Her Gilded Revenge For Stolen Fate novel Chapter 51

Chapter 51

31

E55 vouchers

Nina jerked her hand back like she’d touched a burning coal, her face full of obvious disgust. Clearly, she had zero respect for Charles. She even thought the Linden family was greedy and gross.

She thought, “They’re just a bunch of nobodies from a fallen house, and now they’re shameless enough to try to get their hands on the Snyder family.

‘But they’d set their sights on Vivian, that illegitimate daughter with the ruined face. Not me. I’m the legitimate daughter of the second branch. Why should I care?‘

After all, there was no sisterly bond between Nina and Vivian. Nina had even suffered plenty thanks to Vivian, and they’d been at odds for ages. Now that Vivian was finally getting her comeuppance, Nina couldn’t wait to watch the drama unfold.

Nina said, “Vivian, Grandmother is clearly worried about your marriage. Why drag me into this? Don’t you know how seniority works in this family?”

Vivian sat below Beatrice at the table, a faint smile playing on her lips. She replied, “It’s not that I don’t understand, but you seem awfully invested in this, Nina. It almost made me think you had a stake in it.”

She might as well have said Nina was sticking her nose where it didn’t belong.

Nina looked embarrassed and was about to retort, but Dorothy caught her by the sleeve and held her back.

Beatrice cleared her throat and turned to Vivian. She said, “Vivian, what do you think? Sylvia picked Charles for you. She says he’s gentle, honest, and the Linden family is well–respected. You wouldn’t be mistreated if you married him.”

Vivian answered firmly, “Grandmother, I don’t want to marry him.”

“Why not?” Beatrice asked.

Vivian said, “When I was a kid, I got caught up in a bandit attack and ended up falling out of a carriage. My face got messed up, so I’m not exactly what you’d call pretty anymore.

“Most guys care a lot about looks. Even if Charles says he doesn’t mind now, that’s probably just him saving face. Give it time, and he might start feeling bitter, thinking our family is just throwing our weight around to push him into this.”

“Throwing our weight around,” Beatrice echoed, letting out a light laugh. She reached out and gave Vivian’s hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze.

She said, “Vivian, remember: girls from the Snyder family are born noble. If the Linden family has their eyes on you, they I need to understand exactly what that means.

“If they think they can take advantage of our family’s status without giving anything back, they’re just daydreaming.”

Then Beatrice turned to Nina and said, “No matter how much you two squabble at home, once you step out that door, you’re both daughters of the Snyder family. We’re all family, and that’s never going to change.

“Today we’re talking about Vivian’s marriage, but when it’s your turn, it’ll be just the same. What goes for her goes for you,

too.”

In the huge Aurea Manor, the only person who could really make Nina nervous wasn’t Quentin; it was Beatrice, the one everyone saw as gentle and fair.

Dorothy once told Nina that when her grandpa died, the whole place was thrown into chaos because there wasn’t a legitimate son to take over.

All kinds of power–hungry factions started circling, just waiting to swoop in and snatch up whatever they could from Aurea

WED

14

C

ed,

Chapter 51

Manor.

3 Vouchers

But Beatrice came down hard, shut everyone up, and made sure Quentin got the title, ending all the drama once and for all.

Beatrice’s cunning and guts could go toe–to–toe with any guy out there.

Nina knew better than to step out of line in front of Beatrice. She just nodded quietly, as timid as a quail.

“Alright, your parents will have the final say in this. There’s no need to rush, but if it’s truly a good match, don’t let a good opportunity for marriage slip by,” Beatrice said to Vivian.

Vivian didn’t argue. But she really didn’t want to get married.

After all, Celia had the Host Enchantment inside her, constantly watching and waiting to mess with Vivian’s Fortune.

If Vivian slipped up even once, she’d fall into the same trap as in her previous life. So there was no way she would risk marrying just anyone.

Vivian lowered her gaze and gave a soft reply, looking perfectly meek and docile.

