Helia was seated in her small sitting room, her hands resting on her knees, her heart racing. The rays of the sun filtering through the lace curtains gently caressed the room, while the soft scent of fresh flowers filled the air. She had carefully arranged the cushions on the emerald green velvet sofa, hoping that everything would be perfect for Lady Sera's arrival. Every minute seemed like an eternity, and anxiety crept into her.
A maid entered, interrupting her thoughts. "Miss, should I prepare the table for tea now, or are you still waiting for your guest?" Helia straightened up, her heart pounding. "Not yet, please. Has the carriage arrived?"
"No, not yet," replied the young woman with a soothing smile. "But I'm sure it won't be long."
Helia nodded, though her mind was elsewhere. She thought back to the letter she had written to Lady Sera, in which she had expressed her regret and desire to meet her. The memories of their last encounter, where she had dismissed Lady Sera's warnings with a wave of her hand, haunted her. Why had she been so blind?
About a year and a half ago, Elysia had started lamenting about Lady Sera, the daughter of a viscount, describing her as a harasser acting out of jealousy. She had wept in Helia's arms, making her believe that this situation was unbearable for her.
A few days later, at a social gathering, Lady Sera had approached Helia, intending to speak with her. In a serious tone, she had begun to warn her, revealing that Elysia was not who she appeared to be. But before she could elaborate, Helia had interrupted her, irritated, asking her not to tire herself. She had firmly retorted that she would not believe a word of what she was saying, aware of the suffering her best friend endured because of the situation. Lady Sera had tried to protest, but Helia, unyielding, had told her never to come near her or Elysia again.
In her letter, Helia had expressed that she would completely understand if Lady Sera chose to decline her invitation, given their history. She had even taken the time to apologize for her past behavior, acknowledging that she had acted wrongly by disregarding Lady Sera's warnings. She assured her that she wasn't expecting an immediate response, but that she would still be waiting for her that day, hoping for a chance to talk.
As she lost herself in her thoughts, someone entered, and she turned with a smile, hoping it was a maid announcing the arrival of her guest. To her disappointment, it was her brother, Lucian.
"Who are you waiting for, Helia?" he asked, a teasing smile on his lips. "Still Lady Elysia, I suppose? Naturally, you have no other friends."
Helia's enthusiasm immediately extinguished. "What do you want, Lucian?" she hissed.
He shrugged. "Nothing special," he said, feigning innocence. "I saw a bit of commotion here and wondered what was going on."
"It must be nice to have free time. Don't you have a marquisate to manage?" retorted Helia, raising an eyebrow, trying to mask her annoyance.
At that moment, Lucille entered, interrupting their exchange. "Miss, your guest has arrived."
A wave of anticipation swept over Helia. "Lady Sera, welcome!" she exclaimed as she stood.
Lady Sera entered the room, a graceful figure draped in a pale blue gown that accentuated her striking beauty. Her dark hair, falling in silky waves around her face, contrasted beautifully with her deep blue eyes. She had an air of both elegance and determination, immediately captivating the attention of those who crossed her path.
Upon seeing Lucian, she curtsied gracefully. "Young Marquis," she greeted him with a sober expression. Lucian, somewhat embarrassed, returned her greeting with a nod of his head. "Lady Sera," he replied before discreetly slipping away, leaving Helia and Lady Sera alone in the small sitting room.
Helia, aware of the tense atmosphere, apologized. "I'm sorry for my older brother's presence. Please, make yourself comfortable."
They took their seats, and the servants arrived to serve tea and snacks. Silence hung over them like a shadow, and Helia finally broke the ice.
"I'm truly happy you agreed to come," she began. "Thank you for taking some of your time for me."
Lady Sera observed her, her expression hardening. "Honestly, until this morning, I had no intention of coming. I feared it might just be a trap."
"A trap?" Helia exclaimed, her eyebrows furrowed.
"Yes, a trap set by your dear best friend," Lady Sera replied, her gaze unwavering.
Helia felt a wave of surprise wash over her. This bluntness was disorienting. "My letter was sincere," she asserted. "I truly want to hear your version of events, and I regret not having done so sooner."
Lady Sera scrutinized her closely. "May I ask why? This story is old. Why seek to know my side now?"
Helia lowered her eyes, unable to find a response. Lady Sera understood. "Ah, I see. You've discovered her schemes against you."
Helia looked at Lady Sera with a questioning expression, trying to understand exactly what she meant by "schemes." The woman before her, with her determined air, seemed unafraid to reveal truths that Helia had long ignored.
"You wish to know the truth?" Lady Sera began, her voice tinged with a cold frankness. "Elysia has always spoken ill of you in public."
Helia was struck by these words, as if she had just been slapped. Before she could retort, Sera continued, "You wanted to hear my version? Here it is. A year and a half ago, at a tea hosted by Lady Margaux, Elysia began to talk about you. The other ladies had asked her questions, and she unleashed her venom. She said she found you unbearably arrogant since you started pursuing your scientific studies at the academy. To her, it meant you thought yourself superior to everyone else."
Lady Sera's words echoed in Helia's mind as she recalled the snickers she had sometimes heard in the drawing room.
"But why would she say such a thing?" Helia asked, incredulity tinting her voice.
"Because she is manipulative," Lady Sera replied, her sharp gaze fixed on Helia's. "I was there that day. I've always despised hypocrisy. I had met you before at the academy, and I knew you weren't arrogant at all. So, I defended you, reproaching her for speaking ill of one of her friends."
Helia widened her eyes. "You did that?"
"Yes," Lady Sera answered, her expression still serious. "That day, I earned Elysia's wrath. After that event, she did everything she could to make me regret defending you. She isolated me, turned me into society's ugly duckling. My status was tarnished because of it."
Helia, visibly shocked, expressed her concern: "You must have suffered so much because of her. I am truly sorry," she said, her gaze full of compassion.
Lady Sera sighed, a glimmer of fatigue in her eyes. "Oh, it doesn't really matter to me. I've always hated false friendships, and thanks to that experience, I was able to weed out the wrong people from my life. I've only kept those who don't care about my reputation. But, Helia... you should be worried for yourself. Elysia is doing much worse to you."
"Worse?" Helia repeated, her heart pounding.
"Yes," Lady Sera continued. "I only suffered her wrath for a short time, but she doesn't seem ready to let go of you. She spends her time sabotaging you. She plays the poor mistreated friend while spreading rumors about you. I dare not even imagine what else she may have said or done."
Helia stared at the table before her, the teacups and amuse-bouches still untouched. Who would want to partake in any of this after such revelations? She had just received the answers to her questions, and now there was no room for doubt.
Lady Sera, watching her closely, noticed her frozen expression. "You seem shaken," she said gently. "I understand that this isn't easy to digest. After all, she's your childhood best friend."
Helia lowered her eyes, unsure of what to say. Silence settled between them, heavy. Lady Sera then rose, and Helia, surprised, called out to her. "Wait... are you leaving already?"
"I'd better leave you alone with your thoughts. You need it," Lady Sera replied with a faint smile.
"Very well, thank you for coming and taking the time to speak with me," Helia murmured, grateful.
"Thank you for the invitation. Don't hesitate to contact me when you've sorted out your thoughts," Lady Sera responded, bowing gracefully. She turned and left the small salon, leaving Helia alone, still deeply unsettled.