The only choice left

Purple's eyes went wide. She had found out…

"Is this your first time undertaking such a task? How could you let your feelings control you?" Shera scolded. 

Purple bit the inside of her lip and had no answer to the scolding. This was not her first task since she joined La Rose Noire. Neither was it the first of this nature. But there was something different about it… 

"Leave." Shera dismissed coldly and Purple left wordlessly. 

Just as she exited the office, she passed by Ash who greeted her politely before she entered Shera's office, carrying files in one hand.

"Master, CEO Blake sent over the required portfolios." She heard Ash report. 

She heard the rustling of paper and guessed that Shera was checking through the files. For some reason, she wanted to wait for a moment. Sure enough, she heard a short conversation a short while later. 

"Ash, I want to give you a task." Shera said at the same time that the rustling stopped. 

"Yes master." Ash replied nervously. 

"I want you to take over Purple's task. She will give you everything you require. You have one week to accomplish it." 

"Understood, master." Ash's voice was clearly filled with nervousness although she bravely accepted the assignment. 

Outside, Purple took deep breaths, her hands balling into fists as she heard Shera explain what Ash needed to do. Soon after, Ash left the office. 

"Twelfth Miss, you're still here?" She asked when she saw Purple. 

"Yeah." Purple said nonchalantly. 

"I see. Then you must have overheard what Master just said to me, haven't you?" 

Purple could swear that Ash was deliberately being arrogant, especially with the way her tone had changed. She simply brushed her off with a "Hm. I'll give you what you need." 

However, Ash blocked her path. "Sometimes I wonder whether it's a coincidence… that every time you are unavailable, I do your job. Just like when you left your office today and now that you couldn't complete your mission." 

Purple crossed her arms. "Isn't it obvious? That's because you are 13." 

"Oh no you don't get it, twelfth miss." Ash rolled her eyes with a snicker. "Don't you understand it yet? I'm replacing you, Purple. Don't worry..." she waved her hands in the air. "You have nothing to worry about. I will be a better secretary and assistant than you."

Purple huffed. What was she even trying to say? She was making it sound like Shera was a man and they were fighting for her attention. She brushed past the gratified Ash and went her way. 

Although she had brushed it aside like she didn't care, Shera's decision still got to Purple's head. So Shera no longer trusted her…

Well, it was expected after what she had said a while ago, not to mention what happened between her and Cedric. So, should she try to win back Shera's trust? 

She gave up that idea as soon as it surfaced. That would be futile. It was not like Shera to give second chances. In fact, perhaps she was still alive only because Shera was planning something that required her presence. Who knew what would happen later? It must be too late. 

"How can you trust a woman who used your weakness to recruit you into her gang?" Cedric's words rang in her mind. "A woman who causes trouble day and night and leaves people in distress and tears wherever she goes. Is that the kind of person you are choosing to trust instead?" 

As though the devil liked messing with her, Cedric called at that moment. 

This time, Purple didn't hesitate to meet up with him  at the restaurant when he asked to, but maybe she would have avoided such temptation if she hadn't gone. 

Cedric made sure no one was watching before she slipped a wrapped pill into her pocket under the guise of hugging her. 

"What do you…" Purple's eyes widened when she touched the foreign object in her pocket. She took it out. "What's this?" 

Cedric stopped her from unwapping it. "It's poisonous. You will have to wash your hands thoroughly if you touch it." 

Purple's eyes went wide.

"Ellie, this is the only thing we can do." Cedric persuaded. 

"But it's illegal." Purple half-whispered. 

"it's only illegal if someone finds out." Cedric held both of her hands in front of his mouth and kissed them. "Ellie listen to me. If you do this, you will be free. We will all be free. It's not wrong to get rid of a villain." 

"But she is..." 

"Ellie, she wouldn't know." Cedric interrupted. 

Purple thought about it and nodded despite being hesitant. "Okay. I know what to do." 

___

Later that evening. 

Purple took out a bottle of wine from her bag and the pill from her pocket. Thinking about it, she crushed the pill and poured the powder into a stemglass, twirled it, then disposed of the remaining powder. 

Looking at it, no one would know the glass had anything in its walls unless they had been told about it. After washing her hands properly, she sneakily brought the glass back to the others. 

Later, she went to retrieve it from the cellar and brought it to Shera's room along with the winr. 

"Master, Miss Vivette would like to negotiate a deal with you so she offered you this wine." Purple reported as she brought the wine. 

Shera didn't glance at her. "Go on and pour me some." 

Purple poured the wine into the glass and placed the bottle at the side. Her heart raced wildly. 

Without so much as looking at Purple, Shera took the wineglass from her nightstand.