Ever since the banquet incident, the vibe in the manor had changed. It was as Stella expected anyway. Whenever she walked through the corridor, she became the center of attention, accompanied by whispers about events that had transpired. Just as much as most of the Chevaliers were rotten to the core, some of their servants were no different either. Matteo once overheard two female servants having fun gossiping about Stella so blatantly, and he intended to put them in their place.
“Matteo, don’t bother.” Stella stopped him, grabbing onto his shoulder. “You shouldn’t step in for me due to my real standing here.”
“But still—!” Matteo pressed his lips together out of frustration.
Every Chevalier, including Matteo, was aware of Stella’s position. House Chevalier had supported Anthony’s ascension, and Stella was just a reward for their loyalty. The young man was aware of that, but never once did he view Stella as a prisoner. Through the times they spent together, he had nothing but the utmost respect for her.
“Let’s just head to the library,” Stella said, patting his back.
“…Okay.” Matteo reluctantly dropped it as Stella requested.
Ophelia had asked them to wait for her at the library, and she had other important matters to attend to. Unfortunately, they were then stopped by a group of Chevalier youngsters in the corridor. All eyes turned to Stella before they began mocking her loudly in front of the servants nearby.
“Wow,” one of them said, stepping forward. “After you made a joke out of yourself a few days ago, I thought you’d be too embarrassed to leave your room already?”
They laughed at her, savoring the chance to ridicule Stella for making a fool of herself on Ophelia's birthday. One after another, they piled on, unwilling to lose the opportunity to mock her roots.
“Isn’t her mother one of the knights under the former Duke?” one of them commented. “No wonder she knows nothing of the fundamental education of a noble.”
“Oh my! So, are you saying that she’s an illegitimate daughter of the family?” another chimed in. “That would explain her unruly and feral etiquette…”
They were brimming with confidence that they had defamed Stella to the point of leaving her at a loss for words. What they got instead was a cold, indifferent demeanor. As the alpha watched these fools go to such great lengths just to humiliate her, she felt embarrassed on their behalf. It was hardly interesting to hear the same script again after all these years.
“Are you all done being in our way yet?” Stella sighed, bored to death nearby. “Unlike you fools, I do have important and productive matters to attend to.”
Some of the young boys stepped in to block her path. It didn’t seem they were going to let her leave that easily.
“Leave us alone.” Matteo stepped forward, trying to intervene.
Unfortunately, his cousins were far from being intimidated by the young man. It was obvious that his cousins had little to no respect for him because they saw him as a weakling alpha compared to his older siblings.
“Huh? What makes you think I’ll listen to someone as pathetic as you?” one of the cousins raised his tone. “Why don’t you go coop in your little corner in the library, as always.”
Heartless laughter followed right after a sneering comment. Matteo couldn’t refute their statement because it was true. He was nothing compared to his siblings, but that was all in the past. Perhaps Stella’s influence had begun to rub off on him. He found the conviction to stand on his own feet and no longer be behind his sister. When the cousins noticed Matteo was no longer cowering like a loser, they became visibly agitated. The pathetic, timid puppy was now standing against them.
“You dare to stare at me like that?” The bigger cousin took another step forward. “Know your place, Matteo—!”
One of his older male cousins couldn’t hold his temper and shoved the boy out of his way. Matteo was about to lose his balance, but luckily Stella was there to give a gentle nudge to help the boy regain his balance. Stella realized that it was about time to step in before Matteo would be targeted instead.
“So, it seems the members from the lesser branch are taught to use violence to resolve conflict.” Stella sighed, gazing at them with sympathy. “How pitiful.”
“Y-You—!!”
“Oh? Do you dare to raise your fist at me?” Stella chuckled, taking a bold step forward.
Her cold blue eyes made the young, arrogant man freeze. He caught a whiff of the intense pinewood fragrance in the air, warning him not to take a step in if he still valued his life. Stella knew they were only good at flaunting their wealth when, in reality, they were all spineless cowards. Just a little intimidation by her pheromones was enough to make them cower easily.
“Why are you hesitating?” She said, smiling. “You weren’t earlier when you raised your hand at Matteo.”
Even if he wanted to, he hesitated to raise his fist against the older alpha before him. His instinct didn’t fail to warn him of the massive gap between their strengths. If they were to duel, the Albrecht alpha could obliterate him without a shadow of a doubt.
