Chapter 7: The Moon Festival

Few Weeks Later

“Rise and shine, today's a very important day in our lives,”

“Ughhh,” I groaned, stirring in bed and squinting my eyes as the rays of bright light filtered through from the curtains mother had just yanked open.

“Get up Ruby, today's the moon festival, you would definitely want to be at your best,”

I groggily sat upright, rubbing my eyes. “The moon festival? What's that? Halloween or what?”

Mother chuckled, “What? Halloween? That's something the humans do,”

Then I heard her mutter under her breath. “Oh goddess, don't tell me losing her memory also made her lose her identity. This is going to be really harder than I thought,”

“Ruby, can you really not remember anything from your past?” She asked softly, almost as if she didn't want to hurt my feelings.

I slowly shook my head.

I don't have Ruby's memory because I'm not Rubyrose. 

I wish I could tell her that her daughter was really dead, and in her place, is a vengeful soul.

But I can't do any of that.

I needed this body.

I had seen the news of my death. 

Just like Max had said, It had been declared that I died from a sudden heart attack.

I watched Max cry profusely, gaining the sympathy of my colleagues and business partners.

He had told them he wouldn't be changing my company name as that's one thing I had worked so hard for and held dear and that he would cherish it just as much, because I was his world and everything that's important to me was also important to him as well.

What a hypocrite. 

I didn't know he was also a good actor. His little act and fake speech earned him more investors as they felt he was a responsible man and very capable.

Thinking about it, I could see that Max had strategically plotted all these from the beginning. His fake care, love and attention wasn't for me alone — he wanted the world to see how perfect he was.

We were the power couple people envied. I thought I was lucky to have married such a devoted, charming and compassionate man. Both in secret and in public, he was the perfect gentleman.

I sneered Inwardly. 

If I didn't know better now.

 If I hadn't heard him confess it with his mouth. 

If I hadn't seen him inject that poison that killed me. 

I would have been easily deceived by his hypocritical act of mourning just like everyone out there.

My mother came to stand before me, drawing my absent mind back to the present.

“Even if you don't have your memory Ruby,” she said in a soft, patient voice, “you still need to be present at the moon festival,” 

“Is the event that important?”

I really didn't want to go anywhere. Going out means I will meet people that know Rubyrose — And I'm not Rubyrose.

I just want to sit back and come up with how to get back at Max, not go to some Halloween party.

Mother sat beside me, taking my hand into hers. “You're the Alpha's daughter and yes, you need to be there. People from different packs are going to be there too and who knows…” she said winking at me.

Who knows what? What's that wink supposed to mean?

And what did she mean by the Alpha's daughter?

Pack? I've been hearing this a lot.

At first, I thought it was a code. But why would they be using animal words?

This could be cultural — I don’t want to sound dumb, but I need to know.

“You’re calling yourselves a pack? How does that work? Is it that you all travel together like wolves so you guys got the word from there? Or what? I just don't get it.”

She chuckled. “Like wolves? Ruby, we're wolves.”

I smiled dryly. “Right, a pack of wolves. Next you’ll tell me you run with wolves at night.”

That seems to be funny because she burst into laughter.

“Like I said Ruby, we're wolves. Werewolves. This is the Moonveil pack. Your father is the Alpha and I'm the Luna, so you and your sister are the Alpha's children.”

I stared at her like she had just grown two horns.

“So the moon festival is the gathering of werewolves from different packs to reflect on themselves and renew their vows to the Moon goddess. You see it's very important, no one is permitted to miss it, not even your father and I.” 

Is she serious?

She must definitely be joking right?

She just wants to get a reaction from me.

Maybe she's testing my mental state to know if I'm still sane.

Yes, that must be the case.

I laughed. “Okay mother, I get it. You don't need to exaggerate the event. I will go if that's what you want.”

She smiled but I could still see some sadness in her eyes. “I know the moon festival is not something you always look forward to. But just know that, you don't have a wolf now doesn't mean you're wolfless… or weak, don't let their words get to you. You're one of the strongest wolves a pack could ever ask for and I believe you will get your wolf in due time just like your sister did.”

This is ridiculous. 

Werewolves only exist in movies like twilight and the likes of it.

I stared hard into my mother's eyes but she didn't seem to be joking.

She was… serious.

The laughter immediately died in my throat. 

Oh my God.

What the hell kind of world have I woken up in?

*****

The Moon Festival 

Loud gasps escaped the lips of many as I stepped foot into the well decorated hall. I felt their eyes crawling over me with intense curiosity and awe.

“Who is she?” someone whispered from my left.

“I’ve never seen her before,” another answered, his voice laced with interest.

“She doesn’t look like she belongs here. Look at that body… goddess-like.”

A young man tugged at his friend’s sleeve, whispering louder than he thought. “Her curves… damn. Even her eyes—double damn.”

“Too beautiful to be from our pack,” his friend replied, shaking his head. “We’d have noticed her long ago. I wonder which pack she's from.”

I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing.

My cheeks heated from the weight of attention. Rubyrose, I did this for you. I hope you see what it feels like to walk into a room and command attention. Even men whose companions were standing beside them couldn't help but stare lustfully. 

Rubyrose, I really don't know what you were thinking hiding this asset underneath those hideous dresses.

I took a glass of wine from a server who was passing by, and slowly swirled and took a sip pretending I wasn't hearing the whispers that kept flying around.

“Why does she look so different but achingly familiar?” someone suddenly asked.

“Familiar? No. Such beauty is ethereal and can't be easily forgotten.” 

Just then, a sharp gasp broke through the whispers.

“Wait—” a girl said, her hand flying to her mouth. Her eyes narrowed as she stepped closer. “Isn’t that… Rubyrose?”

