Chapter 58 Apology Payment
When the couple arrived home, Luna Rosie was still in high spirits. She doesn’t care how long it takes; as long as she can get rid of the scars on her face, it will be worth the wait.
“My love, I’m going to talk to my father regarding security matters about the pack,” Alpha Gideon said, heading to the door.
“OK, go ahead.” Luna Rosie nodded her head.
After her husband left the room, Luna Rosie decided to share the good news with Mira. She went to the connecting door and opened it. The two women were eating snacks when she stepped into the room. Hmm, it seemed her personal maid and Mira were getting closer to each other, eating together.
Well, they were both servants of the mansion. Birds of the same feather flock together.
She looked at Mira who instinctively stood up and walked far away from her. The poor maid looked scared upon seeing her. She advanced closer to the terrified maid. “What’s wrong Mira? Are you scared of me?” she asked, standing in front of her.
“A-are you going to hurt me again?" Mira asked, her mouth quivering in fear.
Luna Rosie shook her head. “No. I’m not going to hurt you this time. I’m in a good mood today after coming back from the plastic surgeon’s office. You want to hear the good news?”
“What good news are you talking about?” Mira asked curiously, looking at her pet snake, slithering closer to Luna Rosie, ready to bite the woman if she starts hurting her. She shook her head, signalling to the snake not to interfere with her affairs.
Luna Rosie smiled. “You know what? The plastic surgeon agreed to perform scar surgery on my face next week, Friday. Isn’t that amazing? I bet when you are still in your body you are dreaming of how you can afford plastic surgery that will remove scars on your face? Am I right? Now it’s finally happening! Are you happy now?”
“Awesome! Thank you for sharing the good news with me,” Mira gushed, genuinely happy to receive such amazing news. The lioness was right. It had been her long wish to make the scars disappear on her face because she was tired of wearing the veil every day. The scars on her face have become her prison, trapping her, turning her into a recluse for a long time, ashamed of her hideous appearance. After all, if the soul swap happens in the future, and she is finally back in her body, she no longer has to suffer because the scars on her face are already gone. It’s a win-win situation for her.
Luna Rosie saw the genuine smile and appreciation on Mira’s face. “You should thank me for taking care of the scars on your face.”
“Thank you so much for your effort Luna Rosie,” Mira said gratefully, bowing her head.
“Don’t mention it. Consider it my apology and payment for hurting you earlier,” Luna Rosie said arrogantly and walked away, heading back to her room.
After Luna Rosie retreated back to her room and locked the connecting door, Mira finally returned to the table and continued munching on her vegetable salad snack.
“Is that true? She is not lying right?” Lena asked.
Mira nodded her head. “She can be mean sometimes…but I think it’s true because we have talked about it for a while. She has the money and resources, she has access to the best plastic surgeons here and abroad and with the royal family's wealth and connections, anything is possible. Besides, she told me that she hated seeing her face in the mirror full of scars, so she would naturally find a way to get rid of them. Yeah I think it’s true.”
“Wow, that would be nice. Ever since you came here and worked as a servant, you already had scars on your face. We all got accustomed to seeing you with your scars, until one day, you were told to cover up your face. I wonder what you would look like without scars on your face? I think you will become a beautiful woman,” Lena commented casually.
Mira smiled. “I will look fine just like anybody else. But I will never become a true beauty just like Luna Rosie. I always had a plain face without scars on my face,” she explained.
“I always wanted to ask how you got the scars on your face? Can you tell me how?” Lena asked curiously.
Mira sighed. “I've been abused physically and sexually my entire life. Some mean people think it’s fine to hurt other people without knowing the truth first and the scars on my face were the result of such a barbaric act. I don't want to elaborate on how it happened. It's too traumatic for me to discuss my past. I would rather not talk about it,” she said, ending the topic with sadness clouding her face.
“It’s okay. No need to tell me anything. I’m sorry I didn't mean to bring back memories of your painful past. Let’s just continue eating the salad. It’s delicious right?” Lena said, putting another spoonful of salad into her mouth.
Mira smiled sadly. "It all belongs in the past. I have already moved on. Let’s just eat the salad,” she said cheerily.
“Do you want to go to the garden with me?” Lena asked.
“Sure. Let’s go to the garden after lunch,” Mira responded excitedly.
Time went by.
After lunch, the women left the room and went to the garden. Brownie the snake was following them from behind.
Mira strolled the entire length of the garden admiring the blooming flowers. A good activity for her to do after eating a hearty meal.