"Indeed, I made a grave mistake at the banquet, out of naivety." Stella shrugged. "Yet Ophelia has a noble heart, and an astronomical level of mercy to forgive my mistake. That must be the true nobility that exists only in the main family line of Chevalier. Don't you think so?"
Physical injuries could heal over time, unlike emotional trauma. When Stella questioned them back, she was satisfied with watching their faces twist out of anger and humiliation. Before things could escalate even further, they suddenly tensed up out of fear and anxiety. The air became heavy instantly the moment they sensed thick lavender in the air. The timing couldn’t be more perfect than this, and she didn’t even have to turn to know who it was.
“Stella, why are you still out here?” Ophelia’s voice cut through the corridor. “Didn’t I tell you to wait for me in the library?”
The alpha looked over her shoulder to make eye contact with that pair of stern green eyes.
“Unfortunately, your cousins rudely blocked our path,” Stella said. “As you can see—”
“T-That’s not true!” One of the younger cousins interjected. “We’re just leisurely chatting and forgot about the time!”
“That’s right! We’re not blocking the path,” Another cousin chimed in. “If you had told us you had to go to the library, then we wouldn’t have taken up your time.”
The moment that the alpha was about to speak, they were quick to cut her off before she could tell Ophelia what had happened. However, that wouldn’t stop Stella from telling her what happened anyway. Those kids might’ve thought that the woman would listen to them, but they were completely wrong about that. After all, one of them dared to lay hands on her beloved little brother.
“Really? Matteo and I are very clear that we have matters to attend to,” Stella said, smiling nonchalantly. “You didn’t believe us, and even repulsively shoved Matteo. He would’ve fallen if I didn’t catch him in time.”
“Oh,” Ophelia maintained her stern façade, but her green eyes became evidently colder. They must’ve realized how they made a grave mistake, yet they thought they still had a chance to convince her.
“T-That’s not true, Ophelia. It is all just a simple misunderstanding.” The male cousin spoke up. “You wouldn’t believe her words more than ours, right?”
“What Stella said is true,” Matteo said, turning to Ophelia.
All the eyes turned to the young man. He wasn’t shy to speak and vouched that every single word Stella said was true. Without a shadow of a doubt, Ophelia believed her brother over everyone else. Her cold-hearted green irises were enough to make them retreat in an instant. Realizing their excuses were not working, they swiftly disappeared from their sight. Now it was just the three of them alone. Ophelia let out a long exhale before she directed her attention to Stella instead.
“Hm? What?” Stella said, tilting her head slightly.
“Your flowery speech truly gave me chills and made me want to retch…” Ophelia muttered, staring at her fiancée through narrowed eyes.
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Stella said, chuckling openly.
“It is not a compliment!” Ophelia exhaled sharply. “Nonetheless, you surprised me once again with that astronomical level of deceitfulness. I didn’t know you had it in you.”
She must’ve heard what Stella said earlier and waited for the right moment to intervene. What she said was so out of character that it even made Ophelia uncomfortable.
“Deceitfulness?” Stella said, feigning surprise. “I didn’t say a single lie.”
“Since when did I forgive you for humiliating me in front of all my family members on my birthday?” Ophelia said, her brows furrowing.
Stella wasn’t lying, though. Her blue eyes found that familiar white-gold bracelet around her left wrist, and that was the answer she needed.
“I thought we made up on that same night?” Stella said as she stepped in closer, smiling widely.
“I didn’t say I would forgive you,” Ophelia said, remaining stubborn.
“Then, what could I do to make up to you?” Stella asked.
“Just be my good pet and obey your master’s command.” Ophelia walked off immediately the moment she finished her sentence.
Ophelia kept her stoic façade even though Stella’s smile made her ears heat up. Stella watched the young brother run to his sister’s side. She had another look at Ophelia’s bracelet before beaming with relief. Even if the omega pretended their secret interaction in the library didn’t happen, the distance between them had gradually become smaller.
After all, she had been wearing the bracelet every day.
Sitting in the dining hall at noon, Stella sat beside Ophelia, having lunch with the family as usual.
“Stella, have you ever tried this drink?” Theo said, taking a sip of the family’s finest wine. “This is an exquisite wine from the finest vineyard in Northland, owned by us, of course.”
A pair of amber eyes had been staring at her for quite some time before Theo initiated the conversation. He wore his usual cocky smile while swirling the leftover fine wine in his glass. He was old enough to drink, but not Stella, though.
