13 Listen to everyone but trust no one

I could see Ash keeping his cool and eating the pastries he was given.

OK just for Ash sake let solve this matter calmly...

"I mean having a good connection with the royal family must be good right. Thanks to that connection you even got invited to this party today." Laney said with that arrogant smirk of her.

"It's not like that! I invited her because I was concerned about her!" Violet said as she rose from her seat.

"Ha, Lady Carot I don't know if you are too naive or too stupid, But I can't stand people who act all proudly just because they have some connection!" Laney said sarcastically. This is the reason I can't stand these typical mean girls they say whatever they want. So irritating!

"Lady Gray aren't you speaking too rudely," Molly said.

"I don't think I would like to hear that from someone like you, who can't even act like a proper lady," Laney said as she looked at her nails. This girl!!!

"Lady Gray I think you have some misunderstanding towards us." I said calmly.

"Misunderstanding...Ha, what a joke, being a daughter of the lord with nothing special in the family. I wonder how you guys attracted the royal family....maybe you begged them by using that weakly brother of yours." She said as she laughed.

"Lady Gray aren't you being a little much...." I said

"What do you mean a little too much, I haven't even started yet!" She said as she threw a piece of cookie towards me.

"So, Lady Gray Do you want to keep insulting the Winter family?" I asked her as I looked coldly towards her. The atmosphere suddenly started to feel chilly, faces of the ladies including Laney got darkened.

"Wh...What do you mean by insulting, I...I am telling the truth!" She said as she rose from her seat.

"Is that so then maybe I just tell the truth too!" I said as I smiled towards her.

"What?" She asked confused.

"The perfume lady Gary is wearing smells funky, and the colour of your dress reminds me of a fox and it matches your eyes but isn't that dress a bit too outdated and that hairstyle it reminds me of an overused broom and your laughter it just like that one of witches in stories. and for your face it looks like a cake I once baked.... too ugly" I said as I shrugged.

There was dead silence in the room until Molly giggled at my words soon followed by other ladies even Violet wasn't able to stop herself.

I looked at Laney's face and it turned into a deep shade of red probably because of embarrassment, well I can't help it since you asked for It!

"Lady Winter How dare you insult me!!" She shouted throwing her hands on the table.

"Insult? But I was just saying the truth as Lady Gray did about our family..." I said as I tilted my head. "...or was the lady really insulting the winter family?" I asked as I looked towards her.

"That I....you are talking like this just because of your connection with the royal family's!!!" She said as tears formed in her eyes.

"First of all the connection you are talking about was made by the royal family not us, they are the ones who choose us as the princes playmates, so calling us cheap and trashing our family name...Don't tell me are you insulting the royal family? won't it be called as treason?" Ash said as he looked at Laney eyes which now seemed perplexed.

As excepted of my cool brother, these hypocrites think that just because of their staus this world will work according to their choice. Keep Dreaming!

"I apologize Lady Carot but seems like this party wasn't meant for the winter family, so let me take my leave." saying that I rose from my seat along with Ash who went near to Laney and gave her back the cookie she threw at me,

"And my sister is allergic to nuts, Wouldn't this be an attempt to harm her.....You better watch your back now!" Ash whispered the last part in her ears I don't really know what he said but looking at her face I can say that she has learnt her lesson.

After that, both of us left the Carot Villa, "ugh, my first social appearance became a mess!!" I said as I banged my head at the window. "Here you go again," Ash said as he rubbed my forehead. But in the novel, this type of situation rose many times but that was in the case of the female lead.

But to think that I have to go through it too, I really don't understand how in the world did the Violet in the original novel kept calm without saying anything, even thinking about that Laney makes my blood boil.

Ha, I guess this is the difference between the female lead and the supporting character.

"But sister you were really cool back there!!" Ash said as he smiled brightly towards me.

"Really but I think you looked cooler and to threaten her with the name of the royal family. You are playing with fire little brother!" I said as I ruffled his hair.

"Hmm, who cares I didn't lie thou!" Ash said as he shrugged.

"Don't act so cocky, we never know who will backstab us," I said as I looked outside.

"I know," Ash said.

This Era is the time where people are all hungry for power. Even though we are kids we should still be careful, Thankfully Ash and I have learnt from our parents since an early age that we must listen to everyone but trust no one. It's weird 5o teach something like that to small kids but I guess they had their own reasons.

"But sister what do you think about the royal family....are they trustable?" Ash asked as he looked towards me.

The Royal Family are they trustable even though in the original novel it was the crown prince who banished Irene from the empire....but this time we are more like friends but who knows the day he falls for Violet, his view might change.

No, it will only happen if I do something wrong to Violet, this time I will make sure that I don't do anything wrong to her and to make sure of that I must make sure that our family doesn't go bankrupt. Yeah, I must do that!

But except that the royal family seems suspicious especially the empress.

And in the end, I couldn't answer Ash question because even though the royal family treats us well it's still suspicious.

We reached home around noon and saw a carriage standing outside. Maybe it's Father's client. Is what I thought but that carriage had our family emblem in it, who might it be?

Is it Leah? should I go and take a look?

Thinking that I went inside the villa and saw a lady around the age of 50 with Brown Hair and black eyes with wrinkles all over her body, wearing a red gown showing her supremacy she stood there, she kinda looks like our late grandmother (from her father side) Maybe she is grandaunt!

But what is she doing here? And why do father and mother look so distressed?

"What do you mean?" Father said looking at her, his face clearly showed a disgusted expression.

"I don't like to repeat what I say, so it would be better if you follow my order." She said proudly.

"But aunt-in-law, you know how much we had to struggle to start our business, Raymond worked day and night to reach this height so how can you ask us to give all this to you....even though you are head of the family isn't this a little too much!" Mother said angrily.

Taking our business??? What is she talking about??

"It's good that you still remember that I am the head of this family! So you must follow my order!!!" She said in a demanding tone.

"Aunt you have already taken the most of the property of our winter family isn't that enough for you!" Father said glaring towards her.

"You little--- How dare you to talk like that!!! Are you treating me like that because you couldn't become the head!!!" She shouted.

"Aunt - in - law please don't create a scene!" Mother said trying to calm her down.

"Ha...I am creating a scene!! Why don't you tell directly that you are afraid of other people hearing the truth of your High and Mighty husband!!" She said sarcastically.

Truth what truth is she talking about?

"Aunt please stop!!" Father shouted this is the first time I have seen father this angry.

"I won't, what will you do!!! Don't tell me are you going to kill me the way you killed your younger Brother!" She said dramatically.

WHAT!! Father killed his younger brother.....How is this even possible....this can't be true...

Silence filled the hall, mother's face turned blue whereas father stood there without a single word.

I looked at Ash who was standing beside me and listening to all this his face turned pale and his hands started to shake,

"Ash...." I said as I held his hands which were freezing, Ash looked at me with his lifeless eyes and said, "Sis...Sister father killed his brother....this..." Even before he could complete his sentence he collapsed to the floor.

"ASH!!!" I Shouted.