I, The Villainess, Will Seduce All The Heroines Instead
Chapter 42: Damsel In Distress (Part 1: Evelyn’s POV)

Chapter 42: Damsel In Distress (Part 1: Evelyn’s POV)

Evelyn knew she should have left the bathroom sooner.

It had started with whispers. Small, sharp words that pricked at the edges of her awareness as she made her way down the hall.

It wasn’t new. Nothing about this was new, but today seemed heavier.

She didn’t realize she was being followed until she stepped into the bathroom and found the door slamming shut behind her.

Four girls. All noble.

All too perfectly dressed for this to be anything but planned.

Their smiles were sweet - too sweet. The kind that hid knives.

Evelyn swallowed. "Excuse me," she said, stepping back toward the door.

A hand shot out, blocking her escape.

"Leaving so soon?" One of the girls, a redhead with too much perfume, pouted. "But we were just starting to talk about you."

"I-I’m sorry, I have... classes.." Evelyn said carefully, heart pounding. "Excuse me...."

A giggle. The girls fanned out, circling her like well-dressed vultures. "Oh, but you’re quite the topic lately, aren’t you?"

Another girl leaned in, smirking. "The whore. The homewrecker who thinks she belongs among us."

Evelyn’s fingers curled into her skirt. Not this again.

"Oh?" The redhead’s voice was pure mockery. "Then why are you always so close to Lord Raphael?"

And there it was. The real reason.

Jealousy was an ugly thing.

Evelyn squared her shoulders. "H-He’s my friend...."

The moment the words left her lips, she knew it was a mistake.

A hand shoved her backward. Her back hit the sink.

"You hear that? A friend, she says, but possibly trying to seduce him."

Another shove. Evelyn gritted her teeth.

She had to get out of here.

A sudden hush fell over the room.

A presence heavier than all the others combined filled the space, suffocating and regal.

The door swung open, and a new voice. Silky, poised, and dripping with condescension filled the room.

"Oh dear," the voice said, slow and deliberate. "Am I interrupting?"

The noble girls snapped to attention like puppets on strings. The change was immediate. ;aughter stifled, backs straightened. Fear. Real fear.

Evelyn turned her head just slightly, and that was when she saw her.

Princess Penelope.

She was tall—taller than most women, her golden waves cascading like a lion’s mane. Everything about her was pristine, from the delicate embroidery on her gown to the way she carried herself, like the world itself bowed in her presence.

The second princess of the empire.

The one woman obsessed with Raphael.

And from the glint in her eye, she was here for blood.

"Oh," Penelope said, taking slow, deliberate steps forward. "What a... quaint little gathering."

"Y-Your Highness!" One of the noble girls curtsied so quickly she nearly toppled over. "We didn’t know—"

Penelope waved a hand, cutting her off. "Yes, yes, I’m sure you didn’t."

Her gaze landed on Evelyn. It was like being dissected.

Evelyn willed herself not to shrink away. Do not show fear.

Penelope smiled.

"Ladies, I think we should help our dear Evelyn understand her place."

The air turned frigid.

Before Evelyn could react, hands grabbed her arms, yanking her forward. Her stomach dropped.

No.

She struggled, but she was outnumbered. Dragged, forced until her back was against the cold porcelain sink.

Penelope’s fingers curled under her chin, forcing her to look up.

"You must be quite the seductress," she murmured, voice like velvet-wrapped steel. "To have caught Raphael’s eye."

Evelyn’s heart hammered against her ribs.

"I haven’t—"

Penelope shoved her forward.

Her face slammed into the sink.

Cold water splashed her cheeks. She gasped, but fingers pressed down against the back of her head.

The world went underwater.

She thrashed. Panic exploded in her chest.

Up. Up. She needed air.

A few seconds passed then her head was yanked back up, and she coughed, choking on water, eyes burning.

Laughter.

"I wonder," Penelope mused, tilting her head, "how long can you hold your breath?"

And then, she shoved Evelyn’s head down again.

Darkness.

Penelope gasped.

Her fingers twitched, but she couldn’t move them.

No matter how much she tried to grip, to push, to control - her own body refused to listen. A cold panic settled in her gut.

"What the—?!" Her breath hitched as her arms spasmed unnaturally, jerking away from Evelyn’s drenched face. "What the hell is this?! What did you do to me?! You wretched—!"

She stumbled back, hands shaking, wild eyes darting around the room as if searching for an answer.

Evelyn coughed, her breath ragged as she gasped for air. Her head felt heavy, her vision blurred, water dripping from her soaked hair.

But through the haze, she saw them. Those piercing emerald eyes.

A glimpse of that familiar emerald eyes that always drowned her.

"Verena...?"

Verena was on the doorway on the doorway, appearing breathless and more wounded than she ever was at that moment.

"EVELYN!"

The door slammed open. A figure rushed in.

Raphael.

His gaze locked onto Evelyn first, then flickered toward Penelope. Fury blazed in his eyes as he stormed forward.

With the man’s presence alone, the balance of power in the room shifted.

Verena collapsed in front of them.

The world slowed, muffled, as Evelyn’s breath hitched.

There was no justice for the noble ladies who had ridiculed her.

Afterall, the ones with powerful backing never faced consequences.

However, the Prefect of Discipline had told her everything - how Verena had run from detention, how she had pushed past authority, how she had thrown herself into chaos. All for Evelyn.

Even if she couldn’t reach her, Verena had still found a way.

Tears welled in Evelyn’s eyes.

She hated this.

Hated how pathetic she was. Always the damsel, always waiting to be saved, always trembling in someone else’s shadow.

But her attachment had already sunk too deep. It was suffocating.

Was Verena really the one who would pull her from this gilded prison?

This castle full of dragons, waiting to devour her whole.

She found her in the clinic, lying there in restless sleep. Evelyn moved to her side, heart pounding.

Verena’s lashes fluttered. Sleepy, dazed. She barely had a moment to process before Evelyn leaned in, pressing their lips together. Soft, but unyielding.

If Verena was going to be the one to take her away from this place...

Then Evelyn had to make sure she never let go.

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