--
Within the Carmichael Family villa, Aria sat on a high chair with her legs crossed.
She stared at the chat window between her and Sieg. She wore a smile on her face and had a faint blush on her cheek as she remembered how adorable her man was last night.
Aria wasn’t really angry at Sieg for staring at the pink lady. With how pink she was, it’s harder not to stare at her because she just naturally attracts attention. Aria was just looking for a reason to tease Sieg, because a flustered and panicked Sieg, especially when it comes to her, is an adorable and cute-aggression-inducing Sieg.
It was one of her tried and tested methods to have him show how much he values her. He cooked for her last night, he braided her hair, he hugged her tight and whispered promises to her, and he did everything to make sure that she felt secure and loved.
And Aria ate that all up.
She was down bad, as people would say. She has always been and will always be. No man in this world would replace Sieg’s position in her heart.
Not even her own family could come in between what they have. She made that clear from the very beginning, much to everybody’s displeasure.
Knock, knock, knock!
The smile on Aria’s face disappeared like it was never there. She dismissed the chat logs hovering before her, and her face turned stoic. An indifferent and unapproachable aura emerged from her. She looked out the window and ordered.
"Enter."
Even without looking, she knew who came into her room. It’s one of the male servants of the family. She doesn’t know his name and doesn’t care enough to learn it either.
The servant knelt down after taking five steps inside her room. He didn’t speak. Aria felt eyes on her, which caused her mood to drop.
In a cold voice, she uttered, "Keep looking, and I will gouge your eyes out."
The servant gasped in horror and stuttered, "I-I’m sorry, young mistress, I—"
"Save your apology for someone who cares," she interrupted. "State your business right now."
"R-right! Young Mistress, the Clan Head summons you to his office urgently."
"I heard you. Now, leave."
"Yes."
The servant stood up and left her room without looking back, closing the door on her way out.
Aria sighed and massaged her temples. She then thought, ’Of course, I did spend the night at his place. There’s no way they wouldn’t know what I did.’
She knew that she’d get in trouble for doing so, but last night’s Aria didn’t care about consequences. With Sieg hugging her so tightly in his arms last night, and Aria being so weak for that man, how can she bear to peel herself from his embrace?
Aria would choose that moment over anything else, and she wouldn’t regret it. Alas, Aria being who she is, everything she does will have an effect on the people around her.
She sighed again and stood up from her chair. She marched towards the tall mirror to check her appearance for a bit. She checked her face, her hair, her clothes, and everything else.
Nothing was out of place. She looks just as neat and beautiful as she ever was. She smelled herself. Not a trace of Sieg’s scent was left on her either.
Once she was satisfied, she walked out of her room and made her way to her father’s office.
On her way there, everybody who saw her bowed towards her. They couldn’t mistake her face and appearance, because she’s the only one with violet hair in this place. Everybody else had either black or blond hair.
Aria was used to it. She spent many years getting used to how different she looked compared to others in the family.
It didn’t take long before she arrived before her father’s office. She was about to knock when a voice on the other side interrupted her.
"Just come in; knocking just expresses your guilt."
Aria’s face scrunched up in defiance, but she entered anyway. He saw not just her father there, but also her mother, who’s wearing an amused expression. As for her father, his eyes were locked into the documents stacked on his desk, as well as the various system monitors hovering before him.
There’s no doubt that it’s all about clan matters again.
"Fix your face, young lady," her mother chastised. "It’s unbecoming for a lady of your stature."
"Mom, not you too!" Aria whined as she practically dove into her bosom.
"What? It’s true." Her mother chuckled and sounded amused. "You’re a grown woman now, Aria. You must pay attention to your image even if it’s just us in the room."
"I don’t want to," Aria responded. She closed her eyes because the way her mother stroked her hair really felt good.
Her eyes then snapped wide open when she suddenly felt a calloused hand gripping her wrist, followed by a foreign yet familiar chakra scanning her body.
"Dad!" Aria gasped in shock at the rude intrusion.
