Chapter 112 Chapter 112
Violet
Cassie narrowed her eyes as if she would start growling at her any second and Nicole looked away.
She was apparently still worried about Cassie’s yet another explosive outburst and wanted to pacify her as well.
“I hope you have forgiven me, Violet.”
Nicole added dramatically and both the aunts as well as her friends instantly looked curious.
“Why are you apologizing to Violet?” Aunt Rosy asked, popping fries in her mouth.
“Well, the first time I was here, I mistakenly treated her like a maid.”
“What?” Aunt Thelma, placed a hand on her chest.
Nicole sighed. “Yeah, she was wearing the same grey clothes like the maids around here and I wasn’t really paying attention. I mean, it's hard when you are over the moon and gushing about your dream wedding and are standing outside the grand entrance of the Ironcrest Manor, after all.”
She took a brief pause to see if all the attention was still on her and continued.
“But I immediately apologized to her after noticing my mistake and even went ahead to not just request her to stay back but also be my maid of honor.”
The aunts looked genuinely impressed.
“Wow, I thought she was your friend for a long time.” Madison quipped, trying not to frown at the line.
“Yeah, imagine us being her friends and not being the maid of honor” Veronica’s face fell as well.
Nicole patted their backs reassuringly.
“Oh there is so much to plan. If you guys do a good enough job, you can get that honor as well.”
She suggested as if she was crowning them as the next Luna of some imaginary pack.
The two girls almost fell to her knees to thank her.
Cassie's hand found mine under the table, squeezing gently. A warning or support, I wasn't sure.
But as I looked at the beautiful dress, at Nicole's triumphant expression, at the expectant faces around the table, I realized I was trapped.
Again.
And this time, I had no idea what game we were playing, only that I wasn’t already losing. Not this time.
I went ahead and gave her a warm smile.
“Thank you so much! You are very sweet”
I said and took the dress from her.
Nicole blinked rapidly, too confused by my reaction. She had expected me to vehemently deny taking the expensive gift from her.
“You are accepting the dress?” She asked and I nodded.
“I am. Just so that you wont feel guilty about treating me as a maid again. You have repeated that and apologized like a dozen times already. I will feel bad for not accepting your friendship.”
I spoke brightly, making her fumble for a response.
“You mentioned that the event needed proper formal attire. And I agree with you. I don’t have anything that will go with this dress. Would you care to find the appropriate jewellery and shoes for me?”
Nicole’s face blanched.
“You…want me to go shopping for you?”
“Only if it's not too much of an ask.” I continued smiling as Nicole fought to keep the scowl off her face.
Three hours later, we were seated in the large living hall, while Nicole still continued to talk about the wedding arrangements. I was still unsure about the dress that Nicole had just gifted me, staring at it like a beautiful, suspicious trap.
"Oh, how wonderful!" Aunt Thelma's voice carried from downstairs. "He's finally here!"
I looked up from the dress and towards the entrance to see a guest arrive. A man in a wheelchair sat motionless in the center of the marble foyer, his posture rigid, and his face utterly blank. He looked to be in his sixties, with silver hair and the sharp bone structure that marked him as an old member of a respected werewolf family.
But his eyes were completely empty, staring at nothing.
A nurse stood behind the wheelchair, a middle-aged woman with kind eyes who brought him in.
"Uncle Raymond," Aunt Rosy said warmly, kneeling beside the wheelchair. "It's so good to see you. How was the journey?"
She rushed forward to greet him but there was not even a flicker of recognition on his face.
"The doctors thought a change of scenery might help," the nurse explained quietly. "The facility is lovely, but sometimes being around family can make a difference."
Lady Aurelia had left the breakfast table long ago but was probably informed by a maid about the uncle’s arrival. She descended the stairs with her usual grace, though I noticed her grip on the banister was tighter than usual, her trembling hands more pronounced. "Uncle Raymond. Welcome home."
Uncle Raymond continued staring straight ahead, as if everyone around him simply didn't exist.
I stayed near the expensive couch, feeling like an intruder on this family moment.
"Uncle Raymond!" Nicole's voice rang out as she strode away from the corner they had retreated to for some gossip, Veronica and Madison trailing behind her like designer-clad shadows. She approached with a practiced smile, the kind she wore when she knew people were watching. "How lovely to have you here. We've missed you so much."
She placed a delicate hand on his shoulder but he didn't react.
"The poor bloke," Madison whispered to Veronica, not nearly quietly enough. "What happened to him?"
"Some kind of breakdown, I heard," Veronica whispered back. "Years ago. He hasn't spoken since."
"How tragic."
Nicole straightened, her smile never wavering even though Uncle Raymond had given no indication he knew she existed. "Well, I'm sure being back at Ironcrest will do wonders for him."
"Perhaps someone should show him around," Aunt Thelma suggested. "Help him reacquaint himself with the manor. Nicole, dear, would you mind?"
I watched Nicole's smile tighten almost imperceptibly. "Oh, I would love to, but Veronica and Madison and I were just about to leave for the city. We have appointments for a lot of things such as dress fittings, the florist, and I promised Violet we'd pick up some things for her to wear to the Summit."
She turned, her gaze landing on me as her eyes sparkled with something nefarious. "Actually, Violet, would you mind? I know you're not technically family, but you've been staying here, so you know the manor well enough."
Was she for real??