CHAPTER 43: I’M GOLDEN. YOU GAVE ME THE NAME.

The stylists nodded immediately and began preparing the products.

Victoria continued to watch her reflection as the cape was draped over her shoulders. A smile crept onto her lips...not one of happiness, but of grim determination.

No one knows she’s been reborn. She had never attended the Academy in her past life, but this time... she was ready for whatever tortures they’ve designed for her.

"And yes, you’re going to braid the front portion while leaving the rest curly at the back," Victoria concluded confidently, looking at her reflection with satisfaction. "Make sure the braids are neat and tight. I want elegance and edge combined."

"Of course, young Miss," the lead stylist replied, bowing slightly before signaling the others to begin.

As the stylists began working on her hair, Callum leaned closer, his expression filled with interest.

"Since you’ll be sitting here for a while," he said, raising a brow curiously, "how about we your dear brothers help out with your shopping? We can have the workers bring different colors and designs of shoes, bags, and outfits for you to choose from."

"That sounds nice. Please do so, brother," Victoria replied with a warm smile, masking the calculating thoughts beneath. "Also... can I get my breakfast now? I’m craving sandwiches. And a cold cola too, please."

"Sure! We’ll get that now," Theo chimed in cheerfully. Without wasting a moment, he grabbed Callum’s arm and dragged him toward the food court inside the building.

Minutes later, the two returned with a wrapped sandwich and a glass bottle of cola. Theo handed it to Victoria, who accepted it with an appreciative nod.

"Thank you," she murmured before diving into the sandwich with graceful hunger. As her curls were carefully defined and the front sections braided, she sipped her drink, savoring the sweetness.

She wasn’t worried about poison anymore. Sfe shouldn’t have been anyways.

They wouldn’t dare to kill her yet. The moon sickness hasn’t spread fully. In fact, it hasn’t even been acknowledged as a threat. People think those wearing face masks are just protecting themselves from dust. But no, it’s the sickness seeping in, unnoticed. The Werewolves are clueless. They don’t see what’s coming.

There was still time. Time before the real chaos began and when it does, Victoria was more than ready.

Soon, several store workers began arriving at the salon, each carrying boxes of high-end goods. They opened them one by one, displaying shoes in dazzling colors, luxurious handbags, and elegant outfits. Victoria pointed out what she wanted while the rest were taken away. The selection process went on for a while until everything she needed had been carefully chosen and arranged for delivery.

One by one, the boxes were carried to the car and packed into the trunk.

When the stylists finally stepped back, Callum gasped.

"Whoa! You look like a goddess, sister!" he exclaimed, his mouth falling open in amazement.

Gone was the once-silvery hair that had framed her face for so long. In its place was a rich, burgundy hue. The front braided neatly, with the remaining curls falling down her back in soft waves. It was bold and perfect.

Her fingernails and toenails had been painted a glossy peach.

Anyone who didn’t know Victoria would have mistaken her for someone else entirely.

"You’re going to make every head turn the moment you step into the Academy," Theo added with a proud grin. He stepped forward, spun her gently around, and clipped a golden accessory into her braids. "There. Now you look even more beautiful."

"Thank you, brothers," Victoria said with a smile, one that seemed genuine on the surface but behind it was a quiet storm.

"Well, now that we’re done here, we should head back to the mansion," she continued. "It’s getting late, and I still have to pack my luggage for tomorrow."

"Of course. Father and Mother will be waiting," Callum replied. With no further delay, the three siblings made their way out of the salon.

*****

Upon returning to the mansion, Victoria greeted her parents formally, accepting their words of praise with a polite smile. After the brief exchange, she excused herself and ascended the grand staircase to her room.

Once inside, she found that the servants had already delivered all her shopping bags and arranged them on her bed and around her room.

She sighed and stretched her arms before collapsing onto the bed.

"I’m so tired," she muttered aloud.

But after only a few seconds of rest, she forced herself to sit up and begin unpacking, organizing everything by category, shoes in one corner, dresses in another, accessories in their drawers.

She had been informed that Mirabel wouldn’t be coming home tonight.

