Living a Glamorous Life as Lady Barberini

Emilio stood frozen, the cold steel of the sword pressed against his neck. His mind raced, torn between conflicting thoughts. 'If I don't act, she'll know the truth. But if I go too far, everything I've worked for will be ruined.'

His breath caught in his throat nd his hand trembled as he gripped the hilt, poised to strike. He was about to bring the blade to his chest when a thought flitted across his mind. 'At this point, she should stop me, right? After all, she wouldn't want to see the person she loves die.'

But as he stole a glance at her, his heart skipped a beat. Her eyes were fixed on him, but there was no trace of panic or fear in them—only a cold, detached curiosity. It was as if she was daring him to make the move, her gaze telling him, 'Go on, I'm watching you.'

Emilio's eyes widened in shock. 'Did this fool just outsmart me?' He thought, his mind racing to catch up. 'She knows I can't kill her because of her family, so even with the sword in my hands, I can't end her.'

Claudia tilted her head, as she had read his thoughts. Her lips curled into the faintest of smirks. 'Even at this moment, you still think of ending Claudia?'

Emilio's heart sank, and in an instant, his knees buckled, and the sword slipped from his trembling hands, clattering onto the ground with a resounding echo.

"Claudia," he whispered, his voice cracking as he looked up at her. "I love you very much... And you love me as well. So how could you watch me try to kill myself?"

She remained unmoved, her arms crossed, her posture unyielding. "Emilio…" she began, her tone devoid of any affection. Her words cut through the air like shards of glass. "No, Lord Emilio. I can clearly see how you truly feel about me."

The pause that followed was suffocating, each second stretching endlessly. Her eyes bore into his, sharp and unwavering. "So... I would stop loving you."

And with that she walked away.

Emilio's shoulders sagged as he collapsed forward, his hands pressing against the ground. His chest tightened, each breath growing shallow as her words echoed mercilessly in his mind.

'Did I hear that right?' he thought, his eyes wide open.

For the first time in his life, Emilio felt utterly powerless, the weight of her rejection crushing him completely.

"No," he whispered, his voice barely audible but filled with desperation. "I can't lose Claudia."

Meanwhile, Claudia skipped happily through the forest, her light steps accompanied by the rustling of leaves. Her face glowed with joy, her bright smile almost blinding. 'With Emilio out of the picture, I can finally breathe,' she thought with a satisfied sigh. 'Now, I can focus on how I will shock everyone at the debutante ball.'

Her mind drifted to Lord Vanitas, and a dreamy look softened her features. She clasped her hands together and twirled. 'And then, I will finally see Lord Vanitas!' The thought sent a thrill through her, and she let out an excited squeal as the grand estate came into view.

Suddenly, a hand landed firmly on her shoulder from behind. Claudia screamed, her voice piercing the serene forest air.

"Hey, it's me!" Lucius said, holding his hands up in surrender.

Claudia spun around, clutching her chest. "Brother, you startled me!"

Lucius chuckled, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "You seem to be in an awfully good mood. Did something happen with Emilio?"

Claudia straightened her posture, her radiant smile never faltering. "Yes, something marvelous happened."

"Ooh! Pray tell?" Lucius leaned in closer, curiosity sparking in his eyes.

"I ended things with Emilio," she said simply, her voice calm and steady.

Lucius raised an eyebrow. "Marvelous indeed," he said, his tone lighter. But as the words sank in, his expression shifted, and his smile faded. He studied her closely, sensing a shift in her mood.

"Why are you so happy about that?" Lucius asked, his voice softer, more probing.

'Time to put on an act.' Claudia thought, her expression softened as she looked away. Her smile wavered for a moment before she spoke again. "I still love him... I was just pretending to be happy to hide my sorrow."

Lucius's smile disappeared completely, concern flashing across his face. "What's wrong? Why did you end things with him?"

Claudia's voice trembled. "Would it be right to say we ever had something special to begin with? I was the only one who found it special."

" With everything he's done to me, he never treated me right—no matter how much love I gave him. Yesterday, he asked me to jump into the lake to prove my love. And that was just one of many things..." She paused, her shoulders shaking slightly as she fought to keep her composure.

Lucius's eyes widened in disbelief, which swiftly transformed into seething fury. "He did that? To my sister?" he muttered, his voice low, guttural, and filled with menace as his fist clenched tightly.

A heavy stillness settled over their surroundings, the air itself thickening with the intensity of his anger. The temperature dropped suddenly, and the leaves around them fluttered violently as if caught in an invisible storm.

Claudia felt a pressure weigh down on her chest, her breath catching in her throat. 'Ack! This version of him is terrifying... He's truly the son of the greatest swordsman,' she thought, her heart pounding in response to the raw power that radiated from him, awe mixing with a deep, unsettling worry.

Lucius turned sharply toward the forest path, his hand already reaching for his sword, the earth beneath him almost seeming to shift under the weight of his presence.

"Wait... Brother, don't kill him!" Claudia cried, stepping in his way. "Just ban him from ever coming here again. I don't wish to see him."

Lucius froze, exhaling sharply. He ran a hand through his hair, visibly struggling to reign in his emotions as his aura disappeared. "I had no idea you were suffering," he said, his voice filled with regret. "You're too kind, Claudia."

His head hung low, but Claudia's lips curved into a sly smile. 'Actually, I plan to kill him myself in the future,' she thought.

Lucius clenched his fists, his thoughts swirling with guilt. 'It was my fault for not noticing sooner. I put my sister in danger.'

Hearing his thoughts, Claudia's expression softened. She stepped forward and hugged him tightly, catching him off guard. ' What a loving brother, I could get used to this... It's something I never had in my past life,' she thought, blinking back the tears threatening to fall.

Lucius stood stunned for a moment before his features softened.

'Oh, and by the way,' Claudia thought, 'I've changed my plans. Initially, I thought of asking Lord Vanitas to be my escort to the debutante ball, but that would be too sudden and improper. '

"Brother," Claudia began, pulling back slightly. "will you do me the honor of being my escort?"

Lucius's eyes warmed as he smiled. He took her hand, bowed, and kissed it. "I would be honored."

"Thank you, Brother," Claudia said, her voice bright again.

But their moment was interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps.

"Claudia..." a familiar voice called.

Lucius looked up sharply, his expression hardening as his gaze locked onto Emilio.

Claudia stiffened, but before she could respond, Lucius stepped in front of her, shielding her with his body.

"Claudia, go back inside," Lucius ordered, his tone cold and commanding. "I would like to have a word with Lord Emilio. Alone."