From Exile To Queen Of Everything - Chapter 7: Chapter 7

Aiden was, for all intents and purposes, a kept man.
And now, ten years later, it seemed the lapdog had learned to think he was a wolf.
"Tonight, we go home," Sienna said, her voice soft but firm as she laid a hand on Vivian's shoulder. "Back to the Hart house."
Time to see how this dog has learned to bite. She thought to herself.
"But..." Vivian stammered. "Dad... he's with another woman now. After Aunt Linda came, everything changed. Sienna, I..."
In her hesitant, broken words, Sienna heard a decade of profound pain, humiliation, and self-loathing. It broke her heart.
"It's okay," she said, her eyes full of a fierce, protective love. "I'm here now."
Vivian looked at her sister's cool, exquisite face. Sienna looked so much like their mother, a perfect fusion of their parents' best genes.
She had their mother's cool beauty and their father's striking features, creating a powerful, captivating aura.
Vivian's lonely heart finally had an anchor. "Okay," she whispered.
Meanwhile, at the Hart's residence, Aiden slammed his hand on the table.
"That Vivian!" he raged at the sharp-faced woman beside him. "She's really gotten bold! The nerve of her, saying she wants to break the engagement! It's infuriating! When she gets back, I'm going to teach her a lesson."
Linda smiled sweetly, gently rubbing his back. "Now, now, dear," she cooed. "Don't get so worked up over a child. You know I'm their stepmother. And as they say, a stepmother is never as good as a real mother. It's only natural they don't like me. Tonight is my birthday, and all I wanted was for you and your daughters to be together. The Quinns are here too, it's a good time to discuss the wedding. I never thought she'd tell Mason she wanted to break things off."
Aiden took her hand, sighing. "Linda, you're too good. That girl is just ungrateful. You're always thinking of them, and they resent you for it. Don't worry. She will be here tonight to celebrate your birthday."
As he spoke, he noticed her attire. The burgundy dress, the jewelry, the earrings—they had all belonged to his late wife. For a split second, an image of that woman's face flashed in his mind.
He frowned. "Didn't I tell you not to touch these things?"
Linda's face fell. She dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief, her voice thick with tears. "Darling, I didn't mean any harm. I just... I knew Vivian would be here tonight, and I wanted her to feel a sense of her mother's love. I truly had no other motive."
Hearing this, his anger melted away. He pulled her into a comforting embrace. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It's my fault."
"Sir, Madam," the butler announced. "Mr. Mason has arrived."
Mason had planned to attend a friend's party, but after waiting for Vivian for what felt like an eternity, he'd gotten angry and told Aiden about her threat to end the engagement.
Hearing it was Linda's birthday, he knew Vivian would have to show up. So he'd ditched his friend's party to confront her.
If Vivian didn't bow down and apologize, the engagement was off.
"Mason, my boy, what are you doing here?" Aiden said warmly. "I thought just your parents were coming."
"Mr. Hart, I'm here to find Vivian. Hasn't she returned yet?"
Before Aiden could answer, Linda smiled. "She'll be here soon. We just called to remind her to be careful on the road. You know how these kids are, insisting on living outside when they have a perfectly good home. It's not as safe out there, is it?"
"You're right, Mrs. Lambert," Mason said. "Vivian is just too immature. Last night she was going on about breaking up with me, making a clean break. I didn't want to argue with her, so I went to see her this morning, and she completely ignored me."
Aiden's face darkened. "Don't worry. When she gets back, I'll be sure to teach her a lesson."
On the other hand, under Sienna's guidance, Vivian had been transformed. With exquisite makeup and a flowing white gown, she looked graceful, pure, and stunningly beautiful.
When she showed up at the Hart's residence, everyone stared. Even Mason, seeing this elegant and regal version of Vivian for the first time, felt his heart skip a beat.
Only Linda narrowed her eyes, looking displeasing.
"Who is that? She's gorgeous," one of the guests asked.
"You don't know? That's Vivian Hart, the second daughter. She's engaged to Mason Quinn," another replied.
"She's beautiful. I heard she moved out a long time ago."
Vivian walked straight to Aiden, ignoring Mason and his parents completely. "I'm back," she announced. "I'm here to collect my things from my old room."
Linda let out a soft "oh" and moved to take her hand, but Vivian coldly sidestepped her.
Linda's smile froze. "Vivian, dear," she said, recovering quickly. "I know you have your issues with me, but you and your father are family. You shouldn't be so cold. And what's this about taking things? This is your home. You can come back and live here anytime you want."
Vivian's eyes filled with scorn. Come back anytime? She sneered inside. They were the ones who had kicked her out seven years ago.
This house belonged to her mother, and now these squatters had taken it over. Before, she was weak and powerless.
But things were different now. Sienna was back. And she had told her that even if she burned the world down, she would be there to help her rebuild.
Vivian summoned her courage, conquering her fear. "Family?" she said, her voice ringing with newfound strength. "What family are you to me? A mistress. You were the ones who threw me out seven years ago, and now you have the nerve to say such things? Have you no shame? I'm embarrassed for you."
Linda was shocked. The usually timid Vivian had actually talked back. Her eyes flashed, and she clung to Aiden's arm.
"Darling, I knew it," she said, playing the victim. "Vivian doesn't like me. I should just go. I don't want to be in your way."
Aiden's anger flared. "Vivian, how dare you speak to Linda like that! Apologize to her right now, or you'll regret it."
Vivian laughed bitterly. "Are you going to hit me again? Go on, then. Hit me!"
Aiden was seething, but with the Quinns and a few friends present, he had to maintain some composure.
Mrs. Quinn had always looked down on the Harts. She swirled the red wine in her glass, giving Vivian a disdainful look.
"I've never seen such an ill-mannered girl," she said. "The moment she returns, she starts arguing with her parents. Vivian, the Quinn family has no place for someone like you."
Aiden panicked. He couldn't lose this marriage alliance.
"She's just a child, she doesn't know any better," he said with a nervous laugh. "I'll teach her. It won't happen again. Mason, my boy, you and my daughter have been engaged for three years now. When should we expect a wedding?"
Before Mason could speak, his mother cut in. "Frankly, the Hart family is not worthy of the Quinns. You know your own situation. If it weren't for my son taking pity on Vivian, there would be no engagement. And let me be clear: if she wants to be a Quinn daughter-in-law, she'll need to be proficient in the arts, she'll need to manage the household, and she'll need to serve her in-laws properly. Furthermore, in a family like ours, marriage doesn't mean monogamy. If my son finds other women he fancies, your daughter is not to interfere or cause a scene."
Aiden nodded eagerly. "Of course, of course."
Mason stood by, a smug look on his face as he watched Vivian. His condescending gaze seemed to say, "See? This is your place. You grovel before us. I'm the one who can discard you, so you'd better behave."
"And after the wedding, Vivian is to quit her job," Mrs. Quinn continued her tirade. "She will represent the face of the Quinn family. We can't have her gallivanting about in public. She is to give me a grandson as soon as possible. If she has a daughter, it will be proof of her uselessness. Her duty will be to serve my son, to dress him, feed him, and bathe him. These are her most basic responsibilities."
"Naturally, naturally," Aiden agreed. "Of course she should center her life around her husband."