THE VILLAIN I LOVED

THE STORY IS CHANGING

CHAPTER THREE

Evan locked his bedroom door. Then he checked it twice. Then a third time.

He leaned against it and slowly exhaled. "That was close."

Too close. He had almost told Adrian everything. Not intentionally, obviously. But the words had slipped out.

That's not how the story goes.

What kind of i***t said something like that?

Evan dragged both hands through his hair and walked toward the desk. He needed to think. He needed to remember everything.

The original story had been nearly a thousand pages. He couldn't possibly remember every detail, but he remembered the important parts. Especially the parts that involved Lucian's downfall.

He grabbed a sheet of paper and sat down.

At the top, he wrote:

LUCIAN VALE — SURVIVAL PLAN

Underneath, he began writing.

One: Stay away from Adrian Blackwood.

He paused. Then added:

Two: Do not interfere with Elise.

Three: Do not ruin anyone's life.

Four: Avoid royal events.

Five: Do not trust Dorian Veyne.

His pen stopped.

Dorian. For some reason, Evan remembered very little about him. That bothered him.

He stared at the name. Dorian Veyne had been one of the noblemen who appeared around Adrian later in the novel. He remembered him being charming, intelligent, and well-liked. But that was it. No major conflict. No memorable scene. Nothing.

Evan frowned. "Why can't I remember you?"

He crossed the name out. Then immediately wrote it again. He couldn't afford to forget anyone.

He continued.

Six: Find out when Lucian dies.

That was the most important thing. He needed to know how much time he had.

Evan leaned back in his chair. The original Lucian died near the end of the story. He had months. Maybe a year. That was enough time. He could disappear before everything happened. He could leave Aurelia. Maybe even leave Valedria.

He smiled faintly. "That sounds easy."

A knock came at the door.

Evan jumped. "Yes?"

"Dinner is ready, Young Master."

He looked at the clock. It was already evening. He had spent hours thinking.

"I'm not hungry."

There was silence. Then the maid spoke again. "Lord Blackwood is waiting downstairs."

Evan closed his eyes. Of course he was.

"Tell him I'll be there later."

Another pause. "He said he would wait."

Evan's eyes opened. "What?"

"He said he has nowhere else to be."

Evan stared at the door. That wasn't normal. Adrian was one of the busiest men in Aurelia. Why was he sitting downstairs waiting for him?

Evan sighed. "Fine."

The dining room was enormous. A long table stretched beneath a chandelier, covered with silver plates and carefully arranged dishes.

Adrian sat at one end. He wasn't eating. He was reading.

Evan stopped at the doorway. He looked up. Their eyes met.

Adrian closed the book. "You came."

"You said you'd wait."

"I did."

Evan walked to the opposite end of the table and sat as far away as possible.

Adrian noticed. Of course he did. "You're avoiding me."

Evan picked up his fork. "No."

"You're sitting at the opposite end of a table that can fit twenty people."

Evan looked around. He hadn't realized the table was that long. "It's comfortable here."

Adrian said nothing.

Evan began eating. The silence was unbearable. He desperately wanted Adrian to leave. Instead, Adrian calmly ate his dinner.

After several minutes, he spoke. "Why did you cancel our meeting?"

Evan swallowed. "I told you. I changed my mind."

"You've never changed your mind about me."

Evan almost choked. He reached for his water.

Adrian watched him. "You used to send me letters."

Evan froze. "Letters?"

"Every week."

Evan's stomach sank. He hadn't known that. "Right."

"You stopped."

"Yes."

"Why?"

Evan stared at his plate. Because I'm not the original Lucian. Because I'm trying not to die. Because I know you're going to kill me.

Instead, he said, "I realized I was wasting my time."

Adrian's expression hardened slightly. "Your time?"

"Yes."

"You used to think I was worth your time."

"I was wrong."

The words were harsher than Evan intended. Adrian went completely still. Evan immediately regretted them. He expected anger. Instead, Adrian simply lowered his eyes.

"Perhaps."

Something about the quiet response made Evan uncomfortable. He glanced at him. Adrian continued eating as though nothing had happened. Evan looked away.

He shouldn't care. He couldn't. This was Adrian Blackwood. The man who killed Lucian. He had to remember that.

After dinner, Evan returned to his room. He opened the drawer beside his desk and began searching through it.

Letters. There had to be letters.

He found them beneath several books. Dozens of them. All addressed to Adrian.

Evan stared at the pile. "Lucian…"

He picked up the first letter. The handwriting was elegant. He read a few lines. His face slowly changed.

The letters weren't romantic. Not exactly. They were filled with warnings.

Don't attend the eastern council meeting.

Someone in your father's circle cannot be trusted.

Be careful around the royal advisor.

Don't travel through the northern road.

Evan's heart began beating faster. He grabbed another. And another. They all contained warnings. Not love letters. Warnings.

Why? If Lucian was obsessed with Adrian, why had he spent so much time warning him about people around him?

Evan sat down. He reread the first letter. Then the second. Then the third.

Something was wrong. Very wrong.

The novel had described Lucian's letters as desperate love confessions. Evan remembered reading them. But these weren't love confessions.

Someone had lied. Either the novel had lied, or someone had changed the letters.

A sound came from behind him.

Evan spun around. The balcony doors were open. Cold air moved through the room.

He stood slowly. He hadn't opened them.

He walked toward the balcony. Nothing. Only darkness.

Then he noticed something on the floor. A small black envelope. His heart began pounding. He picked it up. There was no name on it. He opened it. Inside was a single piece of paper. Five words were written across it.

You were never supposed to come.

Evan stared at the message. His fingers went cold.

Come where? The novel? Lucian's body? This world?

He read it again. Then something moved behind him.

Evan turned sharply. A shadow disappeared beyond the balcony.

"Wait!"

He rushed outside. The balcony overlooked the gardens. Nothing. Nobody. Only the sound of the wind moving through the trees.

Evan looked down at the letter again. His breathing became uneven.

Someone knew. Someone knew he wasn't Lucian. And that meant one terrifying thing.

He wasn't the only person who knew the story was changing.

Across the manor, Adrian stood beside a window. His expression was unreadable.

A servant approached him. "My lord."

Adrian didn't turn. "Find out who entered the west garden tonight."

The servant hesitated. "Why?"

Adrian finally looked at him. "Someone was watching Lucian."

His gaze returned to the distant balcony. "And I want to know who."