Billionaire Villainess (Unedited) 18+

Pretend

The late afternoon sun filtered through the trees as Zayden and Judith walked side by side toward the club location. The campus had settled into a comfortable hum, with students heading to their various activities, their conversations a pleasant murmur in the background.

Judith adjusted her bag on her shoulder, her stride leisurely as she glanced at Zayden. "How was your day, Zayden?" she asked, genuinely curious but also looking to ease into the conversation.

Zayden let out a small sigh, his hands stuffed in his jacket pockets. "Same as always. Too many lectures, not enough time to relax," he replied, offering a small smile. "But it's almost over, so I can't complain."

Judith grinned sympathetically. "Tell me about it. It feels like I never have time to catch my breath between assignments and club stuff. It's one thing after another." She shook her head, a playful glint in her eyes. "But at least we have tonight's meeting. I'm looking forward to continuing our project."

Zayden nodded, the corners of his mouth curving into a faint smile. "Yeah, me too. I'm glad we all became fully invested in something we're passionate about."

Judith smiled, about to agree with him when she noticed that Zayden seemed distracted. His face had tightened slightly, and his gaze was unfocused. "You alright?" she asked, slowing her pace and glancing at him.

Zayden hesitated for a moment, shifting uncomfortably. "Actually, there's something I need to tell you," he said, his tone suddenly more serious.

Judith stopped walking and looked at him, her curiosity piqued. "What's up?"

Zayden let out a small breath and glanced away for a second, clearly reluctant to bring it up. "It's about Verona," he said finally, his expression uncomfortable.

Judith stiffened slightly at the mention of her sister's name. "What about her?" she asked, trying to keep her voice neutral.

Zayden seemed to choose his words carefully. "She approached me earlier today," he began. "Tried to talk to me. At first, I didn't think much of it, but it... felt off. She was kind of pushy, acting like we already knew each other or something. And she asked me to grab coffee with her."

Judith's stomach twisted slightly at the thought of her two-faced sister's behavior. What the hell is she planning? "She... asked you to join her for coffee?" Judith echoed, trying to process. "I'm sorry about that. I never knew her to be persistent."

Zayden nodded, his face still uneasy. "Yeah. She kept talking about how you two were close and that she was just trying to be friendly, but it felt like there was more to it. I don't know. I wasn't comfortable around her."

Judith's lips pressed into a thin line as she tried to keep her composure. "I'm sorry. I had no idea she was doing that. I guess she has a way of pushing boundaries." She sighed, looking away for a moment.

They stopped walking, the sound of footsteps and distant chatter fading into the background as Zayden turned to face her. He hesitated for a moment, his expression thoughtful, before finally speaking up.

"Hey, Judith, if you don't mind me asking... why are you and your sister not close?" he asked, his voice gentle but probing. He studied her closely, as if waiting for her to explain.

Judith's gaze flickered away, her thoughts momentarily interrupted by the question. How should she answer him? Verona is not her actual sister; she is the sister of the original owner of this body before she transmigrated. The question felt heavy, even though Zayden's tone was casual. She shifted uncomfortably, crossing her arms as she glanced back at him.

"It's... complicated," she started slowly, trying to find the right words. "Verona and I have always been different. We don't really see eye to eye on most things." She paused, unsure how much she should say. "Our parents and brother favor her more than me. You knew how I was before I came across your club, right?"

Zayden nodded, his expression softening as he listened carefully. Judith let out a sigh and ran a hand through her hair, trying to organize her thoughts.

"I used to... try really hard to get people's attention," she continued, her voice quieter now. "Especially Gabriel's. I thought if I could just get him to notice me, then maybe my family would finally see me the way they see Verona. Like, maybe they'd finally approve of me." She paused, looking down at the ground for a moment, as if the memories weighed on her. "I didn't realize how bad my behavior was. I thought I was just doing what I needed to do to fit in, to get the approval I was craving. But all I did was make myself look... desperate."

She shook her head slightly, seemingly trying to shake off the lingering guilt. "I never understood why it made people uncomfortable. I thought I could be... important to someone if I just tried hard enough. But I was wrong. And I guess that's why Verona and I don't get along. She's always been the golden child, the one who never had to try to get anyone's attention. Meanwhile, I was the screw-up, always doing things the wrong way, looking for validation in all the wrong places."

Zayden remained silent, his gaze gentle but thoughtful as he took in her words. He could see how much the weight of her past still affected her, and he didn't know what to say to make it better. Instead, he simply nodded.

"I get it," he said softly. "But from what I can see, you're not that person anymore. You've changed a lot." He gave her a reassuring smile. "And that's what matters."

Judith looked at him, a faint but grateful smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "I hope so," she murmured, feeling a small sense of relief. "I don't want to be that person anymore. I'm trying to be better. For myself."

Zayden's smile widened slightly, though his eyes remained serious. "You are. And if anyone doesn't see that, it's their problem, not yours."

Judith's heart softened at his words. She then looked away briefly, clearing her throat as she tried to refocus on the present.

"Anyway," she said, her tone lightening, "I've got a long way to go, but I'm figuring it out. I just... don't want to keep making the same mistakes."

"You won't," Zayden replied with quiet confidence. "You've already taken the first step."

Judith gave him a small smile before looking ahead, the path to the club coming into view again. The conversation left her feeling lighter.

But then her smile faded into a frown. Something in the back of her mind told her that she wasn't being her true self around Zayden.

It reminded her that she wasn't the real Judith.

How long are you going to play pretend? the voice in the back of her mind said.