"You really can’t wait to punish , can you, dear sister?" Victoria said with a scoff, her voice laced with quiet rage. "I haven’t even said a word, and yet you’ve already judged, condemned, and delivered your sentence."
"There’s nothing left for you to say, Victoria. Just accept the fact that you’ve been sleeping around. Or are you really about to stand there and tell you’re still a virgin?" Mirabel snapped, her tone sharp and accusing. "We caught you with Alpha Darius, for goodness’ sake!"
Victoria raised an eyebrow, a smirk curling at the corner of her lips as she crossed her arms confidently. "So, let get this straight. Anyone who isn’t a virgin is automatically sentenced to undergo the family punishnt? Is that what you’re saying now?"
"Of course," Mirabel replied coldly, her eyes flashing with triumph. "You not being a virgin brings sha to the Ashford na. I don’t care how the rest of the world behaves. This is the Ashford family. Just because society is getting more ’civilized’ doesn’t an the young ladies of this house should start behaving like sluts!" Her lips curled into a smug smile. "Just give it up already, Victoria. You’re guilty, and you know it."
"Then Darius will marry her!!" Anna suddenly blurted out, her voice high-pitched and desperate, sending a wave of stunned silence through the crowd. Everyone turned sharply....Victoria, Darius, the Ashford brothers, even Mrs. Ashford and Mirabel stood frozen, caught off-guard by the bold declaration.
"I don’t care what Victoria may or may not have done outside this mansion," Anna continued, her voice trembling slightly. "And if she and Darius truly slept together, even if they’re not fated mates, then Darius will marry her."
"Never!!" Victoria and Darius shouted in unison, the echo of their voices ringing through the air. The sheer force of their refusal sent a jolt of unease down the spines of everyone present.
"Never?" Anna repeated, her eyes narrowing as she swallowed hard. "What’s that supposed to an?"
"I told you already," Darius snapped, his hands now planted firmly on his waist. "Nothing happened between us. I didn’t touch her. We just slept in the plant house because of the storm. That’s all."
"Exactly, Miss Anna," Victoria added, her tone firm and unwavering. "Darius didn’t lay a hand on . I spent the night there because the rain wouldn’t stop. That’s it."
"I believe her," Callum said suddenly, stepping forward. His voice was calm, but serious, and his presence carried weight. "If Victoria says nothing happened, then nothing did. At first, I was worried....worried that Darius may have taken advantage of her. But from the look of things, they only sought shelter during the storm. That’s all. No sha. No guilt."
He stepped beside Victoria and gently placed his hand on her head, a protective gesture that made her blink.
"Exactly!" Theo added with a grunt. "Can we just drop this nonsense already? We’re late for school." His eyes flicked over to Darius, hard and unyielding. "And let make sothing clear to you, Alpha Darius. I don’t care how powerful you are at the academy. If you ever try to hurt my sister in any way, I won’t hesitate to fight you."
Darius turned to him slowly, his gaze sharp and voice low. "Even if your sister were the last woman on earth, I still wouldn’t want her. So, relax."
Theo’s eyes darkened, and even Callum flinched at Darius’ brutal honesty.
"And just what do you an by that?" Lucian asked coldly, stepping forward, but Callum reached out and held him back.
"We’re not letting this slide," Mirabel cut in before the argunt could spiral further. Her eyes darted to the side, scanning the surroundings. The Ashford servants were going about their daily tasks, but it was obvious they’d all overheard everything. Whispers had already begun.
"If we want to clear Victoria’s na," Mirabel continued, her voice steely, "then we have to prove her innocence. Otherwise, these servants will keep whispering. They’ll believe she truly is a whore. We need solid proof. If she’s not a virgin, the family punishnt must be carried out."
"What’s wrong with you, Mirabel?" Theo growled, exasperated. "Don’t you trust Victoria at all? I thought you’d changed. But clearly, you’re still the sa manipulative witch."
"I care about this family’s reputation, brother," Mirabel hissed, lowering her voice slightly but not her venom. "This isn’t just about Victoria anymore. The entire household knows what’s going on. If we don’t prove she’s innocent, then she’ll always be viewed as a disgrace."
