Look at her, how dare she act so high! I bet she is smirking behind the fan. Does she even care for her sister who died and came back to life?! I'll show her.
"Look at you... Do you have no shame in wearing a nightgown in front of me? You bring shame to this family…"
"Ha... Shame? You bring more shame to this family than I did… You didn't even come to see your sister who passed away but came back to life!"
"Step-sister to be corrected… I was glad you were sick for months and now you came back alive... I am not so excited to see you again… I was hoping you stay dead~"
Did you? Celine did nothing to you! She bullied her and mocked her! You even try to poison her! I came downstairs to her and faced her.
"Lies! You try to p-poison me! How could you!"
I faked crying and fell to my knees. I know this will work if I play my cards right... We can kill her or at worst make her suffer the pain! Lisa hugged me and mother hugged me. Lisa tried helping me up. Mother turned her attention to Viviana.
"Viviana! Please a-"
"No! She deserves it, Kalina, I was crying tears of joy with Eternal when I heard you passed away!!"
Viviana was shouting at me. She bit her lips so hard that her lips started to bleed. The maids around started to whisper. The front door opens.
It's the Duke! He has Ash blonde hair and blue eyes. He was still handsome even though he was in his late 40s.
"I came home early because I heard Celine had come back to life but now I see this! Viviana, I told you many times to open up to your mother and sister!!!"
"Father Kalina will never be my mother! She is just a whore who seduced you!! I know she killed Mother! I know she did!"
How dare she! Mother is crying. Father came up to Mother and hugged her. Wipe her tears away.
"I'm sorry I wasn't a good enough mother to Viviana~"
"Father, I'm sorry for not being a good sister to her.."
I fake cry and Father's eyes widen. He wiped our tears and smiled at us.
"It's not your fault! You both did your best~"
I slowly turned my head to Viviana and saw her at the break of tears. I smirked a bit and she saw it. She ran towards me with her arms up ready to slap me. Father stopped her and slapped her right on the cheeks. It left a hand mark on her face.
Viviana fell to the ground in shock. Tears slowly rolled down her cheeks.
"Honey! You shouldn't do that!"
"It's fine Kalina... She has been acting up lately and making my Chela family look bad!"
"Father…. How could you… Have you never believed in me? Your blood daughter who has been telling the truth about Kalina and Celine? The fact they spread rumors and made me look like a villain… Did you believe I lied?!"
"Yes! All you do is lie! Look at all the maids! Do you think the maids would lie!?"
I really wanted to laugh about how funny it was, she is getting what she deserves. I held my mother's hand mother held my hand back. Viviana stood up and still had her hand on her cheeks that were slapped.
"From now on, you're not allowed to leave his mansion! You're not even going to the debut ball with your sister!! Plus your debut ball gown will go to Celine! No buts!"
Viviana was angry but couldn't say anything. Her tears still rolled down her cheeks. She glared at me one last time before she left. She went upstairs to her room.
Father smiled at me and Mother as he patted my head.
"I am so glad you're alive~"
"Father, I am more happy and glad to see you in person!"
He hugged me and then kissed Mother's forehead.
"You will have Viviana's debut ball gown,"
"Thank you, Father! Mother, I'm going to try it on!"
"I'll come with you, darling!"
Mother and I went to the dressing room to get ready. I tried on the dress. The gown was so beautiful! A light blue gown with white inside and a cape that is white with some gold sewn into it.
The shoulder gown was made out of white feathers and a waistline with gold jewelry. It was so long and beautiful. There was even some small blue topaz shaped like a rhombus on the gown.
"Woah! You are fit to be a princess!"
I blushed and agreed! Celine would be fit for a princess~ She and the crown prince of the sun kingdom spent a lot. He was always too shy to show his true feelings.
If only the author finishes the story! Maybe I'll finish the story! Married the Crown Prince, become a Queen, and take over the Moon empire!
"I feel bad for taking Viviana's debut gown…"
"Nonsense! How could you forget the way Viviana mocked you in public, pulling your hair, or even letting you get locked in a closet?"
Mother is right, Viviana did a horrible thing to Celine. I can't let her get away. If I want to get revenge I must take stuff she loves one by one.
"Mother, I'm going to marry the crown prince of the sun kingdom! I'll promise to protect you~"
I hugged her and she rubbed my back.
"That's a good thing~ If you didn't marry one of the royals~ I would have to~"
I pulled away from her and she was just smiling at me. This wasn't part of the novel…
"Wait, what do you mean mother??"
"You see, I always want more power… to of course protect you and make sure you stay safe!!"
"Isn't being Duchess enough?"
