Ascension Of The Villain

Iyana stepped into the room, her skin still warm and glowing from the hot spring. Her nightsuit, made of a delicate, shimmering fabric, clung to her form, catching the dim light in a way that made her look almost ethereal.

Vyan looked up from his seat by the window, where he had been staring out into the night. "Well, well, look who managed to properly dry their hair this time. Do wonders ever cease?"

"Impressed?" she teased, a playful glint in her eye, as if she hadn't scrubbed her hair vigorously earlier to avoid the same embarrassment from back when he had helped her the last time.

"Positively astounded," Vyan retorted, his voice laced with playful sarcasm. "Should we throw a parade?"

"I want to ride on an elephant in that case," she chirped, playing along.

"By the way, I am asking you again. Are you absolutely positive I shouldn't leave the room?" he inquired, his eyebrow raised in mock concern.

She flashed a mischievous smile. "Oh, are you afraid you will not be able to resist me in the dead of night?"

He raised his hands in mock surrender. "Hey, you are the one with a wedding on the horizon. I am just a carefree bachelor. You have got more at stake than I do."

"Well, wouldn't it be a riot if my wedding was called off over this scandal?" she pondered aloud, eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Sure, because navigating society after a stunt like that would be a breeze," he quipped, rolling his eyes.

She shrugged nonchalantly. "Who cares about that when I could be commanding the Imperial Army?"

"Ah, yes," he nodded his head in agreement, "with Aura by your side and Commander Pembrooke scouting for a successor—"

"No, forget it. It still won't happen," she sighed, flopping down on the edge of the bed. "I am probably destined to be nothing more than a palace ornament."

Vyan licked his bottom lip, the bitter taste of impending confession heavy on his tongue. Should he reveal the harrowing truth about what had transpired in the capital?

If he spoke now, he would have to unearth every dark secret, even the devastating revelation that her own family had tried to kill her.

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But she would inevitably discover their disgrace when she returned to the capital. Better it come from him, sparing her from the cold shock of public whispers. He didn't want any more shadows of misunderstanding between them.

"Hey, I have something to tell you..." he began, his voice trembling slightly as he gazed into her curious eyes, so innocent and unaware of the monstrous deeds of her kin.

Taking a deep breath, he began the painful narrative—how the Estelles had contaminated the Karloz River, their attempt to assassinate him with risking Iyana's life, and the vengeful actions Vyan took in return. He even shared the cruelty he endured as a knight under their rule, a testament to their ruthless nature.

With each revelation, her shock deepened, her once bright eyes now reflecting a storm of hurt and betrayal. He could see her heart breaking, shattering like fragile glass under the weight of his words.

Unable to bear her silent agony, he moved to sit beside her, gently placing a hand on her trembling shoulder. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Her fingers twisted around the bed sheets, knuckles white, as she stared at her lap, tears brimming in her eyes. "How could they have been using me all this time? Was I just... just a pawn to them?"

"I am so sorry," he murmured, his own heart aching at her pain.

"Why are you sorry? What's your fault if I have such a messed-up family?" she asked bitterly, a hollow chuckle escaping her lips.

"Aren't you angry at me for what I did to them?"

"All I can say is, they brought it upon themselves," she replied, her voice strained with suppressed emotion. "If they could stoop so low as to endanger their own daughter just to seek revenge on you, why should I care about them? It would be foolish of me to do so."

As she teetered on the edge of a breakdown, Vyan gently interjected, "Are you sure you want to believe everything I say? After all, I was your enemy until recently. Maybe you are placing too much trust in me."

"You have no reason to deceive me," she insisted. "Even if you stripped my family of their title, why would you bother fabricating a fake reason to justify yourself? Besides, it's their fault for concealing the truth and weaving a web of lies."

Vyan nodded quietly, unable to dispute her logic.

It struck him how swiftly she was placing her trust in him. It echoed the Iyana he once knew, the one who always took his word above all others, prioritizing him even over her beloved training and work. Was this new Iyana acting out of some ingrained loyalty? NovelFire-exclusive

Was it true that, even if the mind doesn't remember, the heart never forgets?

Iyana lifted her gaze, brushing away the tears that threatened to fall. "Today should be a day of happiness for me. I don't want to waste it on tears. I will deal with my family and everything else tomorrow. Thank you for warning me in advance though."

Vyan offered a reassuring smile. "You are welcome."

"Ah," she let out a whiny sigh, attempting to dispel the somber atmosphere, "I feel like celebrating with a glass of champagne."

"You want champagne?" Vyan asked, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. She nodded eagerly, and in an instant, a bottle of champagne and two glasses materialized on the table. "If you want champagne, you shall have champagne."

Her face lit up with a big smile. "Ugh, why do you have to start treating me so well all of a sudden? Go back to being evil. You'll spoil me like this." With a playful bounce, she skipped over to the table, expertly popping the cork and pouring generous measures into both glasses.

"Okay, then I will just make them disappear—" Vyan teased.

"No!" she protested. "Since you have already gone through the trouble of conjuring it, I will begrudgingly accept," she said, as if doing him a favor.

"Yeah, right," he chuckled, rolling his eyes.

"By the way, what took you so long today to come to the medical facility?" she inquired, motioning him to join her on the balcony.

He raised an eyebrow in amusement as they stepped outside.

"I mean, if you were going to come either way, why take so long? Yesterday, you came a couple of hours earlier," she explained, not wanting to sound like she was eagerly waiting for his arrival.

"Well, a lot happened," he replied cryptically, accepting the glass from her with a smile. The late spring breeze brushed against his face, bringing a welcome chill.

"Please elaborate. I have got all the time in the world," she sang out, taking an eager, clumsy sip of her drink.

He couldn't suppress a soft chuckle, amused by the sight of a single drop of the drink gliding down her chin. With a gentle touch, his hand reached out, caressing her skin as he wiped away the stray droplet.

Her breath caught in her throat, a shiver running down her spine as his finger traced the corner of her lips.

His eyes dipped to her mouth, drawn irresistibly to its subtle parting under his touch. When he looked up, he found her gaze locked onto his lips. Until she met his gaze and he found a mirror of the desire that burned in his own eyes.

A step closer, and their lips could easily meld in a tender, dangerous embrace. They both knew they should break the spell, tear their eyes away, but the magnetic pull between them held them captive.

They both wondered the same thing at that moment, should I give into the temptation?