The Queen's Empire|Story of Luzhiah

12. Confrontation

|Octaviah|

Andrea confidently marches to Adrianna's room. "Oh! Sister!" Adrianna happily called out while she was brushing her long wavy hair. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I want to talk," Andrea replied. She sat down on one of the sofas in Adrianna's room. Adrianna smiles as she asked the maids to go out for a while. 

"What's the matter?" she asked.

"Do you remember your promise that you won't harm anyone without proper cause again?" Andrea asked. Adrianna looked at her, but she looks surprisingly calm. "Yes, and? I don't know why you're wearing that serious expression of yours. But the vow that I made, I never broke it since then," she replied.

"Didn't you?" Andrea stood up and approached her. "Are you telling me that you had nothing to do with Lady Luzhiah's disappearance?" she asked straightforwardly.

Adrianna pretended to be shocked as she placed her hand on her mouth. "Are you accusing me of Luzhiah's disappearance?! I can't believe you!! And why would a princess like me care about a nobody like her?" she asked sarcastically as she continued elegantly combing her hair.

"And why not? I heard that she is a beauty. A daughter of the richest family in Avilandrah and someone close to the royal family am I right?" Andrea said making Adrianna's expression more serious. "I know that this woman is said to be the lover of the man you've always dreamed of! It's a strong reason for you to do something to her!" she finally blurted after failing to make her sister confess.

Adrianna scoffed. "Oh well, since you seemed to know a lot of things...why did you bother confronting me? why didn't you tell father?" she asked, and she raised her eyebrow.

"Because I know that he'd be heartbroken!" Andrea reasoned. Adrianna, However, shook her head and laughed. "No, it's because you know he wouldn't believe you anyways," she whispered.

Andrea has got enough! she approached Adrianna and grabbed her arm tightly. "Oh? Fine! since you admitted it, then let's tell him now!" she said pulling Adrianna to follow her.

 "What are you doing?! You're hurting me!" Adrianna cried. Adrianna pushed Andrea away and she stumbled. Fortunately, Alenah entered just in time to catch her.

"You're crazy!" Andrea said.

"Yes! I am! and so what? I'm just doing what I need to do to protect what's mine!" she replied. "I am Wynchell's betrothed! and I will do anything for it to stay that way!" she added, her hands trembling with rage.

"Adrianna, You can't force love on anyone!" Andrea reasoned.

"I don't care...He might love me, or not...But he's mine, And he can never escape it," she replied.

"Adrianna, you don't need a man to be happy...We can help you..." Andrea attempts to convince her sister one last time, and Alenah nodded in agreement. But Adrianna is stubborn she laughed at them mockingly.

"Help me? I don't need your help!" she replied, looking at her sisters, she laughed and said, "And don't you try to put the blame on me! I've become like this because of you! So you can't blame me if I try to protect the only person I've got left!" 

"Sister, that's not true! You have us! You have our father and mother!" Alenah reasoned. "Don't let your jealousy take over you! Come sister, let's tell father everything so that you will be forgiven!" she added, making Adrianna more furious.

"Speak for yourself! Jealousy? isn't that what drove you away from me? You two are always jealous of our father's favor towards me! Now, you're using this to make me look bad and you two look good. You're trying to drive a wedge between me and our father!" she accused. Her words made Andrea tense.