Chapter 314: Captive bridesmaid.
"It’s the dog." The couple’s daughter replied in a voice that implied she was more exhausted than Sienna.
Sienna’s patience had already worn thin, but the moment the couple began snarling over the dog named Judy, her last nerve snapped.
Albana leaned forward, eyes blazing. "We bought Judy together on our honeymoon. I have invested a lot in that dog. She is mine. If I can’t keep the children, I will keep the dog. At least she won’t inherit your family’s arrogance."
Roy sneered. "You’re a shrew, at least my family lacks that personality. Judy belongs with me. She’s loyal to the master that feeds her, unlike you."
"And you’re a bitch," she spat back. "I’ll let my next husband rename Judy, while we are spending the thirty percent from your fleets. Maybe we will call her Peace, after your mother."
Roy unleashed his claws. Albana showed her fangs.
Sienna slammed her hand on the desk. "Enough! Do you remember what I did to the rattle? I will do the same to Judy if you keep this up."
The office fell silent. Everyone froze, horrified, thinking she meant to kill the dog, to take take away their reason for fighting. The couple’s faces drained of color.
Sienna stood, her voice cold. "You’ve already signed the divorce papers. The custody battle will be overseen by another. Get out." She waved to Mika, "assign the custody battle to the legal department. I’m finished."
The guards ushered the couple out, still muttering threats and insults.
Sienna exhaled, shoulders heavy, and turned to her Mija. "Lunch. Now."
Mija laughed. "Aren’t you glad that I only scheduled one divorce request for you today? I may not look it, but I am very professional. I read the details on every case and do my research on the parties involved. Roy is hiding assets indeed. But it’s not our job to remind his wife to look deeper. Her expensive lawyers should have dug deeper."
They headed to the cafeteria, hoping for a moment of peace and warm meal. Instead, they found a crowd gathered around a long table near the entrance. At its center sat Princess Lina, radiant and loud. She was signing autographs and posing for pictures.
Mija cleared her throat, and the employees there scattered away quickly.
Lina clapped her hands. "Everyone look, my best friend Sienna has arrived!" she declared, her voice carrying across the room.
Sienna raised her brows. "Best friend?" she muttered under her breath. That word was beginning to give her nightmares. She had barely become accustomed to Mija using it and hear was loud mouth princess, declaring it for the whole world to hear. Surely, this would end up on BeastNet today. And Sienna firmly believed it was a lie. Lina had other friends. Friends her age. Noble and royal friends she had known long before Sienna came along.
"Let’s run." Mija whispered, turning and escaping.
Before Sienna could protest or retreat, Lina dragged her to sit beside her.
"What are you doing here?" Sienna asked quickly.
"First of all," Lina said, wrinkling her nose at the tray before her, "the food here is dreadful. And your shoes--honestly, Sienna, rabbit shaped boots with ears! They are so ridiculous. If you are going for cute, choose something with jewels."
Sienna’s jaw tightened. She stared at the soup Lina had abandoned, willing herself not to respond.
Then Lina leaned closer, lowering her voice only slightly. "I saw you on the news, at the scene of that murder outside the pharmacy. Quite dramatic, the tale. But never mind." She smiled sweetly, dismissing the gravity of the tragedy as if it were gossip about a ball.
Sienna’s stomach twisted. She was sure Lina’s reason for visiting was about to be given.
"I need you to step in as my replacement bridesmaid," Lina continued. "you must do it Sienna. I need nine, it’s tradition in the royal family. I had my mine, but the ninth threw a tantrum yesterday. I only told her the truth, that her acne looked like constellations and it would stand out at the wedding because her face would attract more attention than a frog. I thought it was funny. She didn’t appreciate my humor."
Sienna blinked. "You insulted her."
Lina, waved a hand. "Nonsense. I gave her perspective. I even made an appointment for her at one of the best spas in the capital to treat her acne for free. It costs five hundred thousand coins per session. She should be grateful. Anyway, her loss is your gain, bridesmaid."
Sienna opened her mouth to refuse, but Lina snapped her fingers. royal guards surged forward, swift and merciless.
Before Sienna could rise, they seized her arms. The cafeteria gasped as Lina beamed.
"Don’t worry best friend," she said brightly. "We are going to the spa to work on your pores. You’ll thank me later."
Sienna struggled, fury rising, but the guards carried her off. Lina waved cheerfully, oblivious to the outrage she had caused.
The corridors echoed with Sienna’s protests as she was hauled out, and taken into Lina’s airship. Mija, Linera, and her guards tried to follow but the royal guards blocked their way, using their authority to force them to back down. They had no choice but to follow in their own ship at a distance.
Meanwhile, in Lina’s ship, Sienna’s mind raced. She had endured bad news, porcelain wars, custody battles over dogs and endless insults between two people who once referred to each other sweetly. But this--being kidnapped to be a captive bridesmaid was a new level of absurdity. She had not even got time to grab her bag and phone.
Lina prattled on as if she didn’t notice Sienna’s frown, because the princess was truly oblivious to it. "You’ll look lovely in pink silk."
"I don’t wear pink." Sienna said flatly.
Lina went on, "I have already chosen the colors--nine shades of red, each bridesmaid a different hue. Yours will be the lightest red, which is practically pink. So, don’t be jealous of Geneva, because she will have the deepest red. She is the ugliest of you all, so she needs the bright dress to stand out and meet a wealthy man. But with her giant teeth, it will be a miracle, really. I have made an appointment for her with the best dentist in the capital. She needs those corn grain sized teeth filed and re-arranged."
Sienna groaned, tilting her head back. At this rate, Lina will have to find other replacement bridesmaids. If it did happen, she considered letting Mija, Cyra, her aunts and others being kidnapped as captive bridesmaids too. In fact, Cadelaria too. After all, misery should be shared with loved ones.