Waves of Envy

Mateo was about to speak, his lips parting as he struggled to find words, when Annie, Lila's maid, rushed into the garden. Her eyes were wide with concern as she took in Lila's drenched state.

"Oh my lady! You're soaked to the bone!" Annie exclaimed, hurrying over. "What happened?"

Lila released Mateo from the embrace, stepping back with a sigh. "I slipped and fell into the pond, Annie," she said, her voice laced with a hint of frustration. "Prince Mateo was kind enough to help me."

Annie glanced at Mateo, her eyes narrowing slightly before she turned her full attention back to Lila. "We need to get you out of these wet clothes at once. You'll catch a cold."

Mateo, regaining his composure, cleared his throat. "I was just about to suggest the same. Let me assist you back to the manor," he offered, a mix of genuine concern and lingering desire in his eyes.

"Thank you, Prince Mateo, but I'm fine," Lila replied, her tone soft but firm. She turned to Annie, her expression more serious. "Annie, please prepare clothes for me."

Annie nodded, casting another wary glance at Mateo before hurrying back towards the manor.

As they began walking, Lila stole a sideways glance at Mateo, her mind still calculating her next move. 

As they approached the manor, Lila's thoughts churned with plans for the future. This encounter had gone exactly as she intended, and she was one step closer to exacting her revenge. For now, she would play the part of the grateful damsel, all the while plotting her next move against the man who had once been her lover and then her killer.

Lila changed into dry clothes, the weight of the damp fabric replaced by the comfort of warmth. As she settled into her bed, her mind drifted to the upcoming boat candle lighting event, meant to honor the memory of the late Empress, Axel's mother.

She couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled over her since the announcement of the event. Though she outwardly expressed condolences and support for Axel, inwardly, Lila's thoughts churned with suspicion and apprehension.

"Tomorrow is going to be a long day," she muttered to herself, her voice barely a whisper in the quiet of her room.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, breaking the silence. "Enter," Lila called out, sitting up in bed.

Annie stepped into the room, a concerned expression on her face. "Your Highness, are you all right?" she asked, moving closer to the bed.

Lila forced a smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Yes, Annie, I'm fine. Just tired," she replied, her thoughts still consumed by the events to come.

Annie hesitated, her gaze searching Lila's face for any signs of distress. "Is there anything I can do for you, Your Highness?"

Lila shook her head. "No, thank you, Annie. I just need some rest," she said, her tone gentle yet firm.

As Annie left the room, Lila lay back against the pillows, her mind racing with possibilities.

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As the boat candle lighting event commenced, Lila stood at the edge of the dock, her green dress shimmering in the moonlight, perfectly complementing her long blonde hair. She exchanged a knowing glance with Axel, her partner for the evening, his sarcastic smirk mirroring her own.

Meanwhile, Heather, adorned in a yellow dress that contrasted with her brown hair, stood nearby, her expression carefully composed despite the tumult of emotions within her. She glanced at Mateo, her fiancé and the father of her child, who wore his usual air of arrogance as he flirted shamelessly with Lila.

With only two people allowed on each boat, the pairs were set—Lila and Axel, Mateo and Heather. As they boarded their respective boats, the tension between them was palpable.

Mateo's eyes lingered on Lila, his flirtatious demeanor belying the complexity of his feelings. Heather, though pretending to be nice, seethed with resentment towards Lila, her jealousy simmering beneath the surface.

As the boats glided across the water, the air thick with tension and unspoken desires, Lila couldn't help but wonder what the night would bring. With each flicker of the candlelight, the shadows of their past loomed larger, threatening to engulf them in a whirlwind of passion and betrayal.

But Lila was no stranger to the game of manipulation, and tonight, she intended to play her hand with all the skill and cunning at her disposal. For beneath her cool exterior lay a fire burning bright—a fire fueled by revenge and the promise of redemption. And as the night unfolded, Lila knew that nothing would stand in her way, not even the ghosts of her past.

"Lila! Are you all right?" Axel screamed.

"Lila!" Mateo also screamed out of concern.

As the boats collided, Heather found herself momentarily forgotten, overshadowed by the concern of the two princes for Lila. Watching Axel and Mateo calling out for her, Heather's heart sank, bitterness rising within her like a tide.

'Typical,' she muttered under her breath, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "They only have eyes for her."

As Mateo's voice carried across the water, Heather couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. Despite being engaged to her and the father of her child, his attention seemed solely focused on Lila.

Watching Mateo and Axel rush to Lila's side, Heather couldn't help but feel a surge of jealousy. It was always Lila—always the center of attention, always the one everyone cared about. And here she was, left alone in the boat, forgotten and overlooked once again.

"He always falls for her act," Heather thought bitterly, her fingers curling tightly around the edge of the boat. "Doesn't matter that I'm carrying his child. Lila will always come first."

Meanwhile, Axel's concern for Lila only served to deepen Heather's resentment. She had once been in love with him, before Mateo came into her life and swept her off her feet. Now, seeing Axel's lingering affection for Lila reignited old wounds.

"He cares for her," Heather mused, her gaze fixed on the scene unfolding before her. "Just like Mateo. They're both fools."

As Lila and Prince Axel returned to the deck, Heather's eyes narrowed with jealousy. She watched them closely, her mind racing with thoughts of how to eliminate Lila from the equation.

Meanwhile, Mateo stood beside Heather, his gaze lingering on Lila with a mixture of longing and desire. Despite his engagement to Heather and impending fatherhood, his feelings for Lila were undeniable.

As Lila and Prince Axel stepped off the boat onto the deck, Heather's eyes narrowed with jealousy. She had noticed the way Mateo's gaze lingered on Lila during the journey back, and she was seething with rage. Determined to get rid of Lila herself, the woman who threatened her relationship with Mateo, Heather formulated a plan.