The name dropped like a stone into water. Then the whispers erupted again with full force, voices colliding against each other.

“What?”

“No, it can’t be.”

“Rubyrose? The fat one?”

“Don’t be stupid Clara. Rubyrose could never look like that.”

The girl, Clara, laughed loudly, drawing everyone’s attention to us, “Don’t be fooled, everyone, look closely. She’s still the same—nothing’s changed. A dress doesn’t erase years of looking like a walking barrel. Am I right?” 

Many started laughing. Some people shook their heads, others looked uncomfortable, but most followed along, eager to side with this Clara girl.

Clara took closer steps towards me. “Oh, now I see what’s going on.” She gave me a long look, sweeping her gaze from my head to toe, her lip curling. “So this is what happens when you finally squeeze yourself into a dress two sizes smaller. Congratulations, Rubyrose. You’ve tricked a few men for a night.”

Laughter and mockery immediately erupted from the crowd.

A young man muttered just loud enough for others to hear, “No wonder she’s hiding in those sacks all the time. She needed magic just to look decent once.”

“Exactly,” another lady whose male companion had been gawking lustfully at me just moments ago, joined in with a scoff. “Take off the paint and the tight dress, and she’s still the same old Rubyrose. Weak. Fat and Worthless.” 

The admiration that had filled the air only moments ago twisted into something bitter and ugly.

For a brief moment, I tasted what Rubyrose had been going through for years. These people's tongues were poisonous, strong enough to push someone to their death.

My fists clenched at my side.

I met their stares one by one, my chin lifting higher. If they wanted a show, I would give them one.

Rubyrose, I will let you see what it means to stand-up for oneself.

“Maybe she's only doing this to catch the attention of someone…. we all know who…” Clara jested, earning more laughter.

Her smile turned cruel and bitter as she circled me. She leaned closer and whispered. “Dress up garbage and it’s still garbage.”

I stood still, calm and unbothered. A small, amused smile curving my lips as I stared at Clara as if her words were no more than a buzzing fly.

I waited for her to finish, and then I tilted my head, my voice, slow and steady but sharp like a blade. 

“Are you finished?”

Clara froze, caught off guard. Of course she wasn't expecting Rubyrose to talk back. No one was, because they all gasped in shock.

I walked closer to her while she took a few steps backwards, my eyes locked on her, my smile not faltering. 

“You know, Clara,” I said, my voice deliberately low, “it must hurt… standing there, trying so hard to drag me down, while everyone here knows that deep down, you could wear this same dress, starve yourself for months, and you still wouldn’t look like me.”

Gasps rippled through the gathering. Clara’s face turned red, her mouth opening and closing like a fish.

“Wh-what are you trying to say? Are you saying I'm fat?” she shrieked.

A corner of my lip curved slightly into a smirk. 

“You just directly admitted it yourself,”

“You—”

I straightened, my voice sharper, every word raw and unforgiving as I cut her off.

“You say I’m fat? Look at me. Look at you. If this”—I gestured at my own curves confidently—“is fat, then Goddess help every woman here, because none of them could ever compete.” Not even Rosemary.

The crowd erupted. Some gasped, others stifled laughter, a few cheered. Clara looked shattered, caught between rage and humiliation, her face pale.

Then all of a sudden, her face brightened, I saw her give a look to a server carrying a tray of wine.

Old trick Clara, you should do better.

The server intentionally missed a step and the drink she was holding spilled out. Clara wasn't expecting me to quickly move out of the way causing the wine to splash on her instead.

She gasped, her eyes widening in shock as she slapped the server, hard. “Are you blind?”

“Oops,” 

Then the voice I have been waiting for, finally decided to stop being a coward and speak up.

“Enough,”

Everyone turned towards that voice.

“Well, of course, Clara is right, Ruby… indeed looks different,” Rosemary said, stepping forward with her usual perfect smile. “Anyone can hide behind a dress. It doesn’t change the truth. Right, dear sister?”

Gasps rippled again. Some nodded, eager to side with Rosemary, but others frowned, their eyes darting between the two sisters.

My gaze locked with Rosemary's and I saw it clearky — the jealousy tucked behind that fake smile, the fury hidden underneath that sweet voice.

For a few seconds I said nothing. Then my lips curved slowly into a cold smirk. I tilted my head, crossing my arms.

“Hide behind a dress?” I repeated softly as I arched a brow. “Funny. Because I remember someone who hides behind people like Clara to do their dirty work. At least I can take my dress off. Can you strip away your lies and deceit that easily, Rosemary?”

The silence that followed immediately was deafening, even the sound of a pin dropping could be heard.

Of course, I knew Clara was one of Rosemary's minions. When she first confronted me, I had thought she looked familiar. Now I remember seeing her one time at the house with Rosemary. 

Rosemary’s smile wavered for the first time, her fingers twitching at her sides.

“Ruby!!!” she called out through gritted teeth.

I turned around smiling, ignoring her. Let her see what it means to be publicly embarrassed.

But as I took a step, I noticed Clara's extended foot. Seems she hasn't learnt her lesson yet.

A cold cruel smile crept up my face as I pretended not to see it. Instead of walking past it, I intentionally stepped hard on her foot, my heels digging in.

I heard a painful shout and cry behind me, but I didn't turn back.

She should blame herself for blocking my path.

But just as I was trying to take a seat and prepare for the night's event, a strong scent from nowhere hit my nostrils, making me still.

My heart started pounding erratically in my chest and I didn't exactly know what that's supposed to mean.

I turned slowly towards that strong tingling scent.

My body froze.

My eyes, wi

dening.

Walking towards me like a storm I wasn't ready to face yet— those brown dangerous eyes locking on mine.

My ex-husband. The man I once loved more than my life.

Max.

And for the first time since waking up in this body, I couldn't breathe.