The next step

Rebecca woke up and saw the woman sitting close to her while knitting a shawl, she stood up and asked, ''How long have I been sleeping?'' The woman replied, ''You've been asleep for 5 hours and 30 minutes in total.'' Rebecca bowed and thanked the woman before heading towards the door, when she got outside she started walking towards the City. By the time she got to the City, her legs were nimb and her hair and clothes were messy and muddy, she didn't even take her bath, when she saw her residence, hope filled her eyes. She was just about to step through the front door but her maids stopped her. ''Miss, his highness Luther and Jack with Salvador and Sofia are all inside. If you step in looking like this your image and reputation will be destroyed.'' Rebecca understood and let the maids lead the way.

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They led her to a small back door and opened it, luckily her room was close to the kitchen so they passed through the kitchen and entered her room. The sweet smell of tulip and roses combined wafted through the room, Rebecca missed the smell. The maids quickly tore off the remaining fabrics and gasped to see a small scar on her back, they panicked and one poured alcohol in it and the other placed a bandage on it. The maids thought she wanted to be the center of attention so they made her take a long bathe and made her wear an icy dark blue dress and tied some of her hair into a bun and let the others fall down to her waist. They also applied white powder to make Rebecca look like she had a big shock and put purple eyeliner to make purple patches below her eyes.

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Rebecca thanked the maids by doing a slight curtsey and left, closing the door behind her. As soon as she entered, Sofia who was crying jumped up and ran to embrace her sister. Rebecca embraced her back by smiling, ''Oh my baby aijia was worried, you must have had a terrible shock considering how pale your face is.'' Her Mother also embraced her while crying, Rebecca took a sneak peak at the boys. The were frowning, blaming themselves why they didn't protect her well. Rebecca walked towards them and placed her hands around their necks pulling them into a warm embrace. ''Oh my, they looked me in a mouldy and smelling room and tortured me. They almost ruined my innocence but with the remaining strength I had, I pushed them away and jumped out the window.'' She lied gaining sympathy from those around her. Sofia asked, ''But jiejie, why didn't you use your magic.''

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''When I woke up, I smelt a poison in the air and tried to cover my noes but they tied my hands. I tried using my magic but the poison prevented me from using it.'', Rebecca nelt on the ground and kowtowed, ''Because of me, mother and father were worried please forgive me.'' Sofia rushed to Rebecca side and helped her up before she kowtowed again, Rebecca purposely fell and hit her head on the table causing her to black out.

(Aijia means, 'this miserable one')

(Jiejie is a title given to a girl older or higher than you )