“Unfortunately, I am still underage to drink,” Stella replied calmly. “I can’t offer any comments on that matter.”
“That’s rude of you to refuse my offer.” Theo pressed further as he wore a smug smile.
He snapped his fingers, wordlessly ordering the nearby servant to pour her a glass of red wine. She had seen this coming, and Theo was horrible at hiding his sinister smile. This time, Stella intended to play by his game and win.
“I didn’t need to taste it to understand the finesse of Chevalier’s finest wine.” Stella smiled as she held the glass of wine in her hand.
“Huh?” Theo said, not expecting that response.
Her answer seemed to grab everyone’s attention. Stella was never a drinker, but she made sure she made up for it with studies. She gave the wine glass a gentle swirl to identify the wine.
“…I see you are a fan of a more robust flavor.” Stella smiled with quiet confidence. “With such a signature deep purple color as this, it could only be Chevalier’s signature Cabernet Sauvignon.”
The smile he had on his face earlier faded away quickly as she identified the wine correctly and effortlessly just by its color and aroma. This certainly shifted the atmosphere in the room, even catching the Marquis’s attention. You are reading on novelping.com, the official source.
“You have quite keen eyes.” He glanced at Stella. “How did you know it is Cabernet Sauvignon?”
“Its color and aroma gave it away. Cabernet Sauvignon has a deep purple color and various fragrances of Northland’s unique berries,” Stella said, elaborating on the wine with practiced ease. “Most importantly, it is complemented by a pronounced black pepper aroma. It is no surprise that it is one of the most popular Northland wines exported across the continent.”
“Oh my! You speak like an expert, Lady Stella.” Marchioness said, showing interest in her. “Where did you learn all of this from?”
Stella's detailed explanation caught the Marchioness's interest at once. Ophelia wore a quiet smirk before she proudly informed them that she had taught her fiancée all about the Chevaliers' winery.
“As my fiancée, Stella is partly representing the name of Chevalier in public with me,” Ophelia said, carrying herself with quiet confidence. “I have to make sure to educate her about our family’s business so she doesn’t embarrass us.”
“Oh my,” The Marchioness’s smile widened. “That sounds wonderful!”
Now that Stella had caught the Marquis’s attention, he began testing the extent of her knowledge. To everyone’s surprise at the dining table, the alpha spoke about Chevalier Orchards & Vineyards. Discussing the selling points for each type of wine in great detail. The more she was able to answer Marquis’s questions, the more Theo became visibly irritated.
“I’m impressed.” The Marquis smiled. “How do you know this much about our winery in such a short time?”
“Nowadays I’ve been spending time in the library studying with Ophelia and Matteo before the academy year begins,” Stella said.
The alpha knew that this incident would happen again, so initially she intended to ask Ophelia to explain a few parts she was unsure about… but then the omega turned it into an intensive crash course instead. Thankfully, it paid off. She managed to dodge Theo’s abuse and showed everyone how she was a good alpha partner to Ophelia. If there was one thing she knew about the Marquis and Marchioness, it was that they only pay attention to anyone deemed useful in their eyes. She knew that the Marquis saw her as no more than a tool to get rid of later, but what she could try was to make him want to keep her around for as long as possible. To gain their favor, she must act naïve and gullible while being extremely useful in building their reputation in public.
“How do you know so much of it when you never have tasted it before?” Theo asked this time.
“It is a shame I’m still underage to try them myself.” Stella smiled, feigning disappointment. “I made up for that by doing my absolute best to understand the delicacy of Northland’s wine. But if you insisted that I had to try, then I would like to ask for my father-in-law’s approval.”
Stella turned to the Marquis and expressed her utmost respect towards him like another father figure who supported her education. Of course, it was all a lie, but that was the best possible option for her. Stella knew that whatever decision she came to, Theo would find an excuse to use violence, but not if it was the Marquis who made the final call.
“If the Lord Chevalier gave me permission, then I shall not refuse your offer.” Stella smiled, knowing she had defeated Theo in this discussion.
It was a complete turn of the situation that even impressed Ophelia. She must admit that Stella made a clever move to defeat Theo. As there was a brief moment of pause, the Marquis wore a smirk of satisfaction before telling his eldest son to quit acting like a fool. As Stella expected, Marquis Hugh was an arrogant man, and he wouldn’t do anything that could tarnish his fame and nobility. Someone of his level wouldn’t permit an underage child to drink.
