Viona's POV
It felt like someone had just seen me naked. I bit my lower lip, trying to swallow the shame. How much had he heard?
I should just ignore him. Wait for the hallway to clear, then bolt.
"So you won't go just because that old hag told you not to?" He kept digging.
"Are you enjoying eavesdropping on other people's conversations?" Finally, my first proper sentence directed at him.
"I told you I'm spying. And an open door is an invitation for the spy." He kept his smugness.
I frowned. I remembered storming into Vivian's room in shock.
How the hell could I have thought to close the door when a blow like that hit my gut?
A spy had no manners, indeed. I had no intention of catering to him now.
I peeked through the glass again. My cousin was still glued to my father like a shadow, talking to the other doctors in the hallway.
A moment later, I felt a presence behind me. I spun around and gasped as my face nearly slammed into his broad chest. My feet tripped, and I knew I was going to fall.
But I didn't.
Rafael's firm arm caught my waist and pulled me closer, forcing my eyes level with his lips.
I looked up. He smirked.
"Let's have a date tomorrow. I'll lend myself to save your face. And slap those arrogant, ungrateful people." He tossed the line out lightly, as if inviting an old friend for a four-shot espresso latte.
It woke up something thrilling inside my chest.
I knew he sounded insane, because he was.
But the offer was no joke. Rafael didn't do bad jokes.
I smirked back bitterly. His challenge made me forget the miserable minutes I had just spent crying.
"Do you think they'll let me come and go as I please? Can't you think before you talk? You always act without thinking."
"I did."
"When?"
"Just now, when you wanted to leave my room but stopped."
I froze. He was unbelievable.
"Are you kidding me?" I yelped.
"Are you forgetting that my IQ is 131?"
For God's sake, who the hell did he think he was? Was I supposed to have that memorized?
But, of course, I remembered it perfectly well. It wasn't like I ran into superior IQ people like him every day.
I grabbed his shoulder, pressing, trying to push him away, but his body was a wall.
"Let me go." I demanded.
"So, yes?"
"And let them make a clown of me? It's already embarrassing enough."
He still didn't release me. What did I expect? He was never the type to obey.
"Throw the shame back at them. Why are you biting the shame alone? Are you not curious about the narrative Caroline is throwing around while resending the invitation?"
"Wh–what kind of narrative?"
He smirked, "Something like Viona is the bridesmaid who is jealously pulling pranks on her sick sister?"
"What?" I was bewildered. "Is she crazy? My father will be there. Does she really want to embarrass the Chief Prosecutor?"
Rafael laughed, a chilling sound. "Because they will make you the crazy one."
My eyes widened. Goosebumps rose over my entire body.
Finally, Rafael loosened his grip. He walked toward his bed and picked up a tablet from the bedside table.
"Here. Read it yourself." He handed the tablet to me, still giggling chillingly as he sat back down.
I took the tablet. On the message inbox, there was a digital invitation attachment with an orchid icon—a design I had created.
I wondered how he got the invitation, he wasn't on the list.
But my focus immediately shifted when I saw the date and time the message was received.
Two hours ago.
That meant this was the invitation Caroline had just re-sent.
I clicked the orchid icon, and it led me to the wedding invitation landing page.
The theme was still the same as the one I designed. But—
The bride's name had changed. I bit back a shout of rage and kept scrolling.
The web was encrypted. Only Roman and I held the password to make changes.
So, he voluntarily handed it to his mother?
My eyes widened in pure disbelief as I scrolled to the bottom of the page. There, under the title, "Change of the Bride Name Clarification," sat a block of text, two paragraphs long.
I sucked in a deep, steadying breath, bracing myself to read whatever horror story they had written.
[To our esteemed guests, we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience of this sudden re-sent invitation D-1. Please forgive the lack of our IT team to resolve this matter so late. The first invitation was sabotaged by the bridesmaid, Viona Island using the newest data encryption technology from Darwin Tech. She did it because of a manic disorder caused by the news that her sister is getting married first.
We beg your understanding, as Viona suffers from Hormone-Induced Psychotic Depression due to her hormonal medication. The Housley and Island families are highly esteemed, maintaining an exemplary reputation for decades. It is saddening that we must battle such a rare hormonal disease in our family. Therefore, we ask for your understanding not to discuss this mistake, now or in the future. Let's keep our dignity and sympathy as high as our society's reputable elite.]
"You can smash that tablet if you want." Rafael spoke, serious, as if he knew the sheer weight of my trembling grip on his device.
My breath rattled. My neck muscles seized and burned with fury every time I drew a gasp.
I kept re-reading the part where my insanity was a spectacular, shameful family heirloom.
Were they crazy? I doubt I'm even sane right now.
The name Darwin Tech told me my mother's family business was fully involved.
This was no simple conspiracy.