Chapter 5: The Arrival of the Bellwoods.
"You called for me, my lord?" Spencer spoke with a voice that remained remarkably steady, belying the storm of thoughts swirling beneath his calm exterior.
Upon reaching the very center of the expansive hall, he came to a halt before the imposing figure of Lord Luminous, offering a formal bow of greeting that was executed with practiced, if somewhat hollow, precision.
The man before him was Edward Luminous, his father, though the term felt like a title rather than a relationship.
Edward was a strikingly handsome man who, despite his true age, looked no older than thirty years old, possessing a youthful vigor that was often attributed to high-level cultivation or expensive magical treatments.
He had pure, sapphire blue eyes that seemed to pierce through whatever they landed upon, and a head of flowing white hair that draped over his shoulders like divine silk, glistening under the brilliant light of the chandeliers.
To any outsider, he was the picture of a perfect noble patriarch, a man who radiated authority and grace in equal measure.
"Yes, I did. It appears we will be having guests shortly, and I only wanted to make sure you were aware and present to receive them," Edward spoke in a nonchalant manner, his tone so indifferent that he might as well have made it clear he was conversing with a stranger rather than addressing his eldest son.
There was no warmth in his gaze, only a cool, detachment that suggested Spencer's presence was a mere formality.
Hearing his father's words, Spencer said nothing in return, choosing instead to remain silent as he subtly glanced at his stepmothers and his various siblings who were gathered nearby.
It didn't take even a split second for him to notice the atmosphere in the room shifting; the air was slowly filled with a collective sense of anticipation. He could see the mocking gazes they were all trying, and failing, to hide behind their fans and polite smiles.
They looked at him as if he were some performer that was about to perform for their benefit.
Especially Andrew, the son of his father's second wife, who caught his attention.
Andrew stood with a relaxed posture that suggested a deep-seated arrogance, and unlike the others, who merely looked amused, a far more cruel look was half-hidden behind those blue eyes of his.
A look of wickedness, an expression one might wear when waiting for a trap to be sprung.
Seeing all of this, coupled with the silent judgment, the hidden laughter, and the blatant hostility, Spencer let out a long, internal sigh.
He didn't need a prophetic vision to guess what was about to happen; the stage was being set for his public humiliation.
"Oh, it looks like they have arrived," Edward suddenly spoke up, his eyes moving toward the grand entrance of the main hall.
Spencer turned around to follow his father's gaze, glancing toward the massive doors where a servant had already moved to stand at attention. Two other servants took hold of the heavy handles, prepared to push them open at the signal.
"Lady Francesca Bellwood and Lord Gustav Bellwood have arrived!" the announcer stated in a booming voice that echoed off the high ceilings.
Before the echo could even fade, the doors were pushed wide, and in stepped an entourage of people whose presence immediately drew the room's attention.
At the very forefront of this entourage was a stunningly beautiful woman who seemed to draw all the light in the hall toward her.
She had long, raven-black hair that cascaded down her back and striking crimson eyes that stood out against her flawless skin, which seemed to glisten beneath the sunlight streaming in through the high windows.
She donned an exquisite crimson dress that matched the hue of her eyes, a garment that only served to highlight her beauty even more and marked her as a person of significant status.
Walking among those behind her was a middle-aged man with crimson hair and eyes just like hers, bearing a great level of similarity to the young woman; this was clearly Lord Gustav Bellwood. The lord of the Bellwood household.
'So even you too, huh... I guess nothing really does last in this world,' was the only thought that crossed Spencer's mind when their gazes finally crossed.
A sharp pang of something he couldn't quite name struck his chest, an emotion he believed belonged to this body and not his own, showing just how much the past Spencer had cared for the woman who had stepped into the hall.
While he did feel a pang in his chest, he masked it beneath a look of indifference.
Francesca was his fiancée, a woman he had known since they were children. Their families had requested and finalized their engagement long before he had even been born, following a long-standing alliance between the Luminous and Bellwood houses.
In truth, she was a few years older than him, possessing a maturity and grace that he had always admired. While the engagement had been an arranged one, Spencer had never once felt bad about it in the past; unlike the rest of the world, Francesca hadn't turned out like the others.
In his memories, she was the one person who didn't treat him like a talentless stain on the carpet. She had been someone who actually took care of him, helped ease his pain after his mother's death, and provided a sense of comfort that he found nowhere else.
She was someone he had constantly looked forward to seeing, a beacon of hope in a household that wanted him gone.
Yet today, as he watched her enter flanked by her father and greeted with such enthusiasm by his step-siblings, that hope felt like it was crumbling.
Judging by the smug, knowing looks from his step-siblings and step-mothers, he knew deep in his gut that her visit today would not be a pleasant one.
******
Sometime after the arrival of the Bellwood father and daughter, both members of the Luminous household and the Bellwoods had settled into the grand dining hall for a formal meal.
The table was laden with the finest delicacies, the aroma of roasted meats and expensive wines filling the air, yet for Spencer, everything felt ash-dry and tasteless.
At one end of the table, Edward and Gustav were busy discussing matters of politics and trade with a visible fervor, their voices rising and falling in animated agreement.
Meanwhile, his step-siblings and step-mothers were busy chatting with Francesca, who replied to their inquiries with her visible poise and calm.
They laughed together, shared gossip, and behaved as if they were all the closest of friends, creating a bubble of social warmth that seemed to intentionally exclude one person.
The only one at the table who remained completely silent was Spencer himself. He sat in his chair, seemingly ostracized by the rest once more, a ghost at his own family dinner.
He focused on his plate, trying to ignore the the conversation flowing around him as if he were invisible.
Although they were all conversing happily, occasionally he would feel their mocking gazes washing over him.
Which would always remind him that he was only allowed here so they could witness his reaction to whatever was coming next.
Finally, unable to stomach the oppressive atmosphere any longer and already aware that he was merely a prop in their play, Spencer began to push his chair back.
"And where do you think you are going?" Edward's voice cut through the chatter all of a sudden.
"I thought I could return to my room since it appears I am no longer needed here..." Spencer replied, keeping his voice low and respectful, though he didn't miss Francesca's eyes which flickered toward him for a brief, unreadable moment.
"And leave our guests?" Edward said in a deeply unhappy tone, his brow furrowing as he looked at his son with genuine annoyance.
"Have you no manners at all, Spencer? Is this how a member of the Luminous family conducts himself?" he added, his voice carrying enough volume to draw the attention of everyone at the table.
Spencer felt the collective weight of their stares, some filled with pity but most brimming with a cruel satisfaction.
He let out a light, tired breath before speaking, knowing that arguing would only lead to a more public scene. "Forgive me, my lord. I meant no ill intent and certainly did not wish to offend our guests."
He offered a shallow, apologetic bow and took his seat once more, his hands resting quietly in his lap.
The others said nothing in response to his apology but simply continued with their discussions as if he hadn't spoken at all.
From the looks of it, they planned on torturing him like this for the remainder of the evening, making him sit and watch their happiness, forcing him to be a spectator to his own exclusion to remind him of his place and ensure he understood that he could never amount to anything in their world.
Perhaps it had something to do with the way he had handled Annabel's punishment just days before; maybe she had been a favorite of one of his step-mothers or a secret plant at his side to keep him weak.
Whatever the reason was, he realized he would never truly know for certain, but the message they were sending was loud and clear, even if he had a higher standing than the servants, he was still the talentless son of the household and no matter how much he changed his attitude, he was still under their thumb.