A few minutes later...
At first, she didn't want to go in, however, what can she do? She was already here!
Raeven slowly gets in. She was dressed in a maid chamber uniform, glasses, and a mask. She is pushing a small cart that has cleaning pieces of equipment in it. This could be the most embarrassing moment of her life.
Okay, it’s official, she’s out of her mind. To spy on someone, and someone she hates, at that, is truly stupid.
What she saw first was a girl sleeping in the king-size bed. Her long black hair was scattered beautifully on the white pillow. She looked different when she was sleeping. She was still beautiful, only she looks innocent and harmless. Now she wonders how she looked while she sleeps.
The room has a cozy, warm interior, a bedroom with four poles, a lace curtain attached above the bed, and a warm earth-tone duvet covering Victoria's body, she looks like sleeping at the moment, however, don't be fooled by this appearance, she was an evil spirit when she's awake!
She can't remember when was the last time she felt so affected by a person, which never happens. It felt like she was slowly changing. Ever since she met that jerk, her emotion has become unstable.
After she was done contemplating, she began her disguise job; she picked up a rag cloth and a cleaning spray.
She thought she should start with the window; she stopped and looked at the girl who was still sleeping, then roughly pulled open the heavy curtain open unceremoniously. She then wipes the windows awkwardly. She never has done any cleaning in the 15 years she’s alive...
The girl on the bed moved gingerly and placed her hand to cover her eyes. Raeven was observing the girl in her peripheral vision. Waiting for it to notice her. But then the girl only turned her back on her and avoided the light. Then it didn't move at all.
Raeven looked at the girl's back, her eyebrow knitted. She thought, how stupid is this girl can be? She was not in her room. She should be in panic mode by now! If she was in her place, she wouldn't be able to sleep this long.
But then, she was startled when the girl who was lying motionless on the bed suddenly bounced up with her eyes wide open. She, on the other hand, jumped on her toes, but then quickly turned on the windows and wiped the windows hurriedly.
The thing she was waiting for has now come.
"You. Who are you, and what am I doing here?" The girl loudly and rudely shout at her. Panic was clear in her hoarse voice.
Raeven turned but did not look at the girl directly. "Miss, I'm sorry, but I can't answer your question. I am only cleaning your room." She politely said to the girl.
Victoria frowned, she brushed her hair with her hands; she tried remembering what happened last night; she was with her brother and his friend; there were only the three of them left after the business dinner and her brother forced her to drink then; after that…
After that, she no longer remembered anything…
She looked around and studied her surroundings. She can never trust her dad's family and no matter how she tried to act invisible around them; they still hate her. She thought since her brother was indifferent to her, he was the least to bully her, however; she was wrong!
Why, why are they treating her like this? Did her brother sell her body to his friend? What will happen to her from now on?
She was in this downcast situation and never noticed the maid at all.
On that day, Raeven saw a different side of Victoria. The haughty and arrogant lady who dominates the campus was now looking so depressed and lost. She was so immersed in looking at her when she heard the girl's angry voice.
"Are you done watching me? Do you think it's polite to look at your guest given your status?" she said angrily. "And what do you think you're doing here? I didn't ask for anyone, get out!"
Raeven was pulled out of her reverie. She apologized quickly and left with her cleaning materials. At that moment, she ignored her attitude toward the maid. She didn’t even bother that the stupid girl was disoriented and didn't report her to the manager. What sticks in her mind was the feeling she felt at that moment. Why does she feel so satisfied seeing her alone and defeated? Is this because she was jealous of her?
She spent half an hour changing her clothes, thinking about Victoria, and going back to her uniform; she was waiting for her chauffeur to come to get her when she saw a speeding sports car; it was familiar, and by then her mood was changed. however, it was hard to see through her signature indifferent expression until she goes inside the car and goes straight to the academy.
Because of that unexpected adventure, she missed her morning class and decided to just go to her afternoon class instead. Her mood didn't improve even when P. E class started. Angel noticed her friend's mood. She was worried and wanted to ask, however; she knows this girl won't open up if someone forced her to. It was better to let her speak up herself.
"Riri seemed so cold today, she scares me. What's with her?" Yuri pouts while she complains about the two girls.
Hayley was looking at Raeven doing her long jump. After Raeven, it will be her turn.
"Oh, you know, it's love problems, the same issue just like yours." She said languidly. She was leaning in her seat with a grin on her beautiful face.
Yuri looked at her with her eyes wide with disbelief. "Are you sure?!" she asked. Then squinted her eyes to scrutinize Raeven. "She doesn't look like it."
Hayley shakes her head. "You're so innocent. That is why I doubt you will ever be able to seduce your beloved professor."
