Chapter 2 The Girl Who Returned

Chapter 2

The Girl Who Returned

Morning sunlight spilled across the marble floors of the Vale mansion.

Everything looked exactly the same.

The grand chandeliers.

The expensive paintings.

The scent of fresh roses placed carefully around her room.

Seraphina sat silently before her vanity mirror, staring at her own reflection.

Alive.

The word still felt unreal.

Slowly, she raised trembling fingers toward her neck.

No burns.

No scars.

But she could still feel the fire.

The smoke choking her lungs.

The unbearable heat.

The sound of Evelyn laughing while she died.

Her fingers tightened against the edge of the table.

A sharp knock echoed through the room.

“Lady Seraphina?” a maid called carefully. “Lord Adrian is waiting downstairs.”

Silence.

The maid hesitated outside the door.

Normally, Seraphina would have rushed downstairs immediately after hearing his name.

She used to adore Adrian.

Used to wait for him like a lovesick fool.

A cold smile slowly formed on her lips.

How disgusting.

“Tell him,” she said softly, “to wait.”

The maid froze.

“…Pardon?”

Seraphina’s gaze remained fixed on the mirror.

“I said wait.”

Her voice was calm.

Gentle even.

But something about it made the maid leave immediately without another word.

The room fell silent once more.

Seraphina exhaled slowly.

In her previous life, she spent years trying to earn Adrian’s affection.

Now?

Even hearing his name made her skin crawl.

A memory flashed through her mind.

“You should’ve stayed obedient.”

Her expression darkened instantly.

Obedient.

That was what they wanted from her.

A pretty puppet.

Easy to manipulate.

Easy to sacrifice.

Not this time.

Seraphina stood gracefully from her chair and walked toward her wardrobe.

Her fingers brushed against soft pastel dresses before stopping.

In her previous life, Adrian once mentioned he preferred women who looked “gentle.”

Back then, she changed herself to please him.

Now?

Her hand moved toward a black dress.

Elegant.

Sharp.

Dangerous.

A faint smile touched her lips.

Perfect.

—

Downstairs, Adrian Cross sat comfortably inside the grand sitting room.

Tall.

Handsome.

Perfectly composed.

Exactly like she remembered.

A monster wearing beauty like a mask.

The moment Seraphina entered the room, Adrian looked up.

Then paused.

Something felt different.

She noticed immediately.

Good.

“Seraphina,” he said warmly, standing to greet her. “You seem tired. Did you sleep poorly?”

The concern in his voice was flawless.

Anyone else would’ve fallen for it.

But Seraphina remembered watching him walk away while she burned alive.

“I slept well,” she replied calmly.

Adrian studied her carefully.

Normally, she would already be smiling by now.

Instead, she simply sat across from him gracefully.

No excitement.

No affection.

No warmth.

For the first time since meeting her—

Adrian felt slightly uncomfortable.

“You missed dinner with my family yesterday,” he said. “My mother was disappointed.”

Ah.

Here it comes.

The guilt.

The manipulation disguised as politeness.

Seraphina almost laughed.

In her previous life, she apologized for hours after this conversation.

This time—

“I’m sure she survived the tragedy,” Seraphina said lightly before taking a sip of tea.

Silence filled the room.

Adrian blinked once.

“…What?”

Seraphina tilted her head innocently.

“Was I supposed to cry and beg forgiveness?”

The air changed instantly.

Even the servants nearby looked shocked.

Because Lady Seraphina Vale—

was never sarcastic.

Adrian stared at her.

Trying to understand what felt so wrong.

But Seraphina only smiled softly while holding her teacup.

Elegant.

Beautiful.

And suddenly unreadable.

For the first time—

Adrian realized he could no longer predict her.

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