The Abandoned Luna's Journey to Power (by Emily Reed) novel Chapter 153

Chapter 153 The Woman My Father Rejected

Cindy’s POV:

“Go. Why wouldn’t I?”

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I sat back on the sofa, idly turning the scented invitation card between my fingers, and looked at Julian, who stood before me with worry all over his face.

“Duchess of Silverpeak, you may not fully understand Princess Margaret,” Julian said earnestly, adjusting his glasses. “She is a viper in high society. This banquet is clearly a trap meant for you. She controls the narrative among noblewomen. Once you’re there, rumors alone will be enough to drown someone.”

“I know.” I took a bite of my apple, the crunch loud in the quiet room. “Prince Adam already told me. She couldn’t get my father back then, so now she wants to take it out on me.”

Julian froze, clearly not expecting me to be this blunt.

“If she dares send the invitation and I don’t show up, wouldn’t that make it look like I’m afraid of her?” I pulled out a tissue and wiped my hands, my gaze cooling. “Besides, I want to see this so-called royal ladies’ circle for myself. If I’m going to establish a foothold here, I need to know who is human and who is a monster.”

More importantly, I’m the daughter of Silverpeak Pack.

My father had the guts to reject her publicly back then. If I couldn’t even attend a banquet, that would truly disgrace the Silverpeak Pack.

“Cindy, don’t forget that Silverpeak Pack still has an old debt to settle with Princess Margaret,” Diana reminded me.

“How could I forget?” I said coldly. “What Princess Margaret did in front of my father’s grave.”

After the fall of Silverpeak Pack, my mother had feared that my impulsiveness would invite retaliation. She only told me the truth on her deathbed.

There was no need to stay silent anymore. This was the perfect chance to settle my parents’ restless spirits.

“Then… What about a gift?” Julian asked when he saw my resolve was firm. He stopped trying to dissuade me and shifted to logistics. “Princess Margaret’s tastes are extremely refined. Ordinary jewelry won’t impress her. If the gift is too modest, she’ll mock you in public. If it’s too extravagant, giving a grand gift to an enemy makes our ducal estate look spineless.”

That was indeed a problem.

Giving a gift to someone who wants to harm you requires balance. It must be proper, but not pleasing.

That line’s hard to walk.

My eyes flicked to the side as a thought struck me.

“Come with me to the storeroom.”

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Chapter 153 The Woman My Father Rejected

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I led Julian and Jewel down into the underground vault. In a dusty corner, I unearthed a long wooden

crate.

“What’s this?” Julian leaned in, curious.

“Just some trash Oliver left with me years ago,” I said as I pried the nails loose.

Oliver was an oddity even among werewolves. He was terrible at fighting, but there was almost nothing else he couldn’t do.

Not only was he a renowned scholar in the kingdom, he was also an artist. His paintings are now sold for astronomical prices, nearly impossible to obtain.

“Back then, he painted a piece called Blessing of the Moon God as practice,” I said as I opened the crate and unfurled the rolled canvas. “But he thought the lead wolf looked stupid, like a husky. In a rage, he wanted to burn it. I thought the canvas was sturdy, and it would be a waste to destroy it, so I rescued it and tossed it in storage as a moisture barrier.”

I shook the painting open and showed it to Julian.

The composition was vast and commanding. Moonlight poured down like a silver river as a pack of wolves howled beneath the open sky.

The use of color was extraordinary. Light and shadow intertwined so vividly that one could almost hear the wolves’ cries.

As for the lead wolf’s expression, yes, it was a little naive. But to an untrained eye, that would be called wisdom hidden in simplicity, a kind of divine calm.

“Ah!”

The shrill scream nearly made me drop the painting.

Julian clutched his head, his eyes bulging as if he had just witnessed the end of the world.

“This … this is an original by Mr. Silva?” He dropped to his knees with a thud, his hands trembling as he reached toward the canvas but dared not touch it. “My heavens. The lighting. The brushwork. This is a masterpiece meant to last for generations. And you called it trash? You used it as a moisture barrier?”

“There’s a flaw,” I said, pointing at the wolf’s eyes. “Don’t you think it looks a bit silly?”

“This is soul,” Julian shouted, his face flushed with excitement. “This is a return to purity. Duchess of Silverpeak, do you have any idea what this would fetch at auction? It could trade for an entire city. And you want to give it to that old witch? This is sacrilege.”

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