Days had passed since Rose arrived at the Carter mansion, and she'd begun to find comfort in the calm. Her days with Vivienne were light-hearted and occasionally chaotic, but fun. The quiet elegance of the mansion slowly became a backdrop for laughter, books, and spontaneous garden strolls.
But peace, as always, was fleeting.
That morning, the air shifted the moment Kelly Japison arrived.
She strutted in through the massive front doors like she owned the estate, heels clicking with purpose, attitude sharp as a blade. Her eyes scanned the place with entitlement as she tossed her designer shades onto the console table by the entrance.
"Is Julian around?" she asked one of the maids without so much as a greeting.
The maid, ever polite, bowed slightly. "No, miss. He hasn't come by recently."
Kelly's brows furrowed. "Tch. Figures."
With a dismissive wave, she sent them scurrying off. She didn't care for pleasantries.
Just then, Rose appeared on the staircase, a book in hand and a quiet grace in her steps. She was heading toward the garden—her favorite reading spot—when a cold voice halted her mid-step.
"You there."
Rose turned slowly, gaze lifting from her book.
Kelly stood a few paces away, chin tilted in challenge. "What's that in your hand?"
Rose didn't reply immediately. Her eyes flicked to Kelly's and back to her book with casual disinterest. Her silence alone was a slap.
"It's a book," she finally said, flatly. "I'm reading."
Kelly narrowed her eyes and stepped forward, reaching to take the book from her hands.
But Rose was faster. She pulled it back, her body language as sharp as her voice. "I didn't say you could touch it."
The tension was thick.
"If you have nothing reasonable to say," Rose continued coolly, "I'll take my leave."
She didn't wait for a response.
She turned and walked away, hips swaying, her confidence like perfume in the air.
Kelly stood frozen, stung by the dismissive exchange. The maids nearby tried hard not to react, but their wide eyes said everything.
Upstairs, Vivienne had seen it all through the gallery window. The eye contact. The resistance. The dominance.
She smirked to herself.
"Mess with Rose, and you get burned," she muttered, turning back toward her room.
---
A few minutes later, a knock echoed through Vivienne's bedroom door.
She blinked, annoyed. Everyone in this house knows this is my nap time.
The knock came again. And then, the door creaked open.
Kelly.
"Vivienne, darling!" she said with a sugary voice, stepping in uninvited.
Vivienne sat up slowly, eyes narrowed. "I didn't offer you a seat."
Kelly hesitated, clearing her throat awkwardly. "I just came to—"
"—You do realize this is my sleep hour, right?" Vivienne cut in.
Kelly blinked, caught off guard.
"And for the record," Vivienne added with a fake smile, "I never agreed to have you in here to begin with."
Kelly stood there, seething inside. How was this child humiliating her like this?
With forced grace, she said, "I'll take my leave then."
And she left, fuming. Brat, she muttered under her breath. She had only wanted to befriend Vivienne, win her favor, maybe find her way into the family's good books. But apparently, this little devil had claws.
Back in Vivienne's room, the teenager giggled under her breath.
"That face…" she laughed. "Priceless."
---
Meanwhile, Kelly, still burning from the double dose of humiliation, made her way to the tea lounge where Flourish Carter was sipping her afternoon tea with poise.
She needed to regroup.
And maybe, just maybe… realign her strategy.