"Is it just me, or did Ara seem like a different person?" The young woman's voice trembled with uncertainty, mirroring the apprehension in the group's eyes. Only Minette's gaze held a different intensity—calculations and suspicions swirling in her mind. She boarded the elevator with the others, lost in her thoughts.
"Minnie, how are you going to handle this situation? Your sidekick appears to be serious about breaking off her engagement with 1st Master Dillard. She even alluded to severing ties with you. Do you have any idea what has changed in the past four days to make her want nothing to do with either of you?" As they emerged from the elevator, the confident young woman with gold-highlighted red hair addressed Minette, her haughty gaze fixed on her.
The questions and tone snapped Minette out of her thoughts. Minette's full focus turned to Juliet. And then she hummed. Not a melody, not even a full breath of song. Just a single note, soft and drawn out—like the moment right before glass shatters. Juliet's body immediately froze in place. Juliet sensed her mind and body had become disconnected. Her heartbeat felt like it vibrated through her body, making it all she could hear, then Minette's melodic voice drew her in.
"Juliet, are you implying the bond between me and my best friend can be severed that easily?" Minette blinked slowly, tilting her head to the side.
"Do you think that because Ara has suddenly found her backbone again, I will allow Ara and Koba's engagement to be broken after we have so graciously planned for them to be together forever and always?" Minette stalked over to Juliet, snapping her out of her frozen state. The walls narrowed as Juliet backed up, the dim lighting casting long shadows that wrapped around her legs like vines.
The other girls followed Minette in sync, surrounding Juliet on all sides once her back was against a wall. "Juju, did you forget to take your daily dose of reality? Do you honestly think I would allow my best friend to be separated from me after I have nurtured our relationship to be one of dependency with subtle, harmless spells over the past 10 years?" Minette's smile widened until her mesmerizing lavender eyes resembled crescents. Looking into her enchanting face, for a moment Juliet's breath calmed once again.
She was reminded of why she followed Minette. So enthralling and beautiful, Minette looks like someone you could tell all your secrets to, and she will listen without judgement. Yet…Juliet's fingers twitched as a buried memory tried to surface. Juliet shoved that memory down hard. It had to stay buried if she was going to survive by Minette's side. She can't stop smiling and appearing visibly whole. Minette doesn't like negative energy in her collective. The sight of that wide smile and crescent lavender eyes directed at her tugged on that memory regardless of her efforts. Cupping Juliet's face, she studied her so coldly that Juliet felt Minette wasn't looking at her as a person but as a possession that was malfunctioning.
Juliet, breathe. You won't disappear like the other girls. You made a mistake, but you can't slip up again. Smile and agree. Survive her like you have up until this moment.
"Are you really questioning my control of the situation, Juju?" Minette's sharp nails pierced into Juliet's face, making her afraid to move in case her eyes were stabbed. The scent of pink lychee and black currant invaded her nose. Sweet and bitter.
Intoxicating poison that tried to seep in again, but Juliet resisted while pretending to comply. The distant sound of the entrance doors and murmurs of voices coupled with activating her mental shield charm kept Juliet from slipping under Minette's spell again. "Of course, I trust you, Minnie. I just wanted to check in and see if you needed us to investigate why Ara is in the hospital. Maybe we should put surveillance in place. I want everything to go as you envision it." Juliet hoped her voice sounded sincere enough to appease the leader of their collective.
She wanted to make it home to her family. I had forgotten who Minette really is behind the glamour. If I can just make it through this incident, I will fade into the background and let one of the others rise to take my place as Minette's second. Just get through this moment, Juliet. Mom, Dad, and Vin are waiting for you at home.
Minette slowly dragged her nails down Juliet's face, leaving lines on her skin. Blood began to well up and drip down, but Juliet remained still, allowing Minette to do as she pleased. With a smile, Minette stepped back, admiring her handiwork. "I'm so glad to have your trust," she said. "Since you trust me, you'll trust my opinion when I say you look amazing with these lines on your face. How about you try out this look for about a week to decide if you'll keep it or not?"
"If you think so, I'll keep the lines for a week," Juliet replied. "I'm already coming up with outfit ideas to complement my new look." Juliet smiled back brightly, ignoring the maliciously pleased look from Renee. When her eyes locked on Sonya, her best friend, whose mouth opened like she was going to speak, Juliet gave their signal to not react. Sonya's mouth snapped shut and she gave the response signal. Her face shifted to a mocking expression but her eyes still held worry.
Good, let's hope we can both fade out of this collective. Maybe it's time both our families reconsidered our alliances.
"Great," Minette said. "How about you all go home early? This visit was more emotional than any of us expected. If she reaches out to any of you, you know how to handle matters. She's apparently upset with me and Koba, so she may reach out to one of you to gauge whether this stunt of hers is working. I'll speak with Koba to see if he knows anything about why she's acting this way. Toodles, ladies." Minette walked off with a sway to her hips. Yes, everything is still under control. I'll update Momma on things, but let her know I'm sure things are still going according to plan.