Her father is about to explode but her stepmother faked a cough and looks at her father with a meaningful look.
"What do you mean you're not needed at the event?" She paused as she looks at her with a hesitating smile.
"It's also a celebration for your returning home." She tried to smile sweetly, but she just stared at her.
'What's with the hypocrisy?' She mentally rolled her eyes.
She didn't bother to reply but instead, she looks at her father.
"If that's all you want to say, then I'll be taking my rest." Her voice in a monotone. He looks at her with disapproval look but she still stood up on her seat.
She then give a meaningful look at Atreus.
Atreus slightly nodded.
"Make sure to make your self decent tomorrow, don't think of any way of ruining the occasion." She heard him say at the end. He knows that he couldn't stop her.
She slightly nodded and started walking away without taking a glance at her stepmother and brother.
When she arrived at her room, she locked the door and look around. Her room didn't change and still the same just after she left.
She throw her body to her bed. "Welcome home." She mumbled to herself with a faint smile.
----
"Ma'am are you done?" A voice of a girl asks behind the closed door.
"Almost. Come in." Rue replied while putting a small diamond earing.
The door opens and a maid came in. It's Lylia, the maid that she's close with. She's just years younger than her.
"You're stunning." The girl said while smiling at her with admiration in the mirror.
Rue is wearing a maroon turtle neck fitted gown with long sleeve and back less fitted gown that shows the curves of her body, and revealing her white and flawless back.
She didn't wear any make up since she just tried it when she's still living with the mortals.
She smile and hugged her tightly. She missed her.
"Welcome back, I missed you." Lylia whispered as she hugs her back.
"I missed you too." She replied to her with a smile on her lips.
"Everyone is already downstairs." She said while staring at her beautiful face.
But she doesn't want to go downstairs yet.
"I'll just go there after I get my purse." She said with a reassuring smile.
"Are you sure?" She asked, her worry is visible on her eyes.
"I don't want father to think that I'm still a kid and need a companion." She said then get her heels and put them on.
"Okay then." Lylia said while smiling then takes her leave.
She gets her silver purse and went out of her room.
She took a deep breath before slowly walking down the stairs and look around. There are familiar faces from their clan and she also saw Danna with her family. Her father is sitting on the edge while her stepmother and step brother are sitting on the right side. And the Saviene seating on the left side.
There is an empty chair between her stepmother and half brother, that's her seat.
She's holding her purse tightly, luckily all are busy chitchatting so they can't notice her arrival.
'It seems like a feast.' She thought on her mind while looking on the foods above the table, and there's also a glasses of wine.
She sit on the empty chair that's designated for her. Her stepmother smiles at her when she saw her but she didn't bother to look at her, while his half brother is busy talking to someone beside him.
She also saw Danna looks at her and smiles, she hesitated to smile at her since their last conversation didn't went well. But at the end, she smiled at her as well.
Her father cleared his throat, with just a second, everyone stopped from talking with each other.
"Since we are already complete, we can finally begin." Her father paused.
"But before anything else" He took the glass of his wine.
"I'd like to welcome my daughter's return." Her father said as he offer a toss to her with his glass of wine.
"Welcome home, Ruella Genovese." Rue stood up from her seat and tossed with her father.
"Thank you, father." She said and smile to him. After all he's still his father, and she also missed him.
The rest of them also made a tossed with their glasses.
Rue took a glance around the table and saw that everyone is wearing elegant attire with formality on their postures. Everyone must be from Royal blood as she observed.
"And also the important reason of this occasion." Her father said that made everyone look again to him and waits on his big announcement.
"I'll be announcing the next ruler of our clan." He said with a smile on his lips.
She can see on her peripheral vision the joy of her stepmother and half brother.
Her father gestured her stepbrother to stand up. And as he's told, he stood up with a smile on his face.
"Ezekiel Genovese." And they made a toss, just like they did earlier.
All of them also made a toss, including her. And they clapped their hands, while her stepmother is looking at him proudly.
Then they took their sits. And everyone is congratulating him.
"I also have one announcement." His father suddenly uttered. Her father looking at her intently.
She just stared at him with a clueless face.
Everyone's face is filled with curiosity.
"The announcement of my daughter's engagement with the son of Saviene." Her father said then took a glance at the man on the left side of the table just beside him.
Rue looks at her father with creased forehead. She couldn't believe what she just heard.
'What's the meaning of this?' A question she thought to her mind.
She looks at Danna, trying to comprehend if she know this, but Danna slowly shook her head. Danna is also a Saviene, the father of their family is her father's left hand. And they almost acquire the same number of Vampire's pure blooded abilities.
Her gaze landed at the man sitting beside Danna, the son of Saviene. But sincs they can't use their ability on the person with same ability, she also couldn't read what's going on in his mind.
"What do you mean, father?" She asked in low voice, trying suppress her emotions.
But even she lower her voice, all of the people in the room can hear it clearly.
"We made a decision for you by getting married to Demitri Saviene." Her father said with a firm voice. He said it just like an order.
She suddenly felt her surroundings stop, she couldn't believe what she just heard. She felt betrayed and mad at the same time with the situation.
"You made a decision without my consent?" She slowly gritted her teeth in outrage, trying to compose herself.
But her father just look at her with authority, like he was already expecting her negative response.
"Watch your words, Ruella." Her stepmother whispered to her sharply beside her.
But she just ignored her. She bet that she also know this.
Her hand immediately reach for the glass of wine above the table then takes several long sips, desperately trying to calm herself.