“You should be ashamed of yourself, Theo.” The Marquis glared at him with disappointment. “Even if Lady Stella is an outsider, she still has a better understanding of the family’s winery and business than you do.”
Even though Theo was his eldest son, the Marquis didn't hesitate to shame him for knowing less than an outsider who was even younger than he was. Theo was left speechless and shot daggers in Stella's direction. She had put a target on her back where Theo was concerned, but winning the Marquis's favor today was worth it.
Their lunch ended on a good note, and Ophelia had plans to buy new dresses in the city. Theo coincidentally overheard them and invited himself to join, since he wanted to have some quality time with his sister. Stella noticed a subtle change in Matteo, who was beside her. Without hesitation, the young man found an excuse to stay behind since it would be best for him to avoid being around Theo. Even if they were all blood-related, Matteo was practically invisible to Theo and Eleanor, who treated him more like he was a stranger than family.
“I still have some studies to do,” Matteo said, lowering his head. “I hope you have a nice day going out today, sister.”
“Oh, you’re still here?” Theo was brutal with his words and how he treated Matteo like a nobody, but the boy wore an unbothered smile instead.
The young man excused himself from the scene immediately, which made Theo unamused since he expected him to show some hurtful reaction as usual. As it played out in the original timeline, it was the three of them in the carriage: Theo, Ophelia, and Stella. Across from her sat Theo, clearly unimpressed that his sister brought her along. He made no effort to hide his bitterness.
“Do we need to bring this mutt with us?” Theo let out a sharp exhale. It was clear he wanted Stella to stay behind. “Leave your dog behind.”
“Mind your language when we’re outside, Theo.” Ophelia reminded him sternly. “Stella and I have an image to maintain in public, if you care to recall our past conversations. I expect you to behave like a good brother around her.”
“Hmph, fine.” He threw himself back against the seat. “I suppose I’ll play along with your game.”
Ophelia must have known that her brother was not just abusive, but petty as well. He would find ways to exact revenge on Stella whenever Ophelia was not around. Ophelia had her own ways of reminding Theo to behave, and he reluctantly complied. As they strolled down the streets, many ladies glanced in Theo's direction. Surprisingly, despite his twisted personality, he was extremely popular among the omegas in aristocratic circles. It was in an omega's nature to be drawn to alphas with a powerful presence, regardless of how they behaved behind the scenes.
“Stella, carry all those bags and follow us,” Ophelia said, pointing to all the bags on the counter to carry before she walked out of the shop with her elder brother.
Stella quietly did as she was told, grabbing the bags and catching up with them. Theo found his chance and didn’t hesitate to criticize her for not taming the Albrecht alpha properly.
“Look at how slow your dog is,” Theo said, his tone cold. “You’re not doing much of a good job taming that thing.”
“Mind your language, Theo.” Ophelia sighed sharply, snapping back at him. “Must I remind you what our father hates the most is having our family’s name tarnished in public?”
“…”
He fell silent at once. As she said, if there was one thing that their father despised the most, it was having the Chevalier’s name tarnished in public. Marquis Hugh would show no mercy to anyone, even to his children. Crossing her arms, Ophelia didn’t hesitate to lecture him like a child, despite him being older than her.
“Oh, and about my taming skills, I am confident my skills are far superior to what you thought.” Ophelia smirked. “I’ve taught and trained her well. If not, how would my little alpha outsmart you today at the dining hall?”
Theo pressed his lips together, visibly fuming at Ophelia’s provocation as he remembered how humiliated he was in front of the Marquis. She warned him to mind his own business and not meddle with her plans.
“I’ve learned that pets stay longer and are loyal if you treat them with sufficient care.” Ophelia continued. “Once you hold their attention, bewitching a pitiful puppy is a mere child’s play.”
Initially, Theo had doubts regarding his sister’s lenient method, but he might be wrong. He began to understand what she meant, and even if it didn’t align with his preference, he couldn’t refute Ophelia’s way of doing things that was benefiting the family.
“I suppose I see what you mean…” Theo muttered. “Despite how your pet is getting on my nerves, I’ll let it slide this time.”
“I’m grateful for your understanding,” Ophelia said. “Let’s end the conversation here since I do not want my puppy to know my secret.”
