Luna, who had been kneeling on the cold marble floor for hours, her body aching and spirit worn thin, suddenly felt a shift in the air. Her eyes, tired and half-lidded, snapped wide open. The quiet hall, where she had been enduring her silent punishment, was now filled with the commanding presence of an elderly woman who had just stormed in. The heavy doors creaked as they closed behind her, the woman's voice cutting through the tension like a blade.
"Vivienne!" the voice shouted, echoing through the grand space.
Luna blinked, her heart quickening. She recognized that voice. The air seemed to crackle with an authority so familiar, yet it felt distant. Camille, who had been sitting smugly nearby, her eyes filled with satisfaction at Luna's predicament, suddenly froze. She shot up from her seat, but in her haste, she misstepped. Her arrogant composure faltered for the first time that evening when she saw who had entered.
Astoria Glenstone.
The elderly woman, dressed in regal attire, with silver hair pinned back into an elegant chignon, stood tall at the entrance, her eyes blazing with fury. Astoria wasn't just anyone. She was the best friend of Luna's real grandmother, a powerful figure whose presence demanded respect, regardless of the years that had passed since her heyday.
Camille, normally so brazen and sharp-tongued, quickly tried to compose herself. She knew better than to face Astoria with anything but not her real self,, rather a Facade. "Grandma, why are you rushing inside?" Camille's voice was strained, her previous arrogance dissolving into a poor attempt at civility.
Astoria's eyes flicked over Camille with disdain, her lips curling slightly in disgust. "You girl, don't you know how to speak to your elders? Who taught you manners? Ah, but of course, you're Vivienne's daughter. No wonder," she spat, her words cutting deep.
Camille's mouth opened in protest, but no words came out. Her usual sharp tongue had failed her. The grand butler, who had been standing at attention, rushed to inform Vivienne of Astoria's arrival. Within moments, Vivienne came hurrying down the staircase, her heart pounding in her chest. She thought, 'What could that old hag want here?' It had been years since her friend Luna's grandmother had passed away, and Astoria had barely been around. What could bring her here now?
As Vivienne reached the bottom of the stairs, she immediately bowed to Astoria, trying to mask her irritation with a false smile. "Madam Glenstone, what an unexpected pleasure," she began, her voice dripping with forced politeness. "Camille is just a child; she meant no harm. My Camille is naïve "
Astoria's sharp eyes darted past Vivienne and landed on Luna, who was still kneeling, her head bowed. Her anger surged again, and she wasted no time in speaking her mind.
"Order Luna to get up. Now," Astoria commanded, her voice like steel.
Vivienne's brow furrowed slightly. She had been relishing in Luna's humiliation, enjoying every moment of her stepdaughter's suffering. The thought of letting Luna off so easily was unbearable. But Astoria's presence complicated things. She needed to tread carefully.
"But Madam Glenstone," Vivienne started, her voice soft and measured, "Luna is being punished. She disrespected me earlier, and even her father was angry with her. She must learn her place."
Astoria's fierce gaze softened the moment it fell on Luna, and Luna, still kneeling, looked up with tired, resigned eyes. There was a brief, unspoken exchange between them. Astoria could see the toll the years had taken on the young woman. Luna, usually so composed, was vulnerable in this moment. Her lips trembled slightly as she spoke, her voice barely a whisper. "Grandma, I'm just being punished. You shouldn't worry over something so small."
Astoria's heart ached at Luna's words. She walked over to her, her anger now mixed with a deep sense of protection. "Luna, my dear child," she said softly, kneeling beside her. "You are an exact copy of two very important people to me. I will not stand by and let anyone treat you like this."
Vivienne and Camille stood off to the side, their faces filled with disdain and bitterness. They watched with tight jaws as Astoria helped Luna to her feet, her touch gentle, yet firm. As Luna stood, her legs weak and shaking from the hours she had spent kneeling, Astoria turned back to Vivienne, her eyes narrowing dangerously.
"Let her go," Astoria repeated, her voice hard once again.
Vivienne, clearly flustered but unwilling to give in, tried to push back. "I'm only teaching Luna the importance of respecting her elders," she said defensively. "As you know, Madam Glenstone, Luna's real mother failed to teach her these things. I'm just making sure she understands how to behave, especially since she's getting married soon. Her upbringing wasn't… complete."
Vivienne's words hung in the air like a poisonous cloud. Luna winced at the mention of her mother. It was always the same. Vivienne never missed an opportunity to remind her that her mother was gone, or to subtly blame her for whatever shortcomings Luna might have.
The room fell deathly silent as the sound of Astoria's palm meeting Vivienne's cheek echoed through the hall. Vivienne stumbled back, shocked, her hand flying to her face. She hadn't expected Astoria to go so far.
"How dare you," Astoria hissed, her eyes blazing with a fury that made even Camille flinch. "How dare you speak ill of Luna's mother. She was a far better woman than you will ever be. And if you think I'm going to stand by while you continue to torment this child, you are sorely mistaken."
Vivienne, stunned and humiliated, didn't dare to speak again. Her cheek burned where Astoria had slapped her, and she could feel the weight of the butler and other servants' eyes on her. The room had grown thick with tension, and it was clear that Astoria was not someone to be trifled with.
"From this day forward," Astoria declared, her voice ringing with authority, "you will not lay a hand on Luna. You will not speak to her as though she is beneath you. She is the rightful heir to this family, and I will not allow you to continue treating her like some unwanted burden."
Luna, standing beside her, felt a swell of emotion rise in her chest. She had never expected anyone, not even Astoria, to defend her so fiercely.
