Much difficult…
“Oh my gosh, Mom, you have no idea how happy I am right now! I am over the moon, honestly!” I gleefully exclaimed, smiling from ear to ear as I poured out everything that had just happened for my mom to hear during our video call.
“You know, when I first started off with everything, I did have my doubts, especially with that Fabian guy. He was such a demanding person, Mom. At one point, I even almost gave up because the mere thought of constantly sneaking into the library and ancestral room was so risky, but I somehow managed to do everything without getting caught.”
“Oh, my dear, that’s honestly very amazing! I’m glad to see that you have finally gotten things your way.”
“Thank you, Mommy,” I said, stroking the neckpiece, enjoying the feel of it on my skin.
“But I need you to understand that power attracts many things-loyalty, yes, but also envy, fear, and rebellion. Simon and Lucas are strong, but they are not invincible. You must ensure their loyalty remains unwavering, especially now that they’re a bit vulnerable. And very importantly, there’s one other matter you must address.”
I felt a chill creep down my spine. “What is it?”
She drew closer to the phone screen, lowering her voice. “The truth about Madam Morticia’s death. We both know the real story, but the more people talk, the more dangerous it becomes. If even a whisper of your involvement were to reach the wrong ears, it could unravel everything. You need to silence anyone who might have suspicions-discreetly.”
My heart raced as I absorbed her words. “But who could possibly know? We made sure everything pointed to Ashley.”
She tilted her head, considering her next words carefully. “True, but people in the mansion talk. Servants, guards-they see more than they let on. Even your loyal maid, Amira, could betray you for the right price. You must find out if there’s anyone left who knows too much and deal with them accordingly.”
“Oh, not to worry, Mom, no one knows I did it, not even Amira. I didn’t let her in on that one detail.”
“Good, but still be on the lookout. Don’t forget that the mansion’s walls have ears, so you need to be extra cautious in everything you do. I’m not telling you not to celebrate this victory, but I will give you very simple advice, and that is not to be too extravagant with everything. There is tension in that mansion, and so everybody’s senses will automatically be on high alert. If you draw a lot of attention to yourself while the others are trying to find solutions and answers to the already present problems, you would really risk exposing yourself. Try to be as low-key as possible, or else you will be surprised by how quickly everything could turn against you.”
The gravity of her advice settled over me like a heavy cloak. I had played the role of the innocent, wronged fiancee flawlessly, but now, maintaining my grip on power required a different kind of performance-one that didn’t tolerate loose ends.
“I understand,” I said, my voice steady despite the growing tension in my chest. “I’ll make sure everything is taken care of.”
She nodded, blowing me a kiss from over the phone, which I smiled warmly at. “I have no doubt you will. You are my daughter, after all. But remember, Veronica-true power isn’t just about removing your enemies. It’s about controlling the narrative, ensuring that no one even dares to question your authority. Make sure your reign starts with absolute control.”
With those final words, she waved goodbye, blowing me another kiss before disconnecting the call and leaving me alone once again. The chandelier’s light flickered, casting long shadows across the walls, and I realized that the path to the throne was far more treacherous than I had anticipated. But I was ready. After all, I had been preparing for this moment my entire life.
Determined, I made my way to my chambers to think. I needed to plan my next steps carefully. The celebration of my victory would have to wait; there were still loose ends to tie up, and I couldn’t afford to leave anything to chance. I would find out who, if anyone, might threaten my rise to power and silence them before they could act.
As I walked through the halls of the mansion, servants bowed as I passed, their eyes averted in respect-or perhaps fear. It didn’t matter. What mattered was that I had their obedience, and with it, I would secure the future I had always dreamed of.
Reaching my chambers, I closed the door behind me, shutting out the world. I stood before the mirror, gazing at the reflection of the woman I had become-a woman who had sacrificed everything for power. And now, there was no turning back. I was the future queen, and nothing and no one would stand in my way.
Carefully taking off the neckpiece, I stroked the diamond as I admired the beauty in the simplicity of the jewelry. Whoever had made the necklace must have been extremely skillful, because the intricate lines and placement of the precious stones seemed too complicated for a mediocre artist to achieve. It was subtle, not too flashy, but at the same time very elegant and luxurious to look at. Even though the designs weren’t ostentatious or overly elaborate, it still screamed royalty in so many ways.
“So beautiful,” I muttered, carefully placing it in my vanity, close to the other jewelry pieces I had, all neatly stashed.
I didn’t like how quiet the mansion seemed! I had attained victory; I was no longer going to be under her shadow, and it wouldn’t take much longer before Simon and Lucas finally decided to have the wedding. Even though my intention was not to shout out in celebration-though I would have absolutely loved to-I still should be able to enjoy the moment instead of just basking in the silence and the terrible boredom that came with it.
I remembered sending Amira to get me a glass of juice, but she had yet to return with it. I was about to make my way over to the bed when a knock came on the door, and I urged her to come in, knowing it was no one else but her.
“My lady, here you go,” she said, handing over the juice to me on a tray. I carefully took it and immediately took a sip, savoring the delicious drink.
“Hmm, what took you so long to get this for me, Amira?”
“Sorry, my lady. I had returned to the living room thinking you would still be there, and so I quickly made my way up here to check if you were in the room when I didn’t see you there. Fortunately, I met you here; otherwise, I would have had to search everywhere for your whereabouts.”
“Whatever,” I responded, taking yet another sip of the juice. She remained standing in silence, quietly watching as expected.
“Oh, my lady, I actually wanted to ask you something.”
“What is it?”
She hesitated for a while, wondering whether to say what was on her mind or not, and I couldn’t help but notice this from her body language.
“Amira? What is going on in that head of yours?”
“My lady,” she sighed, shaking her head as she proceeded, “honestly, it really makes me sad just thinking about it.”
“Thinking about what, Amira?”
“Madam Morticia,” she began. My eyes widened at the mere mention of her name, so I tried my very best to hide the fact that I was extremely anxious about the topic.
“Even though everyone in this mansion never liked Ashley from the moment she walked in, we could all at least say that she doesn’t look like someone who would be capable of killing a fellow wolf like her. Now, seeing that she was the one who actually killed Madam Morticia, I honestly can’t tell who is who, or what to expect from anybody.” I bit my lips nervously as she spoke on, every one of her words spewing darts of guilt directly at me.
“I mean, my original thought was that you had probably hired someone to get the job done and we’d just pin it on her…”
“What??”
“But now, confirming that she was the one who committed that grievous sin, I’m confused and believe she truly is a very bad person.” She shook her head one more time, and I frowned deeply.
“Here, I don’t want this anymore. Leave my room now!” I ordered, shoving the half-drunk juice at her. She looked at me with surprise, but my mind was completely in a different place.
“Just leave. I would like to be alone,” I said one more time, and she left, wondering what exactly she had done to provoke me like that.
As soon as she left and I was certain no one was around anymore, I let out a deep breath as I couldn’t help but worry. I guess this is exactly what Mom was talking about.
Did Amira really have to bring up the situation in front of me? I hoped things wouldn’t turn against me before they even got better, I thought, rubbing my temples tiredly.
Just like Mom had said, I would really need to be extremely careful moving forward. I had attained this victory with so much difficulty, but was I really ready for the even harder efforts that would be needed to sustain my safety in the mansion?