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So she headed down for breakfast as soon as she was alerted by one of the staff. These days, her schedule is pretty predictable. Wake up, eat, rebel against her mother, gossip with Mimi, and plot on how to meet Marcel, sleep, and the circle continues.

Although it gave her time to plot for her future knowing that she couldn’t depend on her mother, Draven or Marcel forever. Arianna wants an occupation before she ends up a housewife – if she marries Marcel. She would be twenty-four soon and would receive the trust fund her father kept for her. With that money, she would achieve a lot. Arianna could already see her bright future.

Arianna stopped short when she saw her mother at the dining table with Rose and her throat dried up suddenly while the air in the room seemed to have been sucked up. Although she braced herself for this moment, it still didn’t make things any easier.

What was she going to do? Should she join her mother at the dining table and wave at her like yesterday’s incident never happened? Or she could keep a straight face and have her breakfast in silence without showing that she was affected by the tense ambiance. You know, play it cool and all?

Ugh, Arianna groaned inwardly. She hated this kind of tension. Why was her relationship with her mother so complicated? Was their conflict normal or was she the only one in the entire world unable to get along with her mother?

Fine, Arianna decided to play it cool. Moreover, what did she do so wrong last night aside to express her – Natalie- prejudice towards Marcel? She did nothing wrong and had nothing to fear.

“What are you standing there for?” Her mother’s voice roused her from her thoughts, startling her. The woman knew that she was here.

Natalie turned to her and said, “Are you waiting until your food gets cold, or don’t you want to have breakfast with your family anymore?” She murmured under her breath, “It’s not like anyone is forcing you to observe the tradition anyway.”

.....

“Huh?” Arianna was confused. What was going on here? She had expected her mother would be cold and unresponsive toward her. Why was she playing it cool? That had been her plan.

Still reeling from the turn of events, Arianna had to force her ass on the seat and wondered what was next.

“Hello, sister. How was your night?” asked Rose, the most enthusiastic out of the three women present at the table.

“It was good.” Arianna tried to match the kid’s energy. She didn’t want to seem unapproachable and detached from the kid when all she wanted was to have a loving relationship with her step-sister. Moreover, Natalie would worry less if they got along as sisters. Not to mention that she was older and should set a good example.

“I heard you and mother fought last night…” The girl said, suddenly looking downcast

Arianna and Natalie’s gaze connected and held, however, they broke apart in the next minute without saying a word to each other.

“Sister…” Rose grabbed her hand and enveloped it with hers since she was seated beside her, saying, “Please don’t fight with mummy anymore. Violence is never the right answer.”

Arianna cleared her throat awkwardly yet she nodded her head, forcing a smile on her face.

“Good!” Rose let go of her hand and got out of her seat only to walk over to Natalie who was seated opposite them.

“And mom, you shouldn’t be angry at Arianna for too long,”

“Who said I’m still angry -” Natalie was still saying when Rose grabbed her hand and pulled it across the table before taking Arianna’s hands and doing the same until both of their hands were intertwined together.

They didn’t dare withdraw their hands, scared to kill the hope ignited in the young girl’s eyes. In one word, both of them had to make up under Rose’s strict supervision.

“I’m sorry for last night. I shouldn’t have judged and talked to you in that manner.” Arianna apologized to her sincerely.

Natalie said as well, “And I’m sorry for forgetting my role as a mother was to listen to my child’s opinion too. I shouldn’t have abused my power as your mother.”

“So are we good now?” Arianna asked her, unsure.

Natalie nodded, “Yes. We are good.”

“Yes!” Rose jumped, pumping her fist in the air victoriously. However, seeing the looks they gave her, the young girl quickly composed herself, reining in her excitement.

She suddenly said, “I’m suddenly not hungry. The both of you should enjoy your meal.”

“Wait -!” Arianna said, but the girl had already zoomed off before she had the chance to stop her. For a young girl, Rose was quite smart. She knew deep down that Rose left on purpose to give them the chance to talk.

They didn’t talk immediately as Rose wanted them to, instead, they ate their food in silence. Fortunately, the suffocating tension from earlier subsided and Arianna could relax in her mother’s presence compared to earlier.

“Where is Eric?” Arianna decided to start the conversation.

“He’s out for a business meeting with Marcel,” Natalie said and Arianna’s hand holding the spoon halted mid-way.

She lifted her head to look at her mother, surprise in her eyes.

“A business meeting.”

“The boy is quite intent on promoting peace between both families.” Although Natalie’s voice was flat, Arianna could sense a tinge of satisfaction in her tone.

Arianna was so proud of Marcel that she wanted to sing his praises at the top of her voice, no, at the rooftop, but she had to control herself in front of her mother. She had no choice but to hold in her excitement else her mother changes her mind about him. Not when she was beginning to see him in a positive light.