Nora Perspective:

I was sitting at dinning, room with my stepfamily.  Dad was not home because he has to go to lunch meeting so it's only us. I was scrolling on my phone.

The food arrived everyone was eating food. There was silence when Ms. Sana broke it. " Did your father told you that we are meeting his friend?"

"No what friend?" I asked kind of not interested.

"Your father's friend. Oh god. Do you even live here. Be ready at 7:00, we are going to a restaurant where we're going to meet them. Right mom." Lucy said in a disbelieving tone, that everything happened in this house by telling me. I roll my eyes on her, and ignored her.

"Understand what Lucy said." Sana said.

" Understand, Ms. Sana."

" Good"

" Mom, I am going to a party, so I am not going to come there." Lucy said to her mother.

" Well, my beautiful daughter you know you can do whatever you want, and I never stop you but this special so, postponed this party and come with us on time." She cooed her. And I roll my eyes at them.

"But mom I- " Lucy was cut off by Sana stuff some food in her mouth and shut her up.

"I am done" I stand from my seat and head to my room. I sat on my bed and get some files for the presentation of yesterday, but my mind was elsewhere, a friend reunion what kind of friend father have, I never know any friends of my father, but it isn't like I ever get out of this house. Well, none of my business.

Few minutes later, there was a knock on the door, and someone came in.

"I was here to telling you, that you are not going to come with us." Sana said.

"It's not like I want to come with you." I mumbled but she heard

"I mean, that you are going to come in another car because there some gifts and some stuff I've order so you have to that with you, you got it." She spoke.

I nod my head not moving my eyes from the file.

"Nora" she said my name like that, that I ate my name for it, but I didn't look at her.

"Hmm" I don't want to answer her. She stands Infront of me, held my chin and made me to look in her eyes.

"You know that It's not going to happened what you want, so listen to me carefully." She said, removing the strand out of my face before rolling it in her hands.

"Don't open your mouth there, don't tell them that I am your stepmother and most importantly they don't have to know that you are only daughter of the duke, Lucy is your sister, your real blood sister, got it?" She said in a sweet yet in harsh tone, that send shiver down my body.

I nod my head but a smirk playing on my face, "I will do everything you told me to do, you know why, because I love it when your hopes are up." seeing my smirk her smirk fall. "And I don't know how but you have guts to order me to tell that annoying daughter of yours is my sister. It's better that I am alone."

" How dare you... You insult my daughter and... And ...and ... " She removed her hand to my cheek and trailed to my neck, scaring.

"You know that I only listen to you because of dad, and I am going to get a revenge of my mother and her friend from you and your precious friend Elizabeth. " I said to her a smirk playing on my face. And she was pale as snake bit her.

"So ... so what are you going to do huh kill me." she said grasping my neck tightly. "You can never get what you want and there is nothing you can do to me" she laughed "and my beloved my stepdaughter you don't know who Elizabeth is so how do you going to take revenge on both of us? hmm." she said as her finger trailed to my cheek.

She pushed me back and I slammed on the floor hard, she grabbed my hair and faced me to her.

"What do you think saying these things to me I am going to let you go that easily I killed your mother for your father, and I am going to kill you for money. You got it? You will end up just like your mother. You are going to do as you are told, got it? " she said while slamming my head on the dressing and went out of the room.

I am not going to cry no matter what she says, don't cry Nora. I get up on my feet and look at myself in mirror there is blood on the side of my forehead, I quickly locked the room and get aid box and starter treating it. I quickly rapped it and put a band on my forehead, this will take a scar. 

I look at myself again in the mirror, " I am never going to lose mother, I will take revenge on who killed you and your friend. I promise you." I said to a girl who is Infront of me, I quickly get in the dressing room and changed into black dress which have pockets. (Dress above). I did a very light makeup and wore black heels, take a purse, out a phone in my pocket and head to the living room all of them were about to leave and I came my dad look at me.

"Your mother told you that you are not com-" I cut off my dad.

"I know it." I mumbled and walked past him slamming my shoulder with his shoulder.

Stomping my foot i get in the car, head to the gift shop. I try not to cry in the car. We arrived at the shop I quickly take the flowers and gifts, get in the car and arrived at restaurant. The driver parks the car and get out to take the gift. "Here child let me take it." Mr. Park said to me. I pass a smile to him, but it didn't reach my ear.

