21

Livia POV

I was making my way back to the main house, my head still throbbing from the morning's kitchen drama, when I heard the Queen Mother’s rich, sing-song voice behind me.

"Is that my beautiful daughter-in-law?"

I instantly fixed my face with a polite smile, swallowing the mountain of complaints resting on the tip of my tongue. More questions pricked my mind as minutes went by, but I forced my expression to remain serene.

"Come... come," Queen Mother Raychel said warmly as she approached, taking my hand and leading me into the living room. She gestured for us to sit on the sofa. "So, how was your night, my dear? I hope you slept well."

I recalled the utter madness from last night and fought the desperate urge to roll my eyes.

"It was fine," I purred softly, folding my hands in my lap. "I slept like a married woman."

Maybe lying was another thing I was naturally gifted at, considering how quickly my response lit up the Queen Mother's face.

"So... I presume sleeping like a married woman means something happened?" she asked, a knowing, triumphant smile breaking across her face.

Huh? I blinked, completely caught off guard. 

Was this woman seriously sitting here asking me if Alpha Tarian and I had sex?!

Before I could process it, she pulled both of my hands into hers. "Listen to me, Livyana. I want us to be very close friends. You can tell me anything and everything—let’s be like besties! Feel free to share all your little secrets with me."

Okay, that ticked my red-flag button to go off.

I really had to give it to her—she had a terrifyingly smooth way of slipping under the guise of friendship to pry into things that were none of her business. 

My insufferable fake husband and I obviously hadn't touched each other, but I had to come up with something plausible.

"Well," I hesitated, looking down sheepishly. "Apparently the King... His Highness... was very tired last night. We both were."

"Oh, I understand," she smiled, her grip on my hands tightening just a fraction. "I understand, but that will happen far too often if you allow it, my dear. As his Luna, you should learn to take charge. Lead the initiative!"

Interesting, I thought, a quiet realization dawning on me. I guess the Moon Goddess works in mysterious ways, because this meant the Queen Mother didn't actually have complete control over what happened in the King's bedchamber. Yet, somehow, she was still trying to pull the strings through me.

I couldn’t shake off this feeling that perhaps the Queen Mother was definitely more than what meets the eye. I couldn't quite explain the strange vibe I got from her—she came off as deeply performative. But borrowing a page from Livyana’s endless book of sermons: get to know people before you judge them. I prayed I would find some pleasant things about her eventually.

"So," she continued firmly, "I expect that starting tonight, you will take the lead. Take total charge."

I cleared my throat, a soft chuckle slipping out that almost made me choke on my own saliva as I tried to picture myself 'taking charge' of Tarian's gigantic and hostile self.

"You are not a virgin, are you?" she asked suddenly.

The question hit me like a splash of ice water. My heart skipped a beat, and I found myself stammering for words. The real Livyana wasn't a virgin thanks to her ex-boyfriend Nathan, but I was. I wrestled with whether I should follow Livyana’s usual truth-telling habit or just lie through my teeth.

"I... no," I stammered out. "I'm not."

Oh, Livia, you have gone and spilled more than necessary!

"Oh, it’s absolutely fine!" she cooed, waving a dismissive hand. "You can be completely honest with me, Livyana. This is a judgment-free zone. Looking from the perspective of your kind of background, I understand completely. I was made to understand your ex-boyfriend jilted you, so it’s only natural you loved him enough to give him your flower. Why, I lost mine at eighteen, and that was when I had Tarian!"

I am sure mum or dad must have told the queen. about Taylor and I blame Livyana for telling them anyway. 

This woman literally declared this a 'judgment-free zone' and then proceeded to throw a handful of shade in the exact same breath! What on earth did she mean, 'looking from the perspective of your background'?!

All I could do was nod meekly and bite the inside of my lip. As I watched the fine lines shift on her face, I began to realize she wasn't nearly as beautiful as I had first thought. Her shade of lipstick was entirely wrong for her skin tone, her drawn-on eyebrows looked slightly ridiculous, but I kept my mouth shut and just kept nodding.

It was extremely rich for this woman to shade my family's standing when she didn't even let the roots of her own womanhood mature properly before giving it away at eighteen! 

But a sweet, docile smile was all I could afford right now. Staying here a second longer might cause me to spit out the unthinkable, so I silently begged the Moon Goddess to put a padlock on my tongue.

"So, since you aren't a virgin," the Queen Mother smiled wickedly, "tonight, I hope you are going to work all the magic. Right?"

"Yes, Queen Mother," I replied politely.

"Good! Now, is there anything you want to ask me? Anything you need, or anything you want to share?"

I paused, contemplating whether I should just drop it or actually ask the questions that had been biting at my mind all morning. The real Livia inside me, as usual, won the battle.

"Well, yes," I started, keeping my voice as sugary and polite as possible. "I tried to help the head housekeeper with breakfast this morning, and she told me you instructed her that nobody else should touch the food."

"Of course I did!" she replied instantly, as if stating the most obvious fact in the universe. "Because that is her job! What else is she being paid for? Moreover, you just got here, my dear—you don't know how things work around here yet, our specific dietary plans, or anything. So just allow her to do her work."

I took a slow, deep breath. "Hmm. So... I won't cook, clean, or help around the house at all?" I asked coolly.

Queen Mother Raychel nodded affirmatively, a bright grin returning to her lips.

Honestly? This was the exact kind of life I had always dreamed of. I hated chores with every fiber of my soul. Cooking my own meals was the only thing I didn't mind doing, but considering I was playing placeholder for Livyana, slaving over a stove wasn't going to pan out so well for my sister's reputation anyway.

"Since I won't be doing any of those things," I asked, tilting my head, "what then will I be doing?"

"Enjoy your life!" the Queen Mother declared, throwing her arms out. "Go shopping! In fact, I will ask my son to give you one of those black unlimited credit cards today. Go to the spa, eat, sleep, wake up whenever you want! But work towards making sure that by this time next year, you must have given me a grandchild—or who knows, maybe children! And if you ask me, that is a lot of work."

Indeed it is, I thought dryly.

So, the Queen Mother had officially given me full, unadulterated permission to live the soft life. Everything was lining up perfectly—except for the fact that Livyana was going to struggle severely to fit into this household later if I actually followed the Queen's advice instead of her crazy maid rules.

Right on cue, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I sneaked a glance at the screen.

“Rule No. 5: As Alpha Tarian’s Luna, I will ALWAYS obey my mother-in-law. She is the most kind and genuine person I know.”

Fuck it!

This was the exact moment I willingly and wholly accepted my job as her placeholder! 

I was going to enjoy my life as properly and luxuriously as I should—I only had three short months here, after all!

Before I could stop it, a genuine, dazzling smile plastered itself across my face. "Yes, Mother," I said, offering a sweet, flawless bow of my head.

"Have you had breakfast yet?" she asked, rising from the sofa.

"I didn't really have an appetite," I admitted softly.

"Nonsense! We do not waste food in this house, my girl," she insisted, taking my arm warmly. "Get up, let's go have breakfast together."

Hmm... I thought, letting her lead me toward the grand dining room. The Queen Mother might not be as terrible as I thought.

Let's see. I was still observing.