A Cinderella Demon Tale: Sukuna and Cinderella

Chapter 14: Schemes and The Prince

Author's Note: Hellooo!! Excited to post two chapters back to back! Hopefully I'll finish the next chapter tonight to post as well ahhh!! Thank you guys again for voting and commenting it means so much!! ♥♥ I was also finally able to upload Tik Tok's again without it being taken down yay!

Sukuna entered the Stepmother's room to find her engrossed in paperwork. She acknowledged his presence with a faint smile, laying down her feather pen before approaching the room's grand windows. With her hands behind her back, she began, "Mighty Lord Sukuna, the ball draws near, and we haven't officially received our invitation. I'm concerned that our family's reputation may not have been salvaged in time to secure an invitation. Therefore, our agreement remains unfulfilled, and I require more power," her voice tinged with a hint of urgency.

While the stepmother was well aware that the invitations had yet to be sent out, was growing confident in her control over Sukuna. Bolstered by her manipulation of the situation, she began to feel less afraid of him. She acted as though she possessed the demon's power under her command. Sukuna, who had been deliberately prolonging their deal to keep an eye on Cinderella and sort out his ever-shifting emotions, sighed audibly. The noise caught the stepmother's attention, causing her to turn around and face Sukuna. However, her gaze was met with a piercing, cold glare from him. Her blatant demands and greed had pushed him to the brink of annoyance beyond belief.

"What do you want me to do, then?" he asked, his curiosity barely masking his irritation.

The stepmother, momentarily relieved by Sukuna's apparent indifference, approached him to speak, but their conversation was interrupted by the sudden entry of Cinderella. Her head hung low, she politely addressed the stepmother, "Good evening, Stepmother. You summoned me?"

Upon seeing Sukuna, Cinderella couldn't fully gauge his expression, so she quickly redirected her gaze toward the stepmother, her demeanor one of deference and embarrassment.

The stepmother, irritated by the interruption, said, "Excuse me," to Sukuna before turning her attention to Cinderella. Without warning, she slapped Cinderella fiercely, causing her to stumble and fall to the ground. "First off, how dare you interrupt my meeting, you ignorant brat," the stepmother berated her. She then seized Cinderella by her hair, continuing her tirade, "Second of all, I was informed that you were sluggish in your chores today. Do you think you have a place in this household without proper work? I must not see this again if you value your position here. You should consider yourself fortunate that we even allow you to stay."

She knelt down to Cinderella's level, her voice dripping with malice as she whispered, "After all, let's not forget what you are." Her hand clawed at Cinderella's shoulder, causing her to flinch. "A murderer."

Cinderella felt tears welling up in her eyes as her heart sank. She stole another quick glance at Sukuna, her ears burning with embarrassment as she desperately wished he wouldn't witness her in such a discomposed state. Sukuna, seething with anger, clenched his fists so tightly that his nails drew blood. He yearned to intervene, yet the weight of the consequences held him back. He understood that stepping in could amplify the spotlight on Cinderella and potentially exacerbate her predicament. Her reputation, already marred by the alleged conflict surrounding her father's death, hung by a thread, and any harm he caused to the Stepmother would further tarnish her name. These thoughts shackled Sukuna in inaction, and the anguish of bearing witness to this unfolding drama gnawed at him relentlessly.

He exchanged a meaningful, apologetic look with Cinderella before turning his gaze away. Cinderella's heart ached at his silent apology, and she hurriedly got up, her sobs escaping her trembling lips. She curtsied hastily before rushing out of the room.