Chapter 3

Over the next three days, my penthouse turned into a living hell—for Declan and Serafina, of course.

Day by day, the liquid inside the resin tank grew increasingly murky.

It was the result of Serafina's magic being violently stripped away by the liquid silver and dissolving into the preservation fluid.

Her once pristine, pearlescent scales were now marred by blackened scorch marks.

But she wouldn't die.

I had placed a piece of ancient blood amber at the bottom of the tank, continuously feeding her vitality.

She would remain wide awake. Awake to watch her own flesh corrode inch by agonizing inch; awake to suffer the utter despair of having her magic drained dry.

Over these three days, Declan grew visibly haggard.

As the mate of a shapeshifter, he shared a faint magical tether with her.

A tenth of Serafina's excruciating agony was transferred directly to him.

At the breakfast table, Declan’s hands shook so violently as he tried to cut his eggs that he could barely hold his knife and fork.

"Darling, you look awful. Are things too hectic at the company?" I asked with feigned concern, picking up my bone-china coffee cup.

Declan forced a stiff smile, a sheen of cold sweat beading on his forehead.

"I probably just haven't been sleeping well. Lyra, about that snake..."

He took a deep breath, as if steeling his resolve.

"I reached out to a friend at a wildlife conservation group. They said this type of albino ball python is incredibly rare, and keeping it submerged in that chemical fluid could be considered animal abuse."

"If someone reports us, it would ruin your reputation, and the company's. Why don't we... send it to a professional sanctuary instead?"

I looked at him, tempted to applaud his on-the-spot improvisation.

To save his little mistress, he was actually citing animal welfare laws.

"Animal abuse?" I set down my coffee cup and covered my mouth in feigned shock. "Goodness, Declan, how could you even think that? I am quite literally protecting it."

"Protecting it?!" Declan pointed a shaking finger at the massive resin tank in the center of the living room.

"It can't even move! Its scales are peeling off!"

"Darling, aren't you a scholar of magical history?" I leaned forward slightly.

"I consulted an alchemist. This snake is infested with parasites. If we don't corrode away its epidermis, the parasites will burrow straight into its brain."

"I'm using only the highest grade of liquid silver and mountain ash extract. This isn't just a treatment; it's a 'baptism.' Once its outer skin sheds completely, it will be reborn."

Declan's pupils violently contracted.

"Do... do you know something?"

He stared at me intently, desperately searching my face for any crack in my facade.

He was undoubtedly beginning to wonder whether I was genuinely trying to cure a snake, or if I had already uncovered Serafina's true identity.

I simply shook my head.

The utter sincerity in my expression kept him from making a rash move.

If he were to admit right now that it wasn't a snake but his mistress, he would instantly forfeit all rights to inherit the billions in assets under my name.

"But..." he tried to argue.

"No 'buts', Declan." I stood up, walked up behind him, and rested my hands on his shoulders, gripping them tightly. "Unless, of course, what you gifted me isn't actually a snake symbolizing our love, but some filthy, shameful secret?"

Declan went completely rigid. Cold sweat instantly soaked through his dress shirt.

"Of course not... As long as you're happy."

"Excellent." I patted his shoulder in satisfaction. "I have plans for afternoon tea today, so I won't be joining you for lunch."

That afternoon, inside an exclusive private club on Fifth Avenue, I slid a black flash drive across the table to Mr. Sterling, my attorney.

He was our family’s chief legal counsel.

"Miss Lyra, this is...?" The gray-haired lawyer adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses.

"The complete transaction logs of Declan siphoning funds from the family trust through shell companies over the past three years. It includes his offshore accounts in the Cayman Islands, along with audio recordings of his attempts to bribe board members."

In my previous life, it wasn’t until I died and lingered as a spirit that I learned of these secrets, courtesy of Declan’s arrogant, gloating confession.

In this life, utilizing my family’s hidden divination arts paired with elite hackers, it only took me three days to completely unearth every dirty secret he had.

Mr. Sterling plugged the drive into his encrypted laptop. After quickly skimming a few pages, he looked up.

"Miss Lyra, this evidence is more than enough to put Declan behind bars in federal prison for the rest of his natural life. When do you intend to involve the authorities?"

"There's no rush. Springing the trap now would be letting him off too easy."

I was going to strip away his magical crutch, sever his delusions of family ties, and finally, crush him into dust beneath the weight of mortal law.

"Additionally, Mr. Sterling, prepare the legal paperwork for the termination of parental rights. I want it finalized and ready to take effect at next week's charity gala."

Mr. Sterling looked at me in sheer shock, but entirely bound by his professionalism, he nodded.