Chapter 2

Navia’s expression fell as she listened to her foster father reveal his true feelings in front of her. He didn’t hesitate to dash her dreams and pin the entire blame on her. He didn’t even care that Navia had become the laughing stock of the aristocratic society.

“Good job, my dearest daughter.”

Navia would’ve done anything for him if he had ever uttered those words toward her.

‘All I wanted from you was some trivial but warm words.’

But now, she understood everything. She realized that no matter how hard she tried, she was merely a substitute for Vivian. It was all too late.

Navia spoke with the last ounce of strength she had.

“I wasn’t trying to poison Vivian, Father.”

SLAP!

His palm slapped across her cheek as soon as she finished speaking. Navia couldn’t withstand the force behind the slap and fell backward on the floor.

“The poison was detected in the tea leaves you gifted Vivian! Are you still trying to deceive me till the very end?”

Vivian asked Navia for some rare tea leaves because she wanted to treat the guests with it. Navia, like a good sister, rushed to the rescue and procured some rare tea leaves for her. But soon poison was discovered in the tea leaves.

“The prince and I broke off the engagement a long time ago, so I have no reason to poison her!”

“Lies! You were jealous that Vivian became Prince Ares’ fianceé, so you tried to poison her!”

It would be a lie for her to say that she wasn’t disheartened that her foster father had abandoned her and broke off her engagement, but she never harbored any hatred towards Vivian.

She never loved Princes Ares or coveted the position of the future queen in the first place.

This incident was instigated by someone and she was framed for something she never did. If she pondered over the happenings of the incident, then there would be many strange points in the entire incident. In other words, Nikan hadn’t made the least effort to understand Navia’s point nor did he even care to investigate the matter more thoroughly.

“How could you try to harm the Prince’s fiancee? Hurting her is the same as instigating an imperial assassinationg!”

There was a tinge of sadness in Nikan’s voice. It was a pity that he had to kill his most useful pawn with his own hands.

Navia was no longer blinded by her desire for a family, so she knew why Nikan appeared somewhat sorrowful.

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“If I truly hated Vivian and wished to harm her, then I wouldn’t have planned something as obvious as poisoning the tea leaves I gave her.”

She knew better to do something so brainless and obvious since she was eight.

Nikan’s eyes instantly turned cold at her bold words. He immediately drew his sword from his waist.

“You dare!”

Just before Navia’s throat was cut, another man entered the office.

“Father.”

A low and husky voice echoed in the silent room. Navia turned to look at the man who had just entered the room.

The man had red hair that resembled Nikan. His name was Wood; he was the eldest son of the Duke.

“His Highness, Prince Ares is here.”

Nikan frowned at the news.

“What a disgrace to the imperial family!”

“Go, I will take care of this child.”

“Okay.”

The Duke left the office and handed the situation to Wood.

“Heh.”

A sharp sneer could be heard. Wood approached her and squatted down in front of her.

He was genuinely entertained and satisfied with Navia’s current appearance. Navia’s eyes  flashed with anger.

ou’re a being that is more inferior than animals.”

“What?”

When Wood dropped his pretense, Navia’s blood ran cold.

“I know that you, my brother, was the one who poisoned the tea.”

“Ah, it seems like I got caught.”

Wood shrugged his shoulders lightly.

“If she had drank that tea, Vivian would have really died. Don’t you feel any bit of remorse for what you have done?”

“Vivian is lucky enough and didn’t die. What more do you need?”

Navia gripped the carpet in anger. She looked down at the floor and closed her eyes.

In the first place, it was impossible to find unbiased people in the aristocratic society. It was normal for aristocracts to look down on commoners. It’s more accurate that there was no choice but to think that way.

It was vicious to be treated like this just because he was trying to fight for the right to inherit the dukedom.