Capítulo 30: What An Old Trick

Ariana's eyes widen in shock, just as everyone else's at the sight of such a sincere smile from the Ruskin girl. She must've heard the rumours from her maids, how stoic of a woman Myra is—such a strict and straightforward girl that her smile was a precious treasure, rarer than a blue moon.

Feigning confusion, she pouts her lips. "Is there a problem?"

"We're just happy you're safe," Ariana quickly replies, clutching onto Myra's forearm with her nimble fingers. Her lips smile, but it's easy to tell it's almost planned to fit the moment.

Myra remembers insincere grins because they're akin to the ones she carries in her memories from her past life.

From her observations, there is almost a guaranteed chance that she has found the person she owes her revenge to.

Myra is aware of the fact that the other guests spend the lunch talking about her from the way they glance towards her so often.

Jalen leans over to his older sister, eyes darting around and frequenting between the guests. Before he can speak, Myra lowers her head and pushes him away.

"Whatever you have to say can be mentioned later. She's listening," Myra murmurs and Jalen instantly understands the meaning behind her words.

Truly enough, when he peeks over at the Bougainvillea daughter sitting at the head of the table, she's watching with a look of such intensity in her eyes that her expression could kill.

Myra scoffs under her breath, well-knowing a person couldn't change completely even if they're in the body of someone else.

It's enough, with the little she's seen, to know the deceptions of her old friend. From what she's been through, she would never be one to forget how looks can be deceiving.

The lunch is a quick affair that passes just as it's begun. While she would've liked to help herself to larger portions, Myra couldn't seem too enthusiastic, else she'd have rumours circulating about her being greedy with food.

Over the fact that her reputation is at stake, the pressing concern about her food being spiked exists so she could only eat as much that wouldn't leave her bloated and vulnerable to large amounts of suspicious substances.

The guests are excused shortly after dessert is completed so Myra takes it as her opportunity to leave as well, mainly so she'll be able to create a plan for herself rather than making brash decisions on the spot.

After all, the girl she's dealing with might as well be a stranger.

On her way out of the greenhouse with Jalen and Ares who'd caught up to them while they were on their leisure walk, Myra is stopped as she's pulled back by her wrist unexpectedly. She turns, met by Ariana who looks like she ran all the way to catch up to her.

"Do you mind sparing some time for a walk?" she asks urgently.

Jalen emerges from behind, slinging one hand against his sister's shoulder, "No can do. We have guards waiting for us outside so we'll get into trouble if we don't go out in time. Our parents instructed us to be out once the party was over since we can't spare a lot of time for other plans today, sorry."

With this, he clasps Myra's hand in his own and pulls her towards him, hard enough such that Ariana is forced to lose her grip.

Ares glares at the blonde, a stern aura shrouding him as he challenges the petite girl to speak up again.

"It will only be for a while. I promise we won't go far, just within the vicinity of the garden. If you so wish, you can allow your guards to come in and keep an eye on us," Ariana says quickly so none of them would be able to argue.

At this very moment, without waiting for an answer, she calls forward surrounding butlers to give her permission for the Ruskin guards to enter.

"Come on, I promise it won't be anything terrible. Our families may be rivals but we don't have to be!" she pleads, clasping Myra's hand in both of her own.

Realising she has no option but to agree, Myra relents and pulls her hand out of her brother's.

"Wait in the carriage. I'll be out in ten minutes," she announces and allows herself to get led away by the overly-excited Ariana.

Knowing they have no further room to object, the boys leave the venue and rely on the guards to stand watch outside the poison garden in the meantime that Myra has to tend to Ariana's oddly urgent request.

She finds goosebumps prickling against her skin as she tails the woman meant to be her rival, almost as if her body has subconsciously become defensive at the sight of her.

"Why do you need me?" she breaks the silence, realising it's best to get the conversation over with.

"There was something I wanted to show you," Ariana explains before pausing somewhere amongst the plants in her dense garden.

Myra feels a shudder run against her skin as she feels a leaf brush against her skin. She frowns at it, the butler's advice of keeping away from poisonous plants echoing through her mind as she puts in a conscious effort to avoid anything that may leave her incapacitated.

Myra almost loses Ariana to the point all she can hear is her voice from behind a cover of plants. Out of nowhere, her wrist is grabbed and she's yanked forward, after which she almost trips over something invisible.

Myra holds her breath as her heart misses an entire beat. Ariana holds her in front of a massive flower sitting upon a mossy podium, one with no name—an entirely different species created from a hybrid of plants.

"I'm quite the geek when it comes to plants, as the maids told me when they were helping me recall what I was like before passing out. I've been growing this plant since I was a kid and after twelve years, it's finally achieved such growth."

She slowly inches closer to her resting plant, reaching a hand towards it. Before brushing her finger tips against it, however, she leaves her hand hovering mid-air and she turns.

"Won't you touch it?" she urges.