My General Mother Ruined Me For My Cousin—Then Regretted It Too Late Chapter 03
I didn’t move. “Apologize for what? I haven’t done anything.”
She pointed. Sienna’s engagement gown lay on the floor, ivory silk soaked in black ink. The beadwork was destroyed beyond repair.
“You destroyed Sienna’s engagement gown, and you won’t even admit it.”
A bitter sound escaped me. “What proof do you have that I did this?”
She gestured toward the girl cowering near the floor—Chloe, one of the maids assigned to Sienna. “She saw you. Last night. Near Sienna’s room.”
I turned to Chloe. “What time?”
“Around nine-thirty, miss.”
“Where?”
“By the east corridor. Near the garden door.”
“What was I wearing?”
Chloe swallowed. “A lavender sweater…”
Tessa stepped forward, her voice shaking with rage. “The east corridor has no lights after nine. You couldn’t tell lavender from black at that distance. You’re lying.”
Chloe crumpled, sobbing. “Forgive me, General! It was me. I spilled the ink. I was terrified, so I—”
Sienna shot up and slapped Chloe across the face. “You brainless fool, how dare you frame Mia?” She turned to me and lowered her head. “Mia, I’m so sorry. I should have kept her in line.”
My mother waved a hand. “It was a misunderstanding. Sienna apologized. We’re done here.”
“No.” I frowned. “I never did what she accused me of, yet she wanted me punished. If she walks away without consequences, what’s to stop anyone else from doing the same?”
My mother’s face froze, and it hit me—she knew.
She knew Chloe was lying, and she was going to bury it to protect Sienna.
She looked at me, her eyes filled with reproach. “No real harm was done. You’ve been cleared. Stop blowing this out of proportion.”
I looked at her without flinching. “If I were the one who broke it, would you still call it a small thing?”
She frowned at me, as if looking at a disobedient child.
“Chloe is dismissed. Effective immediately. Legal will handle the non-disclosure and she’ll be blacklisted from the industry.”
“Are you satisfied now?”
Chloe sobbed as security escorted her out. Sienna stood frozen, chewing her lip.
Then my mother spoke again. “The gown is destroyed, and there’s no time to have another made. Your grandmother’s vintage Valentino—give it to Sienna.”
The air left my lungs.
That gown was the last thing my grandmother ever gave me.
“No.” My voice broke. “Chloe made the mistake. Chloe works for Sienna. Why am I the one paying for it?”
“Sienna is marrying Adrian Caldwell. The press will be at the engagement events. She needs to look impeccable.” My mother’s voice was utterly matter-of-fact. “You’re marrying Owen Pierce. He can only afford a simple, modest wedding. What do you need a couture gown for?”
“I don’t know what your father was thinking, leaving something this fine to you instead of Sienna.”
Something inside me snapped. I cried out at her:
“He gave it to me because he knows who his daughter is. You never did. Sometimes I wish you weren’t my mother! At least then I wouldn’t have to be hurt like this!”
Her face went white. The coldness that followed was worse than the slap.
“Enough. Perhaps I should teach you how to be a daughter. Especially my daughter.”
Tessa threw herself forward. “General, please. Miss Mia gets sick every winter. She’s frail. She can’t take—”
“Frail?” My mother’s voice climbed with incredulous fury. “She’s grown up in one of the wealthiest households in this country. Top private doctors. A personal nutritionist. Organic everything delivered weekly. What possible frailty?”
A bitter sound escaped me.
The private doctors all went to Sienna. The nutritionist was hired specifically for her. Every tutor brought into this house taught Sienna alone—I wasn’t even allowed to sit in on the lessons.
What had I ever actually been given?
My laughter pushed my mother past the edge.
She had me taken to the punishment room, forced down onto my knees in the middle of the floor, and then she produced a leather whip.
The way the military disciplined soldiers who stepped out of line—that was how she disciplined me.
The whip cut through the air and came down hard across my back. The pain drove straight through me.
She didn’t stop. One lash after another.
My mouth filled with blood; I had long since bitten through my lip.
The skin on my back split open. Blood ran down my sides. My shirt was soaked through, and the pain slowly went numb—as if it wasn’t landing on me at all, but on someone else entirely.
By the time my vision went completely black, I dimly heard her say:
“Mia, this time I hope you finally recognize what you’ve done wrong.”
I closed my eyes.
But Mom—my greatest mistake was ever wanting your love.
After tonight, I owe you nothing. And I don’t love you anymore.