Female Lead won't get Prince Charming

Chapter 27

*Ivan Mcmillian (POV)*

Standing inside the dark room of Baron Mcmillian's shabby castle, I stared at my father whose face was overlapped by curtains of murk. 

He didn't say a word and I fidgeted anxiously.

"It's true I met her..." I peeked at him umpteenth time, he had a dangerous gleam around him which breathed fear.

"How did she join the academy?"

"I am not sure."

"Ah! It was bound to happen. The hired men failed to kill a feeble filly." he said, flicking his head.

"She broke 'my' Erinite Scar. Anyways it looked so cheap..." Though I knew he would be angered at the mention of the locket yet I spoke rather calmly.

He looked at me with his bloodshot eyes and squatted down in front of me. Grabbing me cheeks he said, "Cheap? Tell that again you ungrateful brat! It costed me half of the Mcmillian fortune, still the jeweler couldn't crave it perfectly, even the slightest bit! Whose fault is that?!"

"A person who has seen the original one would deftly realize that our one is fake. That Lady was something, the one who designed it. It's one of a kind." I diverted my eyes, refusing his irate glance.

"Cordelia Shyte Norman...The most honorable lady in the entire empire after the empress. We possibly can't compare to her.", he acknowledged.

"Lydia, already met her son."

"Do you have any plans of getting rid of 'her'?"

"I don't. How can I? She is wary of me and I saw her after such a long period of time. She doesn't recognize me..."

"Oh! Our Ivy is here. How have you been?" My mother interrupted, walking inside the dark living room.

I did not react to her warm lines. It didn't matter to me whether she was happy at my arrival or not cause I knew something was off. She wasn't concerned about me, but Lydia's existence. Yes, she should have been dead...she shouldn't have been born at all.

My mother smiled. "Are you dumb, my child? Or perhaps you like that girl?"

I like Lydia? Indeed, I loved my cousin. 'Loved'. Those were the days when envy didn't wrap me in it's shackles. Now I hate her. Doesn't she envy me too? In fact, she hates me and I hate her too. "Heh, how can I like an orphan such as her? I won't disappoint you mother."

My mother wasn't shocked. She always wanted this. "Remember that your mother is an elementalist and so are you. A girl like her being an elementalist is an utter disgrace!" She wanted Lydia to suffer and urged on it.

"I do, mom."

"Don't disappoint your mom. 'Kill her'.", dad added.

"K-kill her?" I don't hate her to the point of killing her! That isn't it...

My mother looked tired of my intense opposition. "Get her expelled from the academy first. Make the Normans abandon her." She didn't want to stretch the topic long, she wanted to end this conversation as soon as possible. "You are still a kid. When you grow up, you will understand."

"But dad, how can you say such words...". Words such as 'kill'. Being a murderer, isn't that a sin?

Father frowned. "You like her, don't you?"

I flinched and tried to hide my uneasiness. Do I want Lydia to completely disappear? That's not it...

"Honey stop it." Mother intervened. "She needn't get her hands dirty. We have other ways to get rid of her."

Suppressing my anguish, I mumbled, "Mom...."

"I know sweetie.", she coaxed. "You stayed with her a long time, but now it's time to let go of your fonder feelings. You need to take back everything she has taken from you."

"Hmm."

"Don't forget your mother is an elementalist." She stated with a satisfied expression on her face.

"I won't."

Lydia is a forgery. Neither of her parents were elementalists. What rights she have to hold power?

"Have you seen the original Erinite Scar?"

"I didn't.", I answered.

"Wasn't she your roommate? You said that in your letter."

I bit my lip. "She changed her dorm. I checked her belongings. She wasn't carrying it with her."

"Damn it!" My mom made a bizarre expression. "Can't you get close to her at least?!"

"I..I..." I didn't want to force her...It would have been better if she stayed away from me.

"Shut up!" Father scolded me. "Don't make your mother angry!"

"By the way mom, I came first in class." I expressed my joy and a smile blossomed on my face, anticipating her praise.

"Good. Go back to your room." She insisted. All she wanted at present was to make me lay my hands on the real Erinite Scar and get her job done quickly.

"Do you know Ivy, your imperial uncle would have been dismayed if he listened to you?", father said.

Uncle?

"I am useless." I lowered my head.

"No you are not. You are my genius baby daughter. But we need to rise in status as fast as we can, understand?" Mother remarked.

"Yes."

If only Lydia had taken our side...It's all because of her!

I closed the door loudly and sat down in my shabby room. When she had left, I had cried in silence right here; sad and sacred. "How can you live so happily at the Dukedom of Arendelis? Why are you so lucky? And you don't even recognize me...do you think I am still that weakling? When will you realise..."

"Honey, how is the Aristocrat Party operating?" I heard my mother speak behind the door.

"We are being suppressed. They are suspecting us." Father responded in distress.

"Hah..."

"Don't worry, I will be filling in all the loopholes in no time. They will be in our web."

"It's time for to step on our first move. We need to approach Count Markes and Duke Wyatt soon enough."

"I know. And I have the perfect plan."

I felt the temperature drop at my father's bitter voice. I too had a bitter smile on my face; there is no turning back now.

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This book will undergo heavy editing. I will change few scenes/sequences. There are lot more points that I need to add. After I am done with the editing, I will continue with the story. Happy reading!