Chapter 3: The Morning After

I woke up to whispers.

Not the cute kind. The "let's ruin her reputation before breakfast" kind.

They were in the hallways. In the maids' eyes. In the way my tea was set down like it might explode.

"Lady Seraphina ruined the ball."

"She disrespected His Grace the Duke."

"I heard she threw herself at the wine."

I didn't throw myself. I sabotaged it. There's a difference, thank you very much.

Mira looked like she hadn't slept. Dark circles, trembling hands, but she still managed to curtsy.

"My Lady... The rumors."

"Let them." I took a long sip. Water. Thank the gods for paranoid Dukes with good survival instincts.

"What else?"

"Lady Elara Whitlock is here."

Mira said it like it was a death sentence. "She says she came to check on you.

After...

The incident."

Of course she did.

The Saintess. The golden girl. The one I was supposed to publicly slap in Chapter 3 before choking to death on poison.

Fantastic. Day 2 of being reborn and I already have to deal with a walking halo before 9am.

Elara was waiting in the sitting room. Of course she was. Sitting perfectly straight, hands folded, wearing white.

White.

At 9am.

Who does that?

"Lady Seraphina." She stood immediately. Her voice was honey and sympathy. "I was so worried when I heard."

"Worried?" I let my eyebrows go up. "About what?"

"About you."

She took a step closer. She smelled like lilies.

Of course she did.

"The ball was... Chaotic. And I heard about your room."

My blood went cold.

"What about my room?"

Her eyes widened. Too innocent. "Oh. Nothing. I just heard a servant mention something was... Out of place."

She tilted her head. "Was there a flower there? A white one? I do love lilies. They're for remembrance, you know."

Right. Remembrance. Funeral remembrance.

She knew. Or she was guessing. Either way, she was testing me.

I smiled. The slow, sharp one Seraphina used before she ruined someone's life.

"How thoughtful of you to visit, Lady Elara. I'm perfectly fine. No thanks to the wine."

Her smile flickered. Just for a second.

"I'm glad to hear it. The Duke seemed... Concerned as well."

And there it was. The knife.

Before I could answer, a footman appeared in the doorway.

"A letter for you, my Lady."

Not from Cassian. The seal was black. No crest.

Inside, in that same furious, slashed handwriting:

Chapter 3: You embarrass the family at afternoon tea. The Viscount's wife. Be there.

Someone was still trying to run the script.

Someone who knew what was supposed to happen today.

Elara was still watching me. Waiting for me to break.

I folded the note and tucked it into my sleeve.

"Tea, you said?" I looked at her. "How lovely. I was just thinking I needed to embarrass someone today."

Her smile went stiff.

"I'll see you there, then."

---

The moment she left, another note arrived. This one was different. Neat. Duke's handwriting.

Say nothing of last night.

That was it. No "are you alive". No "did you sleep". Just orders.

He was protecting me. Or protecting himself. Or both.

Mira peeked in after Elara's carriage left. "My Lady?"

I stood up and smoothed my skirt. The blue one from last night. The one I didn't die in.

"If they want the villainess," I said quietly, "then they'll get her."

I met Mira's eyes in the mirror.

"But on my terms. Not the book's."

Outside, the garden was quiet.

Too quiet.

And somewhere, I knew someone was watching. Waiting to see if I'd follow the script at tea.

I wouldn't.

Did you catch Elara's lily comment?? Who do you think sent the tea note?? Comment "TEAM BURNT SCRIPT" if you want Seraphina to ruin afternoon tea too