An hour after two, Malorie and Cynthia left the mansion. Valerie didn't escort them; she needed time to pack whatever she could. She knew their father was bloody serious when he said Raelyth was coming to take her.
Raelyth...
The sound of his name sent shivers up her spine. Tomorrow she would be given away; she would become a married woman soon after... it was all happening too fast. Valerie needed time to process.
After packing up what she could, she sat on her bed, her gaze directed outside the window. She would miss Malorie. She already missed her, given she was not going to see her again until God knows when.
"Why... why did he have to be our father?" she muttered. She wondered what a life without Ethan as their father would be.
Maybe his name would be Justin. Maybe he would be kind and always take the girls out to the theatre or wherever else they wished. Maybe they would still have a mother — a blood mother. Just maybe.
Valerie sighed and lay back flat on the bed. "It's of no use thinking that. What's done is done," she whispered. It was a habit she had formed over time — speaking to herself when no one was around.
Cynthia didn't return until four in the late noon. As Valerie had expected, she was without Malorie. She wondered how dinner would be.
★
Ethan kept to dinner time — returned earlier even. He sat at his usual spot, enjoying his meal as though he hadn't just disowned one of his daughters and signed off the other the same day.
What a wicked man he was. Valerie, for a fleeting moment, wished she had poisoned his dinner and hoped he died. Her eyes widened as she unnoticeably shook her head, clearing off the strange, evil thought.
"Am I the only one enjoying dinner? The lamb was prepared to perfection." He chuckled at the end, tearing through the meat.
Occasional clatters of cutlery, but none of the women spoke again. What could they say?
"Where is Malorie?" Ethan raised a brow, his gaze directed straight at Cynthia.
Before Cynthia could talk, Valerie spoke up: "You sent her away, do you not remember?"
Ethan's gaze slowly landed on Valerie. He stared at her like a lion who wanted to pounce on a deer for dinner. "You have picked up a habit which I do not like, Valerie dear." If it were any other father, endearments would have sounded sweet to the hearing, but not from Ethan. It sounded like a threat. "And that is speaking when I did not direct my question or words at you. Try it once more and get the end of my ire."
When Ethan properly threatened, it was not to be taken lightly. Valerie pursed her lips and only stared at her food.
"I asked you a question, Cynthia."
"She is staying with a friend I know," Cynthia gave out. There was limited option — either she answered him correctly or she got beaten up for dinner.
"A friend you know, or the father of her child?" Ethan questioned, an evil look forming on his face. "May I know which friend it is? Given your past life, you have no decent friend, my darling."
Valerie looked up at her stepmother in time to see her widen her eyes. Valerie wanted to question Father's words, but being openly threatened by him, she had rather not speak. Her cheeks still stung from lunch's slap.
"Priscilla is a decent woman, and Malorie is staying with her," Cynthia said, almost harshly.
Not for long, Valerie thought. If they had successfully sent a word to Lorien, he would act fast if he loved Malorie — which Valerie was certain he did.
"Priscilla..." he drawled. "And where does this Priscilla stay?"
Valerie gulped as Cynthia divulged to Ethan the address. 'He is not going to harm her,' Valerie kept singing. She knew her father wouldn't be quicker than Lorien. With all his work piled up — and for the love of his life — he would never step out at night.
Fear of being ambushed — he had made many enemies to acquire that fear. Valerie didn't blame him; she pitied him. Ethan thought he was reigning with an iron hand; instead, he was ruining himself.
"Have you packed your belongings, Valerie?" Ethan continued with his food. "You needn't pack all; the maidservants may deliver the rest later. Only pack enough and show you are ready for tomorrow."
Valerie didn't speak but continued with her food, nibbling the food as she had less appetite.
"I need words, Valerie; you are most certainly not dumb," Ethan demanded.
"Yes, Father. I heard you."
A few minutes later, dinner was over. Ethan was the first to leave, and like the previous day, had called Cynthia up to his room for another sexual session. Valerie slowly climbed up and opened her room. Not seeing Malorie on her rose-themed bed was a kind of torture she hadn't readied herself for. She sighed and lay sideways on the bed, staring at the window once more before she closed her eyes and let a lone tear fall.
★
Valerie didn't want to dress up, but if she did not, she would get a serious beating from her father. She wanted to show Raelyth she was not beautiful, nor was she interested in getting married to him. But it would only land her a slap from Father and, most probably, Raelyth himself. She did not know how the man was, but if he was rumoured to be mad, then he was mad.
Valerie dressed in a mauve-colored, off-the-shoulder dress. It stopped an inch below her knees, revealing the fair skin of her legs. She paired it with brown sandals. She packed her platinum-blonde hair into a ponytail at the bottom of her head and rounded the ponytail into a bun. She applied cream and a red rouge on her lips. After checking herself in the oval mirror hung on the wall, she left the room.
Ethan hadn't gone out after breakfast — a sign telling that Raelyth would be arriving any time soon. The northeast was not very far from the south. Valerie stayed outside her room for a bit, taking in deep breaths and releasing. Subconsciously, she looked over the railing, and a strange pair of green eyes met hers.