The Tyrant's Pet

Two days had gone by in a blur, with Aries adjusting to her new life as Daniella Circe Vandran-Imperial. Her life was the recurring cycle of indulging with her husband Joaquin and sitting daintily in the crown prince's quarters.

Thanks to Joaquin, no one bothered her for the past two days so his wife could fully rest. It was no secret that the crown princess had frail health, so she had to familiarize herself with her new home first.

But after two days, they finally summoned her to join the first family dinner. A welcoming dinner for her with her in-laws.

"Sister, how are you faring so far?"

Aries blinked and raised her opalescent eyes at the man across from her. His bright auburn hair — the trademark of the royal family — shimmered under the chandelier. His eyes, the color of newly polished silver, fastened with amusement upon locking eyes with her.

"Thanks to everyone's help, I am adjusting quite well," came out a soothing voice, glancing to her right where Joaquin was sitting at. The latter shot her a glance while guiding the wineglass to his lips.

"Heh." Joaquin winked coquettishly before Aries peeled her eyes away from him.

"Hah. Is that so?" the man with a cocky grin and impish eyes, Ismael Imperial, the third prince, laughed as he glanced at Joaquin. "That's right, sister-in-law. The crown prince is truly kind, especially to his..."

She lifted her brows as Ismael trailed off, glancing at Joaquin, who was looking back at his brother with sharp eyes. Aries blinked twice, almost innocently, while darting them between the brothers.

"... to his people." Ismael flashed her a smile as if he communicated with Joaquin in that momentary silence.

Although aware of the bad blood between brothers, Aries smiled as she nodded in understanding. She gazed at Joaquin once again, only to catch the glint that flickered across his eyes, which faded when he looked back at her.

"Is the food to your liking?" he asked, reaching for her hand on her lap.

"Yes." Her smile persisted before setting her eyes back to the people around the long dining table. Everyone — princes and their first wives, and the princesses who were acknowledged by the emperor — except the emperor and the empress were in here.

Aries could still feel the distrust hidden in their eyes, but the members of the royal family were equally cunning and knew how to play along. So, the moment of silence upon Aries and Joaquin's arrival didn't last that long.

They didn't even mention the dead emerging from hell and coming back to haunt them. However, Aries was aware some of them were already concocting a scheme in their heads to use her against Joaquin. Not the kind of scheme to assassinate her, but the argument of Aries's origins.

'Well, that's the plan, anyway,' Aries kept her amicable front while everyone was having a good time discussing 'good' things. 'They will keep Joaquin busy for sure. The effect of the candles will weaken if he keeps sleeping in my room.'

While she kept her silence, listening to the conversation, Aries felt someone's gaze from the farthest spot from her left. Her eyes veered towards it only to see Inez staring at her, unsmiling.

'She hasn't visited me since then. I wonder what is she planning...' Aries offered a slight smile at her and tilted her head down. The latter didn't return her smile but looked away like a real diva. She ignored the cold shoulders.

'Everything is still calm,' she told herself, knowing the reason for this calmness was because everyone was still busy planning their next move. 'I should start before them.'

When Aries returned her eyes to the people around the table, her smile stretched very subtly. Each and everyone around this table... had a fair share of the downfall of Rikhill and her misery.

Not just Joaquin and Inez, Ismael too, and everyone. Although some of them didn't touch her, turning a blind eye to their sibling's madness was also a responsibility in itself and they must face consequences. Well, there were two exceptions.

"Tired?" Aries was brought back from her train of thoughts when a hand squeezed her. She looked up and saw Joaquin's deceivingly gentle visage.

She clipped his hand with her thumb. "Not much."

"I see..." He rocked his head before facing his siblings, knowing her reply was the opposite of what she felt. "As much as it disheartens me, my wife and I will have to excuse ourselves first."

"Aww... too soon?" Ismael frowned as if he truly loved Joaquin's company. While the rest voiced out their 'disappointments,' Aries glanced at Inez secretly.

The latter's eyes grew icy as she watched Joaquin assist his wife away. That look Aries gave her... that one look that wasn't meant for others to see surely meant something.

'I will kill her and Joaquin.' Her eyes glinted menacingly, following the newlywed's figure as they made their exit.

The broader the distance of the crown prince and crown princess, the jovial noises in the dining hall slowly faded. When Joaquin and Aries were out of sight, it was dead silent.

"Fucking karma." Ismael was the first to break the silence, leaning back as he laughed in amusement. "What are the odds that she's that bitch?"

"Your tone, third brother." The fourth prince, sitting several seats from where Aries perched previously, spoke with an air of nonchalance. Unlike Ismael, whose facial structure was akin to a cunning fox, the fourth prince Enrique appeared to be aloof.

"You heard what happened during their wedding."

"Even if she is that whore, it changes nothing." Carlos, the eighth prince, who was sitting close to Ismael, added. His dark grey eyes glinted as he licked his lips. "Well, I can confirm if she is her or not if I have a taste."

"Heh. Horny bastard." Ismael laughed as he cast the eighth prince's a look. "Do that and Joaquin will surely use that as leverage."

"This conversation drags my intelligence down." Inez wiped the corner of her lips as she glanced at Carlos's wife, who didn't even flinch at her husband's perverse remarks. Well, his wife was already numb to Carlos's promiscuous lifestyle. Not just her, but every lady in here already knew how these men play.

As Inez walked away, she heard Ismael's playful taunting, "stop acting so high and mighty just because His Majesty favors you, sister," but she didn't look back at them.

Her eyes, however, sharpened as they glinted. 'Say that again when I make you grovel at my feet.'