The Lady Nun Vows Revenge - Chapter 8: Chapter 8

Caleb strode toward Eliza with long, angry strides, his face a mask of fury, clearly looking to cause trouble.
Behind him, Sophie hesitated for a moment, her lips parting to say something, but all that came out was a soft "Don't." She made no effort to stop him, though.
When Caleb's eyes met Eliza's, a flicker of satisfaction passed through hers. She couldn't help but revel in the fact that she had the power to provoke Caleb so easily, making him step in to defend her.
But before Caleb could reach her, a deep voice rang out from the direction of the ceremonial stage. "Eliza, Sophie, the good hour has arrived. Come, prepare for the coming-of-age ceremony."
Eliza turned her head and saw her father, Duke Gabriel Stonor, sitting on the platform in a calm, dignified blue robe, his gaze cold and distant. It was clear he was not in the mood for any drama.
At that moment, even if Caleb still wanted to make a scene, he had no choice but to hold off—for the time being.
Unbothered, Eliza made her way up to the platform, while Sophie immediately linked arms with her, a bright smile on her face. "Eliza, why'd it take you so long to fix your gown? Father's been waiting forever!"
"Fix your gown?" Gabriel raised an eyebrow, looking at Eliza, clearly unimpressed.
Before Eliza could explain, Sophie jumped in and began recounting the story of how Eliza had ruined her gown, sighing dramatically at the end. "Ugh, it's my fault really. I couldn't stop Dylan. If I had, Eliza wouldn't have gotten so mad and torn the gown."
Eliza couldn't help but mutter under her breath, 'Here we go again with the stupid gown.'
She didn't feel like saying anything more, so she let her father continue to stare at her in silence for a few seconds before she finally snapped, her patience all but gone. "Are we starting this ceremony or not? Father, If you and Sophie don't want me here, I'll leave. No big deal."
Her tone was unexpectedly sharp, her elegant brows drawn tight in frustration. Even Sophie was momentarily stunned by Eliza's boldness, never expecting her to speak to their father like that.
'Is she really not afraid of Father kicking her out?' Sophie thought, bewildered.
But Eliza wasn't afraid—not in the least. For most girls in Bortenland, the coming-of-age ceremony was a huge deal.
But because of the humiliating memories tied to her own ceremony from her previous life, Eliza felt nothing but resistance and irritation the moment she stepped onto the platform.
"No need," Gabriel Stonor said, his voice flat as he dismissed her outburst. "Let's continue with the ceremony." He paused, then added coldly, "Since there's no gown, we'll just begin as we are. You reap what you sow."
It was clear he assumed Eliza's words about leaving were just a tantrum—an excuse to avoid the ceremony.
Inwardly, he thought, 'Well, if she's bold enough to speak out in front of me, I'll make sure she faces the consequences.
'Let her eat a little humble pie, lose some face, and maybe she'll learn to behave next time.'
He motioned for the ceremony to continue, gave a brief thank-you speech to the guests, and officially declared that the coming-of-age ceremony had begun.
With the passing of the Duchess of Mowbay, the Stonor family had lost its matriarch.
Naturally, the responsibility of hosting the coming-of-age ceremony fell to Adeline Nevill, the younger sister of Gabriel. She would be the one to crown both Eliza and Sophie.
When Adeline Nevill stepped onto the stage, her words were laced with double meaning.
Smiling, she took Sophie's hand and spoke warmly to her, deliberately ignoring Eliza standing next to them. "Look at our Sophie, isn't she just so graceful?
"After this ceremony, I'm sure we'll have all sorts of fine families knocking on our door to ask for her hand."