Celeste POV
I can't sleep that night. Every time I close my eyes, I see Vivienne's face—that cold smile when she threatened me.
Accidents happen to girls who ask too many questions.
She knows something. Maybe not everything, but something.
I pace my room until morning, my mind racing. I need to be smarter. More careful. If I push too hard too fast, they'll push back harder.
So I'll do what they expect. I'll be the sweet, stupid Celeste they think they can control.
At least for now.
The next morning, I dress carefully and practice my smile in the mirror. Soft. Gentle. A little bit scared. Perfect.
When I walk into the morning room, they're all already there.
Father reads his newspaper like nothing happened yesterday. Helena serves tea with that fake motherly smile. And Vivienne—Vivienne watches me like a cat watching a mouse.
"Good morning, darling," Helena says. "How did you sleep?"
"Wonderfully," I lie, sitting down. "I'm sorry about yesterday. I don't know what came over me, talking about my fortune like that."
Helena's shoulders relax slightly. "We all have stressful moments, dear."
"I was just nervous about the Selection Ceremony," I continue, keeping my voice soft and sympathetic. "Six months seems so close. I wanted to feel more in control, I guess."
"That's completely understandable," Father says, finally looking up. "But there's no need to worry. Your mom and I have everything handled."
That's what I'm afraid of.
"Thank you, Father," I say sweetly. "I trust you completely."
The lie tastes like ash in my mouth.
Vivienne is still watching me, her eyes narrowing. She doesn't believe me. I can tell.
But she can't prove anything either.
After breakfast, I go to the library like I always used to. I need to look normal. Predictable. Boring.
I'm reading when Vivienne walks in an hour later.
"There you are," she says happily. "I've been looking everywhere for you!"
No, she hasn't. She knew exactly where I'd be. I always come to the library in the mornings.
"Did you need something?" I ask, closing my book.
"Mother and I are going shopping in town. Want to come?" She tilts her head, smiling. "We could look at dresses for Lord Brennan's party."
This is a test. I can feel it.
In my first life, I loved shopping with Vivienne. We'd spend hours trying on clothes and laughing together. I thought we were close.
I was so stupid.
"That sounds wonderful," I say, matching her smile. "Let me get my coat."
Two hours later, we're in the most expensive dress shop in town. Helena is in the back, talking to the owner. Vivienne and I are alone in the change area.
And that's when I see it.
Vivienne thinks I'm not looking. She's pretending to study a blue dress, but her hand slides into my bag—the one I left on the chair.
My heart stops.
She's stealing from me right now. Right in front of me.
I watch through the mirror as she pulls out my mother's pearl bracelet—the one I wore today—and slips it into her own pocket. Smooth. Practiced. She's done this before.
Of course she has. In my first life, dozens of my things went missing over the years. I thought I was careless, that I kept losing them.
But Vivienne was taking them the whole time.
Rage burns through my chest like fire. I want to scream at her. I want to grab her arm and show her right here.
But I don't.
Instead, I turn around with a bright smile. "Did you find something you like?"
Vivienne jumps slightly, her hand flying out of her pocket. "Oh! Yes, this blue one is lovely."
"It would look beautiful on you," I say sweetly.
She rests, thinking she got away with it. "You're such a dear sister."
I want to laugh. Or cry. Or both.
We finish shopping and go home. The whole carriage ride back, Vivienne chatters happily about the party while my mother's bracelet sits in her pocket.
I say nothing.
That night, I go to Vivienne's room. I wait until the house is quiet, until everyone is asleep. Then I pick her lock—a skill I learned in my first life after Damian locked me in rooms during our fights.
Her room is dark and still. I move quietly to the loose floorboard near her bed—the one where she hides everything she steals.
I lift the board carefully.
Inside is a small wooden box.
My hands shake as I open it.
Jewelry. Dozens of pieces. Rings, chains, bracelets—all mine. All things I thought I'd lost over the years. Some I haven't even noticed missing yet because in this reality, she hasn't stolen them yet.
Which means she's planning ahead. She's been planning to rob me for months, maybe years.
I take the box. All of it. Evidence.
I'm about to leave when I see a letter on her desk.
It's written to someone named D.S.
My blood runs cold.
D.S. Damian Silverfox.
With shaking hands, I open it.
Dearest Damian,
Everything is going according to plan. I've been taking from her for months now, and she hasn't noticed a single thing. Father trusts Mother fully, so getting access to Celeste's inheritance will be easy once she's out of the way.
I can't wait to meet you at the party next week. I've heard so much about you from my friends. They say you're the most beautiful shifter in the Five Kingdoms.
Soon, everything that's hers will be ours.
Yours always, V
The letter falls from my hands.
They've been planning this since BEFORE I even met Damian.
This wasn't a crime of chance. This was planned. Calculated.
Vivienne didn't just steal my life after I married Damian.
She introduced us on purpose. She SET ME UP from the very beginning.
Which means Damian never picked me by accident at that party.
He was hunting me all along.
And I walked right into their trap.