 I take the flowers and see they already arrived, I smiled a sad smile on went in there and ask receptionist, where the reservation of Duke is she led me there. She led me in a room and knock on the door the driver was behind me the door open and I walk in with a cold expression.

I saw everyone attention is in me now. I think I have to introduce myself. "Hello. I am Nora. Nora Duke. Nice to meet you." I said in my most politely voice and smile slightly while giving them flowers.

"What a lovely girl you are dear. Thank you." A women said I smiled my dad gesture me to sit. I sat Infront a man who took flowers by my and now is avoiding my eyes.

"Enjoy kids. We are going to talk something, okay? Enjoy." Sana said and walked out.

"My name is Violette. You can call me violet." A little girl said around 14 or 16 something, she smiled at me, I also tried to smile back.

"My name is Seth. I am her older brother." A boy said which is goanna be around 18. He has blonde hair and a cute smile on his face. I also smile back. I started to look at the restaurant interior. "Bro, introduce yourself." Seth whisper to his older brother. a guy cleared his throat to get attention. I wasn't interested I was looking at painting he cough fake. I turned towards him.

"Hi. My name is Nicholas." I nod and again look at painting. "You like that painting."

I look at him and he also look at me and the same time. He has a black hair which is messed up and coming on his forehead, he has a black eyes. The moment our stare met, I looked away.

"Yes." I said almost whispering, I don't know how to talk to them.

"And you already know me I am Lucy." Lucy said in a cheerful tone.

Then there was a silence for some minute until a door opened and a waiter came. He gets the drinks and serve us all. There was something wrong with this waiter he was eyeing like he was recognizing something.

"Excuse me Ma'am." He gets my attention.

"Yes? " I said coldly.

"Are you Nora." The waiter asked.

"Yes" I answered, coldly.

"This is your glass. Your father Mr. Duke order it for you." The waiter said politely, bowed and ran away. I quickly take a sip of my juice.

"Your father really care for you." The man, I think his name was Nicholas said. I look at everyone. Siblings were in a fight and Lucy was on her phone.

"Yeah, I guess so." I chuckled a bit then answer.

"So, what you do" He asked.

"Nothing, just handle a business." He nods and make his lips in thin line.

Then we were again sat in the silence. Lucy was on her phone, the two siblings bickering to each other and then tell they're older brother, I was observing everything.  Some laughter gets to my ears. Dad came laughing, there was another man on wheelchair, he was older just like my dad. Nicholas got by his side and helped him to the chair. I was looking at my juice that it is most interesting thing in the world.

"Nora, you didn't drink the juice, it's your favorite, drink it." My dad said, he knows my favorite drink. I nod my head at him.

"Nora" another voice came in my ear. The old man who was in wheelchair asked me. I nodded. He came towards me Nicholas in toe. "You got so grown up." If saw right, and I did, there was tear in his eyes. "You are replica of your mother." I smiled at him.

"Well, I don't know. I only see her on pictures." I said a sad smile on my face.

"Nora" my dad called me.

"Yes dad." I answered.

"He is your mother friend. He was there when your mother and her wife...died." my dad said.

"Oh" is all I can say. "Nice to meet you Mr.." I said want to know his name.

"You can call me uncle." I smile at him and nod my head.

"His second wife is also your mother friend " my dad said, I smiled slightly.

So, I got to know another friend of Sana.

"Nice to meet you sir. I never met my parents' friends. This is my first-time meeting so many people." I said honestly.

"It's okay. I thought you remember me." Old man mumbled.

"Come on Breton she was only few months old at that time." A sad chuckled passed from his lips.

"Yeah, I forget, actually I also never met anyone after my wife died, so it's also hard for me. And call me uncle." he said sternly last sentence. 

I gave him a genuine smile. And sat on my seat.

I didn't talk to him, but he told me about my, his and his wife adventures. I mostly smiled at my imagination. That day I get to know my mother and I were so different. She has a lot of friends and I have none. She was free and I was in prison. She was beautiful yet I was ugly. She was a princess and I was a prisoner. 

That's how I am different from my own mother.