Love in Disguise by Rosa Sparks

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room, the flickering flames casting eerie shadows on the walls

elow her neck. Her deep green eyes sparkled with a mix of sadness, pain, and bitter emotions. Her slender fing

ity. It started when her older brother, Charles, had gone missing twelve years ago under mysterious circumstances

brother, Adrien, that resents her deeply , locks himself in his room, staying there, strugglin

on her shoulders. She was to marry well, produce heirs, and ensu

l had ot

roke the silence, signaling the arrival of someone. She knew fairly too well what that sound was -- and it was no

Mademoiselle Avril," there stood a tall, slender, old man in his late fifties, with a gaunt face, and sunken eyes with gentle smile but his ey

ognize that expression, which could only mean one thing. The summons from he

low and gravelly, "Mademoiselle Avril, the Lord summons you at once to the family me

ters arise, especially when it involves her. She knew this wasn't goin

ques behind through the dark, winding corridors of

knew, the better. As he knows the affairs of the Rochef

andfather want to discuss? The meeting room was located in the east

the family, including her uncles and aunts, her cousins, and other distant relatives from below, each sides castin

father's right, scoffing softly as their eyes met befor

sity. The room itself was dimly lit, with only a few candles casting flickering shadows on the walls, their soft g

andfather, Lord le Comte, the residing patriarch of the Rochefoucauld family. He sat ma

re into Avril's very soul. His hair, a deep, dark silver, was cut close to the scalp, revealing a subtle sprinklin

eveal what she was feeling. Why had her grandfather gathered everyone?

gers entwined, as his piercing grey eyes scanning the room and

is voice firm laced with a hint of sadness. "The Westminster family has approa

s and whispers; some snickered with si

legitimate son of their family," a s

slept with almost half the women in Lon

son to his father!" Another snic

o a bastard's son," Another said to othe

, his face calm but evident with anger,

silence as he spoke, evident

ng he hadn't overheard the conversation. But his downcast eyes told her it was too late, Étienn

ings in front of a child!? She signaled to Étienne with a hidden meaning, he c

s gaze, taunting them for their previous remarks making their faces to twinge a bit. Adrien sat with his arms a

th rage, and she felt her face grow hot with anger revealing all

tone, like the anger in her face dissipated

, and I've already applied for a scholarship to my

e, with all eyes fixed on Avril. Did she just

ned crimson red with anger, but just like her,

will marry the Westminster boy, and yo

as she faced her grandfather, her expression unwaver

hat to do with it. Which means I-WILL-NOT-MARRY-HIM." She retorted

few minutes, which felt like eternity. The room seemed to hold its breath. Family member

married to Harrison Grosvenor. You will do it with no complaints. You will wear your white

upon the room, like a physical presence choked th

ss laugh tore from her throat, shattering the silence in the room. The sound was devoid of any joy. Everyone stared at her, be

nless face which was fixed on Lord le Comte. She knew she couldn't match with power against him, but Avril stood h

the university of my choice if I agreed to marry someone from a fam

roving glances and others attempting to intervene, only to be silenc

etween us, Grandfather," Avri

to blindly foll

ords hung like a challenge, daring anyone to defy her. The weight of he

d through the silence: "L

p, but Avril's ga

med out of the room. Her footsteps echoed down the corridor, a staccato beat that underscored

nside and refused to come out. Her chest heaving with emotion. Avril stood f

*

le rapping a stark contrast to the urgency in his voice. "Miss Avril, your grandfather reques

e firm and resolute. "As a matter of fact, I'll never

full-blown strike, and she wouldn't back

head gently, before turning to

ankly into the void, her beautiful green gem eyes losing their sparkle. Then, a single tear drop f

her hands to her face. "Why can

prunes. Just when all was lost for Avril, something sparkly caught he

reat intensity. "Ugh...why does it have to be so fre

loud, it was

to the vanity, tripping on something invisible. She crashed to

examining her lavender dream acrylic nails. She si

the desk. "You stupid vanity! You almost cost me a new manicure!" With th

ng around on one foot. Her dignity in tatters, she p

n the second floor of the

family would have wit

se, her left foot got caught in the rug, and

nally, her hands clutching her butt, her mo

he object sparkled, its pink glitter catching the faint light. Avril's curiosity was pi

"Omg, is that...my journal?!" she excla

A loud thud echoed through the room, followed by Avril's pained yelp. "Ouch! My head," she bellowed, clutching her

breath to regain her composure. As she steadied her nerves, her gaze locked onto the diamond-crusted, heart-shap

leasing a faint scent of aged paper into the air. The pages, yellowed with time, crackled

e fashion icons, and heartfelt musings about the latest trends and styles. A faded ribbon bookma

creativity and imagination that had driven her passion for fashion from a young

l shone through, a testament to the pas

al, Avril stumbled upon motivational notes sh

Avril! Your dreams are

g something AMAZING! Don't l

lothes - it's about self-expression, con

otions. Her eyes welled up with tears as she turned the pages, each

had made seven years ago. The first item

S BUCKE

LD-WIDE FAMOUS F

.

it was written in looping, squiggly letters. Although, it wa

signer EVER! Get into RCA, top all your classes, become VALEDICT

r awesome

per cool fu

*

heart that her younger self had scribbled at the bottom, Wit

gnited within her – a spark that h

missing for years. The fire that once drove her to pursue her passions had

sparkling with determination. "Yes! Young me is right. I shouldn't give up just be

orldwide fashion designer, making Momma, Papa, and Grandfather proud!" Sh

scent of blooming flowers from the gardens below. The sun had dipped below the horizon, casting a

oing Avril's declaration. With the journal still clutched in her hand, she r

sound of her voice seemed to carry on the w

dfather's opposition, ready to take on whatever challenges England and RCA had i

. Avril de la Roche