chapter 5

Chapter: The Choice

The heavy oak doors clicked shut, leaving only the two cousins in the spacious guest room.

For a long moment, silence filled the air until a soft, mocking chuckle broke it, quickly turning into loud laughter.

Bella fell back onto the velvet couch, clutching her stomach and smiling at Ria with pure satisfaction. “Oh, cousin… look at your face. This look of total despair suits you wonderfully.”

Ria didn’t cry. She didn’t scream. The trembling pain in her eyes disappeared, replaced by a cold calm that made Bella's laughter falter slightly.

“Do you really think I don’t know how that watch ended up in those cushions, Bella?” Ria asked quietly, her voice steady but chilling. “Just because I chose not to throw a fit in front of the prince doesn’t mean I’m powerless.”

Bella crossed her arms and tilted her head with a defensive sneer. “Are you just trying to justify your own pathetic failure now?”

Ria let out a low, dismissive scoff. “Think what you want to help you sleep, Bella. I don’t owe you—or anyone else in this palace—an explanation anymore.”

With that, she turned on her heel and walked out, her leather boots clicking rhythmically against the stone, each step sounding like the final snaps of her broken ties.

The Unopened Lock

When Ria returned to her family’s estate, she ignored the servants, walked straight to her bedchambers, and turned the iron key in the lock.

She took off her heavy traveling cloak, dropping it on the floor, and lay down on her bed. She stared blankly at the white plaster ceiling, trying to calm her shallow, shaking breaths.

But as soon as she closed her eyes, Melvin’s doubting, cold expression flashed behind her eyelids. Warm tears slipped from the corners of her eyes, tracing hot paths down her face.

Ria shot upright, wiping her face with the back of her hand.

“Ria,” she whispered into the empty room, her voice cracking slightly before hardening. “Stop this. This isn’t who you are. Wake up.”

She marched to her dressing table and sat down to face her reflection. Her eyes were red, her skin pale, but beneath the exhaustion, a faint, bittersweet smile finally graced her lips.

“Isn’t it time I started living for myself?” she whispered to the mirror.

Her gaze dropped to the small wooden drawer on the right side of the desk—the one she had kept locked and ignored for months. Something deep within her stirred.

She retrieved the small brass key from her jewelry box, inserted it, and opened the drawer. At the bottom lay a thick, pristine envelope sealed with a heavy violet wax crest.

Her heart raced as her fingers brushed the fine paper. She broke the seal and unfolded the letter she had hidden away, too afraid to leave Melvin's side.

The elegant, silver-inked calligraphy read:

“Congratulations, Lady Rianide. You have been officially accepted into the Janus Prestigious Academy.”

Ria stared in disbelief, a wave of clarity washing over her. She had minimized herself, stayed in the capital, and endured Bella’s venom for a boy who wouldn’t even trust her.

Her grip tightened around the parchment, her decision solidifying in an instant.

“I am done staying small,” she whispered, a fierce new light igniting in her eyes. “It’s time to leave.”

The Path to Janus

That evening, Ria entered the grand drawing room. Her parents sat by the hearth, reviewing the monthly estate ledgers.

“Mother. Father,” Ria announced, her voice steady. “I have an important announcement to make.”

The Duke and Duchess exchanged surprised looks before looking up. “Yes, dear? What is it?” her mother asked gently.

Ria stood tall, fists clenched at her sides. “I have decided to accept my invitation. I am enrolling in the Janus Prestigious Academy, and I will be leaving the capital before the new term starts.”

The room fell silent. The Duke slowly closed his ledger, staring at his daughter in shock. “Ria… are you sure?”

“Yes,” she replied, her voice strong and clear. “I have never been more sure of anything in my life.”

The Duchess’s eyes softened with a mix of pride and quiet sorrow. They had always known Ria’s deep affection for the Crown Prince and worried she might throw away her potential just to be a shadow in his palace.

The Duke let out a long sigh, a proud smile breaking across his face. “So… you are finally letting that cage go?”

The question hung in the warm air. Ria paused, a flicker of vulnerability crossing her face before she offered them a radiant, genuine smile.

“Yes, Father. I am letting it go. I want to build a life that belongs to me.”

The Duchess wiped a tear from her eye and stepped forward to pull her daughter into a warm embrace. “Then you have our full support, no matter where your path leads, our darling girl.”

“Thank you,” Ria whispered, burying her face in her mother's shoulder.

After a quiet moment, she pulled back and remembered a detail from the enrollment documents. “Oh, there is one important condition, Father. The academy demands complete anonymity. I am not allowed to reveal the name of the institution, or my true noble identity, to anyone outside this room until I graduate.”

The Duke chuckled softly and nodded. “Of course, my dear. We know the strict rules of the Janus Academy. It is the most elite institution in the world for a reason. Its privacy laws are absolute.”

“You will simply use a standard cover name for your school records whenever correspondence is sent to the capital,” her mother added with a knowing wink.

Ria blinked, amused. “You both already knew all of this?”

“We raised an incredibly bright daughter, Ria,” her father said warmly, standing up to pat her shoulder. “We knew it was only a matter of time before they came looking for you.” His expression then turned serious. “We won't pry into what happened at the palace today, child. But… have you told Princess Lucy?”

Ria shook her head slowly. “Not yet. She left for the countryside this afternoon. I will write to her or tell her everything when she returns.”

“That is wise,” her mother smiled, guiding her toward the dining hall. “Now come, let us celebrate the beginning of your real story over dinner.”

A week later, a small royal courier delivered a sealed note to the Raven estate. Ria opened it to find Lucy’s frantic, messy handwriting:

“The countryside is dreadfully boring without you! My grandmother is letting me return early. I am coming back to the capital soon!”

Ria folded the letter neatly and placed it beside her packed trunks.

“Then I will tell you everything when you arrive, Lucy,” she whispered to the empty room. “But by then, I’ll already be gone.”

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