Marcellus stood at the door, his gaze icy and his tone laced with deliberate mockery. “Elias, I’ve always known about this little hideout of yours, but I never pursued it. As your elder brother, I respected your privacy and let you keep your secrets. But today, it seems I was wrong.”He stepped forward slowly, his piercing eyes sweeping over Elias before his voice shifted, sharp with sarcasm. “I didn’t expect you to use this place for secret rendezvous. And with someone like this,” he said, his gaze falling on Livia. A cold smirk tugged at his lips. “A young man, no less. It seems, as your brother, this is the first time I’ve learned about your… preferences.”Elias’s face darkened instantly. He fought back his unease and was about to explain, but Marcellus raised a hand, silencing him.“Don’t rush to speak.” Marcellus’s gaze locked onto Livia, his smile chilling as it faded. “Let me get a better look at this… ‘young man.’”His eyes traveled over Livia with deliberate slowness, his voi
“Don’t listen to him! How could that be true? I loved you so much!” Marcellus’s voice trembled as if someone had struck the deepest wound in his heart. His body lurched forward before collapsing weakly to the ground. Pain and regret filled his eyes. “There was… a reason for it all.”Alia watched his disheveled state, her emotions in turmoil. She didn’t know what to believe. The man before her had once brought her boundless sweetness but also endless pain. Her mind swirled with questions, yet she didn’t know where to begin.“A reason?” Elias sneered, a trace of disdain flashing in his eyes. “Your so-called reason is treating her with cold indifference, trampling on her feelings, and even using the cruelest words to humiliate her?”“Enough, Elias!” Marcellus clenched his teeth, his hands tightening into fists as though struggling to control himself. “It wasn’t like that…”“Wasn’t it?” Elias refused to back down, his voice sharp with anger. “Then let me tell her what really happened.”El
Marcellus knelt on the floor, his chest heaving violently as though trapped in an invisible cage. He couldn’t refute Elias’s accusations or face Livia’s icy stare. The revelation that both Elias and Livia had read his diary shocked him, though part of him had expected it—Livia’s recent behavior had been far too unusual. Still, when he heard her cold and detached words, “Let’s get a divorce,” it felt like a lightning strike. His body jolted, and his gaze became unfocused.Alia took a deep breath, trying to steady her voice, but the tremor in her tone betrayed the pain buried deep within her heart.“Marcellus, I’ve been through so much over the years. Reading those diaries, seeing the truth… it made me realize our marriage was a mistake. I don’t want to be caught in this endless spiral anymore. Leaving is the best thing for both of us.”Her eyes held a mixture of cold determination and sorrow, as though she was suppressing an inner struggle. No matter who she truly was, one thing was cl
Marcellus stood motionless for a moment, his expression frozen in a mask of icy detachment. He glanced at Elias with a cold, restrained fury, as though suppressing a tempest within. His voice, low and steady, carried a chilling finality.“Elias, no matter what happens, you are still my brother. If Livia chooses to stay with you instead of returning home with me, take care of her. If you fail her, consider our ties severed.”Without waiting for a response, he turned and strode out, his black coat billowing in the night wind, a stark silhouette of unyielding resolve. His footsteps were measured but heavy, each step a reflection of the turmoil he held back. He didn’t glance back at the two left behind, his retreat a silent declaration of war.The room fell into an uneasy silence as Elias and Alia exchanged glances. The tension hung in the air like a palpable force. Breaking the stillness, Elias sighed deeply and spoke, his tone weary but resolute.“You should stay here for now,” he urged
Alia regained consciousness in a haze, her thoughts gradually sharpening. A faint pain throbbed in her head as the sound of dripping water and distant echoing footsteps reached her ears. It felt like she was in a small, enclosed space.She tried to open her eyes but found her vision blocked by heavy fabric. Instinctively, she moved her wrists, only to discover they were bound tightly with coarse rope. Her ankles were similarly restrained, leaving no room for movement, and her body was secured to a heavy chair, rendering her completely immobile.“I’ve been kidnapped,” she concluded swiftly, though her heart remained calm.Taking a deep breath, Alia forced herself to focus. As a former top-tier thief, she had faced situations like this often in her previous life. Escaping wasn’t new to her, though this was her first time encountering such danger as Livia. She immediately began analyzing the situation.“This isn’t a simple robbery, nor does it seem to be about money or… anything worse.”
