Page 133 of The Villainess Chose Naps Over Death Flags

Then her father and several other nobles burst into the alcove.

What they saw was damning enough: Caroline disheveled and tearful, Caspian's clothing obviously hastily arranged, the flower bed that had clearly been created by magic, the intimate scene impossible to misinterpret.

Her father's face went purple with rage and shock. "Caroline! What—how could you—"

"It wasn't supposed to be him!" Caroline sobbed, the words bursting out before she could stop them. "The spell was for Percival! It was supposed to be Percival! He wasn't supposed to—I didn't mean—"

Shocked gasps from the other nobles who'd followed her father.

Caroline clapped her hands over her mouth, but it was too late. The words were out.

She'd just admitted, in front of witnesses, that she'd set a love spell trap for Earl Sinclair and accidentally caught Duke Vanthorn instead.

The scandal erupted immediately.

◆◆◆

Carol gasped and opened her eyes, the memory releasing her abruptly.

She was back in her chambers, sitting on her bed, Mochi and Shadow watching her with concerned eyes.

Her face was burning. Her heart was racing.

She'd felt everything. Caroline's nervousness preparing the spell. Her excitement waiting for Percival. Her horror when Caspian arrived instead. The overwhelming power of the reflected spell. The intensity of what followed.

And Caspian's guilt. His confusion. His genuine distress at thinking he'd hurt her.

"Oh no," Carol whispered, pressing her hands to her hot cheeks. "Oh no, that's what happened. That's really what happened."

"Now you know," Lumi said gently.

"She didn't mean to trap him," Carol said, her voice shaking. "She meant to trap Percival. But Caspian showed up instead, and the spell—his power made it worse. Made it affect both of them."

"Neither of them had any control once the spell activated," Lumi confirmed. "Caroline's Mind magic combined with Caspian's raw power created something far stronger than she'd intended."

"He felt guilty," Carol said. "He thought he'd taken advantage of her. But it was her spell. Her trap. Just... for the wrong person."

Carol felt tears prick her eyes.

She'd trapped him. Well, Caroline had. But Carol was living in Caroline's body, benefiting from Caroline's marriage, carrying Caroline's child.

And Caspian had spent three months married to someone who resented him for something that was entirely her fault.

"I need to tell him," Carol whispered. "I need to—I need to apologize. I need to give him a choice."

"A choice?" Missy asked.

"Whether he wants to stay married to me," Carol said. "Whether he wants... any of this."

The guilt settled heavy in her chest.

She'd been so focused on avoiding death flags, on making the marriage work, on being a better person than Caroline.

But she'd never once considered that Caspian might want out.

That he might be trapped just as much as she was.

And after tonight—after Millicent's public accusation, after being reminded of exactly how this marriage started—Carol couldn't ignore it anymore.