After getting tired of walking Mira lowered herself onto the swing and Lena gently pushes the swing.
Mira looked heavenward.
The weather is nice.
The sun was hiding behind the clouds so it wasn't that scorching hot in the garden.
She remembered what Luna Rosie told her a while ago regarding plastic surgery on her face.
It was just a distant dream for her in the past but now it’s about to happen. Even if she was no longer in her own body, she was excited to see her old face again before the tragedy.
She was excited about the life-altering improvement of her former self. It was her deepest wish that is about to come true.
It’s really nice to have money and influence. Just like Luna Rosie, she can make things happen quite easily. If she was still a servant, plastic surgery would never happen because she couldn't afford the high cost associated with surgery.
While she was at it, she was wondering if the couple was actively looking for a shaman powerful enough to perform soul swapping? Have they found such a person already? Maybe not yet because they haven’t told her about it.
If they already found one, Luna Rosie will not bother to get the scar removed from her face, she will go straight to the soul swapping method to get her body back.
She released a deep sigh. She may have Luna Rosie’s body and face but that’s all there is to it. She is just an empty shell. She couldn't even get close to her crush, her husband, Alpha Gideon. They are husband and wife in name only but not in deed.
“Why are you sighing? What’s wrong?” Lena asked, trying to convince Mira to confide in her. “You can tell me anything. I don't judge. I’m ready to listen.”
Mira shakes her head. “Nothing.”
“Are you bored here with nothing to do aside from watching TV, staying in the room and strolling in the garden? Why don’t we go outside? Visit the mall perhaps for a change of scenery?” Lena casually suggested.
Mira’s eyes lit up. “We can buy baby clothes in the mall!” She roared enthusiastically.
“Yeah, let’s do it!” Lena replied, smiling brightly.
“But I have no money. How can we go shopping?” Mira said despondently.
Lena smiles cheekily. “Don’t worry, I still have money left.”
“Awesome. Let’s go shopping then!” Mira beams like a child. The thought of visiting a mall excites her. But for a while she felt sad again. “But…I’m sure Luna Rosie will not allow us to go to the mall. Right?”
“Nah, I think she will give us permission. I will try to ask her later. Leave everything to me,” Lena said confidently.
“OK. I will leave everything in your hands. Good luck convincing her,” Mira said glumly.
"Cheer up!" Lena smiled and patted her shoulder. "I'll try my very best."
After the women finished having fun in the swing, they went to the gazebo to rest.
One hour later, Luna Rosie arrived in the garden looking for them. “Here you are, girls!” She entered the gazebo.
“What can I do for you, Luna?” Lena asked. "Do you want me to do an errand for you?"
"No," Luna Rosie replied, then she looked at Mira. “Listen, tomorrow morning we are going to the OBGYN for your prenatal. Be ready, at 9:00 a.m. we will leave the house. Afterward, we will go to the mall and shop for baby clothes and personal stuff. That’s all,” she said. “And Lena you will go with us,” she added, wearing a pleasant expression on her face.
“Copy Luna,” Lena and Mira responded in chorus.
Luna Rosie left the gazebo and returned to the house.
The two women looked at each other.
“Wow, we have a chaperone," Lena commented wearily.
“I would like us to go to the mall without her, only the two of us." Mira said, sighing heavily. She was wondering if Alpha Gideon would also come with them to the mall. Maybe not because he has many things to do as the heir to the throne.
Lena shrugged. “No choice. Order from the boss.”
“The good thing is we don’t have to spend money out of our own pockets. That’s our consolation," Mira said in relief.
“Yeah. Let the rich woman pay for everything. She has too much money to spend anyway.” Lena grins, amused.
Mira laughed. “You are right. I just hope she will allow us to roam on our own and not restrict our movements in the mall, treating us as if we are naughty children who she needs to put on a leash.”
“Hopefully not. Let's see what happens tomorrow.” Lena giggled in amusement, then she stood up. “I’m thirsty. I’ll get some drinks from the kitchen.”
“OK, go ahead.” Mira nodded her head.
As soon as Lena left the gazebo, Brownie the snake slithered into Mira’s lap and took a nap like a baby.
Mira smiled and patted her pet gently, allowing it to sleep on her lap.
She wondered where the snake came from. Does it have an owner? Is the owner looking for his/her lost snake right now?
A few minutes later, Lena returned with a pitcher of refreshing orange juice.
The ladies enjoyed their drinks while Brownie slept peacefully on Mira’s lap, invisible to Lena’s eyes.