I Became the Villain’s Daughter – Chapter 132

That sound suddenly jolted me awake from the flood of thoughts filling my mind.

“…Ah.”

For a moment, I felt as if I could grasp something, but once inspiration had left, it didn’t return. What a pity.

Emma entered the room with a bright smile, urging me along. She was smiling so cheerfully that it felt wrong to scold her. In the end, I decided to play along and asked:

“What’s going on?”

“Well…!”

A blush spread across Emma’s face.

“Your engagement dress has arrived!”

“Already?”

“Yes! Everyone’s been so eager to help Lady Laila try it on!”

Though everyone was excited, Emma seemed the most thrilled of all. I stood up.

“Then wait outside for a moment. I have something I need to take care of.”

“Understood, Lady Laila!”

Emma closed the door and hurried out. Once it was fully shut, I slipped my notebook into the secret safe only I knew about.

‘Roshahill.’

A strange feeling came over me—as if the clue I had just caught might become the key to events yet to come. No one knew about it yet.

Outside, the maids had already gathered around, inspecting the dress box. Even in the Siwin Kingdom, famous for its art and luxury, I had entrusted the gown to the finest atelier, and it had arrived faster than expected. Another maid whispered the reason:

“They said it’s an engagement dress for the Roshahill house, so the designer worked day and night to finish it!”

Curious to see their craftsmanship, I opened the box—and indeed, inside was a dress as beautiful as its reputation promised.

Wedding dresses were typically white, and engagement dresses pink. I had requested the same, so the dress inside was a soft pink. The long silk hem swept the floor, adorned with elegant folds, lace, and floral embroidery. The pink wasn’t overly bright or playful; its muted tone gave the dress a romantic feel perfect for autumn.

I tried it on, unsure if any adjustments were needed, but it fit my body perfectly. Looking in the mirror brought a reflection of myself far more graceful and mature than usual.

“So pretty…”

I murmured absentmindedly, and everyone around nodded in agreement.

“I can’t wait for the engagement day!”
“You’re absolutely stunning!”

I gazed at the reflection in the mirror. My silver hair was neatly braided, and my green eyes stared straight ahead, calm and confident.

I was just as eager for the engagement.

Until now, I had been busy sending invitations and receiving congratulations, leaving little time to truly feel the reality of it. But now, standing in this dress before the mirror, it finally sank in: I was getting engaged to Thea.

My heart thumped in excitement, a pleasant flutter. Surely, I wasn’t the only one feeling so elated.

“Laila.”

Turning around, I saw my father and brothers standing there. My father’s eyes held a mixture of joy, pride, and countless other emotions.

“Father… and brothers…”

I lifted the hem of my dress and gave them a graceful greeting. Silence lingered for a moment, until my father slowly approached and lightly brushed my shoulder. Even such a simple gesture conveyed so much. I smiled warmly at them.

That evening, another banquet was held. Unlike the previous grand official gathering in the imperial court, attended by royalty, this one was smaller, focused on family members.

Though small, the affair was still larger than most balls due to the prominence of our family.

Having prepared for the event, I opened the door—and to my surprise, there was a familiar face. My uncle, whom I hadn’t seen in a long time, stood there, extending his arm as if to escort me, a playful smile on his face.

“Uncle Laska!!”

I ran toward him in delight, and he caught me in his arms immediately.

“When did you arrive? Have you been well?”

“I just got here by carriage. Of course I’ve been well.”

He explained that my maternal grandparents couldn’t attend due to the burdens of travel, but promised to be present on the engagement day.

“I’m so happy to see you after so long!”

I smiled brightly at my uncle. He, too, had been busy managing his estate. It had been months since I last saw him at the New Year’s gathering. He smiled back.

“How’s the engagement preparation going?”

“Well, the dress arrived just today.”

As we walked toward the hall, I spoke about everything: Thea’s attendance, my father’s massive floral orders for the engagement, and more. My uncle listened carefully, nodding as I spoke.

“Only happiness awaits you from here on,” he said, patting my shoulder. Perhaps he wanted to touch my hair, but my elaborate hairstyle for the banquet made that impossible.

