The Villain's Dead Wife

19. The Deal with The Devil

And so, my brother left, leaving me alone with the devil incarnate.

I stood there like a malfunctioning robot, too afraid to breathe, lest it be considered a tax evasion.

Kairan's gaze followed my brother until he reached his half-dead students, and then, as if sensing my dread, his piercing eyes locked onto me.

“So… how long is this act going to continue?”

“Uh, what?”

He took my hand—yes, the same hand he had once pierced with his sword. His fingers traced the scar where the blade had once cut. My whole body trembled like a leaf in a hurricane.

He wouldn’t dare do anything now. My brother’s nearby. All the knights are watching. He won’t hurt me.

But then, Kairan gently caressed my wrist with his rough thumb. The contrast was so surreal that I nearly choked on my own fear.

“I know you’re not the real Meredia.”

No! No! No! No, Sia! Don’t act surprised or scared! Don’t let him know you’re not the real Meredia!

I forced a smile, my heart racing. “What are you talking about, Your Royal Highness? I think you’re training too much; maybe you’re seeing things.”

He raised an eyebrow, as if mulling over my words. “Am I really? Or am I just seeing a girl with brown hair and twinkling silver eyes in Lady Meredia, who is supposed to have bloody red hair and golden eyes?”

What!? He’s describing my previous appearance!

Kairan’s gaze bore into mine, chillingly intense. My blood ran cold as he traced the scar on my wrist with his thumb.

He leaned in, his voice dropping to a sinister whisper. “Let me make this clear. I don’t want to kill you, the imposter in Lady Meredia’s body.”

His eyes darkened as he continued. “But if you keep pretending and obstruct my path, I will make sure to torment your soul in ways that will haunt you for every second of eternity.”

I looked at him, my pupils shaking as if they might pop out of my head at any moment.

He smiled—a twisted, chilling smile that sent shivers down my spine.

The bastard fucking smiled. I want to kill him.

Kairan stepped closer, his presence suffocating. He stood behind me, his grip on my shoulders firm, almost painful. Leaning in, his breath ghosted over my ear, sending icy chills through me.

“Tell your brother you don’t feel like training today,” he whispered, his voice a dark promise. “But you don’t want to waste the crown prince’s precious time either. So, you’re going to give him a tour of the palace and your garden.”

His words were laced with a menace that made my blood run cold. I nodded, struggling to keep my composure, my mind racing with thoughts of how to escape this nightmare.

__________________________

As we walked down the grand hallway, I kept my steps steady, trying to look as natural as possible while feeling the weight of Kairan’s intense gaze.

“So, lady ‘who’, ” Kairan said, his voice cold and calculated, “my observation tells me you’re from the same world as the man who vanished years ago.”

I kept my silence, focusing on the opulent décor as we passed, trying to ignore the way his words made my skin crawl.

“He disappeared without a trace one day,” he continued, his voice low but laced with an unsettling calm.