The captain realized that the duke's attachment to the fallen Vanery Kissell had never been deep. He had cast her aside the moment the Kissells crumbled, and now he was moving on to another woman.
A truly ruthless man, he thought.
"Everyhing here is out of jurisdiction. We are only to inform the Kissells that they must leave the capital, and that Miss Vanery Kissell must report to the convent immediately tomorrow. Your Grace, my apologies," the captain said.
"There's no need for imperial elite guards to deliver such minor announcements next time," Bern said evenly.
Truly, Dorian's staff all have sharp tongues. Is that a requirement? Nyasia thought, half-amused, half-incredulous.
The captain left the main hall immediately, leaving the Kissells and the rest of the trusted Viridian House staff behind.
"Please—for old times' sake—" Dilon begged, turning to the duke. But the guards took him away as he let out a mournful cry.
Vanery cried even louder.
"A nunnery? Now they're putting me in a nunnery because they thought you'd save me again, Your Grace. It was obvious! I didn't do anything at all! I don't deserve to be there!"
Looking at Vanery's disheveled face, with puffy eyes and a red nose, Nyasia felt disgusted. She only started crying and begging once she got caught. And now she wants justice?
It was clear that Dorian had outwitted Vanery. Nyasia recalled the facts: the back door left open, the lights kept low, almost no one around. But Dorian would never allow that, unless he wanted it that way. Unless he had planned all of this. But he had known Vanery's desperation. Perhaps, he made it known that he would be at Viridian House tonight. By evening, all the pieces had fallen into place: the Oshen heir, Vanery, even the imperial captain.
"Ruthless," she whispered.
Nyasia felt her hand being taken. He motioned toward the sofa. Cherry and the other maids quickly ushered her there, while he went to a side desk.
...
MEANWHILE, VANERY was still standing, staring at the veiled woman before her. She had never seen Dorian with a woman before. Certainly never seen him treat anyone like this. Then she watched as Dorian joined the woman, crossing his legs casually after he sat down. He drank his wine.
"Why didn't you help Father?" Vanery wept. "We were allies for years. Together, we'd be formidable. But when your father passed, you just—"
"He and I saw things differently," Dorian replied, offering only a cold sidelong look before drinking. "I've never liked your father."
Nyasia blinked.
Doesn't he dislike Father too?
"What did the Kissells lack? What did I lack?" Vanery's voice rose, close to a scream. "Why am I—someone you've known since childhood—treated this way?"
She had thought he had changed—that he had started warming up to her over the past few weeks. But now he sat there with a woman beside her, and his eyes looked at her blankly.
"Miss Kissell," Nyasia said. Her words made Dorian glance at her, surprised by her sudden speech. No, the staff was surprised she spoke at all.
"You're still worried about a man's opinion? Your family is already ruined, yet you stay here, desperate for him. If you had left with your family, your dignity would still be intact."
Vanery laughed bitterly.
"You try to sound reasonable, but deep down you're laughing at me, aren't you? You think you've got the upper hand now just because you caught a big fish? But a woman like you won't last long! He'd always marry a noble lady, not some nobody!"
To the shock of everyone, Nyasia immediately removed her veil, revealing her face. Cherry blinked, staring at the extraordinary beauty sitting there—calm and composed, yet the corners of her eyes were sharp and deep.
Vanery's eyes widened, shock.
"You—how—"
But she couldn't speak.
Her! Isn't she the Rashet heiress?
She remembered how Dorian ignored her completely at the banquet. But... she was his woman all along?
"You think think too much," Nyasia said with a little chuckle. "If your schemes work tonight, I still won't envy you. It would only prove that I deserve a different man."
Dorian's mouth curved stiffly.
Different man?
Vanery slumped to the floor, her tears burning, as she looked at Nyasia. He was in love with Nyasia Rashet? But how did they have so much history? So he endured pretending not to know Nyasia at that banquet so that the princess would be jealous of me instead of her? So that my family would be destroyed? And now she's revealed her face, because he'd defend her?"
"I've been hidden all my life, Miss Kissell,"Nyasiasaid. "But not anymore. If I can't face you with my own face, I'm a hypocrite."
"She's here because I made her come," Dorian said icily. "I wanted her to watch what becomes of women who try to take her place."
Then he rose, walked to the desk, then threw a piece of paper at Vanery. He poured more wine, and spoke without looking at her.
"Your father was corrupt. Stole a lot state funds. And plenty of people who were involved want him dead," he said. "And I don't think your family will survive in the province."
He sipped.
"If you still think about them, I can ship them out of Tenusa. I have connections abroad."
Then he looked at her.
"But I'll take your father's papers."
Vanery's gaze lowered until it landed on the paper. It was a deal. Nothing more. The cold, hard truth slapped at her—that she was nothing to him. Her hand trembled as she signed it. She signed not out of love for her family, but out of a grim certainty: Dorian Alexei Varyn might kill her. There was something in his deep, dead eyes that she must never provoke!
*