"Aldrake..." Aldrake's head snapped towards the voice, and in an instant, he was by Amber's side.
"Amber! Are you alright? Is there anything hurting you? How's your arm?" He peppered her with questions, examining her arm for any signs of injury. Livia's mother also rushed to Amber's side, concerned etched on her face.
"Amber, child! It's good to see you're awake!" she exclaimed, accompanied by Livia's father.
Livia's gaze drifted away, her heart heavy with a mix of sadness and resentment as she watched them fawn over Amber.
The more she saw their concern and kindness towards Amber, the more it felt like a knife twisting in her gut.
Every gentle touch, every soft word, was a painful reminder of how far she had fallen in their eyes.
The tears that fell from her eyes weren't just from anger; they were also from the deep hurt of feeling replaced and unloved.
She couldn't bear the thought of the people she once held, now saw her as nothing more than a problem to be solved, while Amber was cherished and pampered.
The injustice of it all burned within her, making her wonder if she would ever be able to regain their love and trust.
She wipes the teras harshly, and thinks of the best way to forget the pain caused by everyone she loved.
"L-Livia..." Amber called out to her, but Livia didn't dare to look at her. What's the point? So she could see Amber's nauseating face while she's pretending in front of everyone?
"Are you...okay?" Amber asked, her voice dripping with fake concern, like she's the sweetest person in the world. She's really good at putting on an act.
Aldrake intervened, "Amber, stop asking her. Why are you here? You should be resting in your room.There's a servant who can help you with everything, or call us so you don't have to come here yourself." Aldrake spoke to her, and even went so far as to support her, as if she's a cripple who can't stand on her own.
Amber smiled sweetly at him, before turning to Livia, who was now looking down. "I came to check on Livia's condition. The servants told me she was punished and imprisoned." Amber's eyes seemed to hold a deep sadness, but Livia knew she was just putting on a show.
"I don't think you should have done that to her. I'm sure my sister didn't mean to hurt me. Maybe she was just angry because she thought I was taking everything from her. I understand, and I'm not angry at her because she's my sister," Amber said, her voice cracking as she pretended to cry.
The people in the room seemed to be swayed by Amber's words, and they felt a pang of sympathy for her, thinking that she was being mistreated by Livia. To everyone, Amber seemed like an angel - kind-hearted and loving.
Her gentle nature and caring demeanor had people perceiving her in a very positive light. However, Livia felt like vomiting, knowing that Amber was just manipulating everyone.
"Can you please drop the act, Amber? It's nauseating!" Livia said, her voice laced with anger. Her parents and Aldrake turned to her, their faces cold and unforgiving, ready to attack her again.
But Amber intervened, her voice pleading, "Don't hurt her, please," Amber begged Aldrake, who nodded in response like a puppet.
"You're so kind, Amber, despite the way she's treated you," Aldrake's eyes shot daggers at Livia as he spoke.
"She's my sister, Aldrake, so it's only natural that I'm kind to her..." But before Amber could finish, Livia cut her off.
"Shut up, Amber! If you're going to deceive and manipulate them with your words, spare me. I'm not stupid, and I'm not blind enough to not see your lies and pretenses!" Livia's angry words only made Amber cry harder.
"What are you saying, Livia? I don't understand you..." Amber sobbed. But Livia wasn't done yet.
"Shut up already! The lies coming out of your mouth are ear-piercing..." Before Livia could finish, Aldrake's anger boiled over, and he shouted back at her.
"You should be the one to shut up! Take her away, before I lose control and do something that makes her close her mouth forever!" The guards moved to drag Livia out, as Aldrake's anger and frustration reached a boiling point.
The guards immediately obeyed the Alpha's order. As they dragged Livia away, she caught a glimpse of Amber's triumphant smile.
The satisfaction was etched on her face, a testament to her delight in spreading another lie that would further tarnish Livia's reputation and image.
But it was quickly erased when Aldrake looked at her, and she burst into tears again, pretending to be hurt by Livia's words.
The guards took Livia back to her room, pushing her inside before locking the door from the outside.
Exhausted, Livia collapsed onto the bed, wiping away her tears in frustration.
She couldn't shake off the image of Amber's smile, and the thought of her having gained the trust of her parents and Aldrake was eating away at her. She felt jealous, incredibly so.
> "Livia, are you okay?" Lilly suddenly asked, noticing Livia's deep thoughts. Livia wiped away her tears again, trying to reassure her friend.
"Yeah, I'm fine, Lilly. Don't worry about me..." But Lilly saw right through her.
> "Even if you're not really okay? Livia, you know you can always cry on me. I'm here, I won't leave your side." Livia's eyes welled up with tears again, and she smiled weakly at Lilly.
"Thanks, Lilly. If it weren't for you, I'd probably have lost my mind by now."
> "Just hold on for now, Livia, and after the appearance in front of the council, we'll take that opportunity to escape."
"Do you think we can really escape?" Livia asked, her voice trembling with uncertainty and anxiety. Her question reveals her doubts and fears about the plan, and she's seeking reassurance.
> "Yes, we can. All we need to do is put up a good act in front of that man. And once everyone's attention is off us, that's when we'll make our escape." Lilly said that made Livia to silence.
After a few hours, as the Alpha had instructed, some female pack members came to Livia's room to dress her up.
Once they were done, Aldrake arrived to inspect her from head to toe.
His gaze was scrutinizing, as if questioning whether the expensive dress suited someone like Livia.
"Even with the clothes you're wearing, your bad behavior still shines through. Behave yourself, Livia. Don't do anything that would tarnish the pack's reputation or mine," he warned, his tone menacing. But Livia didn't flinch, her attention fixed on her reflection in the mirror.
Her blatant disrespect enraged Aldrake, prompting him to stride closer and roughly grab her arm, forcing her to face him.
"Are you listening? Clean up your act, Livia. If you do anything that makes the council question us, I'll make sure you face severe punishment."
"Can you let go? I'm not deaf, Aldrake," Livia snapped, jerking her arm free. "Don't worry, I'm not stupid enough to do anything that would damage my own reputation and image in front of the guests."
Aldrake's expression remained stern, but he seemed to accept her response. "Good. Let's go," he said, turning to leave. But before he exited, he turned back to Livia, his eyes narrowing.
"Once the council leaves, Amber and I will be going out to buy the bag she wants." Aldrake said, his eyes fixed on Livia as if studying her reaction to his words. But Livia's response was icy and lifeless.
"You don't need to tell me what your plan is, cause I don't care," she said before turning and walking out of the room, leaving Aldrake with a furrowed brow.
He was left wondering if Livia had truly changed or if she was just pretending to get his attention.