Chapter 95: Surprise Revelation
Cercei’s POV
“Hello, my dear sister.”
Her face bore that familiar, wry smile.
“Vienna?” A gasp escaped my lips, and astonishment engraved across my face.
Indeed, the voice I had heard earlier was hers. My ears had not played tricks on me, after all.
“What has brought you to this place?” I inquired, my words promptly escaping my lips.NôvelDrama.Org owns © this.
My eyes looked across her figure, taking in every detail. She seemed changed, stripped of her usual charm. Fatigue and lack of sleep had left marks under her eyes, her previously carefully styled hair now appeared dishevelled, her lips had lost their colour and were dry, and her outfit was no longer the branded style she usually wore.
And I wondered why she came here looking for me.
“I had the intention of having a conversation with you, but your lover has kept me trapped in these walls,” she replied quickly, her sarcasm remaining intact despite her obviously unfavourable situation.
“Lucian?” My raised eyebrow revealed my confusion. Why hadn’t he told me about this?
“I’ve been trapped in this cursed glass cage for the past two days. Yet, my detention has been extended for one week and two more days,” Vienna explained, emphasising her words as she stretched her slender body.
I’ve harboured a deep resentment towards Vienna for her evil deeds against me and the pain she had caused my mother. Yet, despite that, as I see her struggling in this situation, I can’t help but feel a twinge of pity. It must have been incredibly difficult for her, she’s used to a life of luxury, and now she’s trapped like this. I understand how terrible it is being locked up; I’ve experienced being in that glass cage myself. And being Lucian’s prisoner isn’t exactly the most enjoyable experience.
“Why?” I faltered, struggling to understand her motive.
“Isn’t it obvious that I wanted to talk with you, duh?” she retorted, rolling her eyes in exasperation.
“Why?” I repeated, my patience wearing thin as she avoided getting direct to the point. What drove her to leave her lavish lifestyle and endure this imprisonment just to speak with me?
“I’ve learned a little intriguing information about you,” she hinted, her smirk growing wider. My brow furrowed in confusion.
“What’s the important matter you want to share with me, Vienna?” I demanded. I was running out of patience as she avoided getting straight to the point.
“We are, in fact, sisters, surprise!” She declared, making a grand gesture as she revealed her bombshell, a triumphant smile appearing on her lips.
Nonetheless, my expression remained unchanged, and my eyebrows still furrowed in confusion.
“Vienna, you should return to your father. Lucian won’t spare you any mercy here,” I brushed aside her revelation. Knowing Lucian’s vindictive nature and her connection to the man responsible for his mother’s death, staying here wouldn’t be safe for her.
“I will plead with Lucian to let you go. Your presence isn’t what he wants,” I went on. Despite Vienna’s evil actions, I recognized that she had been misled. She had grown up surrounded by servants and material wealth but lacked the parental guidance she needed. My emotions had moved beyond seeking revenge; while I couldn’t forgive her actions, I aimed to move forward and create a new chapter in my life without her and Monsieur.
“Hello? Did you miss what I said?” She raised an eyebrow, her tone showing surprise.
To be honest, I heard her words very clearly. It had become a common thing, with guests and other servants comparing Vienna and me all the time. This constant comparison bothered Vienna; being compared to a mere slave was deeply offensive to her. But I was puzzled about the current situation. Why did she choose to disclose this information?
“Vienna, we’re in the middle of a war, not a time for jokes,” I responded, dismissing her words.
“Jokes? Do you really think I’ve gone through all this difficulty and lived in this terrible place just to make jokes?” She asked, sounding like she doubted my cleverness.
“Come on, Cers, you’re not clueless,” she enunciated with a smirk, using my nickname.
“Go back to where you live, Vienna,” I said again, firmly ignoring her words.
“You’re afraid, Cers. Afraid to accept the truth,” She retorted defiantly, emphasising the painful truth.
“What are you trying to emphasise? I’m afraid of what?” I snapped back, and my frustration was apparent in my clenched teeth.
“The truth itself,” She smiled more, mysterious and unsettling.
I controlled my reaction, keeping a calm expression, and decided not to show any reaction, maybe because I didn’t want to give her the satisfaction of seeing my reaction or perhaps because I didn’t want to deal with her provocations.
“I can feel your fear. The fear that the Monster you hate and fear that he might actually be your father,” She seemed to enjoy saying this, repeating her earlier statement.
“My father is gone. His heart was ripped from his chest violently. He’s not a monster,” I expressed with intensity. But my defiance only seemed to amuse her more.
“Really? Hiding your fear behind strong denial? That’s always been your attitude, clear cowardice,” she taunted her words like sparks.
“I’m not denying anything. Your lies don’t affect me anymore. This attempt to upset me won’t work,” I declared, my firm decision was obvious in my fiery stare, trying to put an end to this pointless conversation.
“Believe me, Cers, I’m not enjoying revealing this truth either. The truth is too grave for both of us,” She said, lifting an eyebrow, and her words felt genuine. I knew how she felt, her displeasure, her bitterness.
Why would she create such false stories? The answer was unclear, hidden in anticipation. Her statement made me doubt, shaking the very core of my beliefs.
“Surely, you can’t ignore the strong resemblance between us,” she pointed to both of us, her gaze moving between our faces.
“Why do you keep up this act?” I asked, my voice mixed with frustration, exasperation, and disbelief.
“You’re not going to win this war, Vienna. Your hopes will be in vain,” my voice grew more intense, full of resentment.
“Darling, this goes beyond the battle,” she replied, stepping closer, only a glass barrier between us.
“This is about your origin. That’s what I’m revealing. You’re in denial,” Vienna’s grin widened, her eyes locking onto mine intensely.
“Why should you be the one to tell me this? The so-called truth came from the woman who hated my existence. Do you expect me to believe you? Funny, isn’t it?” I shot back quickly, my words carrying irritation and anger.
“Because this revelation doesn’t just affect you. Deception has affected both our lives,” she shot back, her glare getting stronger. Her taunting demeanour shifted into a serious one, a look I knew well, a face of deep-rooted anger.
“You think I’m happy? The same blood that flows in my veins also flows in yours. Yet, despite that, you’ll forever be a servant,” she retorted, and I couldn’t help but scoff.
“Indeed, My Lady, I am and will always be a servant,” I repeated her words, but she gave me a sarcastic smile in response.
“Half-breed wench, you’ll never match up to me,” she blurted out, and her words carried a painful sting as I absorbed them.
“Oh, I have no intention of trying to be like you, Vienna,” I clarified.
“Even if you tried, you’d never be my match,” she replied, putting emphasis on each word.
A smirk formed on my lips, my outer appearance calm, even though emotions seethed inside. The storm of feelings was hard to define. The flood of revelations weighed me down, a truth threatening to break my inner being.
“Is my existence threatening you, sister?” I teased, shifting the situation between us.
She clenched her jaw, her fist hitting the glass barrier angrily as my words hit a nerve.
“If your words hold any truth, and I’m indeed older than you, then I should have a legitimate right to inherit the throne, shouldn’t I?” I purposely said it to hit a sensitive spot, and I succeeded.
“Even if my father’s blood flows in your veins, it’s still mixed with dirt. Half-breed wench!” She punched the glass separating us, but it didn’t budge or tremble. I suppose Lucian really invested in constructing this cage.
“My feelings are hurt, dear sister,” I pretended to look hurt, a sarcastic smile playing on my lips.