Adler | The Monarch & The Heirs BOOK 2.

Judgement | A TWELVE

There was a sigh from the other end. 'You are so weird.'

"Says the girl who has a box full of her cousin's baby teeth."

'That's different! I just didn't want them not believing in the tooth fairy, they'd be devastated.'

"I think they would be more devastated in knowing their fifteen year old relative hoards them."

'Shut up.'

"Cassandra!" hollered the voice of her mother from downstairs. "You better be ready! We're leaving now."

"Gotta go now. My tea party in hell is set."

'Stay strong.'

With that, the call was terminated and Cassandra slipped into her silver pumps, thanking the heavens she talked her mother out of making her conformed to heels. She raced down to the compound where Winston was parked by their chariot. Her mother stood posing in her ivory white cardigan over a lime shift dress and Ewen no doubt held hostage as the amateur photographer.

When Cassandra tried to weasel out of taking a shot together, her mother hooked her by the throat. Cassandra was practically aching to go after the tenth shot when Ewen's phone battery conveniently died. She was sure it wasn't her imagination that the boy sent her snide nod before whisking off to the garden.

**

"Remember, no elbows on tables."

"I know, mummy."

"If somebody asks you for something that you want to decline, it's not 'Nah' or 'I'll pass' just say no thank you."

"Mmhmm."

"And make sure to chew with your mouth close—"

"I heard you the first hundred times, mummy." Cassandra huffed.

"I'm just making sure, alright?" Her mother justified, adjusting her knee high hem as they were sat in the leathery seating of the car. "Forgive me if I'm concerned after that last incident at the company president's retirement party."

Cassandra groaned. "Patrick was the one who wanted to make a joke while toasting."

"You shouldn't have been drinking before it was done." retorted her mother. "And you just had to snort it all out on the in-law's table."

"My bad, okay?" Cassandra concurred. She docked her tilted head by the glass with the venue soon coming into view when there was no longer pine trees flooding the scenery.

Instead, a twelfth foot tall water fountain emerged by gilded gates in front and the balloons pinned by the identical banners at each right and left with the lettering of indication to the event matching the invites.

They were in the right place. No doubt. This was it. The Von Vancouver Manor.

Cassandra caught her mother's body shift to rigid as Winston steered the car into the checkpoint. Her mother supplied the names to the guard who was snobby personified and they were granted access to proceed through a driveway path at the corner. Why the need for all the cautious for bloody tea? Cassandra wondered, bemused. Were they frightened someone would nick a sugar cube?

She snickered at her own joke but stopped abruptly when catching a snazzy sports car, the exact model dad recently purchased for their family picnic. Only this one was a darker shade.

When Cassandra peered to her mother, it was evident she hadn't been the only one to notice it. Her mother's cherry red painted lips hung in a grim straight line. Her hand absentmindedly fumbling on where the wedding band used to lay. Cassandra quickly wrapped her hands around her mother's, succeeding to seize the attention from the grieving trance.