Beatrice sighed and thought, ‘Such a wonderful child, and yet her looks were ruined by a twist of fate.

Sylvia kept saying she was powerless during the bandit raid. She could only save one of the kids, not both.

Flora had helped Sylvia in the past, but Celia was the legitimate daughter. Sylvia felt indebted and endlessly conflicted, but in the end, she still chose to protect Celia.

Beatrice used to believe everything Sylvia said. But after seeing Sylvia act so cold toward Vivian time and time again, Beatrice started to wonder: did Sylvia really care about Vivian as a mother should?

Beatrice wasn’t so sure anymore. Still, she didn’t want to shatter the illusion and hurt Vivian.

Anyway, Beatrice was still going strong. If she could keep Aurea Manor standing when it was on the brink, there’s no way she couldn’t protect her own granddaughter now.

As for that marriage with the Linden family, she figured she would just put it on the back burner for now.

Sylvia barely ever showed any concern for Vivian, so when it came to something as big as marriage, Beatrice doubted she’d care at all. She was worried Sylvia could end up messing up Vivian’s whole life.

Five days later, Celia finally finished transcribing the family precepts.

Rayna brought over some ointment and gently dabbed it onto Celia’s fingertips, so Celia wouldn’t end up with calluses.

“How’s Sylvia doing?” Celia asked.

Rayna replied, “Sylvia’s been so worried about you, my lady. She can barely eat or sleep, and she’s gotten noticeably thinner in just a few days.”

Celia lounged on the couch, looking moody. She asked quietly, “Any news from Grandmother’s side?”

Rayna nodded. She said, “I heard Vivian isn’t too happy about Charles. Sounds like she’s not keen on marrying into the Linden family at all.”

Celia sneered, “Vivian’s got ambition and nerves of steel. She even managed to rub shoulders with Enoch. There’s no way she’d ever look twice at the tiny Linden family.”

Just thinking about that day at the Sanctuary of Peace made Celia’s fingertips tremble, the veins on the back of her hand popping out.

and the royal family considered him a

Even though he was the crown prince, there was no way he’d ever end up on the throne.

But somehow, Vivian was actually close to someone like him. He even used her to snatch away Celia’s opportunity and make a spectacle of himself during the Festival of Fortune.

Just thinking about how Edward had been getting the cold shoulder lately made Celia so bitter and pissed off.

She fumed inwardly, ‘If only I could go back to the day Daphne sent that so–called reward and just rip the Manual of Agriculture to pieces. At least then I wouldn’t have to swallow this humiliation and watch Vivian walk away with all the benefits.

“My lady, if this marriage falls through, what are we supposed to do?” Rayna asked, her voice full of worry.

Celia narrowed her eyes and said, “Charles is smart, good–looking, and always looking out for Vivian. Seriously, how could it not happen? Head over to Emerald Garden and bring back that lavender plant.”

Rayna turned and left.

Celia snorted, a hint of sarcasm in her laugh.

Celia had always been blessed with extraordinary Fortune. No matter how rare or difficult the flowers she planted, they would always flourish. Even Beatrice was amazed by her talent.

As she grew older, Celia cultivated all kinds of potted plants and gifted them to everyone important in the manor. Of all the recipients, Sylvia’s Emerald Garden received the most.

Sometimes, when there were things Celia couldn’t say out loud or moves she couldn’t make herself, she’d use her flowers as a secret code to pass messages to Sylvia. It was all about keeping things hidden from prying eyes.

Naturally, Sylvia knew Celia so well that she always picked up on the meaning.

For Celia, lavender wasn’t just a plant. It was her secret code for “hold steady.” If she had Rayna take it away, it meant the situation had changed.

Sylvia hated Vivian to the core. If that red mole hadn’t appeared on Celia’s palm, proving she could claim Vivian’s Fortune, she would’ve let baby Vivian die of illness.

Vivian’s Phoenix Fate was the ultimate resource. No way Celia would ever let it slip through her fingers.

Celia gently rubbed the red mole on her palm, the greed in her eyes only growing darker.