two.

Three.

Longer than politeness required.

Longer than indifference allowed.

Then Cassian inclined his head slightly.

A silent acknowledgement.

Nothing more.

Yet somehow it felt more honest than every explanation she’d heard in months.

Marian looked away first.

Immediately irritated by the thought.

Ridiculous.

Completely ridiculous.

The man was a notorious playboy.

The last person she should be paying attention to.

The very last.

And yet.

As she continued walking through the ballroom, one terrible thought appeared.

Small.

Sharp.

Dangerous.

The sort of thought that changed lives.

The sort of thought that should have frightened her.

It did.

A little.

Not enough.

If Adrian insists on making me feel invisible...

perhaps it’s time he learned how that feels.

The thought vanished as quickly as it came.

But not before leaving a mark.

And somewhere behind her, Adrian watched Marian disappear into the crowd.

For the first time since they were children—

He wasn’t sure how to reach her.

And for the first time since Elena Hart arrived in the capital—

Marian stopped thinking about how to save them.

Instead, she began wondering how much damage she could do.

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