The Do-Over System:My Beloved is the Villain! - Chapter 55

Chapter 55: Aeliana, the food is spiked!

Lucian helped Aeliana to a quiet, secluded corner of the estate as they managed to escape the prying eyes of the masquerade guests. The mood had shifted, and Aeliana, still reeling from the earlier incident, was now trying to calm herself with a small plate of food.

“You seem hungry,” Lucian observed softly, a hint of concern in his voice as he sat down across from her. He reached for a bite of the food she had been picking at, his usual calm demeanor returning as he tried to offer a semblance of normalcy. “Care for an early dinner? It might be best to eat now before the crowd gets too restless.”

But the moment the food hit his tongue, something felt wrong. The taste was oddly metallic, acrid, and his throat burned as if a fire had been lit inside him. His eyes widened in alarm, and before he could stop himself, a violent cough overtook him. Blood splattered onto the napkin in his lap, and his face turned pale as his vision blurred for a moment. His chest heaved with effort as he struggled to breathe, his fingers gripping the edge of the table for support.

“Aeliana!” he gasped, his voice weak and strained, but he still managed to catch her frantic gaze. “It’s… it’s poison…”

Aeliana’s eyes widened in horror as she rushed to his side, her hands trembling as she attempted to help him. “Lucian, no!” she shouted, her voice filled with panic. “Please, don’t… I’ll get help. We need to—”

But Lucian gripped her wrist, his expression desperate but focused. His breath was ragged, and his usual composure was slipping away. “No… don’t. There’s no time. This was meant for you,” he rasped. “I… I can’t… Let me protect you, Aeliana. Just… don’t let them—”

“Stop, Lucian!” she cried, tears brimming in her eyes. She tried to stand, to shout for help, but Lucian’s grip on her wrist tightened. He was slipping, and there was no time for anything else but to get him through this. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she felt helpless, watching him struggle.

“Please, I need you,” Lucian whispered through clenched teeth, his voice barely audible, and Aeliana could feel the weight of his words—each one heavy with regret, fear, and desperation.

Aeliana looked around frantically, her mind racing to think of something, anything to save him. But there was nothing immediate she could do.

She knelt beside him, her face pale with fear, but her resolve firm. “Hold on, Lucian, please hold on,” she whispered, pressing a trembling hand to his cheek, the coolness of his skin sending a chill through her.

“I—I should have seen this coming. I was too careless,” Lucian muttered, his eyes closing as the poison slowly began to take its toll.

Aeliana, unable to just stand by and watch, took his hand in both of hers, her fingers clutching tightly around his, as if trying to will him back from the brink. Her mind raced—she had to get him help, but time was running out.

“Stay with me, Lucian,” she pleaded desperately. “I won’t let you go. Not like this.”

Suddenly, she felt a presence behind her—Kael. He had noticed the shift in the atmosphere, the panic, and without saying a word, he rushed to their side. He placed a steadying hand on Lucian’s back and immediately began assessing the situation.

“Get him to the medic bay,” Kael said firmly, his tone sharp and commanding, despite the clear concern in his eyes. “Now, Aeliana. We have to move fast.”

Aeliana didn’t need to be told twice. She carefully helped Lucian to his feet, her own body shaking, but her determination unwavering. “I won’t lose you, Lucian. Not now.”

Together, they hurried through the estate, Kael leading the way. The weight of the danger they were in hadn’t fully settled on Aeliana yet, but the fear gnawing at her was enough to keep her moving, keep her focused on one goal: saving Lucian’s life.

…

Skye stood in the shadows near the grand hall, his eyes fixed on the chaotic scene unfolding in front of him. The masquerade had been the perfect setting for his little game, and now, as he watched Lucian struggle with the poison, a satisfied smirk crept across his face.

“Just as planned,” Skye murmured to himself, his voice laced with dark amusement. The poison was a rare concoction, one that he had ensured would only affect Lucian, the so-called ‘dark lord,’ and not Aeliana, as she had been suspected of being the real target. Of course, Lucian hadn’t known it when he had so eagerly taken the first bite of Aeliana’s food. Skye had seen how the two were becoming close, how the bond between them had been growing stronger with every passing day. It was the perfect opportunity to weaken them both at once.

