Her Late Mother's Dress

Michelle stepped out of Arya's room, shutting the door behind her. But she could still hear Arya sobbing and muttering words of encouragement to herself, and that made her heart sink into her stomach in pain.

If there is anybody in this world who understand Arya, loved her like her own child, cared for her, and so deeply believed in her, that is Michelle.

because she was the one who raised Arya after her birth. And she could tell that the poor lady desperately needed love, attention, and care. But no matter how much she tried to give in all of herself to make Arya see how much she was ready to stand by her every step of the way and never leave her side, deep down in her heart she knew Arya would always crave her father's love, no matter what. 

Michelle stood at her doorstep for a while before she decided to go have a word with Arya's father.

She strolled down the stairs and eventually stood in front of his doorstep and knocked on his door, but heard no response. She went ahead and pushed the door; luckily, it wasn't locked as she thought. 

She strode inside, and her eyes met with the darkness of the room, but that didn't stop her from walking deep into the huge room. 

"What are you doing here, Michelle? I told you to leave my home." Noal asked, stepping out of the darkness, and the room suddenly brightened up.

"You and I both know that I can't back down that easily." Michelle's lips stretched into a wide smile. "And I'm going nowhere without Arya." 

At the mention of Arya's name, the frown on his face deepened.

"Why the frown? You hated her so much, but in return, she loved you wholeheartedly." Michelle uttered it calmly.

Noal let out a sarcastic chuckle. "Are you here to lecture me on how to treat that cursed child?" 

"Every child is a gift from the creator, and I hope you know that," Michelle muttered softly. trying to make him see reasons why he should love his daughter.

"But mine was a curse!!" he screeched, angrily. "And I don't want to have anything to do with her."

"Then let her go. She has her own life to live." Michelle lashed out at him, and she wasn't ready to back down in the argument.

"As you can see, I'm already set up for the party, and you can tag along if you want. Everybody is invited anyways. He shrugged off, striding towards his huge standing mirror, checking out his outfit again.

Michelle chuckled softly but sadly, "Everybody is invited, and Arya is left out? You're so unbelievable, Noal, and I hope you don't regret your actions toward Arya." She muttered.

"She can go to hell for all I care." He smirked and exited the room, leaving Michelle behind.

Immediately, he left. Mara swung the door open, and with her right hand placed on her waist, she walked fully into the room. not without a sly smirk on her face. "Michelle, haven't you overstayed your welcome in my house?" She asked.

"I'm not leaving, not without Arya," Michelle replied, with the same smirk on her face.

Mara let out sarcastic laughter. "I know you are shocked because Noal is showering my daughter with all his love and attention without caring if that cursed child ever existed. But these are just the beginning... you better leave, because you have overstayed your welcome in my house." She mocked.

"I should leave? so that you can murder her just like you did to her mother?" Michelle lashed back.

"W-what non-nonsense... are you talking about?" Mara stammered nervously, blinking her eyelashes rapidly, trying to avoid eye contact with Michelle. 

"I believe you haven't told him the truth behind Peggy's birth. Woah! You are such a good pretender, and you're also good at hiding secrets." Michelle's lips stretch into a smirk without taking her eyes off Mara's face, knowing fully well that she had bitten Mara where it hurt most.

Mara was dumbfounded as she kept squeezing the tip of her baggy top in rage. Her head was filled with wicked thoughts about Michelle, and she suddenly wished she could hit Michelle's head and never let go till she lost consciousness because she knew too much already.

"Controlling yourself, huh! Let that evil beast in you out and kill me; now you have the chance to. Because I won't spear you one bit when it gets to my turn." Michelle wouldn't stop stunting Mara, even after seeing how dangerous she looked at the moment.

"Don't you dare!" Mara couldn't hold back the anger in her as she speedily dashed out toward Michelle like the speed of light, to attack her.

"You betrayal! A deceiver!" Michelle cried out, which made Mara halt right in front of her with her hands hanging in the air. "My sister was your best friend, but you betrayed her. Because of your silly jealousy, but trust me, one day I will expose all your evil deeds to her daughter." Michelle pointed out her finger at Mara, who held a shocked expression. "I saw everything that happened that night. So don't push me to speak, or else it will be your destruction." She concluded and exited the room, leaving Mara in her thoughts.