Resting her finger against her lips, she signaled him to seal his lips now that Stella had caught up with them. After their quick exchange, they continued strolling down the streets before entering the nearby boutique. Ophelia picked a couple of dresses she was interested in from the racks before the boutique staff recommended their professional assistant to help the lady in the dressing room.
“Lady Ophelia, we have a selection of professional staff members who can assist you in the dressing room if you would like.” A female boutique lowered her head as she spoke.
“That’s fine. I have my fiancée who will help me.” Ophelia glanced over to Stella with a playful l smirk.
Stella remembered how this moment went, and a wave of nervousness struck her at the thought of helping Ophelia change. Wouldn’t that mean she would have to undress and see her and—Stella cleared her throat and ended her train of thought right there.
“D-Do I have to help you change…?” Stella asked, almost stuttering.
“Of course, you are my fiancée.” Ophelia walked up with an unreadable smile before placing her hand on top of Stella’s chest. “Who is supposed to help undress me?”
The alpha pressed her lips together, feeling both of her ears burning. She had no choice but to nod and follow despite how reluctant she was. Following Ophelia into the changing room, she panicked internally about what was going to happen. In the past, anger helped her tolerate all of Ophelia’s temptation, but now she had nothing to help her keep a straight face.
“Stella, unzip me,” Ophelia said, lifting her hair to reveal the zip behind.
The poor alpha had no choice but to muster all her courage to reach for the zip and slowly pull it down. Stella tried her best to look elsewhere so she wouldn’t get caught staring at Ophelia’s exposed neck, but then she was slapped by a thick scent of lavender.
“—!”
Her hands tensed up and trembled subtly. Sometimes, Stella just hated how her alpha instinct was acting in opposition to her will. The sweet lavender fragrance made her heart race before she broke a sweat.
“Why do you stop?” Ophelia smirked, teasing her fiancée. “I cannot take off my dress if you don’t unzip all the way.”
“Y-You know what you are doing…!” Stella muttered with great effort.
“I don’t,” Ophelia said, feigning innocence. “How about you tell me what you think I’m doing?”
This was the moment Stella forgot something extremely crucial. Her body’s memories had reset, which included her tolerance to Ophelia’s pheromones. The omega acted innocent, but she knew exactly what she was doing. Before Stella realized it again, her eyes were already fixed on the juncture of Ophelia’s neck, where the pheromones were leaking.
“Ack ack…!” Stella coughed, trying to stay calm. “Y-You know what, you can wear the dresses yourself!”
Her hands were quick to grab onto the closest dress from the rack and covered Ophelia’s nape immediately. Even though covering the gland wouldn’t lower the intensity of her pheromones, it could stop her from staring at her neck.
"Hehe, you're weaker than I expected." Ophelia turned around, holding her dress to cover her chest. "You always act so mature and clever, yet you're blushing like a little virgin from a bit of exposure to your fiancée's pheromones?"
It was rare for Ophelia to catch Stella flustered. This alpha had always acted mature and cunning with no visible weakness ever since she set foot in the manor, but now she was flustered like an innocent child. However, what Ophelia didn’t expect was to turn around and get caught off guard by those shimmering blue irises instead.
“S-Shut up…” Stella grumbled under her breath, covering the lower half of her face with her hand.
That wasn’t enough to hide how her ears and cheeks turned rosy pink. Ophelia somewhat expected Stella to show some resistance or anger, not Stella being in a mildly aroused state.
“…” Ophelia fell silent, feeling something dangerous stirring inside her.
It was a bad idea for Ophelia to look directly into Stella's eyes. Her omega impulses were about to surface at the pull of those domineering blue irises. She'd thought she was prepared to change in front of Stella, but she had to take that back. The mere thought of those beautiful blue eyes on her body made her heart shudder dangerously. The two of them stood facing each other awkwardly, blushing like idiots for a couple of breaths, until Ophelia broke the silence first.
“Gosh, you’re so useless…!” Ophelia exhaled sharply. “Go stand over there…!!”
“H-Huh?” Stella stuttered, completely confused.
“Are you sure you can change by yourself?” Stella asked.
"It'd be easier to do it myself than to have someone as hopeless as you helping me," Ophelia said, pointing towards the door.
Stella stepped away and did as she was told. Grateful to the distance, the intensity of Ophelia’s pheromones weakened to where it became tolerable. Her alpha nature gradually calmed, and she was finally able to breathe comfortably. The only times she turned around were when Ophelia told her to comment on how she looked in each dress.