“I hope so too,” I replied with a smile. My uncle’s expression grew strangely serious.

“Don’t worry. We’ll always be by your side.”

“…?”

I glanced up at him, sensing some hidden meaning behind his words. Yet his face remained calm and composed, so I dismissed it as just a reassuring remark.

As we reached the hall, cheerful music and the murmur of guests spilled through the doorway.

Once inside, the sounds momentarily hushed before swelling again. Guests hurried toward us, offering congratulations.

“My, Lady Roshahill! You’ve grown so beautifully!”
“Congratulations on your engagement. Truly an imperial celebration.”
“Lord Forte, it’s been a while!”

As I exchanged greetings, I spotted Thea in the distance, speaking with my father. The atmosphere seemed pleasant.

“Thea!”

I approached quickly, and they noticed me and my uncle, greeting us warmly.

“It’s been a while, Lord Laska,” Thea said with a gentle smile. Conversation flowed smoothly, aided by their familiarity. Beside him, Brother Eit spoke to me:

“We received a reply from the Siwin Kingdom. Prince Ray and a few others will also be coming.”

“Really?”

My heart leapt. I’d soon see the kingdom’s people again, including Ray.

“Things are going smoothly,” I said.

“After a wedding, an engagement is easy,” I joked, recalling Eddie’s wedding. Our family had managed everything, a bit chaotically for first-timers, but compared to that, the engagement preparation was running perfectly.

“Oh, I heard you’ve hired more maids and attendants recently,” Thea added.

“I did.”

With increasing outside responsibilities, it was time to expand the staff. Our household paid well, so applicants were plentiful, though experience and recommendations were required.

Eit, feeling thirsty, picked up a glass of champagne from a passing servant. I accepted a cocktail from a maid beside me.

‘Huh?’

The maid’s face seemed unfamiliar—brown hair, brown eyes, modest expression. Not so plain that I couldn’t remember, yet still unrecognizable. She bowed and hurried away.

‘A new hire, perhaps.’

The red cocktail in my hand shimmered beautifully under the chandelier. I took a sip.

‘Not bad.’

The deep red color likely came from cherries. A sweet cherry aroma filled my mouth. I was about to take another sip when Thea approached me.

“Laila, can we talk for a moment? Just the two of us, if that’s alright.”

His face was gentle, but his eyes hinted at something important. I nodded.

“Of course.”

He held out his hand, and I stepped forward to take it. Then—

‘…?’

My vision wavered.

My head felt dizzy.

“Laila?”

Thea noticed me stagger slightly, his face a mix of concern and confusion. I tried to smile at him.

“Ah, maybe I’m just tired…”

But before I could continue, a sudden headache struck.

“…Ugh…”

My head throbbed as if hit by a hammer. I froze in place.

“Laila?”

Thea, sensing something was wrong, came closer and lightly wrapped his arm around my shoulder.

Yet the sensation felt unusually distant. My vision blurred unevenly, then sharpened, while my mind drifted away and returned in flashes.

It was surreal, like a hallucination. Colors and lines twisted chaotically before my eyes.

“…Hah…”

I gasped, feeling a sting in my nose. I wiped it and noticed blood. My hands had weakened, and I dropped the cocktail glass. I could feel the eyes of the surrounding guests on me.

Red. Bright, vivid red. The color of the cocktail I had just dropped…

The scene felt unreal. My legs weakened, but Thea held me by the waist, preventing me from collapsing.

“…Te…a…”

I managed to call his name. His eyes were full of confusion. I felt the same.

My chest tightened, as if I’d eaten something that disagreed with me. Had it not been for the banquet hall, I would have dashed out in a panic.

Suddenly, something surged up from my stomach. I covered my mouth, only to feel it sticky with blood.

Bright red blood.

“…Ah…”

I stared blankly at my hand as my senses slowly faded. In the distance, I vaguely saw my family rushing toward me.

But that was the last I saw. My consciousness slipped away abruptly, as if the power had been cut from a TV. I closed my eyes.