Michelle banged the door shut, and she sighted Noal and Peggy holding each other's hands with so much love and affection in their eyes as she approached them.

"I can see that you both are all set up for the party. By the way, Peggy, you look so dazzling in your red dress." Michelle complimented her, faking a smile.

"Thanks, Michelle. Ain't you coming with us?" Peggy asked, smiling genuinely.

"Michelle will come to the party later," Noah answered instead.

Michelle, letting out a soft chuckle said, "Your father is right. I will come to the party later with your elder sister, Arya." Averting her gaze from Peggy's face to take in his facial reaction. Noal was trying to keep up a smiling face in front of his daughter but Michelle never failed to notice how he tightened his hands into a fist to keep his temper under control.

The moment Michelle mentioned Arya's name, Peggy's smile was replaced with a deep frown.

"Father, I don't want Arya to come to the party. She will steal everything away from me." Peggy whined childishly as she kept stroking her father's shoulder continuously.

Noal turned and hugged Peggy's shoulder with both hands and with a smile on his face, he said, "Peggy, I want you to go outside and wait for me; I want to have a word with Michelle." He sends her off.

Peggy nodded her head obediently, and she exited his presence to wait for him outside.

When Peggy was finally out of sight, Noal turned and shouted at Michelle, "You always love getting on my nerves. But this time around, I will make sure that I do what I should've done twenty years ago." He reminded her.

"You can never hurt Arya. not when I'm still alive and hearty. I will never let you come close to her," Michelle clenched her teeth.

Noal fist and insist his finger in annoyance, "I don't want to see that cursed child, close to the palace." He warned In all seriously, and he meant it.

Michelle's shoulders dropped. "Okay, we will be in her room, studying as usual. So you all should enjoy the party." She said so and walked back to Arya's room.

Noal stared at her and was stunned at the way Michelle agreed to his decision without putting up a fight or arguing further. He shook his head slowly and quickly exited the building to meet Peggy, who was patiently waiting for him outside as they both climbed the horse and rode off to the palace.

Arya stared at them from the window of her room, which was on the sixth floor of a tall tower, and tears streamed down her cheek. She was supposed to be the one riding with her father on that horse, not Peggy. She was supposed to be the only one, getting all his love and attention, not Peggy. because she is his first child, things turned out exactly the opposite of what she thought, and it hurt her so much. 

She moved away from her window, leaving her window curtain, which was made of thick, flower-imprinted fibers, wide open. She turned right in time to see Michelle walk into her room.

"Aunty Michelle, where did you go to?" Arya asked as she used her hand to wipe away the drop of tears that wet her both cheeks.

Michelle narrowed down her eyebrows, "Don't tell me you have been crying?" she asked back, ignoring her previous question.

"I saw them," Arya broke down in fresh tears, sobbing softly.

"That should've bothered you, Arya. Because they don't worth your precious tears.." Michelle strode close to her and wiped away her tears with her fingers. "Have you had your bath?" She asked.

Arya nodded her head in response.

"Then, dress up quickly. We are both going to the palace." Michelle dragged her to her wardrobe. "Pick out a dress, and I will sit over there" She pointed at Arya's bed "And I will wait for you."  She flashed a smile.

"Aunty, I'm having bad feelings about these. I just don't want to anger my father." Arya admitted her fear.

"Bad feelings....?"

Arya nodded her head in response.

"Then, change that bad feeling into good feelings because we are going to that party." Michelle insisted.

"But I don't have any beautiful dresses to wear. All the dresses here are all washed out." Arya whined like a child, pouting her ruddy lips.

"Then, I've got you covered," Michelle whispered with a smile, as she blinked one of her eyes, and ran out of the room, leaving Arya confused by what she meant.

In less than a minute, Michelle rushed back with a breathtaking red ball gown. She swirled around Arya with the gown, making funny faces.

Arya burst into uncontrollable laughter, "Anuty Michelle, where did you get this stunning dress from?" She asked when she finally suppressed her laughter while waiting for Michelle's response.

"This dress belongs to your late mother," Michelle replied, handing over the dress to Arya, who stepped away from her Immediately.