CHAPTER 145: WHAT ABOUT ROOM 402

Author’s POV

"Yes!" Emma nodded quickly, hands waving a little. "It was just a dream that Sera had last night. We were only trying to figure out what it meant! But..." She stopped, glancing nervously at Alistair.

"Can you please tell me why you guys are acting so serious about this?" she asked, frowning. "Is it something she shouldn’t know? Wasn’t it just a dream?"

Alistair opened his mouth, then closed it again. His jaw tightened, and he glanced at Asher, who stayed silent with his arms crossed. The room went quiet, but neither of them said a word that would worry Sera further.

Emma noticed the silence and gave Sera’s hand a reassuring squeeze. "See? Nothing to worry about. Maybe it was just one of those weird dreams that don’t make sense."

Sera blinked slowly, still wasn’t sure what to say, but nodded. Deep down, she felt guilty for lying to her brothers, but this was not the right time for her to reveal everything.

"Oh... so it was just a dream!" Alistair muttered under his breath, his eyes flicking to Asher like he was silently asking for backup to break the tense silence.

Asher just smirked slightly, folding his arms. "Well... we are here to talk about the party tomorrow. It’s going to be fun, but we’re all going together. No surprises."

"Yes..." Alistair stepped forward, a teasing glint in his eyes, and gently took Seraphina’s hand. "You’re going to be my plus one while... Asher will have to find someone for himself!"

"Hey! You rascal!" Asher snapped, his jaw tightening as he shot a glare at Alistair. "We haven’t even discussed it yet, and you’re already claiming Sera as your partner! What about me?"

Alistair chuckled, shrugging his words casually. "Relax, bro. I just saw my chance first and grabbed it. Don’t pout now and start looking for someone else!"

Sera tugged her hand lightly from Alistair, her cheeks heating up. "Stop it, you two! You haven’t even asked me, so why fight over me?"

Emma rolled her eyes, trying not to laugh. "Honestly, you guys are ridiculous. Can’t you just let her enjoy the party without turning it into a battlefield?"

Asher let out a low growl but didn’t argue further, his eyes softening as they shifted to Sera. Alistair, on the other hand, still grinned like he’d won some battle. He was clearly enjoying every second of the teasing.

"Emma!" Asher suddenly turned toward her, his tone a little too casual to be innocent. "Why don’t you accompany me and be my plus one?"

Emma blinked at him, clearly caught off guard by his sudden proposal. "Uh—" She opened her mouth, ready to refuse instantly, but then she felt a gentle tug on her sleeve.

She glanced down and found Sera looking up at her with wide, pleading puppy eyes, silently begging her to say yes.

Emma sighed, already accepting defeat. "Fine," she muttered, though her lips curved into a faint smile. "I’ll go. And I’ll keep my Sera company. No one’s going to bully her on my watch."

Sera’s expression brightened instantly, the corners of her mouth curling into a soft smile that she couldn’t hide. Tomorrow’s party was definitely going to be... interesting.

"That’s the spirit!" Alistair grinned. He had won the battle with Asher, and on top of that... Sera’s friend was going to be present there as well. "We’ll handle the bullies. You just relax and enjoy yourself, ladies."

Asher shot him a look. "You make it sound like you are the one who’s going to keep her safe!"

"Oh, I know you are," Alistair said with a smirk, "but she is my partner, so I’d be the one doing that."

*****

On the other hand, Melissa was preparing for the party in her own way.

She had spent weeks practicing and polishing every note until it felt effortless. She had been learning music and piano for a long time, not just because it was a hobby for her. She’d worked hard to hone her skills to perform in front of Old Madam Lancaster.

She wanted to prove herself in front of her.

That it didn’t matter whether she was the old lady’s biological granddaughter or not, she could still be the most refined, most presentable young woman in the entire Lancaster family. Seraphina would never be able to match her.

"Mom," Melissa called Mrs. Lancaster in a serious tone. "What do you think about this piece?"

Her fingers hovered over the keys, and her eyes stayed locked on her mother. "If it’s good, I’m planning to play it in front of Grandma tomorrow."

Her mother listened for a moment as her lips were pressed into a thin line, before letting out a small approving hum. "It’s gracefully elegant. This is exactly the kind of thing your grandmother likes." Then, her gaze sharpened slightly. "If you play it well tomorrow, she’ll have no reason to even look at... that girl."

Melissa’s mouth curved up into a faint smile, tugging at the corner. That was all the encouragement she needed. Tomorrow, she wouldn’t just play the music for the Old Madam... She would steal the spotlight and not let anyone glance at Seraphina.

Melissa’s mouth curved into a faint smile. I’ll be the one everyone looks at...

She glanced at the silk dress laid out on the table, knowing it would suit her perfectly but make Seraphina look awful since she had no dressing sense at all. It wasn’t her only plan for tomorrow.

And as for her... she thought, fingers brushing over the piano keys. I’ve made sure she’ll face the worst humiliation of her life.

Her smile deepened. After tomorrow, she won’t dare show her face in public again.

===

What do you guys think is Melissa planning to do at the party? And what would happen to Seraphina when she would face the people from the past who had made her life her!

Do comment to let me know your thoughts and recommend any ideas if you have