His brows furrowed, confusion flashing before his anger returned. “What’s funny?” he snapped.

I stepped closer, folding my arms, lowering my voice so only he could hear. “You think you can keep your father all to yourself? You’re wrong. One day, he and I will have children—children of our own. And do you know what will happen then?”

A smile ghosted over my lips. The seed was planted. Now, I just had to water it with the right lies.

I let out a soft laugh, shaking my head. “Oh, this is funny.”

His jaw tightened. “He is mine. Soon, we will get married. That makes him yours.”

I continued with my act. “If you can’t do that…” I paused and shrugged. “Then I’m sorry… you will lose your precious father.” I patted his shoulder and flashed him a wicked smirk. “Think about it.”

“Felix.”

But I didn’t stop. “This isn’t about me, is it? You’re still in love with her. That’s why you keep looking at me like I’m her shadow. Why don’t you go retrieve her corpse from the grave and…”

“Olivia…” Sofia’s voice trembled.

Felix’s little hands shook, his fists tightening so hard I thought his nails might pierce his skin. His face flushed with rage, but his voice came out in a trembling growl. “No… he won’t. He’ll never leave me.”

He stood there, his small hands clenched at his sides, his strange eyes burning into mine with a look far too sharp for a child. His voice was low, cold, carrying rage that didn’t belong in a boy his age.

In a flash, he moved. His hands slammed the desk, caging me in. His face was so close I could feel his cool breath on my lips. His eyes glowed red, filled with anger.

“She’ll never take him from me,” he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. “Never.”

I tilted my head, letting a cruel smile tug at my lips. “The only way you can stop that from happening is to make sure your father never marries me.”

I shook my head, thinking to myself… I can’t… I can’t continue with this act… I have to find the vessel and stop this charade… I can’t even stand a second with this man… I moved quickly, desperate to put distance between myself and the study. But halfway down the hall, a small figure blocked my path.

His lips parted, but I didn’t give him a chance to speak. I leaned in, putting on more act. “He’ll love them. More than he loves you. And when that day comes, you’ll be nothing but his forgotten mistake.”

His fangs bared out, his small chest rising and falling quickly. His eyes—so young, yet far too ancient—locked on mine with pure hatred.

With that, I turned and walked away from him. With my back turned against him, I smiled to myself… I had planted a seed in his heart… all I had to do was make sure I made him believe the only way he could stop this marriage from happening was destroying the vessel that held his father’s soul.

His gaze dropped to my lips, and my glare deepened. What was he trying to do? With rage, I shoved him back. “Stay away from me,” I snapped before storming out.

I wished I could spit on him and tell him over my dead body would I be his wife, but I had to hold back my words. I stepped closer, my voice sharp. “No. That’s how you want it. I am not Hailee. Stop pretending I am.”

His smirk faded. “Careful, Olivia.”

I ran my hand over my face, exhaustion creeping in. I couldn’t waste another day pretending. Frederick’s obsession with Hailee, his twisted desire to replace her with me, his insistence that I mother his son—it was suffocating.

“You’ll never take him from me.”

I said nothing, waiting for him to finish.

I needed to move. I needed to act.

I teleported away and arrived back home in my room. The moment I landed back in my room, the familiar scent of home wrapped around me, but it brought no comfort. I sat heavily on the edge of my bed, my mind spinning. The plan had always been simple in theory: find the vessel, destroy it, and strip Frederick of his power. But theory never matched reality.

“Stop pushing me, Olivia,” he growled. “Because one day I might not be able to control myself and might just have to fuck you to shut you up.”

“I believe you have met my son… although this is not the way I wanted you two to meet,” he said casually, his eyes still on me.

Suddenly, I got a mind link.

I had no idea how I was going to achieve that. A child, dangerous as he was, wasn’t predictable. He was power wrapped in instability. But if I pushed the right buttons… he might become the very weapon I needed.

“You have to learn how to accept him… how to communicate with him…”

Frederick led me into his study and closed the door behind us with a loud snap. I could see he was still fuming with anger, and I just hoped he didn’t direct that anger at me. He stood by the desk, staring at me with eyes that felt heavy, while I glared at him, folding my arms tightly against my chest.

Olivia’s POV

I froze, my breath catching.

I scoffed at his attitude and stared at him. I didn’t know what to say to him, but I decided to play a small trick on him.

I reached the corner of the hall, my steps slowing as voices floated from behind me. Felix was still in the corridor, his small but furious voice echoing faintly.

My frown deepened, my anger rising. “Accept him? You mean raise him? Be his mother? I told you, Frederick, that was never part of our plan.”

His little chin lifted in defiance, his stare never wavering. “My father is mine. And I won’t let you steal him.”