Olivia’s POV
My mother stepped inside. Of course. Because even in my worst moments, I was never allowed the space to breathe.
She furrowed her brows. "You don’t seem happy to see me," she said.
I frowned, pushing myself up so I could sit properly on the bed. I folded my legs beneath me and leaned my back against the headboard, steadying myself before looking her straight in the eye.
She looked beautiful today, dressed in a royal blue gown that swept elegantly across the floor. Her long black hair was pulled neatly into a bun, showing off the striking lines of her face. She was still beautiful, ageless almost. Despite nearing fifty, she looked remarkably young, her appearance still capable of being mistaken for a woman in her late thirties.
She had good genes, undeniably so, and a part of me silently hoped I had inherited them from her. At least if that were the only thing I could claim from being her daughter, her beauty and graceful figure, then maybe it was something worth holding onto.
"What do you want, Mother?" I asked, making sure she could notice the displeasure in my voice.
She didn’t answer at once. Instead, she stepped closer and stopped by my side. "Lord Frederick is downstairs with a few guests... he wants to see you."
At the mention of his name, my wolf growled furiously inside me, and a deep frown carved into my face.
I leveled my gaze at her. "I don’t want to see him," I spat.
Her lips curved into a tight line, the kind that always came before she began to lecture me. "Olivia, stop this nonsense. You will see Lord Frederick. He’s been waiting patiently, and it would be rude of you to refuse him. Do not make a scene."
I clenched my jaw, my wolf’s growl echoing deep inside me. "I said I don’t want to see him," I repeated, slower this time, my anger rising.
She sighed and shook her head as if I were a child throwing a tantrum. "Why must you always be so difficult? Do you think every choice in life is yours to make? You are endangering yourself. Your life is at risk here."
I laughed bitterly. "My life?" I leaned forward, glaring at her. "You mean your reputation. I don’t know what Lord Frederick has promised you that you seem so desperate about me marrying him."
"Enough!" she snapped, her voice raised and enraged. "You are behaving like a spoiled child. What is so wrong with Lord Frederick? Tell me, what exactly is the problem?"
I tilted my head, watching her carefully, then let the words roll off my tongue like poison. "The problem isn’t him. It’s you."
Her eyes widened, but I didn’t stop. "If you like Lord Frederick so much, you should marry him. He’s old enough, isn’t he? Older than you, even. Maybe the two of you would make a perfect pair."
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