Trapped By Freedom

Hidden Intentions

Sophia

I walked downstairs and found Mum giving instructions to the maids.

"Uhm, Mum, is Victoria on her way?" I asked, my eyes drifting to the freshly unwrapped duvet.

"Yes, dear. She should be here any minute. You know how much Tori loves her beauty sleep," Mum replied with a smile.

I nodded and glanced around the house. Event organisers moved about making final adjustments, and one of them carefully fixed the last flower arrangement along the staircase.

Everything looked beautiful.

I couldn't stop smiling. Excitement bubbled inside me, though beneath it lingered a strange feeling I couldn't explain.

I slowly climbed the stairs, admiring the floral decorations before returning to my room. The moment I stepped inside, I flopped onto my bed and reached for the novel I'd been reading.

A loud car horn echoed through the compound.

Victoria.

Curious, I walked to the window.

Her sleek black car rolled into the driveway as one of the maids hurried over to collect her luggage. Everyone in the house seemed unusually careful around her.

Honestly, I couldn't blame them.

I'd let Mum welcome her first.

Just as I settled back onto my bed...

Bang!

The loud sound made me jump.

My heart raced as I hurried downstairs.

"What happened?"

I stopped in my tracks.

Victoria sat comfortably on the sofa with the television volume turned up so loudly it sounded as though something had exploded.

She looked at me and smiled.

"Oh, hi, sister. Did I scare you?"

I let out the breath I'd been holding.

"No. I thought something had crashed."

I turned to leave.

"So, how are the preparations going?" she asked casually. "This is your first big birthday party, isn't it? The media will be there too. I hope you don't embarrass yourself."

There it was.

The jab.

I smiled anyway.

"I'll be fine. I have my family with me, and that's all I need."

"You sure are," she muttered.

Before either of us could say another word, Mum walked into the living room.

"Girls, lunch is ready."

"Mum, when is Dad coming home?" I asked.

"He should be here any minute."

Right on cue, the front door opened.

"Grandpa!"

Victoria rushed over and hugged him tightly.

"I missed you so much!"

"Really?" Dad laughed. "You only visit when your grandmother calls."

Victoria giggled.

When they pulled apart, I wrapped my arms around him.

"I missed you too, Dad."

"I missed you more, princess."

The butler carried his suitcase upstairs while Dad reached into his pocket.

I watched him expectantly.

He never travelled without bringing me something.

"Looking for this?" he asked with a smile.

He brought out two delicate bracelets.

"One for you."

He handed one to Victoria.

"And one for my birthday girl."

Victoria immediately chose the bracelet with the purple gemstone, leaving me with the red one.

I didn't mind.

Dad had picked them himself.

That was enough.

"Thank you, Dad."

"Thank you, Grandpa," Victoria and I said together.

For a brief second, our eyes met.

The smile on her face disappeared.

"I'll freshen up first," Dad said before heading upstairs.

Soon, we all gathered around the dining table.

Lunch was peaceful until Dad cleared his throat.

"The Costellos will be attending Sophia's birthday tomorrow."

The Costellos.

Dad's longtime business partners.

"And I don't want any trouble from either of you."

"I won't cause any trouble," I replied immediately.

Victoria looked at me.

"You do know who the Costellos are, right? Maybe you should spend less time chatting with your friend and more time learning about important people."

She was trying to provoke me.

"I know who they are," I answered calmly. "I enjoy reading."

That was only partly true.

I knew the Costello family name, but not much about them personally. I certainly didn't know anything about their children or grandchildren.

She gave me another look before returning to her food.

After lunch, Victoria stood up.

"Grandma, can I see my dress now?"

"Of course."

Curious, I followed them upstairs.

The moment Mum unzipped the garment bag, Victoria gasped.

"Oh my goodness..."

She carefully lifted the deep red velvet gown from the bag, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"It's beautiful."

"It suits you perfectly," Mum said proudly.

Victoria couldn't stop admiring herself in the mirror after trying it on. I had to admit, the dress looked stunning on her.

"I'm so glad you like it," I whispered to Mum.

She smiled knowingly.

Fashion had always been Victoria's weakness. Whenever clothes were involved, she was genuinely happy.

Eventually, she asked Mum to help unzip the dress.

I was about to leave when she stopped me.

"Wait."

She frowned.

"Where's your gown?"

"It isn't here yet."

"What do you mean? You're the birthday girl."

"There were a few adjustments," I lied smoothly. "The designer will bring it tomorrow."

She stared at me for a moment.

I knew she didn't believe me.

Good.

She didn't need to know my dress was already hidden safely away.

Back in my room, I grabbed my phone and called Vanessa.

She answered almost immediately.

"Girl! Tomorrow is finally here!"

Her excitement made me laugh.

She spent several minutes telling me about the after-party. She'd booked the venue, her friends were ready, and according to her, tomorrow night would be unforgettable.

I couldn't stop smiling.

Everything we'd planned for months was finally coming together.

"Oh, don't forget to send me your friends' names," I reminded her.

"Mum needs them for the guest list."

"I'll send them right away."

We chatted a little longer before ending the call.

Just as I placed my phone on the bed, someone knocked.

Without waiting for permission, Victoria walked into my room.

"So," she said with a bright smile, "how are you handling everything?"

The exact same question she'd asked downstairs.

Her eyes slowly wandered around my room.

She wasn't checking on me.

She was searching.

"I'm surprised your dress still isn't here," she said. "Don't you think that's strange?"

I folded my arms.

"You seem awfully interested in my dress."

She laughed softly.

"I'm just a fashion lover. I thought I could give a few suggestions."

"The stylist will bring it tomorrow," I replied. "If anything needs adjusting, she'll handle it."

She nodded, but I wasn't convinced she believed me.

After giving my room one last careful glance, she finally walked out.

I watched the door close behind her.

Something told me Victoria wasn't simply curious about my gown.

She was planning something.

And whatever it was...

It couldn't be good.