Kill The Empress (Reincarnated as the villainess)

Part Eighteen

The duke slammed me down on the floor and wrapped his hands around my neck. I clawed at his arms and tried to rip them off of me, but his grasp was too strong. I kicked under his weight until he shifted himself slightly. I used that opportunity to bring my knee up and ram it right in between his legs.

He yelped and loosened his grasp, allowing me to push him off of me. I scrambled to get up and tried to run to the door but he reached out his arm and grabbed me by the ankle. I fell forward and hit my forehead on the ground which made me groan in pain, but I quickly regathered myself and tried to kick him away.

He kept his right hand on my leg and extended his left arm out to grab my other leg, but as he did so, his full body went forward, making his face in range of my legs. I reeled back and kicked him as hard as I could in the nose, which made him loosen his grip. I squirmed out of his grasp and clawed at the carpet in front of me so that I could stand up.

However, just as I raised myself up, a hand instantly grabbed onto my hair and threw me back onto the ground, completely bruising my spine. My father let go of my head as he saw how bewildered I was and brought himself to his feet.

"You put up quite a good fight," He snickered as he looked down at me. "But, I hope you know, it was all in vain." He stepped over me with his right leg so that I was trapped between his stance.

I saw to the left of me in the corner of my eye that there was a large book on the floor. It had probably fallen as a result of the tussle, but I couldn't reach for it without him noticing.

He lowered himself down so that he was crouching and gently placed his fingers around my neck. I winced and tried to move my head but he just glared at me, keeping his hands in place. "There's no use in fighting the inevitable, Edith." He then slid one hand to the base of my jaw and the other to the stop of my head, both twisted in different directions. He was going to snap my neck.

Just as he put pressure in those places so he could get a firm grip, I swung my arm at his head, hitting his temple with the large text. It knocked him down on his side. He lifted his hand to his head as he lay on the floor, staring at me with fuzzy vision.

I shakily stood up, my breathing erratic as I tried to think of a solution. I could not kill him, I knew that. I hadn't the power or authority and it would result in either death or lifelong treason. So, I had to find another way for him to use me.

"Father," My voice was hoarse and full of anger, "It would be wise of you to hear what I have to say."

I saw his hands planted on the ground behind him. He was planning on shooting up and attacking me once more--I needed to stop him.

"What could you possibly have to say to me? You failed to do the only thing that I have asked."

"You're mistaken, father." I glared down at him, my image truly befitting of a villainess in that moment.

"All you have asked of me is to make the prince favor me, and I have done just that."

"Yet you are engaged no longer."

"I believe we both know that is out of his control."

My father scoffed to himself. "If you had any regard for my authority, you never would've acted a fool at the academy and tainted our family name. Isn't that the entire cause for this broken engagement?"

So he does care about that? However, he doesn't appear to be disappointed about my specific actions, he is disappointed that it apparently cost me my engagement. Well, maybe I should use that to my advantage and twist the narrative.

"Oh, father," I held my hand to my mouth to cover my smirk, "Was it not you yourself who told me to grab hold of the prince by any means necessary?"

He furrowed his brow at me. "Yes, but you haven't done so--"