It didn’t take long, though. Her father let go of her wrist, and she saw how relief appeared on his face once he confirmed that she was still...intact.
"Just checking, love. You’ve been naughty the past few months, and I was getting worried." Her father didn’t sound apologetic about what he did at all.
That was wrong, by the way. Scanning someone’s body using chakra without their consent was rude, and in some cases, illegal. Aria wasn’t wrong to feel appalled by what her father did, but deep down, she also knew where he was coming from.
"Warn me next time, at least," Aria muttered while still leaning on her mother’s chest.
"Why? So you can fool my probes? Not a chance, young lady. Unless that boy of yours grows a spine and becomes strong enough to stand before this whole family, you are not giving him your virginity."
"Dad!" Aria gasped again at the sheer boldness of her father’s words and the steel in his tone.
"I said what I said." Her father turned his eyes on her, which made her wilt. "Do not mistake my love for inaction, Aria. And do not betray my trust in you."
"If you dare surrender yourself to him before he gains the approval of this whole family, I will drag his ass to the 3rd floor and leave him there. And I will marry you off to the City Lord’s eldest son. Do not test me."
Aria pressed her lips into a thin line as she heard his words.
Nothing she says now will make his mood better. She knew that she did something wrong, and this is the consequence of that.
Although her love for Sieg is loud and true, she still respects her parent’s opinion. Besides, Aria knows that her father meant every word he said.
His stress, worry, and anger do not cloud his judgment. He’s way better than that. Aria had tested him once, and he showed her that he meant what he said. She learned her lesson from that day onwards.
Her father had long warned her that she’s not allowed to give Sieg her virginity unless he’s strong enough to stand before the whole family’s verdict.
He must be qualified, tested, and proved first before anything happens between them.
The fact that she’s allowed to be in touch with him was already pushing it. They’re not stopping her, but that’s as far as it goes.
And him saying that he’s going to marry her off to the City Lord’s eldest son? That was not a joke, either.
"I’d listen if I were you," her mother told her. "You know that the City Lord’s practically banging on our doors to make his eldest son’s dreams come true."
"And if not him, no matter. Even the King’s youngest will do," her father added on the side.
Aria bit her lips at this. This was the consequence of being beautiful and talented, she supposes. Her suitors could wrap around the whole city if they were to fall in line.
And pretty much 90% of them were much better options that Sieg, at least in the eyes of others.
"I get it. You don’t have to remind me every time," Aria weakly said. "Sieg knows it too. He’s working hard to be worthy, and he’s being incredibly patient too. He respects your orders. He won’t cross the line, I promise."
"Tch. I’ve heard that before," her father sneered. "I really don’t know what kind of potion he fed you while we were not looking that made you insist that it must be him."
"If I didn’t love you as much as I do and weren’t afraid of what will happen to you, I would’ve wrung his neck by now. I just can’t bring myself to trust his character. In my eyes, he’s no different from other boys with a false sense of superiority and delusions of grandeur."
"Leave and make your preparations for the upcoming tournament. And if you don’t want me to beat the living shit out of him, you will not sleep in his house again."
Aria wordlessly stood up and left the room.
Once his footsteps faded, his wife sighed audibly and said, "Must you be that harsh?"
"Yes. You know her and her rebellious streak," the clan head replied without a trace of hesitation.
"She’s going to ignore you, you know."
"I know. But it’s my duty to keep her in line," he sighed. "Our time is short. Very soon, she’ll leave this place, and it’s very likely that the boy will follow her."
"Once they’re out there, nothing’s stopping her, or him. I must instill my will in her for her protection, or else she will be in danger...again. The boy can go to hell for all I care, but not her. Not our daughter."
His wife shook her head and stared at him for a while. She then asked:
"Is the boy really untrustworthy in your eyes?"
"Yes." Not a single ounce of hesitation in his voice was present when he said that.
"That boy is no good. Not for himself, for the people around him, and most especially, for our daughter."
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