Family.
It's supposed to be a haven, a place where love runs as deep as the roots of an ancient oak. They were supposed to be the ones who knew you before anyone else, the keepers of your earliest secrets, the witnesses to your most awkward stumbles.
Yet, here she sat, staring at the faces that mocked that definition.
"Now that you have officially become part of the family, you have to leave all your previously learned behaviors." Camilia has been on about this for half an hour now. From the moment she entered the dining hall to the moment the breakfast was served, and even after that, never once did she pause to take a breath.
Joining along with her was Lyra Xiao, the wife of her second son but Vesna had decided to call her the official bootlicker of the family. She was a short plump woman, with a round face that seemed perpetually flushed. Her eyes, small and beady, darted constantly between Camilia and Vesna, as if afraid to miss a single opportunity to curry favor.
"Oh yes, Vesna, you must listen carefully to Mother Xiao," Lyra chimed in, her voice sickly sweet.
"Our family has standards and traditions. It's not like... well, where you came from." She paused, a smirk playing at the corners of her mouth. "But don't worry, we'll teach you everything you need to know."
Vesna's fingers continued to peel the skin off the salted duck egg, her focus seemingly absorbed on the egg rather than the people around her. This was the first time she got to experience what she had heard was called a family breakfast.
Family.
The concept had always been a hazy one for her. A fleeting glimpse here, a whispered story there. But none of it had prepared her for this.
Walter Xiao sat at the head of the table, his weathered face impassive as he ignored Vesna's very existence. To his right, her father, Louis, wore a perpetual frown, his stern gaze fixed on his plate as if it had personally offended him.
Across the table sat Aurelia, the 'perfect daughter', with impeccable posture, taking small, delicate bites of her breakfast.
Beside Xai Rong sat Axel Xiao, the teenage son of Lyra who was lost in his own world. His nose was buried deep in a thick book, his breakfast barely touched. Occasionally, he would surface long enough to take a bite or sip of tea before diving back into the pages, blissfully unaware of the undercurrents swirling around him.
"Your manners, your habits, the way you carry yourself. Everything must reflect the dignity of the Xiao family." Camilia continued.
Once the salted duck egg was perfectly peeled, Vesna began to slice it into pieces and place it on her rice.
"Did you hear what I said?" The matriarch's voice sharpened, unused to being ignored.
Vesna finally lifted her gaze, meeting the older woman's eyes with a stare as cold and empty as a winter sky. "I heard."
Camilia's lips thinned in disapproval. "Then repeat what I just said."
A beat of silence stretched between them. Vesna's hand hovered mid-air, holding the knife poised over the egg.
"Something about manners and dignity," Vesna finally offered, her voice as bland as the unseasoned tofu on her plate.
"Insolent child!" The matriarch's face flushed with anger. "Do you have any idea of the honor bestowed upon you?"
"Honor?" Vesna repeated, her voice quiet but clear. She placed the knife down carefully beside her plate and looked around the table. Each face held a different emotion – annoyance, amusement, or simply indifference. "Is that what this is? An honor?"
The dining room fell into a shocked silence. Even Axel looked up from his book.
The question hung heavy in the air. Walter, who had remained silent throughout the tirade, finally lifted his head. His gaze met Vesna's for a brief moment, a flicker of something unreadable passing through his eyes before he looked away again.
"Vesna," Louis growled, a warning in his tone.
Silvia cleared her throat softly. "Perhaps we could discuss this later? Vesna has only just arrived, and I'm sure she's still adjusting."
Her voice was gentle, almost concerned, but Vesna knew better than to trust it.
After that, the breakfast continued with an uncomfortable tension lingering in the air. Conversations were kept to a minimum, punctuated by forced coughs and the nervous clearing of throats. Vesna returned her attention to her plate as if nothing had happened.
Family... it seemed like more of a burden than a haven.
It was a gathering of strangers bound by blood and obligation, more concerned with appearances than genuine connection. Each member here was playing their assigned role. They all wore masks, hiding whatever humanity lingered beneath.
"Since it seems my presence disrupts the tranquility of this family," Vesna suddenly said, "I've decided on a solution."
A bewildered silence hung heavy in the air.
"I recently purchased an apartment before coming here, and I'll be staying there," Her gaze swept across the table, landing on Camilia. "Besides, wouldn't it be wonderful to maintain the family's dignity without the burden of someone with such... unrefined manners?"
"An apartment? You just arrived, and you already want to abandon your family?" Camilia's voice was sharp, incredulous.
Vesna met her gaze unflinchingly. "Abandon? Or perhaps create some breathing room for all of us?"
"I'll join you on public occasions, of course," Vesna continued, her voice smooth as silk. "We can pretend to be the happy family we're supposed to be."
Camilia's face turned red with rage, but before she could explode, Silvia intervened. "Vesna, maybe it's better if you stay here with us. We can work through our differences, and I'm sure we can find a way to make this work."
"I'm afraid I can't do that." Vesna smiled sweetly. "I'll be in touch though, but for now, goodbye."
With that, she stood up, her chair scraping against the floor. She walked out of the dining room, leaving the Xiao family in stunned silence.