After the broken engagement, Viviana and Faust returned to how things were before: still inseparable, still constantly busy.
On the surface, nothing had changed. The engagement and its dissolution were just a minor episode.
But Viviana knew that everything had changed forever.
What she'd thought was mutual love had only been her own wishful thinking.
Faust wasn't her fiancé. He wasn't a treasure they possessed together. And he was no longer... her intimate soulmate.
When her old fantasies shattered, all that remained was bitter reality.
Faust still trusted her completely, saw her as a confidante and right hand, would even entrust his life to her if necessary.
But he would never see Viviana as a lover. To put it bluntly, he didn't see her as a woman at all.
The clearest proof of this was that Faust had never been intimate with her.
In the past, the young woman had been tolerant of her fiancé's philandering. She could calmly make herself scarce, even encourage Faust to indulge.
It was perfectly normal for a prince to have a few consorts. Besides, His Highness had ambitions that could swallow the cosmos itself.
The prince's harem needed to expand. What was wrong with that?
There was nothing bad about it. At least it was lively.
More importantly, Viviana hadn't minded the lack of intimacy with Faust. She'd even enjoyed the process.
Knowing they would eventually be together but not knowing when. That ambiguous atmosphere was addictive as poison.
But now, when Viviana stood guard outside his door, what grew in her heart was no longer sweet anticipation but complete and utter humiliation, jealousy, and self-loathing.
She knew full well Faust felt no love for those vulgar women. But even so, it still wasn't her turn.
This behavior had no explanation other than physical revulsion.
Every time she attended him, Viviana dug her nails into her palms, bit her lip until it bled, questioning her own heart over and over.
Why?
What about me disgusts His Highness so much?
Today my hands tremble... today my heart aches... why is this happening? I've given everything, yet I can't have even a little of the love I want. Why would heaven give me this pain? What did I do wrong...
Faust, Faust, Faust, Faust, Faust! (darkly spiraling!)
Viviana had long been resolved: becoming Faust's wife and partner was her purpose. Without that goal, what meaning did her life have?
This agony tormented her. Viviana couldn't bring herself to hate Faust no matter what, so... she could only hate herself.
Hate herself for being unable to make His Highness care for her. Hate herself for being so weak and pathetic... Hate her own face that disgusted His Highness.
Under such extreme self-hatred, Viviana wore a hood to conceal her "ugly face."
She locked away her excessive longing and possessiveness toward His Highness deep in her heart. Only this way could Viviana act normal around Faust.
Only this way could she endure the prince of Aurum's false affection and manipulative hot-and-cold treatment while pretending not to notice.
But when she learned about the matchmaking ball, the jealousy and resentment in Viviana's heart finally drowned her.
She heard a voice from deep within, as if it were another version of herself.
"Are you really going to stay this indifferent?"
"I've been locked away for so long. Don't you understand? I can make His Highness love us. His Highness will be ours, must be ours. Faust has to be ours."
"At least for these three days, let me create some beautiful memories."
What happened next felt dreamlike even to Viviana, watching from the sidelines.
After the ball ended, Viviana finally understood an even more brutal truth.
The same face produced completely different results.
"I see. He just doesn't like me."
"As long as it's me, it won't work. As long as it's Viviana Roselyn, it won't work!"
Because of this, filled with helplessness and bitterness, Viviana could only rest her head on the prince's shoulder and ask in a trembling voice:
"Do you... really despise me that much?"
...
"I see. So you're saying you have a split personality?"
After Viviana's soft confession ended, Faust finally understood the situation.
The pale-haired girl nodded gently.
"Yes..."
His Highness blurted out bluntly:
"But that doesn't sound like a second personality in the strict sense at all. Seems more like a mask to me."
Viviana's flexible switching didn't resemble dissociative identity disorder at all. It was more like a persona mask she could use to expose her true inner self.
"..."
The girl's expression suddenly darkened.
Damn, I shouldn't have called her out so directly.
Faust sensed trouble. He watched as Viviana sighed and murmured:
"I'll leave it to you..."
Planning to put on the mask and run away, Viviana? That's really cowardly of you!
Faust quickly said:
"Wait, Viviana, just calm down for a second..."
"No need to calm down. What I'm doing now is carefully considered. I have no regrets."
Viviana, no, "Cinderella," smiled slightly and pressed down on Faust's shoulder, helping the bound prince onto a couch.
Faust was forced to face Cinderella at close range.
Her soft, delicate features were as beautiful and captivating as flowing moonlight. Her clear violet eyes sparkled like gemstones.
Her pale gold hair and stunning figure perfectly matched Faust's type.
"I must have been out of my mind."
The prince licked his lips, sweating profusely.
"How did I remain so oblivious to such a breathtaking beauty before?"
Given Faust's lustful nature, how could he have overlooked his childhood friend?
Not only had he felt no desire, he'd been extremely cold toward Viviana.
Such abnormal behavior was impossible for Faust. After thinking it through, it must have been the "Destiny Script" at work!
I was too naive. When did I get the mistaken impression that destiny only started affecting me recently? Ten years ago, he'd already stepped into the "script"!
Faust's mind raced. In just moments, he understood the whole chain of cause and effect.
He desperately wanted to explain everything to Viviana, but just as he started to organize his words, Mephisto's voice rang out in his mind:
[Please don't do that. Revealing destiny to a witch is unforgivable blasphemy against fate. The protagonist of supreme destiny will not be allowed to escape their fate.]
Faust fell silent immediately.
Cinderella propped up her delicate face with one hand, gazing at the prince of Aurum with a smile as she slowly shook her head:
"Please continue with the sweet nothings. I'd be happy to enjoy them."
"But unlike that fool Viviana, I'm not an easy woman to deal with. Even knowing it's all lies, she'd still accept them gladly..."
The golden-haired, violet-eyed Cinderella leaned forward, rubbing her flawless face against Faust's.
Her beautiful curved lashes fluttered as Faust caught sight of intensely burning flames in those purple eyes:
"It was you... you were the one who seduced her first. Again and again, over and over.
Do you know? She planned to lock away the memories of those nights in her heart, but you... why did you give her that task?"
"So it's your fault. Everything is your fault..."
At this point, Faust could only smile bitterly:
"Could you not force yourself on me?"