Chapter 5

"Put a pin here, thank you," Anastacia Bellfort, one of the best beauticians in Ealaris, instructed her assistant as she did my sister's hair.

I just went down from my room for a glass of water, and I'm shocked but not surprised by all the fuss here in our living room.

A whole team is dedicated to making my sister the most beautiful at the ball later. Aunt Violet really went all out.

I stayed in my room for hours, doing absolutely nothing but staring at the ceiling, when somebody knocked at my door.

"Who's—" I was about to get up to open the door, but I stopped when I saw Samantha enter herself. "Oh."

Her furrowed eyebrows are scarier than my growling aunt Violet's.

"Why aren't you ready yet?" she asked, closing my door.

I sighed. "You know I can't."

"You're the talk of the town these past few days." With her flowing champagne-colored wine dress, she sat on the mattress of my bed. "What happened?"

"You already know what happened, or else you wouldn't be here," I said as a matter of fact.

Samantha menacingly laughed. "You won a point against the evil forces of your life," she said.

I shook my head, but I couldn't help but smile at the thought. "You can't convince me, Sam. I'll stay here."

"You can't just stay here after that!" she frowned. "Fine, you're not really that interested, but what if he's the one who's interested in you?"

"That's impossible, my friend," I said. "Do not think of anything creative. Whatever you're assuming or thinking, that's not it."

"We'll never know unless you come with me to the ball, and we will find it out ourselves," she said, almost as if trying to get me to really come with her.

"I'd rather stay here," I said with finality.

I accompanied Samantha as we went out of our house, defeated, disappointed, and almost sulking to her car that would take her to the ball.

"If you change your mind—"

I cut her off to counter, "I won't change my mind."

Samantha pouted.

I watched her car take her away to where everybody was going when as soon as I turned around to go back to my room, Vivian's face was the first thing that I saw.

Happiness and confidence are etched on her made-up face.

She grinned at me, but I ignored her.

Then, we heard a rustling from afar that caught our attention. Then we heard another motor roar that was coming towards our manor.

We all watched it get close until a lengthy and exquisite limousine stopped and the driver went down to greet everybody.

"Greetings, Lady Pierce. My name is Harold, one of Ealaris Palace's coachmen. I was sent by the good Lord Archer Sinclair to fetch Miss Pierce to make sure that her way to the ball will bring nothing but comfort," he said.

My heart throbbed.

"Lord Archer sent me this fancy limousine?" she dreamily asked.

I instantly knew that her hopes were up on the roof right now.

"Oh dear!" Aunt Violet gasped behind me. "He really did, did he?"

Our eyes are all on the fancy car that has the crest of the royal family of Sinclair intricately printed on its door.

"I am especially instructed to fetch Miss Pierce, whom he met and spoke with at the Centreal a few days ago by Lord Archer himself," he said.

"Yes. That's me!" Vivian hastily raised her arms, and she forwarded. "I am that Miss Pierce! It's true that we met on Centreal a couple of days ago."

While I believe that what she said is true, we both know that it's not the whole story.

I looked at her, and she just rolled her eyes at me.

Harold squinted his eyes at me, and then they went to Vivian. He doesn't look convinced. His eyes went from Vivian to me.

"Yes, that's my daughter," Aunt Violet butted in to the conversation. "Look at her. She's ready to be his guest tonight."

He glanced at me. I just politely smiled at him.

"Come on, dear! You have to get in or else you'll be really late!" Aunt commanded.

And with that, the limousine sent by Lord Archer took Vivian to his gathering.

***

"You're sure you don't want to come, Lady Leila?" Gigi, one of our housekeepers, asked me.

I dusted the third row of my father's book shelf to help Gigi, hoping that it would also clear my chaotic mind.

'...But what if he's the one who's interested in you?'

'I am especially instructed to fetch Miss Pierce, whom he met and spoke with at the Centreal a few days ago by Lord Archer himself.'

I shrugged and shook my head to brush off the voices that were circling around my mind. I guess I shook it a bit too much because Gigi stared at me weirdly.

She sighed. "You want to come, don't you?"

I didn't answer.

Deep inside me, I knew I wanted to come. Not because I want to be Lord Archer's Luna, but because I also want to experience the things that females of our kind are going through. I just want to be included and normal.

I handed Gigi the duster.

This time, I sighed. "I think I need some fresh air."

"You can still attend if you want to, you know," she insinuated.

"I'll just go out on a walk," I said.

I went out of the manor and headed towards nowhere. I just walked mindlessly, and I was so out of it that I didn't notice where my feet were taking me until my eyes caught a familiar, grandiose structure that was firmly and proudly standing from afar.

My mind is screaming at me to turn back and walk away, but as if in a trance, I just walked straight.

"Excuse me," somebody said beside me. "Hi! May I ask if you are also heading to the palace for the ball?"

I looked at the person beside me. She looks nice.

I thoughtlessly nodded.