Yuri was left speechless by Hayley's remark. Though she knew deep inside that what she said might be true. She just pouted morosely.
Looking at the two interacting with one another, Angel can't help but smile. She is not wrong. Having someone bubbly and vivacious like Yuri around Hayley would make a big difference and improve Hayley's mood, though the only use Yuri has right now is to be bullied. Then she looked at her other friend, who looked focused on her P.E. exam. No one knows. Deep inside, she was having an internal conflict with her inner self right now.
The P. E exam continues until all the ladies had their turn and thankfully, though one was distracted, all of them passed and were entitled to enjoy the long weekend.
Yuri proposed to take her cousin's rest house. Though it was out of town and not going abroad, it was still exciting for everyone since it will be the first time they will travel since they became friends. Angel did the research for the place and looked for any tourist attractions to go to while they were there. She remembers whenever they had a retreat in her church youth ministry their leader will arrange some exciting activities for them, they will camp outside, singing and dancing all night, it is not like what normal teenagers do in camping though, there was no huge bonfire filled with laughter drowning on alcoholic drinks and wasting the night away.
For the three girls, the only camping they have been to was arranged by their school yearly. And for Raeven and Hayley, it was so boring and annoying to be around those teenagers who only flirt with anyone and brag about almost everything! As for Yuri, everything in her world is all about flowers and bubbles. She's so innocent!
With all of them under their impression of their previous group getaway, what awaits them? Well, there's only one way to find out.
During the whole journey, Angel tried to engage the girls in a lively conversation. However, only Yuri was enthusiastic. Angel can't help but give a helpless sigh. She was wondering, when could these two be able to open up to others.
Meanwhile…
Let's look at what happened to the other girl after a long night of being clueless…
When Victoria came home, she saw her father and his wife sitting in the living room. It was already 8 am and still, the head of the family patiently waits in the living room for her. How touching! She can't help but sneer secretly.
"Your mother said you didn't go home last night and to think that I need to wait for you to come home after your night of fun. Have you no shame, Victoria?" Her father said, upset with her daughter.
"Dad, did the elder brother tell you anything?"
Her father was confused for a moment. "What should your brother need to tell me about?"
"Do you believe her? Look at her, she has the guts to return home this morning, without even informing me of her whereabouts last night, if she was sensible enough like her two sisters she would have known to inform her parents that she will be out having fun all night?" Her stepmother joined in, impatient to join in the fun.
Mr. Greene holds up his hand to silence his wife. "Victoria, all along I thought you were the most obedient and sensible among your sisters, given that you held a high position in your school, I was confident enough to let you do whatever you want knowing how intelligent you are, but then your actions last night disappoints me."
"Not only that, you even try to rope in your older brother in your mistake, you should be reflecting on your misdemeanor." Her stepmother keeps on castigating her.
The sermon should have been able to go on for eternity if only her older brother had suddenly shown up and spoken on her behalf.
"Dad, I just got a call from my friend Cyrus. He's sorry that he could not send Victoria home last night. Remember, I told you about the dinner last night, when I fetch her from school I brought her along with me, I'm just worried she will be left alone at home and so, I took it upon myself to get her dinner, it just happened that my friend Cyrus Lee and she got along nicely and chatted throughout dinner, I then remembered that I still need to finish my report at the office and told her to rest first. I booked her a nice suite last night. But then when I called her, she didn't answer my call and she might have been asleep by then. And so I let her be. Cyrus told me he made sure she was comfortable with the suite before he left the dinner."
Victoria knew that there were loopholes in this kind of excuse, but knowing her father, he would buy any excuses just to avoid any scandal that can damage her family's reputation. Mr. Greene just looked at her for a moment. He was deliberating something unknown to the people present at the moment. Then he stood up slowly and fixed his suit. "I will ask for sick leave from your advisor today. Be good and stay at home and rest." That was all he said to her.
At that moment, Victoria has no choice but to nod her head. When her father and stepmother left the living room, she looked at her older brother. However, her older brother just glared at her and then turned around to leave. Victoria cannot bottle up her emotion anymore.
"What a lame excuse coming from the next head of the family. What happened that suddenly you made an excuse to cover up your wrongdoing?"
"Just shut up and move on. Be thankful nothing happened that night or else you will be in great trouble."
Hearing those words from her brother while being disdainful of her made her angrier. She was the victim of this conspiracy. She was the one who woke up in that hotel room. She knew that if something happened according to the plan, she would have woken up with a naked stranger beside her. She was confused and angry. She knew they deliberately spiked her drink last night, but if they changed their plan, no one can deny that they have bad intentions toward her.