Alia’s wrists tensed slightly as her fingers brushed against the rough rope binding her. The coarse hemp was frayed in places, but the knots themselves seemed less than professional—slightly loose at the joins. If she could free even one hand, the knife hidden in her sleeve might provide a swift escape.“They’re not seasoned kidnappers,” Alia calmly deduced. “Probably an inexperienced group acting out of urgency.”The surrounding silence was unsettling, broken only by occasional birdsong outside and the low whistle of wind through cracked window frames. Alia strained her ears and caught snippets of muffled conversation. Though the words were indistinct, the subdued and tense tones betrayed unease.“What are they afraid of?”This sense of uncertainty gave Alia a flicker of confidence. She shifted her weight subtly, testing the ropes. Though there was some give, it wasn’t enough for her to break free.Suddenly, the fabric covering her eyes was yanked away, and a harsh beam of light stru
Marcellus stumbled through the door of his study, his footsteps heavy and unsteady. The dim light of the overcast sky seeped in, casting long, oppressive shadows across the room. The desk was piled high with documents, but he couldn’t bring himself to even glance at them. Instead, he reached into the hidden compartment of a mechanism box and retrieved the object that haunted him—his diary. Its cover was worn from countless readings, the edges frayed by his desperate hands.He slowly sat down, opening the familiar pages. Each one was marked by the force of his pen, the pressure so intense it almost tore through the paper. These words, born of his anguish and struggles, seemed to shout accusations at him, a mirror of his own failings.As he flipped through the diary, he saw the very passages Livia had once read—his cruel words, written under the influence of the “curse,” and his later resolutions after coming to his senses. These pages bore the full weight of his regret, a testament to
Elias sat in the study of his secret base, his brow deeply furrowed as the events of the day replayed in his mind. His relationship with Livia had finally been revealed to Marcellus, and the years of pent-up conflict between him and Marcellus had erupted at last. Despite the lingering resentment he harbored toward his brother, Elias never truly wanted to harm him. They had once shared a bond akin to brotherhood. Yet none of this could overshadow the feelings he held for Livia. To protect her, he was willing to sacrifice everything, even if it meant severing ties with Marcellus forever.He sighed, placing his pen gently on the desk. He knew he couldn’t afford to remain idle; he needed to act swiftly. However, he also understood that directly deploying his forces near Marcellus’s estate would be tantamount to declaring war, something that would only escalate the situation further. This wasn’t what Livia would want. Picking up his phone, he dialed Red’s number and gave his instructions.
Alia inwardly rolled her eyes.Why was everyone speaking in riddles? They always stopped halfway, as if afraid of revealing too much and giving away the upper hand. But in the end, what truly mattered was never what the “Grail” could do, but rather—who would find it first and claim control over it.“You don’t seem surprised at all about the ‘Grail.’ Looks like someone has already told you about it.” Emma raised an eyebrow, choosing not to answer Alia’s question directly.Alia nodded calmly. “Elias once mentioned some things about the ‘Grail’ to me. I knew it was important, but I didn’t expect… that they would go to such lengths and pay such a heavy price for it.”She hadn’t stated it too definitively, but her words were enough to make Emma realize that she wasn’t entirely an outsider.Emma paused briefly, then let out a low chuckle. Her gaze darkened slightly, as if recalling something, and there was an almost imperceptible weariness in her tone. “Yes… everyone has gone mad, willing t
“Hiding myself? Something unexpected?”Alia knew very well that all of this was only because she had reincarnated into Livia’s body. Without this reincarnation, the original Livia might have indeed been nothing more than a noble lady sheltered too well—naïve, ignorant, and completely unaware of the intrigues of the world.She didn’t refute Emma’s speculation, nor did she offer any explanation. Instead, she simply looked at her in silence, waiting for her to continue.Seeing that Livia did not respond, Emma didn’t seem to mind. She continued speaking at her own pace, “It seems you don’t believe I was the one who ordered your kidnapping. Otherwise, you would be more flustered right now.”Alia finally spoke, her tone calm and unwavering. “Indeed. I know about your relationship with my mom. Ever since the kidnapping, I have been trying to figure out who was behind it. I don’t believe you are someone who would be ungrateful. Even if you were involved in the kidnapping, I don’t think you wo
Despite maintaining a calm facade, Alia’s heartbeat skipped a beat.She had deliberately refrained from using her true abilities to avoid exposing her identity, yet the person before her had still managed to suppress her movements with uncanny precision. That alone was enough to tell her that this was no ordinary assassin, but a highly trained expert. Alia clenched her teeth inwardly—given the current state of this body, even if she fought with all her might, she stood no chance.But she had no intention of giving up so easily.Slowly, she raised her hands, placing them obediently on her lap while discreetly glancing at the nearby desk. Fortunately, the handgun wasn’t too far from her seat. As long as she found the right opportunity, she might still have a chance to fight back.Yet, to her surprise, although the other person had immobilized her, there was no true killing intent. The dagger’s blade pressed against her neck, but without exerting force—it was merely a threat. And within