“So, which color do you think suits me?” Ophelia asked.
“Color?”
“Yes, for my dresses.” Ophelia continued. “If you make yourself useful right now, then I’m willing to overlook your hopelessness earlier.”
She fell silent for moment, reliving her memories. Previously, she couldn’t care less what she had said, but it would be different this time. Stella took her time to think, even though it was a little embarrassing to say exactly how she felt.
“Honestly, you’re a beautiful person,” Stella said, clearing her throat. “So, it doesn’t matter what color you choose to wear. However, I do prefer seeing you in lighter-colored dresses. Such as white, light blue, or even light lavender.”
Of course, Ophelia hadn't expected a genuine, thoughtful answer from her, and her ears began to warm. The omega needed a moment before she cleared her throat and put on a satisfied smirk. Stella watched her trying her best to stay composed, her ears bright red all the while.
“Hmph, now you’re being useful as I’m expecting you to be.” Ophelia said, her tone soft and low. “Keep up with this flattering, and I may consider giving you some reward.”
“I’m just being honest with myself.” Stella shrugged.
While Stella waited for Ophelia to finalize her purchases, she sank into thought once more. The closer she grew to her, the more Stella realized how ordinary a woman Ophelia was. The time they spent together made her understand that the omega was just like her, another victim of this stupid power struggle between their greedy family members. Stella was fortunate to have many allies and loved ones who supported her through thick and thin... but Ophelia had had no one this entire time. She was forced to pay for her family's heinous crimes with her life, just because she had ‘Chevalier’ in her name.
Both she and Matteo deserve better than this. Stella muttered to herself quietly.
It would be great to see Ophelia act like an ordinary 22-year-old woman. When Stella thought back to all the novel expressions she had been seeing for the past months, all her perplexed and bashful moments, the corner of her lips lifted.
By the time they returned to the estate, the sky had already turned scarlet. Stella couldn’t begin to describe how frazzled she was today. A lot of walking and carrying. The moment the alpha stepped down from the carriage, she felt something pressing against her lower back. The next second, she lunged forward in midair before the floor rushed to meet her.
“—!”
Thanks to her swift reflexes, Stella didn’t fall flat on her face. She crashed to the floor, and sharp pain shot through her shoulder. She pressed her lips together, showing no signs of pain before she rose on her knees. The pain was tolerable, at least.
“Wow, look at the mess you made, mutt.” Theo said, throwing a condescending look at her. “All my sister’s clothes are now all over the floor.”
It was no surprise that Theo kicked her from behind. Since they were no longer in public, he had no reason to keep with his act. Stella brushed the dust off her clothes, avoiding making any expressions. As for Ophelia, she let out a long exhale and ordered the nearby servants to pick up all the scattered bags instead.
“…Theo, can you not hurt my fiancée at the expense of my purchases?” Ophelia shot daggers at him. “I work on a tight schedule here, and if any of these were damaged, I will make sure you pay immensely.”
“Sure, I’ll keep that in mind next time.” Theo shrugged it off before walking off.
What he meant to say was that if he were to teach Stella a lesson, he needed to make sure Ophelia wasn’t around to see. As long as money can solve his problem, nothing can make her afraid.
As she stood before her room, Stella knew what to expect when she turned the doorknob. Everything in her room was destroyed. Anything that could be torn had been shredded to pieces, scattered across the floor. The furniture had been heavily damaged beyond repair. Fortunately, Stella was prepared and left her important belongings with Matteo the day before.
“That Theo…I didn’t expect him to be this childish.” Ophelia said with a sigh as she stood behind her. “I knew he was up to something mischievous again.”
Ophelia looked over Stella’s shoulder and witnessed the state of her fiancée’s room with an indifferent expression. She turned to her handmaiden, Emily, and ordered her to take care of Stella’s room and replace everything by the following evening.
“Emily, I need to see the room become spotless like new by tomorrow,” Ophelia instructed her maid in detail. “Replace everything that was destroyed. Use as much money as necessary. Theo is going to pay for the mess he caused me.”
“Yes, my lady.” Emily lowered her head. “I’ll get started right away.”
“Uh, you don’t have to get me anything extravagant.” Stella interrupted. “I prefer something comfortable over its fancy appearance…”
Now that it was sorted, Stella would be spending one night in her fiancée’s room.
“Now that your room is a complete mess, I suppose you had no choice but to sleep with me tonight,” Ophelia said, crossing her arms.