"Silly girl! It's never enough... To protect the loved one... We must be top so no one will hurt your loved one~"
She cupped my cheeks and kissed my forehead. She is right, she would do anything for her daughter! It's not like she only cares about power!
"Silly me! You must have forgotten something! Let's talk more tomorrow in the garden over tea! Father, be planning partly for your recovery.."
"Oh! I can tell Father what to plan for the recovery partly~!"
Mother held her hand together and smiled widely. She must be so happy! I'll promise to get revenge for you, Celine.! I will make you suffer Viviana!
*
*
*
In my room now, crying to myself. Why doesn't the father believe his blood daughter?! Ever since that woman married my father, he has changed a lot. He isn't that loving father, he abused me a lot and Mother laughed at me and mocked me. Celine would make me do her homework and let me sometimes do her personal maid job.
All the maids despised me and hated me for "bullying" her. All I did was defend myself and fight back but they always see me do wrong. I was supposed to debut at the ball at 16 but my father made me wait for a year just to go to the ball with Celine.
Celine is a year younger than me. Kalina told Celine to seduce the prince and be the princess! Celine hated that idea! She said she wanted to find true love and then after that, she got sick for 3 months.
I was crying tears of joy! No one bullied me, Kalina even stopped mocking me or harassing me! This morning at 4 am, they declared Celine passed away. Maids cried and so did butlers. I just laugh and smile.
Even my half-brother smiled at me and hugged me. He felt like he couldn't do anything to protect me. He always apologizes for his mother's actions. I still remember when I first met Eternal, he was just five years old and I was seven.
Mother just passed away and the next day he got married to Kalina. Eternal didn't smile much, he looked so skinny and sad.
I used to hate him because of his mother but we grew close after I found out he was my half-brother and we connect from books we read together every night. Eternal always hated his sister since he can remember far back.
Soon there was a knock on the door. Eternal came in and hugged me.
"Are you alright!? I heard from the maids what happened! How could father do that to you!?"
He touched my cheeks that string a bit. I just sadly smile.
"Shouldn't you be in sword skills class?"
"That's not important! I am going to talk to Father now!!!"
He started to head to the door. I yelled no and stopped him.
"No! What if he forbade you from leaving this mansion again or what if he sent you off to another city or the Moon empire!? Think about it… Father isn't in the right mind, he forbade me from leaving his mansion and even made me give my debut gown to Celina…"
"You're right… I don't have the power or skill to take over… If they send me to another place, I won't be able to protect you~ Sister I promise you this… I will become the Duke and save you from this hell!"
He hugged me and I cried. He is such a sweet brother, what would I do without him? I would have indeed ended my life but he saved me~ I trust you brother~
Become a duke sooner~ Whatever it takes~ Just don't kill Father ~ He pulled away and patted my head.
"Look, I am the same height as you! I'm going to be taller than you~!"
He giggled and I couldn't help but giggle too. He always tries to find a way to cheer me up.
"Oh! Sister, I heard there is going to be a recovery partly for Celina, A lot of people are coming. That may be your chance to go buy a dress! I heard this shop here has cheap but magical dresses and gowns to fit whatever event it is in seconds!"
Eternal handed me a map to the shop. It's in an unknown area. Well, to be honest, Father never let me out. I always have someone come to me for everything.
"Is this safe?"
"I believe so…"
"What do you mean you believe so?! If I get kidnapped I swear to god I will slap you!"
"HAHAHA! As if! No one wants to kidnap an ugly girl like you!"
"Be quiet! I am pretty! Wherever… I will go, when is the party?"
"Next week, it's on a Tuesday. It starts from 12 pm to 5 pm.."
"That's great huh? 4 hours to pick a dress?"
"More like 3 hours since you never went out before.."
He was right, I never went out before. Well, this is my only chance to go and find it.
"Wait, I can't even go to the debut ball! What is the point of getting a gown?!"
"Trust me, sis, you will get there... You will be blessed!"
He smiled at me and slowly backed up to the door.
"Well, I'll better go now before Father finds out I skip class~"
I crossed my arm, I know what he did to sneak in.
"You sneak in from the window?"
"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't! Who knows!"
He grins and dashes for the door. He is gone now. I couldn't help but laugh a bit. I soon then looked out of the window as I was hugging my knees. The sky was dark. The dark clouds cover the sky.
I wonder how Celina came back to life. Unless they didn't know. She is so strange now. She would never dare cry in front of anyone.
Celina is horrible at acting. She could never shed one tear or even a fake smile. How can she become a different person in seconds?
She even ran to see me in her nightgown. She would never do that, she would have shamed herself if she did that. She would always wear the prettier dress she stole from me to show who's boss.
"How strange… she is strange alright…"