His mind raced with the knowledge that Aeliana was now in a panic, struggling to save Lucian, her emotions clouding her ability to think clearly. This was exactly what he had wanted. Watching them unravel, watching them fight against the tide of his schemes—it was all so sweet to him. Aeliana, the one he had tried to seduce and control, and Lucian, the ever-dominant dark lord, would soon be nothing but pawns in his game.

Skye took a deep breath, enjoying the moment. “One step closer,” he whispered, as the plan began to fall into place. He had orchestrated this well, ensuring that no one would suspect him. After all, who would suspect a simple masquerade guest? And now, as he watched Lucian’s life slowly slipping away, Skye couldn’t help but feel a thrill of satisfaction. The chaos, the panic—it was all exactly what he needed to continue building his power. Aeliana would be devastated, her emotions shattered by the loss of Lucian, and once he was gone, Skye would be ready to make his move.

..

Kael’s sharp eyes narrowed as he glanced over at the man who had been watching the scene unfold. The man was tall, with an air of confidence that matched his height. His appearance was strikingly similar to Lucian’s, but there was something off about him. The unfamiliar presence only deepened Kael’s suspicion. The man was standing a little too close to Aeliana, and the way he held himself—too calm in the midst of the chaos—raised a red flag.

“I don’t recall Lucian having a cousin,” Kael said coolly, his voice laced with caution. He crossed his arms over his chest, giving the stranger a hard look, as his gaze shifted between the man and Aeliana. Something wasn’t right about this situation. Lucian had been poisoned, and now this unknown man appeared out of nowhere, pretending to be a cousin?

Aeliana, who had been frantic and desperate to help Lucian, shot Kael a quick glance. Her focus was still mostly on Lucian, his body shaking with the violent effects of the poison. She was trying to stabilize him, pressing her hands over his chest in an attempt to draw out the toxin, but her mind was racing. Who is this man? And why does he look so much like Lucian? she thought, her heart pounding in her chest.

“Kael, we have to get Lucian to a medic, now!” she cried out, her voice breaking with panic. “He’s fading fast, we don’t have much time!”

The man—who had been watching them with a cool, almost detached expression—finally spoke. “My name is Rael Viridian,” he said, his voice smooth, almost soothing. “I’m a distant relative of Lucian’s, one you likely don’t know. He and I have… a complex family history. But right now, it seems Lucian is in grave danger. Let me help.”

Kael’s suspicion deepened. He didn’t trust this man, not one bit. “I don’t like the look of this,” Kael muttered under his breath, glaring at Rael. The way Rael had worded his introduction was off, too vague, as though he was hiding something. Kael wasn’t one to trust strangers, especially when they appeared out of nowhere during a crisis. The fact that he seemed so quick to offer help only added to his unease.

Aeliana, however, didn’t have the luxury of doubting Rael. She had only one priority: getting Lucian the help he needed before it was too late. She grabbed Lucian’s arm, trying to lift him but finding his body too limp, his strength fading. “Please,” she whispered, almost pleading. “I need him to be alright. I can’t lose him… not now.”

Rael stepped forward, placing a hand on her shoulder gently, as if trying to offer some kind of reassurance. “I’ll make sure he gets to safety,” he said, his voice dripping with false sincerity. “Trust me.”

Aeliana hesitated, feeling a wave of distrust wash over her. . “If he says he’ll help, we have no choice but to let him,” Kael said, though his voice still held a hint of suspicion. “But stay alert. We don’t know who we’re really dealing with here.”

Rael didn’t waste any more time. He gently placed his hand under Lucian’s arm, helping to support his weight. “Come, we’ll get him to a medic,” Rael said, a smile curving at the edges of his lips. It was the same smile Aeliana had seen too many times from those she couldn’t trust, and yet she didn’t have the strength to argue with him now.