Supreme Warlock System : From Zero to Ultimate With My Wives-Chapter 227: Act

Warlock Ch 227. Act

Victoria stopped a few paces away, her hands resting casually on her hips. "You guys have done your job well," she said, her voice smooth and commanding. "I wasn't wrong to ask for your help."

Damian folded his arms, giving her a skeptical look. "You know, Victoria, sometimes I don't understand whether we're equals or not. You're my partner, right?"

Victoria's smile widened slightly as she stepped closer to him, her crimson eyes gleaming. "I am," she said, her tone gentle yet firm. "But here, I'm also a queen. And as a queen, I have to act the part."

Cassius let out a dry chuckle. "So what does that make us? Peasants?"

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Victoria turned her gaze to him, still smiling. "No, you're not peasants."

Evelyn, who had finally finished her inspection and joined them, raised an eyebrow. "Then why does it feel like we are?"

Victoria's expression didn't falter, though a hint of amusement flickered in her eyes. "You feel that way because I played my role well. Sometimes, to win a game, you have to keep a few secrets."

Damian's eyes darkened as he took a step forward. "Whichever way you want to spin it, you used me again. You knew Seraphis would betray you. You knew he'd try to kill us, yet you didn't say a damn thing."

The playful air around Victoria disappeared in an instant, replaced by a cold, serious demeanor. "Yes, I knew," she admitted, meeting Damian's glare without hesitation. "But if I had told you, would it have changed anything? You would've fought him anyway."

Damian clenched his fists, frustrated but unable to argue. She wasn't wrong. If she had warned them, they still would've gone through with the fight. But that didn't make it any less irritating.

"That's not the point," Cassius interjected, his voice sharp. "You put us in danger without giving us the full picture. We're not your pawns."

"I didn't treat you like pawns," Victoria said calmly. "I treated you like allies. And allies don't need to know every detail of the plan—only enough to get the job done."

"Wow," Evelyn said, crossing her arms. "That's a real queenly thing to say."

Victoria's eyes flicked toward her. "You're angry because I didn't trust you with everything."

"Damn right, I'm angry," Evelyn shot back. "We could've died out there."

"But you didn't," Victoria said smoothly. "You're all alive, stronger, and richer for it."

Damian narrowed his eyes. "You always do this, Victoria. You manipulate people around you and call it strategy."

Victoria's smile didn't waver, but something flickered in her crimson eyes—something only Damian would notice. He knew her too well, and no matter how well she masked it, there was always that faint hint of vulnerability beneath the surface.

"Maybe…" Victoria said softly, her voice carrying a weight that hadn't been there moments ago. "But it's not for you. I'm yours, Damian."

She reached out, gently brushing the back of her hand against his cheek. The touch was soft, intimate, and entirely at odds with the battlefield around them.

"I did it because I know you're more than capable of handling it," she continued, her tone gentle but firm.

Damian scoffed, pulling back slightly. "I don't get it. One time, you knelt before me, obeyed me, and we… shared something real. Then other times, you turn around and make me your pawn again."

He paused, his eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made even Victoria flinch. His voice was quieter now, but the hurt was unmistakable. "What am I to you, Victoria?"

Cassius and Evelyn, sensing the tension, wisely stepped back, giving them space.

Victoria didn't answer right away. For the first time in what felt like forever, she was at a loss for words. Damian's gaze bore into her, raw and full of emotion. It was a look she hadn't seen in fifty years—since Kaelan.

Her mind reeled back to that moment, decades ago. Back when Kaelan, Damian's past self, had saved her. She had been weak, broken, and betrayed by the very people she trusted most. Kaelan had fought for her, killed for her… loved her. And she… she had used him.

Even though her husband had truly wanted to kill Kaelan and steal his power, Victoria had known that manipulating Kaelan into killing him was the best way to ensure her survival. It was cold, calculated, and necessary. But when Kaelan had looked at her afterward—with that same hurt, confused gaze—she had felt something crack inside her.

Yet, despite everything, Kaelan had saved her. Even after realizing the truth, even after knowing he had been used, he had helped her, protected her when she was injured and vulnerable. And that… that was when she had truly fallen in love with him.

Now, decades later, standing before Kaelan's reincarnation, she realized she had made the same mistake. Again.

"I…" Victoria hesitated, her voice barely above a whisper. She wasn't used to this—to being on the defensive, to feeling exposed. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

Damian's expression didn't change. "But you did."

"I know," she admitted, her hands clenching slightly at her sides. "I had to. It was the best way, the safest way. If I told you everything, it would've complicated things. And complications lead to mistakes."

"So you chose to play it safe by keeping us in the dark?" Damian's voice was sharper now, frustration clear. "You didn't trust us enough."

"It wasn't about trust!" Victoria snapped, her voice rising for the first time. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. "It was about minimizing risks. If I told you Seraphis was going to betray us, you would've gone into that fight expecting it. And when you expect betrayal, you act differently. You hesitate. You second-guess every move. I couldn't afford that."

Damian stared at her for a long moment, the silence stretching between them. "And what about now?" he asked quietly. "Are we still just part of your strategy?"