The night was a full moon night. The cloudless sky was wrapped in a twinkling sheet of stars. Vivienne stared upwards; her gaze fixed on the moon — alone amidst so many stars, yet the one commanding all the attention.
Vivienne's mind swirled with so many thoughts. Nearly a week had passed since her rebirth, but still — everything was in turmoil.
Her wedding was less than three months away. Today, at the dinner table, she had heard Mr. and Mrs. Winter discussing her wedding attire — they were already making preparations.
And yet, she couldn't stop it. The only way to delay the wedding was if Maria agreed, and so far, Vivienne hadn't been able to convince her.
To make matters worse, the Aureates was breathing down her neck.
Applications for the competition were to be submitted by the fifteenth of the month. After that, the organizers would review the forms and sample works and then shortlist the candidates who would move forward. The selection process alone would take nearly a month and a half.
The competition was scheduled to begin four and a half months from now, with a fifteen-day gap between each round. From application to finals, participants had a total of six months.
She needed to start preparing now. Once the competition began, there would be no time left for creating new designs or completing final pieces.
And the last thing she still hadn't figured out yet — how to take her revenge.
Her time was limited — yet there was so much to do.
-
Vivienne leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes. She inhaled deeply, then exhaled slowly. After a few steady breaths, gradually she managed to calm herself down.
"Panicking won't help", she whispered to herself.
She sat there in silence for a long while, gazing up at the stars.
Yes, her time was limited — but she hadn't run out of it completely. Unlike her past life, this time... she still had a chance.
She'd do anything — ANYTHING in her might— she'd postpone her wedding; there was no way she was going to marry that bastard!
Just the thought of living under the same roof with him made her stomach churn, let alone letting him touch her. Moreover, once she was married, she'd be a part of the Ashfords, legally. It'd impact her plan of taking revenge. Also, walking away from that marriage wouldn't be so simple; and she had no wish to fight a long legal battle.
As for Aureates, though she hadn't taken part in the competition in her last life, she indeed helped Sarah. If she could win with her help — she was certain that she'd do it herself.
But this time, she would need something more — something better, that'd seal the deal.
Because her competitors weren't just the top design students, they also included candidates like Abigail and Sarah, who knew no limits when it came to ambition — or sabotage.
Lastly, her revenge.
She had to plan it thoroughly. Her enemies weren't some random amateurs, they were Winters and Ashfords — one raised her, another nearly owned her. This wasn't child's play. Her every step needed patience, meticulous calculations, and razor-sharp precision.
With that, her thoughts drifted towards Abigail.
Unlike Sarah, who always played on the safer side, hiding herself behind a carefully crafted image, Abigail was always loud — her jealousy towards Vivienne wasn't subtle; through her glares, words, and attempts to outshine her, she had made it clear like broad daylight.
Earlier, Vivienne never paid much attention to her, but this time, it was different.
She wouldn't underestimate her anymore. Having spent an entire lifetime among wolves, she'd learned one thing clearly: Never leave any of your enemies untouched. Because a wounded snake always returns to strike.
She remembered what Esme had told her the other day — I think she's not competing fairly. These days, I've seen her hanging around the junior classrooms multiple times. Maybe, I'm not sure though, she's planning something — probably trying to use some of her tricks. You know well, too; she has plenty.
A thin smile curled on her lips. "Abby, I knew that you always envied me; but I thought at least you were true to yourself. Turns out — I was wrong, again. How pathetic!"
Her eyes narrowed. Vivienne let out a sharp breath.
Since she was so desperate to outshine her, so eager to build her image on borrowed light — Vivienne would give her the chance. She'd let her rise, let her taste the spotlight. Only then, her fall would be something worth watching!
And for Sarah! Well, that'd be a whole different game. Just like she had never played fair — Vivienne would never play the same game with all.
But first, she needed to protect her designs. She had to start her work as early as possible, but it couldn't be done at home or in the design department.
She'd thought about it for some time, then suddenly, something clicked in her mind. Vivienne picked up her cell phone from the tripod table and dialed Nadine's number.
She had a small apartment downtown, which her father gifted her on her eighteenth birthday. Even though Nini went there occasionally, it wasn't used much. That apartment would be perfect for her to use as a studio.
If she rented out a flat, the news would definitely reach the Winters and Asfords, which would not be good for her at all.
Nini's apartment would be the best place — no one would ever suspect her if she went to her best friend's apartment, and she could continue his design work in peace.
As Nadine picked up the call, she spoke casually, "Mind lending me your apartment for six months?"
From the other side, Nadine's sharp voicerang in her ears. She scoffed, "What are you up to now? Don't tell me you're running off to become a nun or something!"
"And what if it is true?"
"Then I'll find you, beat you up, and drag you back to Rontrix."
Vivienne laughed. "Then, save yourself from all that trouble. I'm not gonna run off."
Nadine replied lightly. "Then what's the reason?"
Vivienne smirked, fixing her gaze again at the starlit sky. "Because I need a space — and I don't want eyes while I get things done."