Chapter 21. Of heartbreak and discoveries.
White doves flew in the air as rose petals gathered at the floor as rose and jack made their way into the awaiting car. It was the end of the reception and they were now on their way to their honeymoon destination in which cal refused to tell me where. Rose and jack will be gone for two weeks and i couldn't be happier for them. They deserved this fairytale ending, though i'd rather think of it as a new beginning.
"Good lord, ruth are you crying?" A small aged woman said to my mother. Her name is Jaquelin white, one of rose's past tutors and a notorious society empress just like my mother.
"Of course not!" My mother protested but it would seem that she was crying judging from the wetness of her cheeks and the slight puffiness of her eyes. My mother is such a drama queen.
I felt a familiar set of arms encircle my waist from behind me. "You seem quite happy this fine evening, miss De-witt bukater" he purred at my ear and i felt a shiver run down my spine.
"Hmm, why shouldn't i be Mr. Hockley? It is a fine evening indeed and i am wearing a beautiful dress while sipping champaign with Pittsburgh's wealthiest people, not to mention the fact that my most beloved sister just got married to the love of her life, so i don't see any reason for me not to be happy" i purred in return and i felt the smirk on his lips as he kissed the base of my neck where it met my shoulder.
"Yes, and that dress really is lovely, shame it would be shred to pieces by the end of this evening but i suppose i could always buy you a new one, maybe something far more 'enticing' and expensive" i shuddered and felt warmth pool in my belly as his lips moved against my skin.
"Well well well, what do we have here? If it isn't my 'step' brother and his little whore" came a cold and shrill voice. Rebecca stood in front of us with all her cold beauty. She was wearing a pastel mint green dress that hugged every curve of her body, the neckline was low and certainly very revealing, not something i would have worn to a wedding though.
"Rebecca, if i were you i would think better of the words that you let slip. It is very unbecoming of you to be calling my fiancé a lowly whore, do try to refrain yourself from accusing Iris of your own actions" cal said through clenched teeth.
I was never one to purposely hate of judge people but Rebecca, oh god please forgive me for such horrible thoughts towards her, but i just couldn't help myself from hating her and wishing that she could just die in a dark corner and then burn in hell for all her sins and all the things she's said to me.
"Oh please, stop defending her cal. We both know she's only after the money" she said with disgust and sarcasm.
I can't believe this woman! "I am not after cal's money! And what right do you have to say such horrible things about me when for all i know you could be the one spending away the Hockley fortune! So please just stop Rebecca!" I almost yelled as i felt the blood in my veins pumping with adrenalin.
Cal and Rebecca looked stunned at my little outburst. "Ladies please, lets not make a scene here and calm ourselves" cal said to both of us, his arm tight on my waist.
"Oh Caledon, always trying to protect the family name from disgrace. That is so like you" Rebecca taunted with a smirk placed on her ruby lips. Cal breathed deeply as if trying to stop himself from strangling his sister right in front of society's wealthiest people.
"I think it would be best for you to leave now, sister" cal said tightly and Rebecca snorted at him without the grace that she claim to posses. But her eyes held a tinge of hurt as cal told her to leave. She left with a whirl of her skirts and a glare aimed at me.
"Im sorry about this iris, if i had known i never would have invited her" cal said turning to face me, his eyes seemed exhausted. I smiled at him a sweet smile and cupped his face with my hands, kissing him lightly on the lips before pulling away.
"Its alright, she is you sister after all" i said and he smiled at me.
Although cal told me not to mind Rebecca, her words of hatred haunted me for days. Is that how she saw me? For the last three days thats all there ever has been in my head. Cal is away on a business trip and my mother is as always, busy with her society duties, so as of the moment i am utterly bored.
"Would you like some tea miss iris?" Judy asked from across the room. Judy reminds me so much of Helga. Oh how i grieve her death on the titanic. I smiled at my maid.
"No thank you Judy, i am fine as of the moment" i said as i went to my balcony. The ring on my finger shone brightly in the sunlight and a warm tingling sensation made its way to my chest. Im engaged to cal, and soon if not later we will be married. I couldn't help but smile.
