Chapter 0256
The next morning, Elva was still resting peacefully after I awoke and changed, so I left her in the care of
Charlotte, the Nanny, and Mark, and went down to breakfast alone.
I was nearly there, when both Veronica and Tiffany blocked my path.
“We want to talk to you,” Veronica said.
We were about to have breakfast beside each other. “Could it wait until breakfast?” If they were going to
yell at me about ‘my‘ behavior last night, I’d prefer it not to happen on my empty stomach.
“No,” Veronica said.
Okay, then. I sighed in resignation and followed them to a quieter spot away from the doorway to the
dining room.
Tiffany crossed her arms. “We talked to the other–you last night at the gala.”
“She looked like you and spoke like you, but it was clear to us both that she was not you,” Veronica said.
“Yeah, plus… why would you change clothes? That’s not like you at all. And then change back?” Tiffany
shook her head. “It doesn’t add up, Piper. So spill. Tell us what’s really going on.”
My heart pounded. Of all people that didn’t know the difference, why were these two so observant?
Even the King had been willing to believe the worst of me.
“It was me… I was just having a bad night,” I said. I didn’t want to lie, but I couldn’t tell anyone the truth,
not even them. Too many people knew it already, from Nicholas’s guards to some of the servants. It was
a miracle the truth hadn’t leaked yet.
That it hadn’t was a compliment to the strong character of everyone on Nicholas’s payroll.
“That was not a bad night,” Tiffany said.
“That wasn’t you,” Veronica added.
“Did
you
lose a bet or something?” Tiffany said. “Someone extorting you?”
Veronica gave Tiffany sideways look. “It wasn’t her.”
Tiffany looked back. “Who else could it be?”
They both looked at me expectantly.
I closed my eyes. “I wish I could tell you, but I just can’t.” If it were only me that could be hurt, I would
reputation.
Elva. The underground organization. This ran so much deeper than just me and Jane.
“It’s alright, Piper,” Julian said. Appearing beside me, he placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. “You can
trust these two.”
I frowned at him. He was the one who was so adamant about not trusting anyone.
Julian grinned at my upset. “There’s a reason I picked these two. Well, other than their great senses of
humor.” He laughed. “They’re trustworthy.” He shrugs. “And they hate the underground.”
“The underground is behind this?” Tiffany asked, her voice taking on a sharp edge.
“I should have known,” Veronica said. At her sides, her hands clenched into fists. “Those bastards.”
Julian nudged me. “You can tell them.”
So I did. Not everything, of course. Not about my wolf, or Elva’s involvement. But I did explain that I had a twin sister who was caught up with the organization. I said Jane wanted to ruin my life to get me
desperate enough to fall into the underground’s web.
As I spoke, their gazes became more pitying than judgmental. By the end, they were outright angry on
my behalf.
It was something of a relief, to finally be able to tell someone the truth and to not have to bear the
weight of their misguided judgement anymore.
“So this bitch of a sister of yours is running around pretending to be you?” Tiffany asked. “And that was
her last night, being terrible to everyone?”
“Yes,” I said. “And yes.”
Tiffany whistled. “I thought my family was messed up.”
“We won’t be fooled again,” Veronica said.
“Yeah, for sure.” Tiffany sighed. “Sorry if we were jerks to you last night. It took a minute for us to put
two and two together.”
“You don’t have to apologize…”
“We do,” Veronica said. “The underground organization has taken from us both.”
Veronica and Tiffany glanced at each other. Julian lowered his hand from my shoulder to my lower back.
“Then we’re all in this together now,” Julian said. “We’ll have to work to take them down, but
“I’m in,” Veronica said.
“Me, too!” Tiffany added with a fist pump.
We all smiled at each other. It felt good, like I had just gained two more friends.
“Please keep it a secret though,” I said. “It’s a secret I can’t afford to have revealed yet.”
“You must have your reasons,” Veronica said.
”
–
“Man, that’s got to suck, not being able to tell anyone. Your sister must be getting you in a world of
trouble.”
After I nodded, they both agreed.
“Your secret is safe with us,” Veronica said. She always spoke definitively, so this gave me comfort.
Veronica and Tiffany then excused themselves to go to breakfast. I nearly joined them, when a good
look at Julian gave me pause. I waved them ahead without me.
“Julian.”
“Hm?”
His eyes were red, bloodshot, with heavy bags hanging underneath them. He wavered unsteadily as he
stood, swaying back and forth. He looked terrible.
He looked exhausted.
“Did something happen?” I asked him.
“What do you mean?” He could barely keep his eyes open.
I gripped his arm to keep him from swaying too far in one direction.
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