"You...."
"Fine, Mirabel," Victoria interrupted, her voice calm but resolute, halting Theo before he could explode. "There’s no need to argue over this." She took a breath and turned to her brothers. "Since Mirabel claims this is for my sake and for the honor of the Ashford family....I’ll cooperate."
’In my first life, this exact event had happened just a day before I was brought into the Ashford mansion. But this ti... I changed the outco. The man Mirabel sent to ruin ? I killed him. I escaped what would have haunted . She used that event to tornt in the past....whispering accusations, breaking my spirit...but not anymore. Not in this life.’ Victoria thought to herself with a determined expression.
"There’s a virginity mark," Victoria said aloud, her voice loud enough for all to hear. "Every Ashford daughter is born with one. It’s a red mark in the shape of a leaf, right on the thigh. As long as she remains a virgin, the mark stays. The mont she loses her virginity....it vanishes."
"You say you’re protecting my reputation, Mirabel?" Victoria asked sweetly, her smirk returning. "Then let’s protect it properly."
Without hesitation, she lifted her red skirt, revealing the smooth skin of her thigh and the unmistakable red leaf-shaped mark, bold and clear.
The revelation brought a sigh of relief to Theo, Callum, Lucian, Anna, and Darius but it brought nothing but shock to Mirabel and her mother, who stood frozen in disbelief. Their eyes were wide with horror, unable to comprehend what had just unfolded before them.
That’s it, Victoria thought to herself, her gaze locked on the mother and daughter duo. These two will never change even if the world cos crashing down. They didn’t in the first life, so why should I expect anything different in this second one?
"H-h-how..." Mirabel stamred, trying to speak, but the words tangled in her throat. Her voice cracked under the weight of public scrutiny, and all she could do was tremble.
"I’m innocent, Mirabel," Victoria said, a confident smirk spreading across her face. Her tone was steady, sharp like a blade laced with amusent. "But can you say the sa? Can you prove to everyone here and to the onlookers watching that you’re innocent too? I an you hang out with the three Alpha’s afterall. I only slept in the plant house with one and I was accused of being a slut."
"What?! What do you an by that?!" Mirabel snapped, her eyes narrowing as she folded her arms defensively across her chest. "I’m friends with the Alphas! I might even beco one of their Lunas soday. Of course I’ve kept myself for my future mate...it’s only right!"
"Oh, really?" Victoria scoffed, tilting her head slightly.
Her eyes glinted with unspoken truths. Even if I didn’t send people to punish or rape you like you did to in the first life, she thought bitterly, you still lost everything on your own. Her lips curled into a smirk. Alpha Zephyr and Auren already had their way with you afterall. And now that I’ve disgraced you in front of everyone, it’s only a matter of ti before you try to retaliate by sending n to assault again. But this ti... it’ll be you who gets raped instead. You brought this on yourself, Mirabel.
"You were so quick to accuse of sleeping with Alpha Darius just because you saw us alone together," Victoria continued, her voice rising just enough for the crowd to hear. "By your logic, then, I should accuse you of sleeping with all three Alphas since you’re always seen hanging around them."
The crowd murmured. All eyes now turned to Mirabel, whose confident mask had completely shattered.
"If you’re as pure as you claim," Victoria added, raising an eyebrow, "then you should have nothing to hide. Show us your virginity mark. Prove your words. Let everyone see just how well-behaved the Ashford daughters truly are."
"You must be insane, Victoria!" Mirabel spat, her voice cracking with fury. "No one’s ever caught sneaking out of a plant house or a bedroom with an Alpha. Everyone knows we’re just friends! I’ve always carried myself with dignity!"
"There’s no need for all these fairy tales, sister," Victoria replied calmly, sighing as if genuinely tired of the ga. "The Academy is filled with girls who’ve already lost their virginity. There’s no sha in that if they made that choice for themselves and were ready. But you and mother said that virginity is the highest virtue for an Ashford daughter."
She took a slow step forward, her voice turning cold. "Well, I’ve just proved to everyone that I upheld that standard. Now it’s your turn. Prove yourself in front of all these witnesses. Let them praise your na dear sister."
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