The rain fell like silver needles against the towering walls of House Valemont.
Inside the grand ballroom, nobles laughed beneath crystal chandeliers while Seraphina Valemont stood alone in the center of the hall, humiliated, trembling, and covered in wine.
No one dared help her.
No one ever did.
"Lady Seraphina," a noblewoman whispered loudly enough for everyone to hear, "how pitiful."
Laughter rippled through the crowd.
Seraphina lowered her head, black hair hiding the tears threatening to spill from her crimson eyes. Her hands clenched the ruined fabric of her gown while the orchestra awkwardly continued playing as if nothing had happened.
At the very front of the ballroom stood the man who had destroyed her.
Lucien Everhart.
Her fiancé.
The genius scholar of Lunaris Academy. The empire's pride. The man she had loved since childhood. And the man who looked at her as if she were filth.
Beside him stood Lady Elena Ashbourne, the academy's beloved saintess candidate, her silver curls shining beneath the candlelight. She was delicate, gentle, and above all, perfect.
She was everything Seraphina was not.
"I already warned you not to harass Elena again," Lucien said coldly.
Seraphina's chest tightened. "I--I didn't do anything."
"You expect anyone to believe that?" another noble scoffed.
"She threatened Lady Elena last week."
"She even bribed servants to spread rumors."
"How shameless."
Every accusation struck like blades.
Seraphina opened her mouth to defend herself, but no sound came out.
Because none of it mattered.
The empire had already decided she was a villainess.
And villains were never allowed to explain themselves.
Lucien stepped forward, his silver academy insignia gleaming against his dark uniform.
"You are a disgrace to House Valemont." His voice was calm.
The words shattered the last fragile thread of hope inside her.
For years, Seraphina had endured ridicule just to remain by his side. She lowered her pride for him. Protected him from nobles who mocked his ordinary bloodline. Even begged her father to support his education at Lunaris Academy. And this was her reward.
Public humiliation, rejection, and endless hatred.
Lucien removed the engagement ring from his pocket and dropped it onto the marble floor. The sharp clang echoed through the ballroom. Gasps followed.
"I hereby annul our engagement."
Seraphina stared at the ring. Her vision blurred. She stood frozen.
The entire hall erupted into whispers.
"How embarrassing…"
"She finally got discarded."
"As expected of the villainess."
Her body shook violently, not from anger, but despair.
Because despite everything…
She still loved him.
"Lucien…" she whispered brokenly. "Please…"
For the first time, emotion flickered in his eyes. He was disgusted by her.
"I could never love someone like you."
Silence filled the hall.
Then, a deep voice cut through the ballroom.
"Enough."
The grand doors opened.
Every noble immediately bowed.
The Crown Prince had arrived.
Kael Draven.
The empire's strongest Alpha.
His black military coat dripped with rainwater as he entered the hall like death itself. Tall, terrifying, and beyond beautiful. His golden eyes swept across the room before settling on Seraphina.
The atmosphere froze instantly. Werewolves instinctively lowered their heads before stronger bloodlines. And Kael Draven stood at the very top of the empire.
Seraphina stiffened when his gaze landed on the wine staining her dress and the tears on her face.
For some reason…
His expression darkened.
"Who did this?" he asked quietly.
No one answered.
No one dared.
Even Lucien looked tense.
Kael slowly walked toward Seraphina until he stood directly before her. The scent of rain, smoke, and danger surrounded him. Then, he removed his black coat and draped it over her trembling shoulders.
The entire ballroom gasped.
A Crown Prince offering his coat to a disgraced villainess?
Impossible.
Kael's voice was cold enough to freeze blood. "You dare humiliate a daughter of House Valemont in front of me?"
Lucien frowned. "Your Highness, Lady Seraphina has repeatedly harmed Lady Elena. I merely ended an engagement that should never have existed."
Kael's golden eyes narrowed. "And humiliating a woman publicly makes you honorable?"
Lucien fell silent.
For the first time that night, Seraphina looked up. Her breath caught. The Crown Prince's gaze held no mockery or hatred. Only something she could not understand. And somehow…
That hurt even more.
Because kindness, after years of cruelty, felt unbearable.
Kael extended a hand toward her. "Come with me."
The entire ballroom held its breath. Seraphina stared at his hand. A prince was offering to save her. Yet all she could think about was Lucien standing beside another woman. Her heart cracked apart completely. Slowly, she stepped back.
"I'm tired," she whispered.
Kael frowned slightly. Before anyone could react, Seraphina turned and ran. The ballroom erupted into chaos.
"Lady Seraphina!"
"She's heading outside!"
Rain poured violently as Seraphina stumbled through the palace gardens. Mud stained her heels while cold wind tore through her soaked dress.
Her chest hurt.
Everything hurt.
Why?
Why was she never enough?
She gave Lucien everything.
Her love.
Her pride.
Her devotion.
Yet he discarded her like trash.
Tears mixed with rain as she reached the edge of the cliff overlooking the dark sea below. The storm roared. Behind her, footsteps approached rapidly.
"Seraphina!"
Kael...
She laughed weakly.
Even now, someone was trying to save her.
How ironic.
Slowly, she turned toward the Crown Prince.
"You know…" she whispered, "I really loved him."
Kael's expression tightened.
For the first time in years, Seraphina smiled.
A broken smile.
Then she stepped backward.
Kael's eyes widened.
"Stop--!"
Too late.
Her body fell into darkness. The last thing Seraphina saw was the Crown Prince reaching desperately toward her as the storm swallowed everything whole.
Heavy silence followed.
Seoul, South Korea.
Selene Vale slammed the contract onto the conference table.
"This acquisition proceeds tomorrow," she said coldly. "Any objections?"
None.
No one dared challenge the CEO of Vale Group.
At twenty-nine, Selene was infamous in the corporate world. She was ruthless, brilliant, and untouchable.
Men feared her. Women envied her. And investors worshipped her.
She had built an empire with her own hands.
No love.
No family.
No weakness.
Exactly how she preferred it.
Her assistant hurried into the room, pale-faced. "CEO Selene, your car is waiting."
Selene checked her watch before grabbing her coat.
Another exhausting day.
The city lights blurred outside the car windows as rain poured endlessly across Seoul.
How annoying.
She leaned back, exhausted, when suddenly--
*SCREECH!*
A truck barreled through the intersection. The driver screamed. The impact was strong. Metal crushed violently. Pain exploded across her body. Then darkness consumed everything.
*Drip.*
*Drip.*
*Drip.*
Selene slowly opened her eyes.
A luxurious canopy ceiling greeted her.
Her head throbbed painfully.
"…What?"
The room was unfamiliar.
Ancient...?
Massive mirrors lined the walls while candlelight flickered softly nearby.
Before she could move, a maid burst into tears beside the bed.
"Lady Seraphina!"
Selene froze.
Lady… what?
The maid sobbed uncontrollably. "Thank the Moon Goddess you survived! His Highness carried you back himself!"
Fragments of memories suddenly slammed into Selene's mind.
A ballroom.
A broken engagement.
A cliff.
Lucien.
Kael.
Pain tore through her skull.
Selene gasped sharply.
No.
No way.
She shot upright in bed and stared at her reflection in the mirror.
Long black hair. Crimson eyes. Unearthly beauty. And a face she recognized instantly.
Because three days ago, she had been reading a werewolf fantasy novel during a business flight.
A novel about a doomed villainess named--
"Seraphina Valemont," she whispered.
The villainess who dies in the first chapter.
Silence filled the room.
Then Selene slowly smiled, coldly.
Interesting... piece of crap!
If fate expected her to die pathetically for a man, then fate was about to be disappointed.