Chapter 7-8
unmistakable; it was taken inside the opera house, from under the same red silk-
covered table Cassandra and Matthew were
sitting at earlier.
Cassandra’s heart pounded as panic set in. A moment later, she felt a strange sensation–a hand brushing against her leg beneath the table. Her breath hitched as
she froze in disbelief. It wasn‘ t Matthew.
Her wide eyes darted to him, only to see his face darkened with anger. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, repeatedly trying to push away the hand that
persisted. Julia, bold and unashamed, was under the table.
Cassandra’s body trembled with fury. She slammed the table, her voice breaking the
tension in the room.
“Housekeeper! There seems to be a rat under the table!”
Gasps rippled through the audience. The housekeeper approached hesitantly, but before he could lift the tablecloth, an
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authoritative voice rang out.
“I’ll handle it,” said Aunt Lawrence,
stepping forward. Her calm, commanding demeanor silenced everyone.
Aunt Lawrence bent down, her
gaze
piercing as she lifted the tablecloth.
Seconds felt like hours. Her expression shifted subtly, but she quickly straightened, brushing off the incident.
“There’s no rat. Just a few pesky mosquitoes. Nothing to worry about,” she
said with feigned composure.
Before Cassandra could protest, Aunt Lawrence pulled her aside, murmuring about leaving early. Cassandra’s confusion deepened as the event unfolded. What game was Aunt Lawrence playing? And why was everyone, even the servants, complicit in covering up Julia‘ s outrageous behavior?
Later that night, Cassandra stood alone in her room, staring blankly at her phone. A
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Chapter 7-8
new message appeared from Julia:
“He says I’m not worthy of stepping into The Lawrence Family home. Funny, isn‘ t it? Because tonight, I showed him exactly what he needs the most: me. Not you.”
Her chest tightened, her grip on the phone unsteady. For the first time, she realized the depth of her isolation. Everyone around her–the servants, Aunt Lawrence, even Matthew–had known. They had all been in on this cruel game, leaving her to play the fool.
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