Chapter 7. My mother said something

* Julliane *

Weeks passed, then turned into a full month. My mother had fully embraced her new lifestyle with the Dankworths. With her new wardrobe of designer clothes and glittering jewelry, she looked more radiant than ever. I am sure Uncle Primo bought her anything she pointed at, and she wore it all like a queen ruling over Magnolia Manor. Everyone admired her beauty and her new husband was the proudest of them all. I saw the way she flaunted herself around the manor, head held high, eyes scanning to make sure everyone noticed her.

Uncle Primo indulged her constantly. He would throw lavish dinners and invite friends over just so he could show her off. My mother is like his trophy wife and she loved it!

But not once had she called for me, not even to introduce me to their guests. In fact, she insisted I stay inside my room during important gatherings.

"Stay out of sight, Julliane. It's not your place to be around them," she had said more than once, her voice sharp, eyes cold.

It stung, but I got used to the silence.

Oddly enough, Uncle Primo didn't share her sentiment. Sometimes, if he caught me wandering around, he'd let me meet a few of his friends. And it was during those brief encounters that some of them would joke, "You're even more stunning than your mother was at your age." They said it with laughter, maybe not thinking much of it, but I saw how it made my mother's expression shift. Her smile would stiffen, her eyes narrow. She'd shoot me a glance, cold and cutting, and later silently usher me out of the room.

Then there was Lance.

I noticed how he'd look at me when he thought I wasn't paying attention. Always those quick glances, sometimes lingering just a second too long. I didn't know what it meant, and he never said anything. His silence only made it more confusing. It made me feel... shy. Awkward. Curious.

One afternoon, as I was tying my hair into a ponytail in front of the mirror, I heard a soft knock.

Before I could answer, Darren pushed the door open casually.

"Jullie, did you hear?" he asked, stepping in and sitting right on my bed like it was the most natural thing in the world.

I blinked at him in the mirror. "Hear what?"

"There's a big gathering tomorrow night. Didn't Mom, I mean, your mom, tell you?"

I shook my head. "No. What's it for?"

He leaned back, lounging on my bed. "It's my dad's birthday. He's turning fifty two. All his friends are coming, and some of their kids too. It's gonna be kind of formal. You know, dresses and stuff."

He smiled at me through the mirror.

"Sounds fancy," I murmured, then turned to face him. "But I don't really have anything to wear to something like that."

Darren frowned. "What do you mean? You don't have a dress?"

I laughed a little, but there was no humor in it. "You've seen my closet, Darren. T-shirts, jeans, some blouses... nothing fancy, nothing new."

He sat up straighter, his brow furrowed. "Why doesn't your mom buy you clothes when she goes shopping? She always comes back with bags full."

I shrugged. "Because she shops for herself. And I guess... I never really needed dresses before."

Darren looked genuinely puzzled. "But Jullie, you live here now. You're part of the family. Why don't we just ask Dad to get you a dress? He's generous, he'll say yes in a heartbeat."

"No," I said quickly. "I don't want that. I don't want to owe him anything, and I definitely don't want to make my mom angry."

Darren tilted his head. "She wouldn't be mad if you had a dress. It's just a dress."

"She would," I said quietly, looking down. "You don't know her like I do."

Just then, the door flung open.

"What the hell are you two doing?" Lance's voice boomed through the room.

We both jumped. Darren scrambled off the bed, standing up straight like a soldier. I remained sitting, frozen.

Lance's glare was sharp, aimed first at Darren, then at me.

"What are you doing here, Darren? On her bed?"

"We were just talking," Darren said quickly, his tone defensive.

"That's true," I added, my voice calmer than I felt. "We were just talking Lance, there's no reason for you to get mad."

Lance scoffed, stepping further into the room. "Talking? On her bed? In her bedroom?"

"Big bro, come on," Darren sighed. "There's nothing weird going on. She's like a sister."

Lance's voice turned colder. "Then act like it. Get out, Dad's been looking for you all morning."

Before leaving, Darren looked at me apologetically. "Don't be mad at her, okay? She didn't do anything wrong."

And then he was gone.

Lance turned to me. "I warned you, Julliane."

My heart thudded. His hand grabbed my arm, not roughly, but firmly. I looked up at him, confused and angry. His breath were on my face, in different circumstance I would have liked it. Being this close to him did not feel the same when I was with Darren. With Lance it is different.

"Warned me about what?"

"You know what," he growled.

"No, I don't," I snapped. "We were just talking. Are you seriously angry about that?"

"You think I didn't understand what Marriane said about you?" he hissed.

My breath caught. "My mother? What did she say?"

"She told my dad and me that you crave attention from boys. That you're always flirting, especially now, with Darren."

I stared at him, stunned. "You're lying."

"I wish I were," he said bitterly. "We both heard it, Dad and I were there. She said you're a bad influence on him. That she's worried you'll distract him from his future."

I felt like I'd been slapped.

"I can't believe she'd say that," I whispered.

"Well, she did. And now you know why I've been watching you. Why I'm angry. Darren's supposed to marry someone, a girl from one of Dad's business partners. But ever since you came, he avoids her."

"I didn't know that," I said, my voice barely audible.

Lance's grip loosened, and he stepped back a little. But his gaze still burned into me.

"My father is investing in Darren's future. And I won't let anyone, not even you, ruin it."

I didn't reply. My throat felt tight, my heart aching. Not just because of Lance's accusations but because my mother had betrayed me in a way I hadn't expected.

I thought this place could become a home. I thought I could belong. But now I wasn't so sure.

And despite all the pain... my eyes still sought out Lance's face, even when he was angry, even when he hurt me. Because somewhere deep inside, I didn't want to push him away.