Silva stood watching from afar as she observed her stepsister, June, being praised and congratulated on her birthday.
"It's as if everyone forgot she even exist,"
"I know, right?" one voice whispered. "But I heard she was supposed to marry Branden."
"Branden? You mean the Branden Brando?"
"Yes, indeed."
"What?! Is this some kind of joke?" The second voice sounded incredulous. "Why would he marry her when June is clearly the better candidate? I mean, if he wants someone from the Lucius family, it's obviously June!"
"I know. But thankfully, with a sudden twist of fate, Branden changed his mind and chose June instead."
As the two girls continued gossiping, they suddenly noticed Silva's piercing blue eyes glaring at them from beneath her face mask.
"Well deserved," one of them muttered. "Besides, June and Braden sound and looks better together — they deserve each other."
"I second that, Rein."
"Even with that 'supposedly pretty face,' she still has the worst luck," Rein scoffed.
"Seriously, if I were her..."
"I'd kill myself!"
Silva overheard them and smirked, concealing the anger shimmering behind her eyes.
"Her Status is useless... Being pretty is useless... So what else in life is useful to her?"
"Isn't it better to just kill herself?"
"For real," one of the girls agreed. "I completely agree with you."
Silva glanced at them with a faint smile, her thoughts cold and sharp.
"How bold of June's little puppets."
Just then, the two girls met Silva's gaze — she was smiling at them.
"What's she smiling at?" Rein said angrily.
"I'll remember that!" Silva muttered before turning away and disappearing from their sight.
"Remember what?" Rein sneered mockingly.
"Like I care if she remembers or not," Marree said coldly, watching Silva step out. "Anyways let's go!"
A few minutes later, at June's grand birthday party, Rein and Marree caught up with her and told her everything that had happened.
"Oh, I see," June said with a cold smirk.
"She just keeps doubling down on her crimes, huh?" June sipped the last of her drink and set the glass down.
"Well, leave this to me, girls," she said, her smile sharpening. "After all, tonight belongs to me."
Meanwhile, Silva stood on the balcony, speaking with a maid.
"Yes, ma'am," the maid said before stepping away.
"What do we have here?"
June's voice cut through the air, sharp and smug. She sauntered over, her eyes narrowing on Silva.
"Don't you think it's quite rude to sip a drink at my birthday party?" June sneered, snatching the glass from Silva's hand.
"I mean, look at you," she added, taking a slow sip from the glass. "Shouldn't you be worried I might…"
She paused, her smile curling.
"No," she said with a mock laugh, setting the glass aside.
"Don't you fear I'll overshadow your very existence, Silva?" June leaned in close, her voice turning venomous.
Without warning, June seized Silva's shoulders, her fingers digging in tightly.
"Know your place," she hissed into Silva's ear. "A lowly individual like you has no place in the Lucius household."
A brief silence followed as June waited for Silva to respond — but heard nothing.
"I don't know what she's planning, but..." June thought, smirking to herself.
She scoffed as she stepped away.
"I guess my upcoming marriage really got to her," she muttered.
"Anyway, let's go gi—"
June's words cut off abruptly. The sound of shattering glass rang out, and wine spilled from her mouth, dripping down her chin.
"Wh... what... wha—?!"
Before she could finish, June collapsed to the floor.
Rein and Marree watched in disbelief mixed with unexpectedly written on their faces.
"Did you just poison her?!" Rein slowly said, her voice shaking.
Both girls turned to Silva — her face twisted into a wicked smirk as she stared down at them like a menace.
"You could say so."
Her chilling response sent shivers down their spines, leaving them frozen in shock at Silva's sudden change in demeanor.