The Hidden Extra: The Lazy Prince Refuses to Ascend The Throne

”Well, back then I didn’t care, because I saw you and Belfor as family. But don’t think I’m stupid. Am I right, Melinda Horven?”

A wave of indescribable relief spread through her body. Nolan had once told her that suppressed hatred and unspoken thoughts could eat a person alive.

That was why she had spoken her mind—and Nolan was right. Her body now felt light, as if a weight of hundreds of kilograms had been lifted off her shoulders.

On the other side, Melinda sat frozen. She wanted to deny it, but she couldn’t. Everything Claire said was the undeniable truth.

She had been jealous of Claire in the past. The girl’s talent far outshone hers. Her father always praised Melinda as talented, but deep down, she knew those words were just empty flattery.

The truth was obvious: Claire had always been the more talented one, held back only by the lack of opportunity.

But would Melinda crumble just because of a few words? Of course not.

Taking a deep breath, she straightened her posture. Her gaze sharpened, her lips curling into a mocking smile.

”You’re quite bold, Claire. Just because you’re the leader of this trading house, you think you can escape your fate?” Melinda sneered. ”Don’t forget, you’re just a blind woman with no experience. I don’t know what Shion was thinking when she handed you the leadership of Red Obsidian, but in my opinion... she was a fool to entrust it to someone like you.”

”A blind person?” Claire chuckled softly. She lifted her blindfold, revealing a pair of clear, sky-blue eyes.

”Now... do you still think I’m blind?”

Melinda froze in shock, unable to comprehend it. Her body instinctively straightened, and she took a few hesitant steps back.

”How... how is this possible? Why did you—” Her words died in her throat.

Her gaze was locked on Claire’s eyes, searching for proof of the impossible. All she could see was a pair of dazzling, clear blue eyes—eyes that had never opened before.

That meant Claire could truly see.

”This can’t be... What happened? Weren’t you... blind?”

Claire’s blindness had never been ordinary. Their father had once hired a doctor, who confirmed that both of her eyes were entirely gone.

Yes, Claire had been born without eyeballs. Seeing should have been impossible.

The only way to restore her sight would have been to transplant eyes from someone of the same bloodline. But how could her father—or even she—ever agree to give up their eyes?

In the end, her father left her blind and locked her away in an underground cell, hiding her existence from the world.

”Surprised?” Claire propped her chin on her right hand, a playful smile on her lips. ”The one you always underestimated is fully healed and ready to rise. How does it feel, sister? Does it... hurt?”