Ismael had told me when Papa had begun his suspicion and threatened him upon knowing that Airene was his mate.
It was how I handled Valerian during the dinner with the Porter family and how he could still move despite his injuries unless I was internally treating his wounds.
“If only you did not heal his wounds by that time, he wouldn’t suspect a thing of you, Dominixe,” Ismael said as we returned to our hometown. “Valerian wouldn’t have almost to kill the eldest son of the House of Porter.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose, succumbing to my turmoil of emotions. I was being careless. Ismael meant that the night it happened shouldn’t make Valerian unable to move. It was my fault since I was eager to make Walter experience my vengeance. Papa saw the flaws in it by seeing Valerian, who could still move swiftly and able to make some attacks.
“That is not a plausible reason…” I opened my eyes and looked at him, sitting across me, trying to deny everything. “What if I am just favoring Valerian out of the fun?”
Ismael creased his forehead. “I get you. But Arthur and Britanny are conversing after that incident since they said you are changing. It was when I heard that they told Papa what they also noticed about me. About-”
“How you looked at Airene every time she was fulfilling her duties as my personal maid?” I arched my eyebrow, guessing if that could be the plausible answer to why Papa had caught him.
He shook his head. “I… I was caught by Papa giving some flowers to Airene. You know that… it symbolizes affection, right?” I nodded. “Papa relies on that scenario and makes him believe Airene is my mate.”
I understood him. Papa hated affection and passion as a form of love. Any form of it could raise his suspicion that he would set his eyes on us.
“You are fucking dumb even to give her during her work!” I couldn’t hide how annoyed I was. “I told you to do it inside my chamber since it is safe. Instead, you took a fucking risk, and now you risked her! You even conspired with Papa, don’t you?”
Ismael gasped, shaking his head vigorously. “I did not admit to him that he is your mate! I swear!”
“Even Airene dies?”
He nodded. “Yes. I am earnest here. I am being honest. Look at me. It is because of you, my mate is safe. I just made a… mistake that risked you and her. That is why-”
“He was threatening you. Does this mean that your volunteering here means you are watching my movements and reporting them to Papa? It could mean you told him we are conspiring with Henry.”
“No! I am not going to that point, Dominixe… You know that I do not believe in Papa. He will eventually kill Airene! And I cannot afford to see her dying before my eyes!” He looked in his hands as if he saw his mate’s blood smeared on them before he exhaled shakily. “I am sorry… I have betrayed you… I cannot justify my actions…”
My face contorted, not buying his words. I couldn’t put my trust in him again.
I lowered my gaze to my left hand, where I was supposed to have a ring that was made from a wire. I gazed at it with longing since I wore nothing.
I couldn’t even feel the mark Valerian did.
That was supposed to be my first marking since it was the first time our feelings were aligned! But it was not there anymore.
“What I said before you passed out… I am serious about it.” That was the only thing I said before I returned my gaze to him. “I am going to kill Airene first before you can kill Valerian. Remember that, Ismael. You betrayed me first.”
He had no idea he killed Valerian before I regressed for the second time. All he knew was I knew that he sold me off. I could tell that he was wondering how I knew it.
I would leave it on his mind as I would never get to explain it properly.
He looked more guilty before he sighed. “I know…” I looked into his eyes, seeing that he was not liking what was happening between us. “What must I do to earn your trust again, Domi?”
“Don’t Domi me. You are not allowed to call me by my nickname anymore.” I smiled bitterly. I knew I should give him another chance, but I couldn’t risk trusting him again.
Ismael looked hurt at my words. “I will show you that I will ask for your forgiveness. I am going to do His Royal Highness’ plans.”
“Then you will break it, and I will certainly k i l l Airene for the consequences of your action.” My smile was as sweet as honey, even though my tone sounded threatening.
“Yes.” Ismael humbled himself, but I saw him shivering under my gaze.
That was the point.
I wanted to emphasize that I would not hesitate to do what I said if I happened to know that he betrayed me again.
Like what happened in the future, Ismael and I greeted our father. He did not ask why we went home first thing in the morning, not last night. At the same time, it also happened by the time Ismael was going to be dispatched.
‘He instructed me to appear in the finale of Valerian’s match with you. He wants to prove that you will not be affected by it,’ Ismael said through mind-link after reading the parchment bestowed by Papa.
I did not react to his words. Before Ismael had this, the same dazzling smile he showed before I regressed for the second time.
“As you command, Papa. I cannot wait to fulfill my next assignment.” Word for word. Ismael said the exact words before in my second timeline.
That made me shiver. So, I was right that I was really regressed, and it really happened to all the events I encountered.
Minus the part when Ismael mind-linked me, which did not happen. Now, I could see the flaws in it. I failed to see that Papa had already given instructions for what Ismael must do, and Ismael did not tell me what was written on the parchment, leading me to believe that it was just nothing but a sort of instruction.
“If you are looking for your pet, he is in Porter’s underground fighting arena.”
The conversation reached the point where Papa informed me about Valerian’s whereabouts. However, this statement hadn’t sat right with me since Papa brought that up. I should have known that was the point where Papa was already testing me.
