Curse of Rose de Winter

Chapter 23

The day of the ball was quite chaotic, but everyone wore their according colors.

Ruby was in a blue chiffon dress, Angel and Connie matching in avant-grade pink dresses of satin. Scarlett had on a tight navy dress, Claribel a green dress with red flowers.

Then Olivia ran down dramatically, in her plain dress. She cried on Austin's shoulders.

"Oh heavens, they misheard me and sent me a red dress! It's no longer purple, Austen! What do I do now?"

"Wear it, of course!" he replied.

It was quiet in the hall, then Scarlett cleared her throat and glanced at me, and Austin's eyes followed. He frowned and shrugged.

"Why, can't both of them wear red? Angel and Connie are matching."

"Heavens, I can't take away Blanche's spotlight! I'll have to forgo the ball at this rate!"

"She has another dress, doesn't she?" Austen replied nonchalantly.

Dammit. It was Scarlett's color: navy.

I looked at Dylan who quickly stood up and walked into our ring.

"Is there no way for you to send someone to buy your purple dress?"

"But—but they customize it!" She wiped her tears convincingly. "I can't get another one of this dress in a different color."

"I'm pretty sure you can," Dylan said.

"No, I can't! What do you know of womenswear? This boutique is highly competitive and orders take a week, right, Angel?" Olivia narrowed her eyes.

"Mom, why don't you just wear your other dress and match with us?" Angel smiled brightly. "We can all be pink."

"What?" Olivia gasped in horror. "No!"

Dylan looked at me and whispered to me.

"I guess it's Caralettevia at this point."

I bursted out laughing and Dylan clamped a hand over my mouth.

"Why are your nails red then?" Vaughn asked unexpectedly.

We all turned to see Olivia's nails. They were, indeed, red.

"It's purple, it's more burgundy, no, I forgot—wine-colored! Yes, isn't it purple from this angle, Angie?"

Angel looked at it with dull, tired eyes. "It's very red."

"Connie!"

Connie sighed before Austen pushed her shoulder, almost like a signal, before she stood before her mother fanning her nails out.

"It's red."

Austen and Olivia both glared at their daughters before Olivia sobbed again.

"I'm the villain here. I'll leave the ball, I feel like everyone is making me out to be a ruthless mother anyways."

"No," Vaughn continued, smiling confidently. "I'm sure Blanche can wear a color not taken, she has another gown. Right?"

By his words alone I nodded meekly. I could trust him, right?

"Yes. I had many gowns prepared, you can take red, Aunt Olivia," I said quietly.

Olivia's eyes widened as she smiled. "Thank you, Miss Blanche."

When breakfast ended we hurried up to my room and looking at Vaughn, who dug for my white gown from before with Dylan, I wondered why he did it.

"I thought you were done with us, Vaughn," I said. He lifted his head up and glared at me.