The Villianess's Redemption (HYUNJIN ff) ✓

32. Secrets Laid Bare

Chapter 32: Secrets Laid Bare
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Y/N's POV

“Hey.........What are you up to?"

I looked up to see that it was Leeknow

He stepped into the room, his sharp eyes scanning me carefully as if he could sense something was off. I quickly stuffed the diary inside the drawer of my desk and offered him an awkward smile, hoping he didn’t notice my unease.

“What are you up to, Isabella?” he asked, his voice carrying a slight edge.

I fumbled for an excuse, my mind racing for something that wouldn’t raise his suspicions. "Oh, nothing much, just... going over some things for the ball."

Leeknow's eyes narrowed slightly, and for a moment, I thought he wasn’t going to let it go. But then, to my relief, he just shrugged it off.

"Are you prepared for the ball coming up this week?" he asked, his tone now more casual.

I nodded quickly. "Yeah, I bought my dress with Eliza and Jasmine yesterday. Everything’s ready."

Leeknow gave a curt nod, seemingly satisfied with my answer. "That's Good," he said.

He turned to leave the room, and I let out a deep breath the moment the door clicked shut. My hands trembled as I reached for the diary again, my mind spinning with everything that had happened. The fortune-teller, the warning, the loop... I had to be careful. If what I had read in that diary was true, then every step I took from now on would be crucial.

I wasn’t sure how much longer I could keep up this charade without unraveling completely.

The Next Day at Hwang’s Estate

The tension in the air was palpable as we all gathered at the Hwang estate to discuss our next move. Seungmin, Hyunjin, Jisung, Bangchan, Felix, Jasmine, and I sat in a circle, our expressions serious as Felix began sharing what little information he had managed to gather from Changbin and Donghyuk.

Felix rubbed the back of his neck, looking uneasy. “They haven’t told me much,” he admitted, “but they did say their main goal at the Winter Ball is to execute someone. I tried to ask who, but they wouldn’t say. They just told me to keep everyone in the group distracted.”

The room fell into a heavy silence as we all processed his words. My mind raced as I thought back to the novel. I knew exactly who they were planning to target, but how could I explain that to everyone without revealing my secret?

“They're going to target Hyunjin,” I blurted out before I could stop myself. All eyes turned to me, their expressions a mix of surprise and skepticism.

Hyunjin arched an eyebrow. “Why do you think it’s me?”

I swallowed hard, scrambling for a plausible explanation. “Well... because it makes sense. They’ve been targeting you for a while now. Given the rivalry between your family and theirs, it seems logical that you’d be their primary target. It’s not like they have a solid reason to go after anyone else in our group.”

For a moment, no one spoke. Then Jasmine nodded thoughtfully. “I think she’s right. It would make sense to focus on Hyunjin, especially if they’re looking to send a message.”

Seungmin, however, wasn’t convinced. He crossed his arms, his brow furrowed in thought. “What if that’s what they want us to think? What if Hyunjin’s just a distraction, and they’re planning to target someone else? We can’t rule that out.”