"Tell me, why are you so mean to me? You have not bullied me before, but why now?"
Her older brother just looks at her for a moment then left the room wordlessly.
The day that follows, She heard that Cyrus and his father will join the family for dinner, Victoria felt nervous, she was still trying to figure out things that happened that night, she knew that the rich playboy was up to something, and she doesn't like the what she's feeling right now.
And that night turned out to be a match-make dinner minus Jacob's mother. It is known in the rich wives' circle that Cyrus' mom doesn't settle for less; she wants everything high-end and luxurious, and that his son was there together. His father is unforgivable of her. She does not like a future daughter-in-law with an adoptive daughter title attached to her.
While the two dads were laughing and conversing about business and sports, they didn't notice their children were in a bad mood all along.
For example, Cyrus, who is the least happy, disdained his father by bringing him along to this pathetic dinner. It's not like he's that interested in that girl, Victoria. At most, he just wants to sleep with her, nothing else. He didn't want to settle down, especially if there were a lot of things he still wanted to do. Once he was tied to an arranged marriage, it only means that he can no longer play around. He glared at the girl who was quietly eating across from him and snorted.
"Victoria looked so beautiful, such a fine lady. I heard she's a student council president at St. Claire academy." Jacob's dad said, full of admiration. Mr. Lee was not against having Victoria as his daughter-in-law, unlike his wife. Cyrus is his third son. He need not be meticulous since his eldest son is his priority right now. Victoria is elegant and intelligent, and that is enough for him.
"Yeah, she's my pride. My darling daughter is not only beautiful, but she's also intelligent."
"It's such a pity not to be her real father. She could be the topic of envy among the ladies, I bet."
With that statement, Mr. Greene can only let a helpless chuckle. At the same time, Victoria can only act as if she didn't care. After dinner, the guests went home while Victoria decided to go to her dad's office. She has this feeling that he'd be asking her to accept Lee's proposal to be match-made with Cyrus Lee.
"Come in."
Victoria came in and stared at her father. The old man is behind his huge desk, busy reading documents.
"It's late. Why are you still up?" He said, not looking at her.
"Dad." Her voice was croaked, then she stopped and cleared her throat. "I don't have any thoughts about getting engaged. I'm still young, so please don't make plans for me, just not yet..."
Her father put down whatever he was reading and leaned back in his chair, staring intently at her, she can't stand him staring at him and so, she lowered her head and contentedly looked at her white fluffy slippers.
She can still remember the first time she saw him. She was only seven, hiding behind her mother's back. She knew he was her dad, based on the photographs her mother showed her before. In the past, she used to believe that the reason she can't meet her father was that he was busy working abroad, which is why she doesn’t think badly of him that much. instead, she still loves his father. She used to get a lot of gifts from him, she's quite spoiled, the luxurious apartment she and her mother lived in was from him, she was attending an international school because of him, when her father took her and flew her from abroad to the Philippines that's when she learned her mother is merely the mistress. She hated him from that day on. However, being looked down upon by his family made her submit. She became gentle and submissive; she avoided making her two older sisters and stepmother angry.
When she asked her mother why she has given her up to her father and let her suffer, her mom only said to wait and bid her time, her father can make her life comfortable and when she graduated, he can also find her a suitable marriage, a handsome, wealthy man that can give her everything she wants.
That year, she was only 11, and her mother just got married and expecting a baby.
"I know what happened that night, your brother told me. Victoria, I'm sorry that you were put in that kind of situation. Let's just be thankful that the Amano heir was there and stopped Cyrus before any disaster happened. I have reprimanded your brother, and he will never do that kind of act ever again. As for Cyrus Lee, I decide to arrange for you with him. Just always remember that I only do that for your sake. I don't want you to end up like your mom. You are my daughter. Do you realize what will happen once rumors leaked out that you and Cyrus stay out all night, at your age? You have not even reached 18 yet!"
Listening to him right now makes things everything clear, and it's true, her brother and his friend have plotted something despicable toward her.
Who is Amano's heir?
She shook her head. "B-but dad… I don't like that Cyrus, he's a playboy!"
"Stop your nonsense! He's only young, but once you're married to him, he will cherish you. Remember, I'm your father. No one will treat you like a fool, not even Cyrus."
Victoria was getting angry. She felt like screaming at that moment. Do you know?! Really?! You even cheated on your wife, thus making me exist!
"That's it, end of the discussion. Your future father-in-law told me he will send some gifts to you tomorrow. Be a good girl and go to your room and have a good night's sleep." Mr. Greene said and resume his work, not minding his daughter still glaring at him.
The morning thus came, and she was greeted with luxurious dresses and bags from her future father-in-law.
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