I should be careful with how I would converse with him.
I acted surprised at first, enough to believe that it was the first time I had heard the news. “Is it? He is there because he displeased the Porter family, right?”
Papa looked surprised at the words I uttered. Right… I changed the way I responded. He must not have expected that, but I knew well since I was regressed, it had granted me my advantage.
“You are… already expecting that would be the course of the Porter family?” He glanced at Ismael.
In my peripheral vision, Ismael slightly shook his head. ‘He asked me if I told him the news. I said that I did not.’
‘Good. Keep going.’ I put on a plain facade and nodded. “Yes, Papa. I know that they wouldn’t let things go like this. Their heir-apparent almost died, so they only considered the best method to ease their disconcertment since I think they were dissatisfied with the punishment implemented by my four siblings. It was partly my fault since I was negligent as his master.” I bowed my head before him. “I humbly ask for your forgiveness, Papa. I know that I disappointed you at that time. I shall promise you that this shall not be going to happen again.”
Right. I already knew where it started. It was how I reflected on my mistakes that night.
“Apology accepted. From now on, you should be careful, Domi.”
Domi…
Papa would only call me by my nickname if his attitude were softening. But I knew better. I wouldn’t be fooled by that anymore.
“It is unrighteous of me that you have condoned me.” But it was not. This was not enough to lift the suspicion Papa had on his mind. “But thank you, Papa.” Thank you, my ass.
To avoid more suspicion, I did not visit Valerian on that day. However, my ass couldn’t sit right since I had wanted to see him.
I wanted to see if my honeydew was alright. He has probably starved to death again. I tried to heal his wounds, but that would put me at risk.
Wait… Papa had already raised his suspicion about me and already instructed Ismael on what he needed to do by using his assignment as a decoy to make an entrance in my last match as Lady Clockwork versus The Rookie Alpha. What if I should pay Valerian a visit?
The ending would still be the same.
Valerian would die in the end.
But… with a different twist this time around.
Taking a toll of a deep breath, I went to visit Ingram, who was resting under the tree. He looked bored, but as soon as he saw me, his face brightened up. “Dominixe!”
I smiled and sat beside him. “How are you?”
“I am doing good,” he beamed. “Papa has finally set an assignment for me.”
I almost gasped upon hearing that. That was also the opportunity that I was looking for. “Is it?”
“Hmm!” He nodded and softened more when I winced his hair. “I will prove to Papa this time that I am befitting to be an Alpha slayer.”
Of course, I almost forgot that this would be when he would surpass Lambert and Ismael with the skills he honed for so many months. He had gotten stronger this time with my guidance.
This meant… that he would take over Lambert’s place after this. Papa had seen Ingram’s potential.
The time had come that my youngest brother would be one of the heir candidates. Papa had been assigned a mission that was beyond imaginable.
Ingram would be doing the worst m a s s a c r e of a certain vast pack. Papa was already testing his skills.
“You will be. But, Ingram…”
“Hmm?”
I folded my knees and covered my mouth by pretending I was yawning. “Would you like to halt Papa’s madness and how he treats us?” I asked through yawning before I reclined on the tree and looked at him. “Because if you are going to ask me, I wish to halt that we have to kill each other in the end.”
I looked up in the sky and asked for Valerian’s forgiveness since I did not see him today. It would have been better to expedite my plans now since I had less than three weeks before I would attack Valerian’s pack.
Ingram stretched out his arms to hide what he was going to say. “Yes, 1st sister. I wish to halt Papa’s madness. That is why… I want to be an heir candidate. I want to ensure you will be the last person to halt this system.”
Ah… It was not that bad to change in a different direction. It was better than I saw Ingram and talked to him right now. Hearing his words made me want to extend my trust more to other people.
“You will be… soon.” I turned at him and winked at him.
Ingram grinned. “Yes. I am looking forward that I will be.” He placed his hand on his left chest and slightly bowed his head. ‘Just tell me when we will do the rebellion, sister. I am going to help you in any way I can.’
I almost smirked, knowing he was smart enough to mind-link me to say those words. That was safer than saying it aloud since someone might be reading our lips to understand our discussion. “That is good to know.” I decided to lie on the grass to hide what I would say. “Also, my dearest brother, I have a favor to ask.”
“Yes? Anything, Domi. What is it?” His tone sounded eager. He really wanted to be helpful to me even though he did not need to do that. He was already beneficial to me.
I looked at the leaves attached to the tree branches before I returned my gaze to him and looked straight into his cognac eyes. “Help me to frame Carolyn by killing Ismael’s mate.”
As soon as I said that, his eyes widened in surprise. “2nd brother has a mate?” I nodded and told him who it was. That earned him to silence. I was expecting that he would disagree with me, but as soon as his thin lips drew out a meaningful smile, his eyes ignited in rage. “Count me in, 1st sister.”
That settled then. This was the moment I needed to secure everything.
Now, let’s see how you would react, Ismael. Do forgive me since I do not just forgive and forget, even if I said that it did not happen yet in this timeline that you would do that.
I would make you believe that Airene died so you would obey your first sister more.
And, of course, Carolyn… I would never forget you the most.