REBORN My Second Life I Became The Villianess (Nyxara) novel Chapter 54

We broke the embrace, and the servants immediately stepped out from the shadows, quietly collecting the remaining coats and bags. Without a word of instruction, one of the senior staff members gestured toward the sitting area overlooking the back gardens.

"Right this way, Mr. Vexari. Young Madam," the servant offered politely.

My dad gave a stiff nod and followed me over to the plush armchairs arranged around a low stone coffee table. We took a seat, the silence of the massive estate pressing in around us. Within moments, a silent attendant rolled out a small silver cart, pouring fresh coffee for my father and a cup of herbal tea for me, before stepping back out of earshot.

My dad picked up his cup, his hands were trembling just a fraction against the saucer. He took a slow sip, cleared his throat, and looked across the table at me, his eyes held a heavy with a mixture of guilt, exhaustion, and lingering shock from everything that had happened over the last forty-eight hours.

"Nyxara," he started, his voice barely above a whisper as he leaned forward. "How are you... how are you holding up with all of this?"

I took my time, wrapping my hands around the warm teacup before looking straight back at him. I gave him a soft, reassuring smile, the exact kind of sweet, dutiful expression he was used to seeing whenever I wanted to make him feel better.

"I'm fine, Father. Really," I said, keeping my tone light and steady. "I'm being treated very well here. The Valteris take care of their own. They've given me a gorgeous room, my own car, security, and they even took me shopping today. Everyone has been nothing short of good to me."

As those words left my mouth, I watched the heavy, tense posture of his shoulders finally drop. The desperate, hunted look in his eyes faded just a fraction, and he let out a long, ragged breath that sounded like he had been holding it in for two days straight. The guilt chewing away at him seemed to ease up, comforted that his daughter was safe and happy in the lion's den.

He nodded slowly, taking another sip of his coffee. "That's... that's good to hear, sweetheart. I was worried that bringing you into a family like this would…" he started saying but he stopped mid-sentence, his eyes darting down to the table before looking back up at me with a sudden, nervous weight. He cleared his throat, shifting uncomfortably in his plush armchair.

"And Dario?" he asked, lowering his voice into a tight, awkward register. "How are things with him? Your marriage…"

I didn't let him finish. I cut him off right there, lifting a hand slightly to halt the question before he could stumble his way through asking about my wedding bed.

"Dario and I have an understanding," I said smoothly, keeping my voice casual and matter-of-fact. "We'll be staying in separate rooms at least until I'm ready."

The second those words hit the air, he didn't just relax, he practically melted into the cushions. The sheer panic that had flared in his chest at the thought of me being entirely at the mercy of a ruthless heir vanished in an instant. He let out a loud, heavy sigh of relief, leaning across the small coffee table to reach out and pat my hand with a warm, trembling grip.

"Okay," my father breathed out, nodding repeatedly as if trying to convince himself. "Okay, good. That's... that's smart, Nyxara. Take your time. Just... be careful."

He leaned back, sinking deep into the armchair, but the momentary relief on his face quickly curdled back into a bitter, exhausted frown. He stared down into his coffee cup like it held the answers to a test he was failing.

"The house is in turmoil," he muttered, shaking his head. I shifted in my seat, turning my body slightly toward him. I kept my face soft, leaning in with a look of quiet, genuine concern, playing the loving daughter checking in on a broken home.

"What's happening, Father?" I asked softly, letting just a hint of worry creep into my voice. He rubbed a hand over his tired face, pinching the bridge of his nose where a stress headache was clearly hammering away.

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