Natasha's POV
The moment I heard that the Crown Prince had finally awakened, I rushed to my room. I changed into a soft lavender dress, brushed my hair carefully, and dabbed some powder under my eyes to hide the dark circles. But makeup could never conceal the pain. My heart still ached, my chest still heavy.
I cried for three days straight.
I stared at my reflection in the mirror.
"This is all my fault," I whispered.
Maybe if I hadn't insisted on the marriage… Maybe if I had let him go earlier, he wouldn't have collapsed from the pressure. Maybe… just maybe… I should stop chasing after a man whose heart already belongs to someone else.
Why do I keep clinging to someone who never truly saw my worth?
Tears welled in my eyes again as I sat inside my carriage. The ride to the palace felt endless. Every turn of the wheels echoed in my ears like the pounding in my chest.
The guards bowed. The maids greeted me. The knights opened the doors.
But I walked past them, emotionless.
Even Butler Eduardo tried to speak, but I didn't hear a single word. My feet were moving on their own, my heart already in the room before I even touched the handle.
And then I saw him.
"Prince Zachary!" I cried out.
I ran to him, unable to stop myself.
My arms wrapped around him as my tears poured out again. His warmth embraced me back—no rejection, no pushing me away—and I cried harder. I didn't know what to feel anymore.
Relief? Guilt? Fear?
Maybe all of them.
"I know you love someone else," I whispered through the sobs. "And that's okay. I'd rather see you happy with another… than see you suffering because of me."
There was silence.
Then, softly, he patted my head.
"I'm okay. I'm fine. Look—I'm still breathing."
His voice was calm… but it wasn't cold. That alone shattered me.
"Prince Zachary," I choked out, "I know I've been nothing but a burden to you. I'm sorry… if I've always caused you trouble. I'm sorry that because of me… you collapsed. If I hadn't begged my father about the marriage—"
My voice cracked. "Thank you… for at least caring for me, even for a while. That was enough for me. I'm grateful. Truly."
I looked into his eyes and tried to smile, even through the tears.
"So please… take care of her. The one you truly love. Protect her. Be happy with her. That's all I ask."
I inhaled deeply, gathering the courage I had left.
"And about the marriage… I'll tell my father to withdraw the engagement. You're free now, Zachary. Free to choose what you want. I won't beg anymore. I won't bother you again." Even saying that nearly broke me. But I had to do it. We grow by letting go. We learn through pain.
I loved him so much… to the point that I forgot how to love myself.
Tears were still falling when I hugged him for the last time.
"I'll always wish you well," I whispered.
Then I stepped back.
And walked away.
Still crying.
Still breaking.
But this time… also healing.
Zachary's POV
I stood there, frozen. I didn't move. I didn't chase after her.
My mind had gone blank. My lips couldn't form words.
How… could I say anything after that?
Just moments ago, I thought I understood her.
But now I saw something else.
A girl wearing two masks—one for the world, one to hide her pain. She'd learned to smile when she wanted to scream. Learned to stand tall when her world was falling apart.
People often called her the villainess.
But all I saw was someone deeply human.
A strong, independent soul.
And yet…
Something clenched in my chest.
I don't want to let her go.
I don't want to cancel the engagement.
Because… what if I want her?
She's beautiful. Gentle. Honest in her vulnerability. She doesn't deserve to be thrown aside like a side character.
Tch… Zachary Levi Auguste, you fool.
Why did you chase someone who clearly loved another, when someone just as precious was right in front of you all along?
She's not the villain.
She's the victim of a story written by a careless author.
And if I really am the new soul in this body, maybe it's my job to rewrite her ending.
This world—"Secret Malice"—is just a novel to everyone else. But to me, it's real.
The people here breathe, cry, feel.
And Natasha…
She was never supposed to be the villain.
She was just a girl who loved too much, who held on too tightly to someone who never saw her.
The original Zachary took her for granted.
But not me.
Not anymore.
If this is my second chance at life, then maybe I was sent here for a reason.
Not to fall in love with Lykaren.
Not to blindly follow the story.
But to change it.
To save Natasha.