ANYA POV:
My gaze was burning, my mind sharper than it had ever been. I stared Elara down, my voice dropping to a freezing temperature. "I want an explanation."
In my past life, when this exact incident happened, Elara had used her pathetic tears to gloss over the whole thing. I had my doubts back then, but believing my sweet sister would never hurt me intentionally, I had kept my mouth shut.
Looking back now, it was so obvious. This entire "accident" of me falling into the water had been meticulously orchestrated by this woman. Her ultimate goal? To spread the rumor that I was disfigured and hideous, making the entire capital whisper that I was unworthy of Prince Davian.
My sudden demand stunned everyone in the room. My parents, Lord Alistair and Lady Eleanor, along with my brother Caleb, all froze. They had assumed this was just a tragic accident by the water, but my words instantly shifted the atmosphere.
I could see the panic flashing in Elara's eyes as she looked at me sitting on the bed. She was undoubtedly wondering why her usually gullible, obedient sister was suddenly acting so out of character. For a moment, she looked entirely at a loss.
Right on cue, Elara's maid, Tessa, dropped to her knees with a loud thud. "It's all my fault! When Lady Jocelyn visited last time, I accidentally let the secret slip. Please, Lady Anya, do not blame Lady Elara! She truly knew nothing about it!"
Elara immediately turned to Tessa, her face a mask of scolding disbelief. "How could you be so careless?" Then, she turned her teary eyes back to me. "Sister, it was an honest mistake. Tessa didn't mean to do it. Please, just forgive her this once!"
Watching the two of them put on this pathetic master-and-servant theatrical display, trying to wash their hands of any real blame, I sneered inwardly. Elara was indeed a master manipulator, having trained her maid to cooperate so flawlessly.
Unfortunately for them, the current me would no longer be blinded by a few fake tears.
"An honest mistake?" My dark eyes locked onto them, gleaming with a piercing, unforgiving light. "I say it was a deliberate trap to ruin me."
I didn't give them a chance to interrupt. "She knew perfectly well that Jocelyn Kensington despises me. She also knows exactly how important a woman's appearance is. Yet, she just happened to let it slip to her? Now, the news of my 'ruined, hideous face' has spread across the entire capital. They are even saying I fought Jocelyn over Prince Davian like a jealous, crazy woman. Where does that leave my reputation?"
I leaned forward slightly, my voice ringing with absolute authority. "If we go by your excuse, sister, and this was merely an 'honest mistake'... then what use is a maid so incredibly stupid that she cannot comprehend the severity of her own words?"
My rapid-fire questions suffocated Elara. She opened her mouth, but for the life of her, she couldn't formulate a single word in defense.
Standing nearby, my father, Lord Alistair, had heard enough. Seeing his usually tolerant daughter speaking with such fierce, justified anger, his Alpha aura flared.
"Guards!" my father roared. "Drag this maid out! Give her fifty lashes and banish her from the estate!"
Tessa's face drained of all color. "Lady Elara, save me!"
However, before Elara could even plead her case, Lord Alistair turned his furious gaze on her. "While this might have been your maid's mistake, Elara, your failure to manage your servants makes you complicit. You will be confined to your quarters to reflect on your actions!"
Elara's face went deathly pale. She opened her mouth to cry and complain, but seeing that our parents' attention was entirely focused on me, she swallowed her protests. She could only nod in bitter resentment. "Yes, Father..."
The next morning, after a full night's rest, the reality finally settled into my bones. I had truly returned to my seventeen-year-old self. Had the heavens taken pity on my dying obsession?
In this life, I will never let these traitors succeed again.
I made a silent vow to myself. The heavens had given me a second chance, and I would cherish it. I would return every single ounce of pain to those ungrateful, despicable monsters.
"My lady, please don't dwell on it too much."
Clara's voice pulled me from my thoughts. Seeing me staring blankly, my loyal maid assumed I was agonizing over my ruined reputation from yesterday's drama.
"The people in the capital have short memories," Clara tried to comfort me. "In a few days, when something else happens, they will forget all about it."
I glanced at Clara, sighing inwardly. You are thinking far too simply, Clara. The people of the capital might have short memories, but Elara and Prince Davian would never pass up an opportunity to destroy my name. Right now, they were probably fanning the flames, making sure the scandal became known to every man, woman, and child.
I turned my attention to the bronze mirror on the vanity. There it was—a large, dark mark taking up a significant portion of my forehead.
Clara stood behind me, beginning to brush my hair. Just like she always did, in an attempt to "hide" the mark, she styled my hair in a messy, chaotic fringe.
Looking at my reflection, I realized that this deliberate attempt to cover it up only made me look unkempt, drawing even more negative attention to my face.
