Chapter 2: The Cold Duke's Eyes

The news of Evelina Rosenthal’s broken engagement spread throughout the capital faster than anyone could have imagined.

By the following morning, the noble circles were already drowning in gossip.

Some said Evelina had been humiliated beyond repair. Others claimed she had lost her mind after discovering that Crown Prince Adrian had chosen Princess Alice over her. There were even rumors that the former fiancée had locked herself inside her bedroom and spent the entire night crying.

But the rumors were wrong.

Evelina had not cried.

She had worked.

Within forty-eight hours of breaking off her engagement, Evelina summoned every treasurer responsible for the Rosenthal family’s finances. She carefully reviewed years of financial records, contracts, inventories, and transaction reports.

With the System’s analytical interface assisting her, suspicious figures immediately stood out.

[SYSTEM ANALYSIS COMPLETE.]

[Irregular financial transactions detected.]

[Estimated stolen assets: 3,870,000 gold coins.]

Evelina stared at the glowing information before her.

Three million eight hundred seventy thousand gold coins.

That amount was enough to support an entire noble household for several years.

Her lips curled into a cold smile.

“So this is where the money went.”

She summoned the three treasurers responsible.

None of them lasted more than an hour under her questioning.

By sunset, all three had been dismissed.

By midnight, their hidden properties and secret accounts had been exposed.

And by the next morning, the Rosenthal family’s financial situation had changed completely.

Evelina had reclaimed the money that had been stolen from her family for years.

She had expected resistance.

Instead, she discovered something far more interesting.

Power was not always given.

Sometimes, it only needed to be taken.

That evening, Evelina attended the Autumn Gala at the Imperial Palace.

She had no intention of looking for a new husband.

She had something far more important to accomplish.

She needed allies.

And she needed to know which people in the capital were worth trusting.

As she stood alone on the grand balcony overlooking the ballroom, the System suddenly appeared.

[SYSTEM ALERT.]

[New Main Target Nearby.]

[Target: Duke Lucien Valemont.]

[Caution: This character possesses extremely high lethal potential.]

Evelina’s fingers tightened around the glass in her hand.

Lucien Valemont.

Of all the people she could have encountered tonight, it had to be him.

In her previous life, Duke Lucien had been one of the most feared men in the empire.

A ruthless military commander.

A man who had crushed rebellions without mercy.

A man whose name alone could silence an entire room.

And, according to the original story, he would eventually become one of the people responsible for Evelina’s death.

She slowly turned toward the ballroom.

Then a deep, smooth voice spoke behind her.

“You look like you’re planning a murder, Lady Evelina.”

Evelina stopped.

She turned around.

A tall man stood several steps away, half-hidden beneath the shadows of the balcony.

Duke Lucien Valemont.

His dark military uniform emphasized his broad shoulders, while his obsidian hair fell naturally across his forehead. His face was sharp and striking, but it was his eyes that captured Evelina’s attention.

Ice-blue.

Cold.

Calculating.

Dangerous.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then Evelina smiled.

“And you look like you’re bored of watching the sheep dance, Duke Valemont.”

Lucien’s eyebrow lifted.

A faint smirk appeared on his lips.

“I heard you broke off your engagement with the Crown Prince.”

“I did.”

“I also heard you poured wine on Princess Alice’s dress.”

“She deserved it.”

His smirk deepened.

“And now the entire capital believes you went mad from heartbreak.”

Evelina took a slow sip of her wine.

“Rumors are written by idiots for fools to believe.”

Lucien chuckled softly.

Evelina placed her glass on the balcony railing.

“I didn't lose a fiancé, Duke Valemont.”

She looked directly into his eyes.

“I removed a useless asset.”

For the first time, genuine amusement appeared in Lucien’s expression.

He stepped closer.

“A useless asset?” he repeated. “Bold words from a lady whose family is surrounded by royal spies.”

Evelina did not retreat.

Instead, she stepped toward him.

“Spies can be bought.”

She paused.

“Or killed.”

Lucien’s eyes narrowed slightly.

The air between them suddenly felt heavier.

“And which option would you choose?” he asked.

“That depends on whether they are useful.”

A quiet laugh escaped him.

“You're different from the woman I heard about.”

“You've been listening to rumors again?”

“I prefer watching people myself.”

Evelina’s gaze sharpened.

“Then tell me, Duke. Why are you watching me?”

For several seconds, Lucien said nothing.

Then the System appeared before her eyes.

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION.]

[Duke Lucien Valemont’s Favorability: +15%.]

[Current Status: Intrigued.]

Evelina nearly frowned.

Fifteen percent?

Already?

Lucien leaned slightly closer, his voice dropping into a low murmur.

“I don't follow weak people.”

His gloved fingers brushed lightly against her arm as he walked past her.

“But a woman who burns her own bridges just to build a fortress…”

He glanced back at her.

“That is someone worth watching.”

Evelina turned toward him.

“Watch all you want, Duke.”

Her lips curved into a dangerous smile.

“Just don't get in my way.”

She leaned closer, her voice becoming nothing more than a whisper.

“You might end up burned too.”

For a moment, Lucien simply stared at her.

Then he laughed.

It was low and dark enough to send a shiver through the nearby nobles who had accidentally overheard their conversation.

“I'd like to see you try, Lady Evelina.”

Their eyes met once again.

Neither of them looked away.

And neither realized that this single encounter had just changed the fate written for both of them.

The woman destined to die had finally met the man destined to kill her.

But this time, Evelina had no intention of following the original story.