A DAY BEFORE the much-awaited entrance academy; Duke Luwen Rozenreff called for her. Tori was fresh from her covert meeting with the aristocratic faction when Johanes knocked on her room's door. Together with Lily, she walked the long path toward her father's office. A standing Johanes welcomed them who were waiting for her.

"Lady Victoria, the servants of the mansion have missed you. Teresa and the kitchen servants prepared all your favorite dishes."

So, the servants even Johanes aren't aware of the secret meetings going on in this estate? Or Johanes chose not to side with me? Either way, I pray to Gaia that you are not aware of this Johanes because I can't guarantee your safety when you chose to betray me.

Smiling sweetly, Tori replied with equal fervor. "Oh, really? I am so famished by hearing this, Johanes. By the way, what do you think Father wants to talk with me?"

Tori's calculating eyes scanned Johanes before her. A wave of disappointment washed over her when she saw the telltale sign of betrayal from him. His one-second rigidity gave him away.

I thought so.

Still smiling politely at her, Johanes knocked on the Duke's office. "A father can miss his daughter, Lady Victoria. I think that is the case on this summons."

"Let her in," Duke Luwen Rozenreff answered. Tori just nodded with a sweet smile to Johanes, but as soon as she turned her back on him, her smile vanished like it was never there at all. Since it was still a few hours before dinner, the light from the open window welcomed Tori the moment she stepped foot inside her father's office. His looming figure stood near the window while his back was to her. He was just looking outside.

"You called for me, Father?"

Upon hearing her voice, the Duke finally acknowledged her presence by turning to her. The shadows beneath his eyes were the clear evidence that she was victorious in the game they played with the Oolong Tea trends.

The wreckage of Tori's action was the clear reason for the Duke's worn-out expression, an indication that Tori was victorious in this round.

As of now, the aristocratic faction dominated the trading of this well-liked tea across the empire and the other countries as well. The aristocratic faction was gaining the power she wanted to support the second prince. Her ten percent profit share helped Tori as Benefactor T by providing the necessary money to support the KONON production and its future marketing expenditure.

Glancing at her father, she could practically hear the headmaster's voice ringing in her ears. Realizing that the man before her already decided to abandon her made Tori want to lash out but couldn't. The looming scene of the original Victoria's head rolling over the ground was like a terrible reminder for her not to lose her cool.

I want to know how much you know about me and how much you regarded me, Father dearest.

"Take a seat. I have something to tell you." He took the seat next to hers. Sitting elegantly, she took the liberty to drink the readied tea in front of her. She simply hoped it was chamomile tea.

Sipping the tea elegantly, Tori waited for what she would hear from him.

"Victoria, you are my eldest. I and your mother loved you so much. You grew up with everything from love, respect, and wealth. But Sabina came with nothing but terrible memories from her past." Duke Luwen Rozenreff could not even look straight at her. Her uncanny resemblance to her mother saved her eyes was maybe making him feel guilty.

Shit. He started it immediately! The plot is progressing so much more than I expected!

"Is my seat as the heir apparent being threatened, Father?" Shocked was clearly written on her face with her cracking voice. His identical red eyes met her teary ones. "Do you hate me that much? Do you hate the fact that I resembled mom so much that you chose to hurt me? Am I not enough?"

Those words were the ones that the original Victoria uttered as he left her to die from that wretched plot. Tori unconsciously copied those words.

Am I projecting Victoria's feelings?

But looking at her father, Tori realized she had hope. She hoped she would not reach this part of her plan. She hoped the Duke would not betray Victoria as she changed her attitude for him to see her in a different light. But all of those were for nothing. Tori did not know what that wench pulled off while she was busy with other stuff, but she did a number on Victoria.

Just what did you do, Sabina? How can the Duke love you so much?

"Listen to me, Victoria. I don't hate you. I just think that your talent will be helpful as you support Sabina. She needs to belong in high society and without her title as the new heir apparent, she will remain as the illegitimate daughter born from a common whore." His eyes were pleading for her to understand, but Tori could never understand it.

Shaking her head as tears ran down freely down her eyes, Tori lost all sense of façade in front of the man who abandoned his child.

How dare you! Take this pain away! Take it! You are not my father, but why am I feeling this?

Tori failed to realize, no, Tori denied her realization of why she was hurting for the original Victoria. This betrayal reminded her of her mother from her past life.

"Never forget that I am the legitimate daughter, father. I have a hold of the law. I will not back out from my right. I have the right to inherit the Duchy!" The teacups clattered to the pristine floor as the tea splashed into her indoor gown.

Tori saw the sign of sympathy that the Duke was feeling for her as he tried to reach for her, but she immediately recoiled from his touch. The very thought of being pitied by the man before her sickened Tori to the core.

"The law will not be applied if a faction supported the heir apparent. Our family belongs to the noble faction, and they supported my decision."

Do you mean they supported Sabina instead of me? Tell me something new, please.

"You called me here Father just to tell me that there's nothing I can do and just accept my role as someone to support my half-blood sister?"

"Victoria! She is your sister!" The Duke's voice boomed inside his office followed by the door's sudden burst.

"Father please, stop!" The tear-stricken Sabina entered unannounced with a smirking Shena in tow. The wench hugged her father to stop him from striking Tori. But the moment their eyes met, Sabina slyly smirked at Tori mouthing two words 'you lose'. And that almost made Tori snap again. "Sister Victoria did not mean that. You will support me, right sister? I need you as I succeeded in being the next Duchess, a title that your mother held."

Gritting her teeth, Tori composed herself even with her devastating looks. "I need to think alone, father. Sister Sabina, congratulations." Smiling at the two of them, Tori walked out of the office with her head held high as she muted the Duke's voice calling for her.

Tori for the first time lost her will to feel anything. She felt the never-ending coldness to her core. And she was afraid that she just lost her humanity forever.

ROWAN LOOKED up to the sky. The darkened clouds showed an impending storm in the capital. He did not know why, but something eerie was surrounding the estate since Tori arrived. He did not see her wandering around the knights' training ground like usually did every time she came home from Trifecta Academy. Rowan felt the uneasiness within him. He called it an instinct as a knight serving Tori.

"This will be one hell of a rain." Setting aside his sword to its sheath, drenched in sweat, Rowan made his way to the knight's shed to rest since the rain would come soon.

Woah! I almost got drenched by the rain! The moment he stepped into the shed, the rain came pouring in. since he was the only knight who trained very early, he was the only one on the training grounds.

The harsh downfall of every raindrop muted everything around him. The rain's heavy fall made the surroundings vague and foggy. But the vague area was not enough for Rowan to not recognize the running silhouette of Lillian, Tori's trusted handmaiden.

"Lillian, what happened?" Rowan's worried voice snapped the frantic Lillian from being hysterical. "Lillian, answer me! Did something happen to Lady Tori?" He grasped her shaking and wet shoulders.

Her tears overridden the rain, and her worried eyes were unfocused. Lillian was out of her element, and that worried Rowan.

"It's Lady Sabina. She was poisoned and—and they found the evidence in Lady Tori's room. I can't- we can't let them take her—please, we can't let them take her!" Lillian slumped to the ground before him as he momentarily lost his grip on her shoulders.

"Let's go!"