Chapter 29 - From One Cage to Another

Scarlet couldn't believe the nightmare she experienced just yesterday. Almost as if possessed, Mrs Liu became a completely different person, full of smiles and springing with every step, as she dragged Scarlet to the most expensive mall in town. Scarlet had never seen this side of her mother before and truthfully, it scared her more than the sickly sweet smile Mrs Liu gave when she was angry.

The girl walked till her feet were sore but Mrs Liu's enthusiasm never wavered. She kept going shops with each shop having pricier tags than the last. The accountant was like a raving madwoman, determined to empty the shops for the 'perfect dress' so that Scarlet could impress the Wilde's.

It took four hours before Mrs Liu found the right dress and before even Scarlet could relax, she was dragged off to find the right hit accessory, the right shoes, etc. The shopping did not end in a day, it lasted two days. After the nightmarish quest for material objects, Mrs Liu drove Scarlet to a high-end beauty salon. The mother and daughter spent the whole day there doing their face, hair, nails, and going to various spas just to be their best. Scarlet didn't know how her mother hasn't emptied their bank accounts yet with the mindless splurging.

The day finally arrived. Scarlet as woken up and fed a breakfast more luxurious than the usual toast and jam spread with milk. Mrs Liu hardly cooked so eating her mother's homemade pancakes felt surreal to the young blogger. She was made to shower and dress up in the clothing of Mrs Liu's choice before being told to sit down.

As Mrs Liu combed and styled Scarlet's hair, she smiled into the mirror and spoke to her daughter as if she was speaking to a cat.

"Scarlet, we're going to see some very good friends of mama's so please be on your best behaviour. Don't take more than two cookies when offered, always remember your please and thank you, don't run in our dress, always wait to be spoken to before speaking..."

The blogger zoned out while Mrs Liu braided her hair and finished it off with a neat blue ribbon. Scarlet looked into the full-length mirror and couldn't recognise herself. Sure, her hair colour remained midnight black as usual and her skin was a little on the paler side the way it has always been. However, in her hair were trinkets she'd never worn before. The dress she wore was brand new and didn't chafe like the others that her mother sometimes bought for her. It felt like water and Scarlet felt like a queen wearing clothing as expensive as the devil itself.

If there was something Scarlet thought didn't look good, it would be the big bow at the back of her dress. Scarlet didn't understand why her mother would choose to tie the satin sash around her waist on the pristine white dress. The colour was too strong and stood out too much against everything else that she wore. Royal blue wasn't a colour for children, most children would wear pastel colours to represent their cheerful nature. Luckily, the dress-sandals were silver and not black for that would have made Scarlet look like she was trying too hard to look mature.

The doorbell rang and Mrs Liu put the finishing touch to Scarlet's look - a pink lipgloss. The young genius didn't like the sticky lip product and secretly wiped it away when Mrs Liu went to get their bags. Jenna called yesterday to inform the group accountant about their ride. Mrs Liu was thrilled by the hospitality and greeted the driver who was scheduled to fetch them.

Without another word, Mrs Liu gave her daughter one last look to ensure that Scarlet looked flawless before ushering her into the limousine. She followed behind and waited for the chauffeur to drive off before launching into her last-minute social etiquette lessons.

Scarlet wanted to roll her eyes but she knew that it wouldn't be a tolerated behaviour so she endured the nagging session. They'd been to enough events and Scarlet knew the rules by heart.

Rule 1: Never engage in conversation unless being spoken to.

Rule 2: Never be rude to anyone, always remember to be courteous.

Rule 3: Never be seen taking more than two items from any plate at one time. Only accept up to two drinks during the party to prevent having to go to the bathroom.

Rule 4: When in doubt, smile.

Recently, there was also a rule added about not playing with other children. Mrs Liu took Scarlet to fewer parties after that shoving incident because she couldn't trust her daughter to 'play' normally. For Scarlet, that was a good thing. However, today, there will be no escaping it.

"Rule 5, when playing with other children you must never win the games. Compliment them when they win and become good friends with them. Understood?"

Scarlet could only bury the unhappiness within her when she looked into her mother's expectant eyes.

"Yes, mother."

Satisfied, the group accountant relaxed and started thinking about what to say when she met Orita Wilde. The journey was silent from that point onwards until they reached the Wilde mansion, but Scarlet was too stressed out from sitting beside her mother. Normally, she would close her eyes and take a short nap but today, she didn't even dare to breathe in fear of inciting her mother's temper.

"Please," she looked out of the window and prayed. "Please let this be over soon!"

While Mrs Liu's thoughts wandered over to the material gains she could possibly benefit from after this meeting, Scarlet was wondering if she'd be able to see a particular lawyer again. She had so many questions to ask him ever since he told her not to lose hope.

The road became narrower and the traffic became sparse. Scarlet knew this road. She'd seen it once before and gathered all her courage. Her hands shook a little as the familiar metal gates came in sight.

They were finally here at the battlefield. This would be the day fate decides if she'd be forever doomed in a cold iron cage or a warm gold-gilded cage.