Betrayal

Chapter 1

Chapter 1 – A Life So Fragile And Perilous

In the heart of the flourishing city of Canada, stood a sprawling manor. It had enjoyed 5 centuries of wealth and opulence, accompanied by fame. The Montagu family enjoyed affluence. The many prosperous families looked forward for the help of the Montagu family on account of their deep pockets.

In the neck of the manor, dwelled a girl, leaning on a window with a paint brush in her mouth. She seemed to be filled with admiration as she gazed outside the airy room, flooding with natural light from the high windows. It was the highest part of the manor which she managed to take possession of from her deceased father.

The girl waddled through the untidy room and stood in front of her canvas, pondering over something. She then slowly raised her paint brush and immersed it into a strange transparent liquid. Raising her chin, she frowned. Something did not seem right to her. She tossed the paint brush away and dipped her hand into the liquid. The next minute, she was moving her hand in an abnormal manner on the canvas. After a short while, a distant sound came calling her name.

"Adela, are you there?" a high-pitched, stern voice of a woman called out. "She probably left again, that unruly girl".

Adela looked up and smiled. The woman barged in without knocking on the door. She was dressed in a courtly manner which did not comply with her arrogant personality.

"I hope you are aware of the basic manners, Mrs. Grey," Adela commented. She continued to work on her mysterious painting.

The woman rolled her eyes and spoke in a cold, low voice. "Your mother requests your presence in the main hall". Saying this, she slammed the door shut.

Adela continued her painting and stroked it with her middle finger for the last time. She slipped into her slippers and put on her blouse. She grinned at the painting and strode to the huge windows. Her chestnut-colored hair fluttered in the zephyr wind. Her light brown eyes twinkled in the sun light that penetrated through the window. She shut the window close and made her way down to the main hall.

The main hall was a massive room with a ceiling that covered four floors of the house. It had an exquisite chandelier in the middle of the room. The large room was furnished lavishly with antique items that one could only dream of.

Adela wended her way to her favorite couch beside the roaring fireplace. She handed over the painting to Mrs. Grey, who in turn made a disappointed face and placed it on the coffee table in front of a woman, approximately in her fifties. The woman appeared to be a clone of Adela, just slightly paler and older. Only one difference could tell them apart, had it been that they were both the same age. It was their eyes. The woman had icy-blue eyes bordered with a thin grey outline which stared into the depths of one's soul.

Adela threw herself on the couch and plucked a piece of grape from the nearby fruit bowl.

"I called you here to discuss the formalities of your upcoming birthday party," the woman said, drinking water in a fancy glass.

Adela didn't seem too keen to have a birthday party nor listening to her mother. She threw the grape in the fireplace and picked a new one.

"I have decided to call a list of important families including the Ortegas, Waltons and the Baldwin family. The party will be held tomorrow at this time and place. You should be dressed formally, not like...this," the woman said, judging Adela. This sentence was enough to catch Adela's attention.

"You do not order me around, Margaret. Neither will I have a birthday party," Adela said profoundly.

"And you call me mother," Margaret hissed.

Adela shrugged her shoulders and gestured towards the painting.

"The yearly birthday gift from me to you in exchange for not holding a birthday," Adela mumbled.

Margaret stared at Adela and looked at the blank canvas.

"May I ask what this hideous thing is?" she said.

"Oh Margaret, think hard. It is more hideous than this, or shall I say, more interesting," Adela beamed.

"Bring me my blue light," Margaret said, scowling at Adela.

"Do not bother," Adela called out to Mrs. Grey. "I have one".

Adela threw the light to Margaret who caught it with a swift movement of her arms. She glimpsed at the painting and looked away in disgust. Adela smiled.

"I assume you like it. My new invisible ink masterpiece of your portrait," Adela stated, pleased with herself.

"How dare you do this to your mother," Mrs. Grey shrieked, pointing at the canvas but Margaret held out a hand to motion her to stop talking.

Anna shrugged and stood up. "Remember, Mrs. Grey. You are just a housekeeper under Margaret. Do not cross the invisible line of limits," Adela whispered, drawing a line in air with her finger.

"What is all this fuss about?" a deep manly voice came. "Ah I see. The yearly gift," he scoffed.

"Quite right, Magnus," Adela replied.

He picked up the canvas and held it in front of himself. He shone the light on it which revealed what was made by the invisible ink. It was a portrait of Margaret on a middle finger. Magnus smiled, but immediately changed his expression.

"How dare you," he said.

"Dare to do what, brother mine?" Adela responded innocently.

"You are lucky, father left his riches to you. All that the old man left for us was trinkets," Magnus uttered with disgust.

"You do not deserve to mention his name," Adela whispered angrily. Saying this, she walked pass them all and made her way to her room.

VOTE!

(Chapter 2 ---->)