“I suppose that’s the case for tonight.” Stella shrugged before turning around to sit on the couch.
Her nonchalance didn't go unnoticed. Ophelia had been watching her reaction the whole time, noticing how unsurprised Stella was by the state of her room, and how she'd shown no resistance to sharing a bed with her.
“You seemed not surprised by the state of your room,” Ophelia said, her green eyes fixed on Stella.
“He has been hostile since the beginning,” Stella responded. “None of this comes as a surprise to me.”
“Hmm…” Ophelia stared at her with those unreadable green eyes, but then she simply shrugged it off and had nothing else to question. “I’ll get Emily to prepare your sleepwear. Just wait there.”
After Ophelia had taken a shower, it was Stella’s turn. She took her sweet time to wash her hair and check her left shoulder, which appeared to be bruised.
This injury was on the same side.
Previously, Theo injured her left shoulder. Even though she avoided the incident at the dining hall earlier, Stella still couldn’t avoid getting the same injury from the same man. Was this a warning to her not to be overly confident?
She may have changed the dynamic of her relationship with Ophelia and Matteo to some extent…but she was still far from avoiding the sibling’s tragic end. The course of the events might’ve changed, but the outcome was still inevitable…
Ophelia had been waiting for Stella in her white nightgown on the couch. When the alpha stepped out of the bathroom, she called her over immediately.
“Show me your shoulder.” Ophelia tapped the vacant seat beside her. “That was a bad fall. It is obvious that you are injured.”
Since there was no point in refusing when it was just them and Emily in the room, she sat down next to her and pulled up the sleeves to reveal her red-purplish bruise. Ophelia barely showed much of an expression and only let out a quiet exhale.
“Don’t move,” Ophelia said, her tone low and soft.
She quietly applied the herbal ointment onto her shoulder. Its scent eventually reached her nose. How nostalgic. Stella could easily put two and two together to figure out who applied medicine to her shoulder in her previous life. Back then, she already had suspicions that Ophelia applied medicine when she was asleep…but Stella refused to accept that.
“…Why are you being so nice to me?” Stella muttered softly. Genuinely questioning her.
Those words escaped her lips. Stella had always wanted to ask her for the longest time. Even if she was already aware of Ophelia’s feelings, it was only recently that she truly understood that it was not an infatuation. This woman genuinely loved her. This made her wonder what significant interaction they'd had in the past led Ophelia to develop such strong, deep feelings for Stella.
“Obviously, it’s my job to take care of my alpha,” Ophelia said. “Or else it would reflect poorly on me.”
“Is that truly the only reason you have?” Stella pressed further.
She knew that wasn’t Ophelia’s real reason. Stella hoped to get some more clues out of her, but that ended up backfiring. The omega leaned in, closing the gap between their bodies before their eyes locked. Stella was spellbound by those assertive green eyes, unable to look away.
“What do you want me to say?” Ophelia asked. “That I did all of this because I love you?”
“…” Stella was at a loss for words, gaped slightly, and felt the butterflies fluttering in her stomach.
This distance, their faces only a couple of inches apart, made her flustered. The alpha gently eased Ophelia back to a more comfortable distance. They were too close for her to keep a straight face, and she prayed her cheeks weren't changing color.
“…That’s enough,” Stella sighed quietly. “You’re too close.”
“Aw? Don’t tell me that you are blushing?” Ophelia said, wearing a guileful smirk.
“No,” Stella said, brows furrowing. “I’m tired and sleepy.”
The alpha changed the topic before Ophelia could tease her further. Stella didn’t lie. She was exhausted. After all the things that happened today, she deserved a good rest tonight.
When the lights went off, the room fell into darkness, softly lit by the glow of the full moon through the windows. It felt strangely peaceful, as if Stella were in a completely different world from the Chevalier manor. The two women lay down in bed with a body pillow between them. Stella couldn’t fall asleep, even though Ophelia’s bed was very comfortable. She was tired, but wanted to enjoy this sweet silence a little bit longer. She glanced over and saw that the omega had already fallen asleep, her back turned toward her.
…The cozier she was in bed, the heavier her eyelids became.
On this peaceful night, she was soothed by the gentle fragrance of fresh lavender. Instead of stirring her primal instincts, it felt more like a warm embrace, lulling her to sleep. It was because of that scent that Stella was finally able to have a long, restful night's sleep.