Good.

That meant she had the entire room to herself.

Peace and silence.

Once Victoria was done arranging her belongings...some clothes and books...she had arranged into her suitcase to be taken to the a academy tomorrow. The academy provided hostel accommodations for short periods of intense training whereby students have no choice but to stay on school ground. All new students are to bring their luggage and leave it in their assigned dorms, even though they would be returning to their homes after daily lectures.

Satisfied with the neat arrangement, Victoria proceeded to have a shower. Before long, she was dressed in her pajamas and seated on her bed. In her hands, she clutched her locket, her fingers curled gently around it as she stared down in thought.

"There’s no doubt you’ll devour the golden jewelry before tomorrow morning," she murmured inwardly, her brows furrowing slightly. "But then... do you only appear in the mornings, or can I summon you at any time? Why are you even taking my jewelry and stashing it in the storage house when I never asked you to? Or is eating gold actually your food?"

Victoria sighed deeply, a tired yet amused smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Well... I’ll just wait for you to show up tomorrow," she whispered, closing her eyes as sleep slowly claimed her.

****

Morning arrived swiftly, the sun casting golden rays on Victoria’s face.Blinking against the light, she opened her eyes and immediately spotted the white cat sitting at the edge of her bed...Golden.

"You’re here again. I knew you’d come," Victoria said with a soft chuckle as she sat up slowly, stretching her arms overhead. Her gaze drifted to the small table where she had left her golden jewelry out of their boxes the night before. Sure enough, they were gone. Again.

"All thanks to you," she said, her tone half-scolding, half-affectionate. "I really don’t understand why you’re doing this though. Swallowing the jewelry... Are you perhaps preparing for something?"

She raised an eyebrow in question, peering at the cat with growing curiosity.

"Meow~"

Her expression shifted as her eyes widened slightly. "I’m right? Seriously? You are preparing for something, aren’t you? That’s why you’ve been swallowing all my gold?"

"Meow~" came the same nonchalant reply, but it only deepened Victoria’s curiosity.

Letting out another sigh, she shook her head. "I must be losing it, trying to decode a cat’s meows like they’re riddles. But... I’ll trust that you’re doing what’s best for me. You can’t come from my mother’s locket unless you’re meant to protect me. So you won’t harm me. Besides, even if you eat all my jewelry, I can just retrieve them from the locket if my parents or those annoying brothers of mine ever ask. Can’t underestimate them, after all."

With that, she rose from the bed and headed for the bathroom. Before long, she returned, towel drying her damp hair, only to freeze at the sight before her.

"You’re... still here?" she asked, blinking in disbelief as her expression shifted into one of surprise and delight. Carefully, she reached out and lifted the cat into her arms. "I thought you always disappeared before I finished bathing."

Suddenly, a voice...soft and masculine echoed through her mind.

"Going to the academy... it’s full of danger."

Startled, Victoria glanced around the room, her heart skipping a beat. "What...? What was that? Did I hear that right?" she asked aloud, her voice barely above a whisper. She clutched Golden closer to her chest. "Did you hear that too? That voice?"

"Meow~" came the soft, almost casual reply.

Still unsettled, Victoria gently placed the cat down on the bed and took a step back.

"You have to be careful, Victoria," the voice spoke again, more distinctly this time. "But I’ll be by your side. There are many secrets to uncover in that academy. Dark ones. But with me beside you... I’ll guide you through them."

Her breath caught in her throat. The voice was coming from the direction of the cat. Heart pounding, she turned her gaze toward the bed and froze.

The cat was gone.

In its place sat a man. A breathtakingly handsome man with curling blue hair. He was completely naked, every inch of his sculpted body exuding raw power and mystique. His eyes held a knowing glint as they locked with hers, and in that instant, a jolt of shock, awe, and an emotion she couldn’t quite name surged through her.

Victoria’s voice caught in her throat. She took a shaky step back, lips parting slightly, unable to tear her eyes away from him.

"What... what are you?" she finally managed to whisper.

"I’m Golden. You gave me the name."