|| 𝕰𝖕𝖎𝖘𝖔𝖉𝖊 4: 𝕹𝖞𝖝'𝖘 𝖉𝖊𝖆𝖗 𝕹𝖊𝖒𝖊𝖘𝖎𝖘 ||
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𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐃 𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐄 𝐊𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓.
𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑑.
Funny thing, the girl is of the same age as Nyx. And she is in 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦 a Knight. Her father had been cheating on her mother for 𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑓𝑢𝑐𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑠.
Nyx clenched her fists, trying to calm herself down. The mere existence of Astrid was the only 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑡 in Nyx's life. She was supposed to be the face of the Knight family, the daughter who stood out in this world. Until three years ago, she discovered that she had a 𝑠𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟.
Astrid looked like Nyx in some aspects. She could 𝑛𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 compare to the Goddess Nyx was, but she was near. She had brunette hair, a trait they both gained from their father, but her hazel eyes differentiated them. Astrid is what one would call a good girl, 𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦.
She was everything Nyx wasn't.
A nerd with low self-confidence who rather interact with her pet dog than the world around her, Astrid didn't have a single trait of a Knight except, of course, the beauty features she inherited from her father. Astrid was vulnerable, being targeted by bullies during the one year they spent in the same 𝑓𝑢𝑐𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 high school.
As if the death of her mother wasn't hard enough, her father had married his mistress, Kate 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛 𝑎 𝑚𝑜𝑛𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑓𝑒'𝑠 𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑡ℎ. Talk about 𝑑𝑒𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦. It was like the good old father she had once known was replaced by this man she couldn't recognize anymore, and she hated even having the same surname as him.
"Celeste. You are here. Have a seat, we need to talk." her father orders.
Now, there is one thing the Queen absolutely 𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑠𝑒𝑠. Being ordered around. She wasn't her father's little princess who would go on doing whatever to please her '𝑝𝑎𝑝𝑎'. No. She stopped being that 𝑝𝑎𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑐 girl a long time ago.
"I have a business to attend to, Regina is going to show me the latest collection of jewelry that I am going to wear on the runway. So, it would be better if you simply tell me what you want to. I have 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 important places to be." she replies, standing and not taking a seat.
She hears her father sigh and looks at her with anger filled in his eyes. There was no doubt in her mind that her father hated when she defied him, but then, he would have thought that through before cheating on her mother.
"I said sit down. We are going to have a talk like a family." her father says.
But Nyx doesn't move. He might be stubborn, but she isn't scared. 𝑁𝑜𝑡 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑎 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑏𝑖𝑡.
"I don't see a family, Mr. Knight. My only family died three years ago, thanks to you," she replies, snapping at him.
She watches as Kate and Astrid looks at her with wide eyes, guilt swimming in their eyes. But she doesn't want their pity - they are the reason for it. And Nyx is going to make them remember that for the 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆.
"How many times to I have to say this - I am sorry for what happened. But you now have a new family, us. You have a sister, Astrid, who needs a big sister in her life to support her. And Kate, who will be a wonderful mother to you." her father says.
And that is enough to rile her up even more. 𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝒔𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕?
"Mr. Knight, I don't want a woman in my life who 𝑓𝑢𝑐𝑘𝑠 married men. Who destroys families. If she even had an 𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑐𝑒 of dignity within her, she should have kept her hands to herself. Women like her will 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓, 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 be my mother. As for Astrid, she needs to get a life first before deciding that she wants me in it. I have no sister. Just a 𝑓𝑢𝑐𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 reminder that someone is going to take half of what is 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑒." she replies.
She watches as her father slams his hands on the table and walks towards her. She doesn't move, instead, she looks at the man in his eyes. Show no fear because she is the 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧.
"Don't ever speak about my wife and daughter like that!" he shouts at her.
But she doesn't even bat her eyes.
"Since when did I start listening to you, Mr. Knight?" she says with a smirk. She was playing with fire, but she loved every single moment of it.
"You have to because I am your father," he says.
"No, you are not. You are just my 𝑓𝑢𝑐𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 sperm donor. So, tell me did you call me here to rant at me or there is something else I could do for you?" she says, holding her ground.
Kate comes in between them and pulls Nyx's father away to try to calm him down. Nyx watches as tears appear in Astrid's eyes, but she doesn't feel any pity.
No, she didn't hate Astrid. Surely, she was a nice girl. But she is a constant reminder of the times when she has to feel shame in public. The Queen ℎ𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑠 bowing her head down. Astrid has taken away everything from her - her father, her part in the family business, the memories she shared in this mansion.... everything. She replaced Nyx in her father's heart, and Nyx ℎ𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑠 being replaced.
"Celeste love, this is not the way to talk to your father. He is just trying to be there for you." Kate says.
Nyx laughs because surely this was some kind of joke.
"I think I clarified that I don't need him in my life. I don't need his 𝑓𝑎𝑘𝑒 comfort. I don't need his money. And I certainly don't need you and your.... 𝑑𝑎𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑒𝑟. I am doing well on my own, as you would have seen from the newspapers. But then, why would he? Because he is so 𝑓𝑢𝑐𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 busy 𝑓𝑢𝑐𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 you in the bed when he promised to be there for my mother. In the same bed, he held me when I used to cry like a baby." she replies.
"Celeste.... you are crossing lines here..." her father says.
"You crossed those lines twenty-one years ago, Mr. Knight," she replies.
Her father sighs, and Kate tries to calm him down. Astrid sits in her 𝑝𝑎𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑐 baggy clothes, looking like her father isn't a 𝑓𝑢𝑐𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 billionaire. That girl seriously needed some fashion advice.
"I called you here to inform you that Astrid will be transferring to your college." her father finally says, breaking the silence.
Nyx thought that she heard it all wrong. What did he say?
Astrid will be transferred to her college?
"She has decided to take up another course - she thinks she would study business so she could handle mine with you when the time comes. I talk to the board and they are willing to get her admitted in the junior year." her father continues.
Oh, 𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡.
As much as Nyx hates to admit it, she had spent her high school year protecting the 𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑑 child from the bullies. Not because of sisterly love, but because Knights don't get bullied - they are meant to rule. People shouldn't even dare touch them without their permission, let alone bully them.
So, she had to step up her game and fucking defend the little Knight's honor.
The 𝑑𝑎𝑚𝑛 woman should learn how to stand up for herself.
"No," Nyx says.
"What did you say?" her father asks, more like demands.
"She isn't transferring into my college. I have a well-built reputation there, and I will not let it be tarnished by ℎ𝑒𝑟 presence. Just look at her! She doesn't even know how to dress. How is she going to play the part of a Knight?!" she argues.
This is getting out of control. Astrid can't be everywhere.
"This is not up for a debate, young lady. She is going to your college." her father replies back.
Great. Just 𝑓𝑢𝑐𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 great.
"Then my dear Astrid, think again. Because your dear daddy isn't going to be there to protect you this time. Mess with me and trust me, I will make you run away from me so 𝑓𝑢𝑐𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 hard that even Google won't be able to track you." she says.
She watches as Astrid gulps, fears all over her eyes.
"You will not bully your sister." her father says.
Nyx looks at her father, a smirk on her face.
"Who says I am going to bully her? Bullies are pathetic. Trust me, Mr. Knight, my mere presence is going to be torture for her. Good luck with all those nights thinking about the ways 𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖, Astrid. Let's see if you survive my reign." Nyx says.
And with that, the Queen makes her dramatic exit.
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