The Villains Must Win-Chapter 89: Valerian Cross 9

Evening had long since settled over the mansion, casting deep shadows against its gilded walls.

Evelyn lay on her back, staring at the ceiling, her mind empty yet restless. Sleep refused to claim her, but there was no lingering thought or anxiety keeping her awake.

She blinked. Once. Twice. Then, with a quiet sigh, she slipped out of bed and moved toward the door, making no sound as she stepped into the dimly lit corridor. Her feet carried her forward, guided by nothing but muscle memory and a pull from the past.

The mansion was still alive despite the late hour. Guards patrolled the halls. Lamps flickered against polished floors, casting eerie glows over the intricate architecture. Yet, in the secluded side of the estate where Evelyn walked, there was silence. A strange emptiness.

They feared this part of the mansion.

Perhaps because it was hers—a witch’s domain.

Or perhaps because they knew something lurked in these halls at night.

Evelyn slipped into the shadows, merging with the darkness as if she were born from it. A whispered incantation masked her scent and presence, rendering her invisible to the eye. Her target was close.

She navigated the winding corridors with ease, finally arriving at a secured section of the mansion—the private courtyard belonging to none other than Stephanie Cross.

Her eyes glowed faintly as she peered through the ornate lattice.

And just as she had anticipated—he was there.

Lucien Blood.

The future vampire prince.

He stood beneath the moonlight like a vision conjured from a dark fairy tale, his presence both haunting and mesmerizing. Pale, luminous skin that glowed silver under the stars. Crimson eyes that burned like embers in the night. A tall, elegant frame wrapped in darkness, sharp features so finely sculpted they seemed almost unreal. He was temptation made flesh, danger wrapped in the allure of nobility.

And across from him stood Stephanie Cross—the sheltered princess of this household, so untouched by the bloodshed and horrors surrounding her.

Soft, pastel-pink hair tumbled in delicate waves over her shoulders. Large, innocent red eyes gazed at Lucien as if he held the stars themselves. She was purity, naivety incarnate, the untouched canvas of a tragic love story waiting to be written.

Evelyn knew their tale well.

Stephanie, forbidden from leaving the mansion, had craved freedom more than anything. And one night, reckless and free-spirited, she had snuck out to attend a festival—blissfully unaware of the monsters that lurked in the dark. The scent of her virgin blood had drawn them in, their hunger insatiable. Among them had been Lucien.

But instead of devouring her, he had been captivated.

And just like that, the story of doomed lovers had begun.

Evelyn exhaled softly. If only she knew what she had done.

Valerian—the ever-dutiful brother, the guardian who had shielded Stephany from the horrors of their world—would be furious if he knew. Not only had she let an enemy walk freely into their most fortified sanctuary, but she had handed him the keys to their downfall.

Lucien was no ordinary vampire. He was royalty. A creature of nightmares wrapped in silk and seduction. His presence here meant only one thing—espionage.

And yet, Stephanie, blind in her love, saw none of it.

She didn’t see how Lucien’s crimson gaze flickered ever so slightly, how his sharp ears caught the whispers of CROSS soldiers, how every time he entered this place, he absorbed its secrets.

CROSS’s war plans. Its hidden armory. The vulnerabilities in its defenses.

It was only a matter of time before he used it against them.

At first, Lucien had wanted to exploit her. To use her as a key to infiltrate CROSS HQ. But love—fickle, dangerous love—had tangled its chains around them both. He had begun to waver.

And yet, history had already written its script.

Eventually, his betrayal would come. He would sabotage CROSS’s efforts in the war against the vampires. Valerian would fall—not by his own weakness, but by the very person he had protected his entire life. Stephanie’s love would be his undoing.

And when she finally realized the cost of her fairytale, it would be too late.

It was the turning point of their tragic romance.

With Valerian gone, Stephanie rose as the new leader of CROSS, her heart hardened by grief and betrayal. The brother who had shielded her from the world, who had sacrificed everything to keep her safe, was now dead.

And the one who killed him?

Lucien Blood.

The man she had once loved, the man who had whispered sweet promises under the moonlight, was now the very monster she vowed to destroy.

But love, cruel and relentless, had not released its grip on them.

Like all tragic romances, hatred turned to longing, and vengeance twisted into reconciliation. In the end, Stephanie and Lucien found their way back to each other, choosing love over war. Together, they united humans and vampires in a fragile peace, forging a future where their kind no longer needed to fight.

A perfect ending. A happily ever after.

For everyone—except Valerian. The brother who had given his life for her. The man who had died, unavenged and forgotten. And worst of all, his beloved sister had married the very man who had killed him.

Evelyn narrowed her eyes as she watched them.

Lucien pulled Stephanie into his arms, lifting her effortlessly. She gasped softly, her cheeks flushed as she clung to him. And then, with an elegance only his kind possessed, he ascended into the sky, carrying her with him under the veil of midnight.

They hovered there, suspended between the stars, before he lowered his head and captured her lips in a kiss.

A lover’s embrace. A promise of eternity. A vow wrapped in deception.

Evelyn scoffed and stuck out her tongue in disgust.

Romantic? Sure. But also painfully idiotic.

Rolling her eyes, she turned on her heel and disappeared back into the shadows.

She had only come to confirm her suspicions—and she had seen enough. The story was unfolding exactly as it had been written. There was no need for her to interfere.

Stephanie would learn. Eventually.

And when she did, she would taste the bitterness of love laced with betrayal.

Evelyn smirked to herself as she slipped back into her room, stretching lazily before crawling into bed.

She could already imagine Valerian’s fury when the truth finally came to light. Her goal was clear as it was in the beginning, make sure the villain win in the end.