The air in the hall was heavy with the scent of lilies and the hum of polite conversation. Crystal chandeliers hung from the vaulted ceiling. They cast delicate patterns across the marble floor. Velvet-draped tables lined the edges of the room, hosting flutes of sparkling wine and silver trays of delicacies.
A circle of noblewomen gathered near the central fountain, their fans fluttered like wings. In the center, stood Lady Vera of the McGregor household, draped in a deep emerald silk gown. At her side, her daughter Sienna, beamed with practiced charm in her pale pink gown. Every tilt of her head, every demure smile, had purpose.
"She's grown so beautifully," murmured one of the noblewomen.
Vera placed a hand on Sienna's arm as she offered a sweet, knowing laugh. "Ah, but beauty is inherited, isn't it? I only guide her where grace already blooms."
The ladies tittered in agreement, some even said. "She'll make a fine match in court, surely."
However, the air changed. The doors opened, and the room, which had buzzed with muted conversation, fell into brief silence.
Yulianna McGregor.
The only daughter of Duke Rohane of the McGregor household, stepped in.
She stood at the threshold, wearing a midnight blue-velvet that rippled like water in every step. Her golden straight hair, drawn back and shimmered with silver threads woven through. Her eyes travelled around the room void with emotion. Unlike the rumors about her recently, she appeared to be calm, unreadable and unsettlingly beautiful.
Whispers across the room began to spread. Some were surprised and bewildered. Most men from prestigious households find her enchanting. But none of those matters to her.
Yulianna's eyes, like the color of molten gold, darted at the shocked faces of Lady Vera and Sienna. Her very own stepmother and stepsister, who spread the rumors about her mentally unsteady.
Their reactions were priceless. Who would have thought that she'd appeared tonight perfectly in shape?
Not in their slightest idea. Yulianna's lips, painted in red lipstick, raised a smirk. One that would make them go insane of how their plan backfired them.
Just as much as she wanted to enjoy how the smiles on their faces faltered, Yulianna had another purpose tonight. Her unexpected appearance only meant she wouldn't go down without a fight.
She glided through the crowd and paid no attention to the gossip but one task in mind. To meet Vien. The famous fashion artisan in the empire of Aerion. He was well-known for his excellence skills in craftsmanship in fashion. A designer who creates exclusive, intricates for the upper class.
Yulianna already spotted him in the distance, but she wouldn't approach him directly. The fact that he's surrounded by noble ladies, she had no plan on attracting another attention. Though it's inevitable given the rumors about her recently.
Lady Vera's smile is barely noticeable as she carries herself with uneasiness. The noble ladies around her had the same wonder in their eyes. Scanning Duke Rohane's daughter as she crossed the room with quiet grace. The cold, impassive composure of her should have been unsettling. Like how they expected her arrival to make an appearance. But it wasn't.
Lady Vera could only swallow hard. She cleared her throat when the soft murmuring of the ladies around her started.
"Is that really the daughter of Duke Rohane? She looked so beautiful and well-composed to be rumored mentally unstable."
"She rarely makes an appearance. That could be the reason why the rumors started."
"But who would do such things?"
Lady Vera's smile strained at the corners, but she quickly masked it.
"I'm sure we all remember the river incident," she soon spoke with a delicate chuckle.
"A bit of excitement for poor Yulianna, yes? But, look at her now. Perhaps it was just an overreaction?" She smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes.
Sienna stood beside her mother. Her face as smooth as porcelain, but her eyes betrayed a flicker of irritation. Her lips twisted in a subtle frown as she observed Yulianna's confident stride.
"I expected her to look more fragile," She muttered under breath.
Her mind raced. This wasn't the weakling Yulianna who she had met last time. How had she returned so composed after the incident?
Lady Vera leaned in closer to her daughter, lowering her voice just enough for only two of them to hear.
"Don't be fooled, my dear. She's putting on a mask. It's not uncommon for someone like her to slip back into routine after an ordeal. But inside…" She shook her head faintly. The rest of her thought linger in the air, unspoken but heavy.
Sienna stared at Yulianna's poised figure, struggling with the unease bubbling inside her. For a moment, she wasn't sure if she felt relief or dread. Her step-sister looked perfect, almost too perfect.