After Ethan had thrown double bombshells, he left the mansion to whatever life he was going to ruin, because apparently, it wasn't only his daughters'.
Valerie quietly stood up, her food untouched, left the dining room, and climbed the stairs up to their shared room. Meanwhile, Malorie fingered the cloth of her dress. Her eyes were as red as tomatoes, her heart thumped louder than one who was in love. She raised her head and stared at their Mama. Malorie took a shaky breath in and released before saying;
"Mama... Mama, do you think Valerie hates me?"
Cynthia, whose eyes were watery, stood up and came to sit beside her daughter. She took Malorie's hands in hers. "No, of course not. Valerie would never hate you," she said softly.
Malorie shook her head. "I... I caused this. I... She is going to be married to a man she doesn't like because of me. She... She certainly is going to hate me." Malorie was almost turning hysterical.
Cynthia cupped her face with both her hands and forced her to look at her. "No, darling. Do not ever regret, okay? Valerie might be angry at you, but she never would hate you. Okay?"
Malorie nodded, although she wasn't convinced.
"You should go talk to her. It will be best to hear from Valerie herself. Later today, I will take you to the physician." Once Malorie nodded, Cynthia placed a warm kiss on her cheek and on her forehead before leaving the dining room.
Malorie wiped her tears, took plenty deep breaths, and released before standing up and walking out of the dining room.
*
"This... This wicked man!" Valerie groaned. "Tomorrow...? What do you mean--"
"Val?"
Valerie turned to the source of the sound. Once she sighted Malorie, she whipped her head away from view to wipe her tears. "Malorie," she said when she turned to face her.
Malorie took baby steps in approach to her sister. Once she reached about five feet away from her, she stopped, not raising her head to look at her sister lest she found hatred in those eyes.
"Do you hate me, Val?"
Valerie blinked, then scowled. "What nonsense are you speaking of?"
Malorie flinched; Valerie's voice wasn't harsh, she had just passed the point of normal reasoning. "I... Because of me, y-you are--"
"Malorie, look at me," Valerie demanded softly. Malorie raised her head up, meeting her sister's gaze. "You think I would hate you because you fell in love? Because you have a baby for a man you love? Because in place of you, I will be marrying a man who you were promised to at the age of sixteen? No, Malorie, no, I do not hate you and I never will."
Malorie sucked in a breath. She climbed up to this room, ready to be thrown out, ready to receive whatever her sister would throw at her, but not this, by a long shot. It made the tears she had tried so hard to keep at bay resume falling.
"Aw, can you stop?" Valerie moved to her sister and embraced her. "As a pregnant woman, you are not supposed to be crying. Do you want my niece or nephew to be a crybaby like you?"
Her words made Malorie chuckle amidst her tears. She pulled away and let Valerie wipe her tears. "I am your big sister, Mal. I had already expected this, you know." She sighed, then pulled Malorie and directed her to sit on her bed beside her. "When the news of your pregnancy broke out, I'd already expected Father to say this, so I am not surprised nor angry."
Malorie widened her eyes, "Really?" she asked.
"Yeah well, I might hate Father an extra bit more than before, but I am not angry at you. It was not your fault. Never was, never will be. Okay? So clean those tears, let's continue about our day."
Valerie's words somehow made reality settle in between them. The room was unusually empty, a sign that indeed the maidservants had packed up Malorie's belongings.
"I cannot believe Father would be this wicked to me," Malorie muttered. "I... If I send a letter to the East, it might not get to them immediately."
"True that," Valerie nodded. "Mama should have a friend you can stay with, come." She pulled Malorie up, and they both left the room to find their Mama, who was on the balcony overlooking the mass garden and compound. "Mama."
Cynthia, with a glass of raspberry juice, turned to face the girls. "Yes, dear."
"Do you have a friend Malorie could stay with? At least until tomorrow?" Valerie inquired.
Cynthia sighed. "I was thinking the same. Yes, I have someone who Malorie could stay with, until we get this settled with Ethan."
Valerie had picked up on something about Cynthia, and that was her inability to address their father as anything but Ethan. She had never heard her call Ethan 'husband' or 'your father'; it was usually just 'Ethan.'
"But Mal, are you not going to tell me who the father is?" Cynthia asked, stepping closer towards Malorie.
Malorie looked at Val, and when she got a nod from her, she started; "His is Lorien McCullough. The son of the Eastern Grand Duke, Mama."
Cynthia's eyes widened; she hadn't been expecting anyone remotely close to a Duke. She had thought Mal had picked a town boy. "Wow... That is just wow. Does he know?"
Malorie nodded. "Yes, I saw him today and spoke with him. He is planning on coming to see Father, but I do not know when. Val and I are planning on sending a letter to the East, but it won't exactly get there at least until the next day, and Father is intent on me leaving his house today."
Cynthia sighed, Valerie squeezed Malorie's hand in hers.
"You will send the letter out today. On our way to the physician, I'll take you to Priscilla's right after," Cynthia concluded.
"Okay." Malorie nodded, then hugged her mother. "Thank you, Mama." She placed a soft kiss on her cheek.
Cynthia pulled away to stare at Valerie. "I know there's nothing much I can do to stop your father from wedding you to Raelyth, but just know that I am always here for you, my girl."
Valerie smiled and nodded. "I know, Mama."
She didn't need to fight Ethan for her. If there was anyone who needed to battle with that wicked man, it was Valerie herself.