chapter 5

Chapter — The Choice

After Melvin left, silence filled the room for a moment—before it was broken by the sound of soft, mocking laughter.

Bella leaned back on the couch, laughing at Ria without restraint. “Oh, cousin… this suits you so well,” she said, her voice dripping with satisfaction.

Ria looked at her coldly, her eyes no longer trembling with hurt. “Do you think I don’t know who did this?” she asked quietly. Her voice was calm, but her gaze was sharp enough to cut through the air. “Just because I didn’t say anything, doesn’t mean I can’t do anything.”

Bella crossed her arms and tilted her head, smirking. “Aren’t you just justifying yourself now?”

Ria let out a small scoff. “You can think whatever you want. I don’t owe anyone an explanation anyway.”

With that, she turned and walked out of the palace, her steps echoing down the corridor like fading pieces of her broken pride.

---

When Ria reached home, she walked straight into her room and quietly locked the door behind her.

She dropped her cloak on the chair, sat on her bed, and leaned back, staring blankly at the ceiling. Then she lay down, closing her eyes, trying to steady her breath.

But as soon as she did, warm tears slipped from the corners of her eyes, tracing silent paths down her cheeks. She jolted up, wiping them away quickly.

“Ria,” she murmured to herself, staring into the empty air. “This isn’t like you. Wake up.”

Her voice broke slightly, but her expression hardened. She was hurt — hurt that the person she cherished the most, the one she trusted without question, had doubted her.

Trying to calm her racing thoughts, Ria stood and walked to her dressing table. She sat down, staring at her reflection in the mirror — her eyes red, her face pale.

A faint, bittersweet smile touched her lips. “Isn’t it time for me to do something for myself?” she whispered.

Her gaze drifted to the wooden drawer beside the mirror — the one she hadn’t opened for weeks. Something inside tugged at her memory. She pulled the drawer open slowly and found a sealed envelope lying there.

When she saw it, her heart skipped. She picked it up and, as her eyes scanned the familiar handwriting, she froze.

The letter read:

“Congratulations! You are accepted into Janus Prestigious Academy.”

She stared at it in disbelief, though she already knew what it contained. She had received it long ago but never opened it — because all she had wanted was to stay close to Melvin.

Now, looking at it again, she realized how much she had forgotten herself for someone who hadn’t even believed her.

Her fingers tightened around the letter. “I can’t keep living like this,” she whispered. “It’s time I did something for me.”

With that, she made up her mind — she would go to Janus Academy.

---

That evening, Ria went to meet her parents. They were seated in the drawing room when she entered, her voice steady but firm.

“Mother, Father,” she began, “I have something to tell you.”

Her parents exchanged glances. “Yes, dear? What is it?” her mother asked softly.

Ria clenched her fists, gathering courage. “I’ve been accepted into Janus Prestigious Academy,” she said. “And I want to go.”

For a moment, both her parents were stunned. “What?” her father asked.

“Yes,” she said again, her voice unwavering. “I want to go.”

Her mother’s eyes softened, though her expression was conflicted. They had always wanted Ria to grow, to chase her own dreams — yet the thought of her leaving filled them with quiet sorrow.

They knew her heart, knew how deeply she cared for Melvin. But they never spoke of it — it was her choice, and they wanted her to be happy.

Her father sighed. “So… you’re letting it go?”

The question hung heavy in the air. For a moment, Ria’s eyes flickered with surprise — but then she smiled gently, a calm strength shining in her expression.

“Yes,” she said. “I am. I want to do something for myself now.”

Her parents looked at each other and smiled proudly through their tears. “Then we’ll support you, no matter what you choose,” her mother said.

Ria’s heart warmed. “Thank you.”

After a moment, she suddenly remembered something. “Oh, and… Father, Mother — there’s something else.”

They looked at her curiously.

“They said I have to keep my identity, and even the academy’s name, a secret,” she explained. “It’s one of their rules.”

Her father chuckled. “Of course. We know the rules of Janus Academy — you can’t reveal its name until you graduate, nor can you disclose your identity.”

Her mother added with a smile, “You’ll need to use a different academy name until then.”

Ria blinked. “You already knew?”

“Of course we did,” her father replied, amused. “It’s the most prestigious academy in the kingdom. Everyone knows its rules.”

Then, his expression softened again. “We won’t ask what happened, dear. But… have you told Lucy?”

Ria shook her head. “Not yet. I’ll tell her when she comes back.”

“That’s good,” her mother said warmly. “Now come, let’s have dinner.”

---

A few days later, Ria received a letter — the familiar handwriting instantly bringing a smile to her face.

It was from Lucy.

> “I’m coming back soon!”

Ria read the words and whispered softly, “Then I’ll tell you everything when you return.”

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