Night Monarch's Cannon Fodder Bride-Chapter 21: A Glimpse of a Doll

Dong. Dong. Dong.

The moment the bell rang, the students rushed to leave. Their loud voices blended together, creating an unpleasant melody.

Severine’s gaze remained fixed on the plant swaying just outside the class window.

The sun was still bright, dissipating the chill in the air.

Without Damien to hinder her and Alina constantly chattering in her ear, the silence had returned to her life.

It had been a few days, and the news of Damien’s accident had already spread far and wide.

Alina had called her just to scold Damien more.

"It will be better if he stays in the hospital forever."

Those were Alina’s angry words before she ranted about the cold and shared all the details of her competition. She had managed to secure her place in the finals.

Three days... Then Alina would return.

Severine sincerely wished the heroine would win the trophy and gain the acknowledgment she deserved.

What was the point of becoming someone’s plaything?

A mere idea was enough to disgust Severine all over again.

Only when the classroom was nearly empty did she gather her books and leave the place.

As she used her left arm, a dull thrum of ache shot through her veins. Surprisingly, it wasn’t that intense anymore.

According to the doctor’s instructions, the wound would take a long time, or at least a few weeks, before they could remove the sling.

Yet here she was, carrying her bag with ease.

Come to think of it, even the stomach pain from when Damien kicked her had faded within a day or two.

Is my body getting better for some reason?

Such a thought flashed through her mind as she walked along the pathway leading deeper into the garden.

On the other side of a huge circular garden was a church.

Barely anyone would go there. But it was the perfect place for Severine.

When she entered the wooden doors, that familiar sight greeted her.

Despite not coming to the church for a couple of months, the place hadn’t changed a bit.

The wooden pews waited in silence for any visitor while the statue of God overlooked everything from the altar.

She picked the same place, second to the last. Placing her books beside her, she stared ahead.

Her gray eyes were vacant, devoid of any thought. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Straight back. Long hair framed a pale face. Soft lips remained pursed in a thin line.

Doll...

The word surfaced in Emmett’s mind as he observed her from the upper level of the vast, dome-shaped hall.

He hadn’t expected to meet her again so soon.

"Y-Young master?"

A timid voice broke the silence.

Dressed in a green dress that matched Emmett’s eyes, Ariana looked like a princess.

Yet the princess didn’t have the pride she should have. Her flushed face had an uneasy smile as she tugged at the sleeve of the tall man.

Her fingers brushed over the delicate golden embroidery, instantly reminding her of the disparity in their status.

"Can you think it over, please? I-I’ll be good, I promise. I won’t cause you any trouble."

Emmett tilted his head to give Ariana a once-over before curling the corner of his lips.

"Your father is still not satisfied, it seems."

A single casual remark from him was enough to lay bare all her hidden calculations.

Her eyes widened. Her cheeks reddened further from shame, lips trembling as she tried to explain.

"I..."

"I thought we had something lovely between us. I guess it was my wishful thinking."

"Emmett!"

The moment those words left her lips, blood drained from Ariana’s body.

She was well aware that this young master hated it when someone called him by his real name.

Everyone used ’Young master D’Arden, or Senior D’Arden.’

Emmett’s smile vanished. His green eyes narrowed before he let out a wistful sigh.

"You should leave, and I won’t look into the matter of your father using my name for his profit."

The threat couldn’t be clearer.

Tears fell from her soft brown eyes like pearls. However, unlike before, Emmett didn’t console her, nor did he hug her.

The coldness seeped into her heart as she left with heavy thuds.

Her feet dangled from the edge of the stairs. Wavering, she turned to take one last look at her lover.

Much to her dismay, those gentle green pools were reflecting someone else’s shadow.

She finally noticed the quiet figure sitting on the wooden pew.

Her red-rimmed eyes narrowed, and all the grief vanished, leaving behind pure disgust.

"Another slut trying to throw herself on my Emmett?" she snorted before leaving the church.

This was one of Emmett’s favorite spots to play. She didn’t believe for a second that the new girl wasn’t aware of it. After all, Emmett’s hobbies were known to almost everyone.

However, she didn’t want to ruin her image in front of Emmett.

So, capturing the girl’s back on her phone, Ariana left in haste. If she personally couldn’t do it, that didn’t mean others wouldn’t jump at the opportunity.

Her lover would surely miss her, and then she would return to his side.

Contrary to Ariana’s expectations, Emmett didn’t look heartbroken.

He got his fun, while Ariana’s family got their biggest business deal. To him, this wasn’t even a relationship, just a casual fling where both parties got what they wanted.

It was time to put an end to it.

What he didn’t expect was to catch a glimpse of a doll.

Just then, his phone vibrated, signalling a series of messages.

All were from his mother, Lily.

After asking about his health, she sent a picture of a girl and asked him to look after her as she was Lily’s best friend’s daughter.

When he looked at the name and the familiar face, his brow lifted along with the corner of his lips.

A rare, pleasant smile without any sign of calculation surfaced on his handsome face.

"So your name is Severine Vale. Crazy Aunt Isabella’s precious daughter, huh?"

Deep green eyes shimmered under the golden sunlight as he let out a soft laugh, "Now this is getting interesting."

His words vanished into the same silence that surrounded Severine.