From Villain to Virtual Sweetheart: The Fake Heir's Grand Scheme(BL)-Chapter 574: When Relatives Gather, Daggers Follow (part two)
Across the room, Darcy exchanged polite greetings with the distant relatives clustered around him. To anyone watching, he looked calm, shoulders straight, chin lifted, voice steady. But inside, he loathed every single one of them. They were parasites wearing silk.
They were the same people who, in his previous life, had fed off the crumbling remains of the Ramsy family. When the Ramsys were the target of mockery, these relatives laughed louder than the outsiders. When rumours spread about Darcy’s upbringing, they repeated them gleefully. When Micah struggled under the pressure of being the heir, they whispered behind curtains, urging Darcy to fight him, tear the family apart, and grab what "should’ve been his."
Then, when the dust settled and the chaos ruined everything, they simply stepped forward and enjoyed the benefits.
A bunch of ungrateful, calculating fools.
Darcy had escaped their schemes multiple times.
If it weren’t for Albert, his stubborn belief that family must remain family, Darcy would have cut them out entirely.
In his previous life, they were leeches using the Ramsy family until the end. But this time, Darcy knew how to deal with them.
Albert had three siblings. Darcy looked at them now, analysing each one with quiet calculation.
The eldest sister, Marianne, stood near the fireplace. She held her teacup as if it were fragile crystal, her posture impossibly straight. Her hair was an untouched shade of white with a strand of pearls pinned behind her ear. She wore a deep green dress that stretched tightly across her midsection, her sharp eyes scanning Darcy up and down as though inspecting merchandise. Marianne was the type who smiled at you then complained about you the moment you turned around. Her husband came from a distinguished family, yes, but only as the second son of a line with dwindling influence. Their business was small, their power smaller, yet her pride towered above the chandeliers.
Beside her stood the second sister, Elizabeth, known in the family as the "second aunt." Unlike Marianne’s elegant posture, Elizabeth had a sturdy build and a louder presence. Her cheeks were round, her lipstick too bright, and her bracelets clinked every time she moved. She carried her granddaughter forward like a prize she was determined to auction off. Elizabeth loved gossip, competition, and anything that could make her look more important than her siblings. She wasn’t cruel, just shameless and hungry for status.
Trailing behind them, pretending he hadn’t been staring daggers at his sisters, was Albert’s younger brother, Uncle Darren. He was shorter than Albert by two inches, with thinning hair slicked back too tightly and a moustache he trimmed with unnecessary pride. Darren’s suit had a slightly shiny texture, the result of too many wears and too few replacements. His smile was always oily, and his ambition ran deeper than his pockets. He had married the daughter of a once-prominent family, but because she was a second daughter with no inheritance, Darren’s influence never grew. His envy of Albert simmered constantly at the surface.
Albert’s siblings had all married into other distinguished families, but none into the right line of succession. Their influence was negligible, their power small. Yet they chased the position of successor as if they had been born for it. They watched the Ramsy family like hawks, waiting to see who stumbled first so they could push their own children forward.
And now that Darcy was back, now that Jacob and Elina openly treated him like a true son, the three siblings had suddenly discovered that Darcy was "promising," "well-mannered," and "a good candidate for a future match."
In their previous life, they never tried to set him up. They didn’t even think he deserved to stand beside their children. But now that the tides had shifted, they were shoving daughters, nieces, and cousins at him like vegetables in a market stall.
Darcy’s lips curved subtly, an inward sneer they didn’t notice.
Too late. The one this boy’s heart yearned for was Micah. And he would never pick someone who might hurt Micah or look down on him. Even if he didn’t like Micah and he had competed with him in his previous life, a leftover thread of the original Darcy’s emotions tugged faintly when he looked at Micah. A stubborn warmth. A sense of familiarity. An ache that wasn’t his but still throbbed in his chest.
Darcy had put the matter aside until now, not because he hated Micah. No, he even found Micah of this world cute sometimes. But the important matter was not his feeling but their lives. The danger loomed over their heads. Until he dealt with them completely he couldn’t act on them or even think deeply about them.
Once he destroyed the threats, once he secured everyone’s safety...
Then, perhaps, he could let himself feel something.
But until then, those thoughts were luxuries he couldn’t afford.
A girl, Elizabeth’s granddaughter, was suddenly pushed forward into his space. Her cheeks were pink from forced shyness, her hands clenching the hem of her dress.
Darcy gave her a polite nod. "Pleased to meet you."
Her eyes widened, and before she could squeak out a greeting, Elizabeth swept in, beaming proudly.
"She’s very studious, you know! Top of her year. And she learns piano. Oh, and she’s very gentle. A perfect match for a young man with such a calm personality like you."
Behind her, Marianne let out a soft scoff at the praise being directed at someone else’s granddaughter.
Before Elizabeth could continue her speech, Uncle Darren waddled forward, smoothing out the front of his suit as if preparing for a dramatic performance.
"Young man," Darren began, voice deep with feigned wisdom, "you’re almost eighteen. Most heirs would’ve been engaged by now. Succession is serious business."
Darcy’s fist curled behind his back. His smile remained perfectly neutral.
Darren continued eagerly. "Look at my first son! Married into the Wilson family, great prospects, strong backing. Now he’s the general manager of their copper mining branch in the north. A respectable position! Now...Their son is a candidate for the successor position."
Elizabeth clicked her tongue. "General manager of the north branch? That’s nowhere near the central..."
Darren ignored her and pushed forward, puffing his chest out.
"My daughter is the same age as you. What do you think, hm?" He gave Darcy a sly smile. "A good partner can support your future."
Darcy’s jaw tightened. A chill slid through him.
The Wilson family. Wasn’t Aidan from their main household?
Did that mean... they betrayed the Ramsys in the last life because of connections like this? Had they always planned to align with the enemy?
His first instinct was to walk away. But instinct didn’t win wars, information did. If the Wilson family was involved this early, he needed to know why.
But before he could respond, a warm voice cut in.
Elina stepped forward gracefully, her smile gentle but her tone sharp enough to slice Darren’s ambitions in two.
"Elder uncle," she said calmly, "our son has just come home. We’d like to enjoy his return. Why are you pushing him toward engagement already?" She shook her head lightly. "Have you forgotten? Sons always follow the family of their wives. Are you trying to send him far away?"
Darcy blinked and stared at her. She defended him again, firmly, clearly, without hesitation. Something strange flickered in his chest.
Darren narrowed his eyes. "You young people worry too much. I only mentioned engagement, not marriage."
"Even so," Elina replied smoothly, "there’s no need to rush. He’s barely settled."
Before Darren could protest again, Jacob swooped in with immaculate timing.
"Uncle," Jacob said warmly, offering a steaming cup of tea, "I received a new batch of imported Pu-er. Would you honour us by being the first to taste it?"
Darren’s chest puffed up like a delighted pigeon. "Oh? Imported?"
Jacob nodded solemnly. "Only the best."
Darren forgot all about his matchmaking ambitions and immediately followed Jacob toward the tea table, straightening his tie as he walked.
Elizabeth glared at her brother for abandoning the plan so easily.
But Elina turned to her smoothly, her expression brightening. "Second Aunt, I heard your youngest son recently entered a new trade. Is that true?"
Elizabeth visibly perked up. "Ah, yes! Yes, he did! It’s a very promising venture, very promising. They’ve already attracted several investors."
The old woman excitedly praised her son, trying to get Ramsy’s family to invest in her son’s new company.