Deep in thought, Alia’s attention snapped to the sound of approaching footsteps outside. She instinctively lifted her head, her gaze sweeping toward the door. A soldier passed by in the corridor, his steps unnaturally light, barely making a sound. This detail made her frown—typically, a soldier’s boots would produce some noise against carpets or marble floors, yet this man moved with an almost deliberate silence, as if intentionally concealing his presence.Even more suspicious was the way he wore his military cap—pulled low over his face, casting heavy shadows under the flickering candlelight. It obscured his upper features, making it impossible to discern his expression. This was highly unusual among the disciplined castle guards. Under Marcellus’ strict training, every soldier was expected to maintain proper posture and bearing, and none would deliberately lower their gaze to hide their face.Alia’s instincts flared—something was off about this soldier. Her fingers unconsciously ti
The night was deep and heavy, and the castle’s lights cast flickering shadows over the tense, busy figures in the grand hall. Marcellus, his expression grim, rose to his feet and immediately summoned all the guards, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.“Gather everyone at once. Mark, begin screening the castle guards—I want absolute certainty of their loyalty.”Mark, the butler, understood the gravity of the situation and promptly carried out the order. He meticulously examined the guards’ backgrounds, past records, and recent movements, overlooking not even the slightest irregularity. Within the castle, the guards were questioned and screened one by one, and a stifling sense of pressure filled the air. Marcellus’s thoughts aligned with Elias’s—when facing an army head-on, numbers were secondary. The true priority was ensuring there were no traitors among them.Meanwhile, security outside the castle was also being reinforced. Upon learning of the situation, Edgar dispatched a con
The scenery outside the car window grew increasingly desolate, with raindrops sliding down the glass like silent sighs. Eryx leaned against the seat, his long fingers tapping lightly on his knee as his deep gaze fixed on the distant horizon. The car slowed to a stop in front of a run-down little house. He didn’t get out immediately; instead, he scanned the surroundings to ensure there were no suspicious figures lurking nearby. Only then did he push open the door and stride steadily toward the entrance.He knocked lightly a few times, hearing faint footsteps inside before the room fell silent again. Waiting a few seconds and confirming there was still no one around, he pushed open the door and stepped into the hidden safehouse.The interior was dimly lit, with simple yet neatly arranged furniture. Eryx moved with practiced ease, lifting a corner of a worn-out rug to reveal a concealed hatch. He frowned slightly, knocking three times on the wooden panel and waiting for a response. Momen
Inside Edgar’s dimly lit secret chamber, the air felt thick and suffocating, as if it had solidified under the weight of tension. The flickering candlelight cast erratic shadows across the heavy oak table at the center of the room.With a sharp crack, Edgar’s palm slammed against the tabletop, making the candleholder tremble. The flames flickered wildly, casting jagged silhouettes on the stone walls.“You’ve heard what happened, haven’t you?” His voice was low but brimming with restrained fury, his sharp gaze piercing through the stillness like a blade. “You’d better give me a damn good explanation.”Opposite him, a tall man in a dark coat stood with his hands calmly clasped behind his back, his expression indifferent. Edgar’s anger seemed to slide off him like raindrops off a stone.“I didn’t expect Emma to go that far,” he said, his tone smooth and unruffled, as though discussing an irrelevant matter. “I only shared information with her, knowing that she had a stronger motive to see
Elias swiftly gathered his most trusted men—people who had fought alongside him through countless life-and-death situations. If an enemy still lurked among them, then there was nothing more he could do.In the dimly lit meeting room, candlelight flickered, casting shadows over the solemn and contemplative faces of those present. Elias’s gaze swept across the room, his expression cold and severe as he finally spoke—“You are the men I trust most. I do not doubt you.”“But we have a breach. My base was infiltrated. Today, it was Livia who was kidnapped. That is something I will never tolerate.”There was no rage in his voice—not even a hint of emotion. His tone was disturbingly calm, yet everyone instinctively tensed.“Our enemy is stronger and more cunning than we anticipated.” His sharp eyes scanned the room as he continued in a low, steady voice, “So, from this moment forward, I will restructure my forces.”He paused, his gaze as sharp as a blade, his tone unwavering—“Each of you wi
The morning sunlight streamed through the gap in the curtains, casting a soft halo that outlined Livia’s delicate features. She slowly opened her eyes, her long lashes quivering slightly, as if still immersed in the lingering emotions of the night before. Sitting up, the thin blanket slipped down, revealing her smooth, bare shoulders. The morning light caressed her skin, lending it a warm, luminous glow.Marcellus’s eyes opened, his gaze immediately drawn to her. A flicker of fascination crossed his deep-set eyes. Propping himself up, he watched her intently, his eyes tracing the curves of her back as though trying to etch this moment into his memory forever. Slowly, he reached out, wanting to pull her back into his embrace, to feel her warmth once more, to taste the sweetness that lingered between them.But just as his fingertips were about to touch her wrist, Livia suddenly spoke.“Can you really not tell me everything?”Her voice was soft, yet it carried a restrained sorrow, as if