The drug’s fire burned through Annie’s veins, devouring every shred of self-control.

Meanwhile, Lois stood in the corner of the hall, her breath catching as she received a text. The message blinked coldly on her screen, sent from an unnamed contact.

“It’s done. Time to take action.”

Lois couldn’t suppress the smug curve of her lips. She slipped her phone into her pocket and walked toward Ryanna. She tugged at Ryanna’s sleeve, her face filled with fake anxiety and innocence.

Lois glanced at the crowd around them, biting her lip as if too scared to speak. “Princess Ryanna… Countess Annie is…” she whispered.

People who had been initially looking at Ryanna noticed something was wrong. Those nearby caught whispers of what she said.

Ryanna stared at Lois, brow furrowed. “What’s wrong?” she demanded. Ryanna had noticed Lois had been acting strangely all day.

Even Katelyn, who had just finished speaking with the King, turned to stare. Lois’s voice shook as she whispered, “Countess Annie is… with someone. Doing things she shouldn’t.”

She kept her voice low—just loud enough for the crowd nearby to catch. That was all Lois needed—the crowd’s whispers would spread the rest.

“What? Countess Annie’s doing things she shouldn’t?” someone in the crowd shouted. Heads turned instantly. Even those who weren’t paying attention turned to stare.

Katelyn heard it too. Her eyes locked with Vincent’s—a silent conversation in a glance—and he nodded once.

But the damage was done. The crowd’s whispers spread, unstoppable. There was no stopping it now—Ryanna could only watch.

Lois’s eyes sharpened with urgency as she looked in the direction of the noise. “The backyard.”

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A voice cut through the crowd. “Let’s go see for ourselves! We need to make sure Countess Annie is safe!”

Others, hungry for drama, roared back, “Let’s move! Now!”

The mob surged through the doors, stampeding for the backyard like animals scenting blood.

Ryanna’s gaze locked onto Lois—eyes like frosted steel, cutting through every lie, every pretense.

Lois shrank under Ryanna’s stare, her face a practiced mask of wide-eyed innocence. Lois’s lip quivered, her voice a breathy whisper. “I—I only wanted to help…” Her eyes shimmered with tears that never quite fell. Her actions seemed more like a startled reaction, a momentary loss of composure, rather than a deliberate choice.

Anger flared within Ryanna, and without hesitation, she sent a message to her subordinate.

“Move Annie, now. And make sure no one sees you,” Ryanna ordered.

The subordinate snapped back, “On it. No traces.”

But it was already too late.

The door exploded inward with a deafening bang. The once-closed door was suddenly flung open.

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