The bright red sun rays that were seeping through the window was the first thing that welcomed me as I entered my room. I threw my white sneakers into the messy pile of clothes and other things beside the door.
"Haaaa…"
Trying to bring an end to an engagement is a lot harder than I thought.
"You're back earlier than expected."
Olivia greeted me with a slightly surprised expression. Her clothes looked unkempt like she just cleaned an entire dusty estate…Surely my room can't be that dirty.
"What happened to you?"
I asked while closing the door behind me and walked over to the bookshelves.
"...Nothing. I was just cleaning your room."
Lies.
"I helped the head maid with her chores too since I had a few hours to spare…"
Even more lies.
"I see."
I threw myself to the couch near the window and opened the book not wanting to hear anything else from her.
"So how did your talk with him go?"
Olivia asked while wiping the window sills with an already dirty piece of cloth. Even when the day was already ending, she's still working. I sometimes get mad at her for working too much, but how could I ever say something like that to the only person who ever tried to understand my actions? But despite this, even though I already know the reason she's working too hard, I can't do anything else more than take a portion of my monthly allowance and give it to her, for now that is.
"Fine."
"Really? Are you sure?"
"Yes I'm sure…Are you doubting me?"
"Yes. Of course I'm doubting you."
Rude.
"I didn't raise a fist and talked to him about it in the calmest way! Shouldn't you be congratulating me?"
"Not raising a fist towards someone is the most basic thing a human being could do so I can't see a reason to congratulate you at all…"
"Mannn…I worked so hard to settle things calmly and this is all I get?"
Olivia only chuckled as she continued to wipe the window sills leisurely.
"So… what exactly happened with your meeting with him?"
"...He agreed to cut our engagement on one condition."
"What condition did you agree on?"
"I'll find another woman to marry him."
"...I knew it."
Olivia muttered as a matter of factly. After she cleaned the window sill she went outside the room, probably to clean herself up and to throw out that dirty cloth she used to clean the window sills.
The crimson sun rays slowly turned dim as a cool summer breeze entered the room, slowly lifting the white silk curtains for a brief moment. Before I knew it, I was already a quarter way through my book.
"Violet, your parents are asking you to join them for dinner tonight."
Ah sh*t.
Olivia entered the room while wearing a new set of clothes and she didn't bring that dirty cloth anymore, thank goodness.
"I don't want to."
I said as I flipped another page of the book.
"Why not?"
"They'll just ask me about how my talk with Killian went."
I'd rather eat the pages of my favorite book than talk to them right now. Who knows, maybe Killian stabbed me in the back and told my parents that I tried to smash his head down to the floor—even worse, he told them that I tried to cut off our engagement.
"...And they said not bring food into your room."
They're planning to use food against me now?!
"I'll join them for dinner then."
I can't believe the day that they would end up using food to lure me out of my room has finally come—not that I'm excited about it though. I should put a refrigerator in my room or just build an entire kitchen…
"Why are you still reading?"
Olivia asked with her hands placed on her hips.
"Because I'm not finished yet?"
"Get up and take a shower. You're going to be late for dinner."
I looked at the clock and the hour hand was already pointing at seven. It's already seven o'clock?
The scenery outside the window was already bathing in the moonlight. The stars were already twinkling and the air became cooler. One of my feet was stranded on top of the couch while the other was hanging by the arm rest. I didn't even notice it was already evening. This is all the book's fault.
"Alright…Can you hand me a bookmark first…"
My head turned towards Olivia slowly.
"Stand up already! You look like a plague infected Victorian child!"
"Insulting!"
I stood up from the couch but struggled to remove my foot that was lying on top of the couch.
"I'll prepare your clothes for you, now get inside the bathroom…"
With all her arms might, Olivia pushed me to the bathroom. I could tell that she was putting all her strength in pushing me…even though I'm already walking with my own two feet.
***
I took a golden bracelet and looped it around my wrist. Coincidentally, it matches my earnings. Strands of my untied black hair fell over my shoulders, contrasting the white dress I was wearing.
"You should head downstairs now…"
Olivia took a glimpse of the clock hanging on the wall.
7:46, I really should head downstairs now.
"Yes, thank you."
Olivia opened the door and I headed out of my room. This is the second time I went out of my room today—I really am working hard.
I could hear the heels I'm wearing clack against the floor again. Olivia was behind me, walking one step behind me.
After we descended the stairs, we arrived at the main hall where all the other attendants and servants were gathered. It was a traditional custom in our house for all the attendants and servants to be gathered in one place during dinner time for at least ten minutes. It's such a hassle, really. I'm guessing the one who made up these unnecessary traditions is that statue in our living room.
A man dressed up as a butler opened the door that led to the dining room.
"Have a lovely dinner, young lady Amaryllis."