Astoria turned back to Luna, her expression softening once more. "Come, child," she said gently. "You're done here."
Luna nodded, glancing briefly at Vivienne and Camille, who stood seething with rage, but powerless to do anything. Without another word, Luna followed Astoria out of the grand estate, feeling, for the first time in a long while, that she wasn't entirely alone in this world.
Vivienne stood frozen, her cheek still stinging from Astoria's slap, her mind struggling to accept what had just happened. The sharp sting of humiliation ran deeper than the physical pain, and for a moment, she was too stunned to speak. But the shock quickly turned to rage.
"How dare she?" Vivienne muttered, her voice trembling as fury bubbled inside her. Her breathing grew ragged, her chest heaving as she tried to control her emotions. But it was no use. The fury was too overwhelming.
With a scream that echoed through the grand hall, Vivienne threw her arms out, sending the delicate vase on the table crashing to the floor. The porcelain shattered into countless pieces, scattering across the polished marble. Camille, who had rushed over the moment she heard her mother's scream, froze at the sight.
"Mother!" Camille called, her voice filled with worry, though her expression remained a frown of confusion. She wasn't used to seeing Vivienne like this. Her mother, always composed, always in control, now looked like a woman on the verge of losing her sanity.
As Camille reached out to her, trying to offer some comfort, Vivienne lashed out, pushing her away. Camille stumbled back, catching herself on the edge of a chair, her eyes wide with shock. "Mother, please..."
But Vivienne wasn't listening. Her rage consumed her, and she began knocking over anything within reach. She grabbed another vase and smashed it against the floor, then swept her arm across the table, sending papers, ornaments, and books flying in every direction. The sound of breaking glass and the dull thuds of objects hitting the ground filled the hall, each crash a release of the pent-up frustration she had kept hidden for so long.
Camille could only watch, her frown deepening, unsure of how to respond. Her mother was spiraling, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
After a while, Vivienne's violent outburst began to subside. She stood amidst the wreckage of the grand hall, breathing heavily, her face flushed. The red mark on her cheek from Astoria's slap was still visible, but now it seemed to burn with renewed intensity, as though the shame of that moment lingered like a fresh wound.
Vivienne inhaled deeply, then exhaled slowly, forcing herself to calm down. "Clean this up," she spat at the staff who had gathered at a distance, watching in stunned silence. Her voice was low but filled with bitterness. "Now."
The staff, clearly intimidated, quickly rushed forward, picking up the broken pieces of the vases and restoring order to the hall as best as they could. Camille, still uneasy, approached her mother cautiously. "Mother, what are you going to do?"
But Vivienne didn't answer. She turned on her heel and stormed up the grand staircase, her steps heavy with anger. She ignored Camille's calls, her mind already racing with plans of revenge. The slap. Astoria's words. Luna walking away as though she had won some sort of victory. It all burned in her mind like a fire that wouldn't die down.
Once she was in the privacy of her bedroom, Vivienne closed the door behind her and locked it. The heavy wooden door clicked shut, muffling the sounds of the house around her. She walked to her bed and sat down, her fingers gingerly touching the red mark on her cheek. The sting was gone now, replaced by a deep-seated bitterness that gnawed at her.
'That old hag,' she thought, her lips curling into a wicked smile. Astoria might have won this round, but Vivienne wasn't done. Not by a long shot.
As her fingers trailed down to her lap, her mind shifted gears. A plan began to form, something darker, more sinister than anything she had considered before. Astoria had overstepped, and now she would pay the price. No one humiliated Vivienne and got away with it.
She leaned back against the headboard, her expression relaxing into one of satisfaction. 'Astoria Glenstone might think she holds power, but I'll show her who really holds the strings.' Vivienne chuckled to herself, her fingers tracing the fabric of the bedspread. The old woman had no idea what was coming her way.
Still smiling, Vivienne reached for her phone. She unlocked it with a quick swipe and scrolled through her contacts until she found the number she had been keeping for an occasion just like this. Her finger hovered over the screen for a moment, then, with a smirk still playing on her lips, she tapped the number.
The phone rang once, twice, then a click. The voice on the other end was gruff and low, someone who didn't waste time with pleasantries. "Yes?"
"It's time," Vivienne said, her tone calm but laced with cold determination. "I need you to act now. I don't care what it takes."
The man on the other end hesitated for a second, then replied, "You sure about this? It'll cost you."
Vivienne's smile widened, her fingers lightly brushing the still-tender spot on her cheek. "Don't worry," she said smoothly, her voice like silk. "The price won't be an issue. In fact, if you do this right, you might just walk away with more than you bargained for."
There was a pause, then the man asked, "What kind of price are we talking about?"
Vivienne's eyes glinted with malice as she leaned forward, her lips curling into a cruel smile. "I assure you, it'll be worth it. Maybe even the whole property." Her voice dropped to a near whisper, filled with promise and danger.
The man on the other end of the line chuckled darkly. "Alright, Vivienne. I'll be waiting for your instructions."
"Good," Vivienne replied, her smile now fully formed. "I'll be in touch soon. Just make sure you're ready."
She hung up the phone and leaned back against the pillows, her smile fading slightly as her thoughts drifted back to Astoria. 'You think you can humiliate me, old woman? You think you can take Luna's side and walk away unscathed?' Vivienne's eyes narrowed as she imagined her revenge unfolding, piece by piece.
Her mind was already racing, plotting the next move. It was a dangerous game she was about to play, but Vivienne had never been one to shy away from risk. She would make sure Astoria and Luna paid dearly for crossing her.