Descendants: The rise of red

We are similar

The following morning, as soon as Ella woke up, her primary thought was to talk to Charming. She got out of bed, washed quickly, and dressed, ready to prepare breakfast for her stepsisters and her stepmother. Cooking was not a problem for Ella, but each family member had different tastes: Anastasia preferred a sweet breakfast with pastries and hot milk; Drizella, on the contrary, liked eggs and bacon accompanied by orange juice; while Lady Tremaine enjoyed black coffee with a marmalade croissant.
Ella endeavored to prepare each dish as perfectly as possible, knowing she couldn't afford to redo everything. She set the table, wrapping the cutlery in napkins with precision, and then hurried to pour milk into Lucifer's bowl, the family cat. She finished just in time as the entire family settled in the dining room. Lady Tremaine tasted the coffee and bit into the croissant; meanwhile, Ella stood by, hoping no one would complain. Fortunately, that morning, no one did.
"Madam Mother, if it's not a problem, I would go and prepare the clothes for Anastasia and Genoveffa. Unless you need anything else," Ella asked in a servile tone. Her stepmother scrutinized her with an investigative gaze. "Why the urgency?" she inquired. "Madam Mother, I have an oral test and would like to review a bit before class, if it's not a problem for you," Ella responded. Lady Tremaine swallowed the lie and gestured for her to go, then resumed her breakfast.
Unlike the other students, Ella didn't sleep in the rooms provided by the Merlin Academy. By Lady Tremaine's decision, she had to return home every evening, as they couldn't afford to pay a housekeeper instead of Ella. Her father, before he died, had revealed to her that he had given Merlin all his savings to allow her to study at that prestigious school and secure her future.
Ella entered her stepsisters' room, opened their respective wardrobes, and selected outfits based on the tastes of the two girls: Anastasia preferred pink dresses, while Drizella favored green. In a hurry, Ella went to her room, packed her backpack with the necessary items, and descended the stairs. "I'm leaving, Madam Mother, see you later," she said, exiting through the door.
Upon her arrival at school, an unpleasant surprise awaited her. That morning, Charming had shown up in the courtyard with a large bouquet of pink flowers for Bridgette, who, after receiving them, thanked the boy with a hug. Ella couldn't believe it; her best friend had betrayed her. Tears began to slowly roll down her cheeks, blurring her vision.
"Tough break, huh?" a voice came from behind her. "Morgana, what do you want?" Ella replied rudely. "Hey, calm down, you're directing your anger at the wrong person. It wasn't me who betrayed your trust, that was Bridgette," Morgana said, placing one of her tentacles on Ella's shoulder. "But I understand you. We are strong and intelligent girls, forced to be surrounded by people who aren't on our level," the witch continued.
"I am not like you, Morgana," Ella said, removing the tentacle from her shoulder. "You think so? I see it in your eyes. I can help you if you want, nothing complicated, don't worry," Morgana said. Upon hearing the witch's words, Ella fell silent. "You just need to borrow the spellbook from Merlin's office. I would do it, but we both know no one would believe in my good intentions. I'm only doing this to help a peer in distress."
Ella turned toward Bridgette, who was still thanking Charming with hugs and smiles for the splendid gift. "Okay, I'll get the book," Ella decided. Morgana extended her hand with a fake benevolent smile, enough to convince Ella, blinded by too many conflicting emotions.