Chapter 3

Seraphine's POV

Before Octavius went to prison in my past life, I had provoked him once, publicly insulting him. Everyone said Octavius was a madman. Yet I hate this madman the most. And in this current timeline, I had just recently, at a charity gala, publicly declared, "Even if I, Seraphine Whitaker, am not a true heiress, I would never stoop to speak a single word to a ruthless person like you."

Even after I had said such cruel words, humiliating him in front of everyone, it wasn't until my death that I learned Octavius had long since forgiven me. As for when he forgave me, I didn't dare to think too deeply about it.

I turned my head, my neck stiff, my heart feeling as if it had been seized. At the doorway, Octavius leaned lazily, a cigarette between his fingers. The smoke, a bluish-white, coiled around him, blurring my vision. He was exactly as I remembered. Half his face was hidden in the smoke, his profile sharp as if carved from stone. The cold light hitting it gave off an indescribable, wicked aura.

Hearing the movement, he turned his head slightly towards me, the corner of his thin lips twitching. "Unfortunately, the restrooms aren't soundproof. I heard everything."

I snapped back to reality, my nails digging into my palms, forcing myself to calm down. I didn't know what the current Octavius wanted, nor how much he liked me at this moment. I deeply regretted not being reborn before I had provoked him. But what was done was done. I could only steel myself and try to appease him. I couldn't hide, nor did I dare to. I knew that in this life, and the last, he was not someone I could afford to offend.

I suppressed the tremor in my heart and lifted the corners of my mouth. "Mr. Capulet."

Octavius stared straight at my face. This face was indeed pleasing; when I smiled, my eyes seemed to be sprinkled with stardust, dazzlingly bright. His eyebrow twitched. He took a deep drag from his cigarette, his voice lazy. "Is Ms. Whitaker in a good mood now? Even able to smile while speaking to a ruthless madman like me."

I could hear the sarcasm in his words and let out a silent breath of relief. It seemed he was still angry. I took a few steps towards him, already enveloped in the scent of cedar from his cologne.

"Is there something you need, Ms. Whitaker?" he asked, his voice low.

I didn't retreat. Instead, I took another step forward, then stepped back and bowed deeply. "Mr. Capulet, I was young and foolish before. I apologize for the things I said." If I didn't appease him now, what if my plans for the rest of the engagement party were disrupted? I couldn't take that gamble. I stood with my head bowed, an attitude of admitting my mistake.

Unexpectedly, he suddenly stubbed out his cigarette in the sink and reached out, his smoke-scented fingertips lifting my chin. "Apologize? Ms. Whitaker, when you said those words without leaving me a shred of dignity, you didn't think about today, did you?"

Honestly, I couldn't see through him at all. "What do you want?" I lowered my gaze, biting my lip as I asked.

The next second, Octavius suddenly moved closer, his innate kingly aura instantly suffocating me. "How about you be with me?"

My whole body stiffened.

He let out a cold laugh, his eyes fixed on me, as deep as a bottomless pool. "Oh, I forgot. Ms. Whitaker is getting engaged today." As he spoke, his hand didn't stop. Octavius's fingertips slid from my chin to my earlobe, brushing aside a strand of long hair. The gesture was flirtatious, as if he were toying with a new acquisition.

I didn't flinch. This ambiguity didn't make me swoon; it made me even more clear-headed. Octavius's words left me unsure of his attitude. His feelings for me probably weren't that deep yet. He was likely just interested in me, or wanted revenge, because I had insulted him.

"Mr. Capulet must be joking." I said, staring into his eyes, letting his fingers linger by my ear. "It was my own fault for not guarding my tongue and offending you."

He suddenly stopped, his gaze sweeping over my face. In those bottomless eyes, an unreadable emotion flickered. He slowly withdrew his hand. I was stunned, not understanding his meaning.

"Alright." he said, tucking his fingers into his trouser pockets and turning to leave, his stride wild and fierce. "Seeing as you have things to do, I won't delay you."

"Mr. Capulet!" I called out without thinking. I knew he had heard my call. I had stopped him, but I couldn't say another word. He didn't turn back. Not until his footsteps paused did he glance over his shoulder, one eyebrow raised. "I enjoy a good show, so I won't spoil yours. But I have a piece of advice for you." He quirked his lips. "Next time you do something bad, don't use your own phone."

After Octavius left, I didn't go to buy makeup. Instead, I went to find the sound technician. I had originally prepared a detailed PowerPoint presentation documenting my loving moments with Mitchell, but now, it seemed I had something much more interesting to show.

I found a seat in a corner on the second floor and sent Mitchell a text:[Darling, I'm in the lounge. Come find me.]

I glanced at my phone. It was about time. I slowly twirled the remote in my hand, then pressed a button with my fingertip. The projector started, and simultaneously, all the overhead lights in the hall went out, leaving only the faint glow of the screen. The crowd fell silent, many looking up at the white screen in front.

"Why is it starting now? The host isn't even on stage yet."

The hall manager's heart tightened, and he turned to find the sound technician. The technician was frozen in place, his face pale. He had set the program himself; the time wasn't right. Who had touched the system?

Suddenly, an image flashed on the screen. The quality wasn't clear, blurry and indistinct, but the content was anything but. The camera showed the interior of a hotel lounge. In the center of a large bed, three men surrounded a girl. Her wedding dress was torn to shreds, the straps hanging off her shoulders, her chest and neck covered in kiss marks, tears still on her face.

The scene of group sex was shockingly explicit, the debauched images appearing clearly on the screen, making one's face burn. The three men were in poor shape, short and fat, with ugly faces. What was even more shocking was that all three of them entered the girl's body at the same time, their lewd laughter echoing clearly throughout the hall.

"What's going on? What is this?"

"At the Whitaker family's engagement party, what's the meaning of showing this kind of video?"

"But the person in the video... she looks kind of familiar?"

"That woman is Seraphine!"