A soft knock came sounded from the door and Judy answered it, she was talking quietly to who ever was at the door seeming as though reluctant to let them in Judy called out to me.
"M-miss iris, there is someone here to see you" Judy said with worry and i frowned in confusion. Who could it be that made her so nervous.
"Alright then, who is it?" I asked, suddenly the door swung open with a long bang, revealing a grinning Rebecca all draped in red velvet. She strode into my room without any recognition of my presence and sat on one of the arm chairs by the coffee table.
"You, servant girl bring me some tea and perhaps something sweet" she pointed at Judy and crossed her legs. Judy looked at me with nervous eyes and i nodded at her signalling for her to go and get Rebecca's tea.
"What are you doing here Rebecca?" I asked coldly and she turned her icy glare towards pursed her lips and then sighed irritable like a petulant child.
"I want to talk to you" she said all too calmly. I took a seat opposite of her and looked at her just as coldly.
"What do you wish to talk about?" I sighed feeling so exhausted from her mean streak. She fixed me a look that said she meant serious business.
"Stay away from Cal" she said, not a tone of humour or sarcasm in her voice. I stared at her calmly and Judy set our tea on the table.
"That is not something i can grant you nor is it in your place to tell me what to do" i said as i lifted the cup of tea to my lips, it tasted bitter sweet.
"Why cant you just do as you are told? Isn't that what all proper ladies do iris, do as they are told, follow orders like a dog dressed in silk and jewels" she said mockingly which struck a nerve inside me.
"Well, first of all you are not my mother" i said trying to calm myself and refrain from pulling her hair out and choking her to death "and second, i am not like all the other ladies out there Rebecca, i do not follow orders blindly. And if you are talking of dogs disguised as people in lavish finery why i'd say you were talking about yourself, aren't you the one who acts like a high society princess when deep inside you are nothing but howling hound looking for attention" i said with as much harshness i could muster. Im not usually the mean kind.
"How dare you say such things to me! I am Rebecca Hockley, you have no right" she said as she stood abruptly from her chair spilling the tea on the floor. I stared at the ruined carpet with disbelief, it was such a wonderful piece of art.
"I have as much right to say these things as you have trying to insult me. Tell me Rebecca why do you hate me so much? I don't recall ever doing you wrong. Or is cal the reason why you abhor me so much?" I asked surprisingly calm, suddenly her shoulders stiffened and her head hung low.
"Caledon, why must it be him? Why can't you have fallen in love with someone else?" She said in hushed voice, all the disdain gone. And suddenly it hit me, it hit me like a ton of bricks, a heavy feeling of guilt and sadness washed over me.
"Y-you're in love with him" i muttered wide eyed at my own discovery. Suddenly Rebecca whirled to face me, her hands grabbed my shoulders almost painfully, her eyes wide and glassy as tears fell silently.
"Don't! Please stop, don't say it!" She sobbed tearfully falling to her knees, her head laid on my lap as her hands dug into my skin. I didn't know what to do, i sat there frozen and staring at her trembling frame. Until i felt my limp arms wrap around her trying to soothe her.
What do i say? She was just like me, torn by a love that cannot be. I remember how i felt all those years knowing that cal will never be mine because of rose, how painful it had been and how i cried each night. It must've been how Rebecca felt. Somehow i felt so selfish. All those years trying to see cal as nothing more than a sibling tore me apart what more to her.
"I-I'm sorry" i whispered not knowing if she heard me or not. Abruptly she pulled away from me, wiping her tear streaked face and stood up looking at me coldly.
"This changes nothing, i still hate you" she said loathing me and turned for the door slamming it as she went. I stared at the ruined persian carpet and remembered my white satin gloves stained with tea.
I stared at my engagement ring through blurred vision as tears fell from my eyes. I hated myself for crying, for being so weak but my heart again broke, though this time it was not for my pain but the pain of someone who is now in a position i used to be in. To be in love with someone that cannot be yours. It so heart breaking yet I'm too selfish to give her her wish.