Her Rebirth.

The Princess of Langford

Sera had always carried that title with pride.

As the only daughter of the Langford family, she was cherished, spoiled, and fiercely protected by her three older brothers. They doted on her like she was the crown jewel of their family, indulging her whims, shielding her from anything unpleasant. Their parents, though often absent, made up for it with extravagant gifts, lavish vacations, and the reassurance that their little princess would always have the best of everything.

And that was fine by Sera.

She never aspired for greatness. She had no burning ambitions beyond living the life of a rich heiress, marrying a handsome man of equal status, and spending her days attending parties, engaging in gossip, and reveling in luxury. If fate was kind, she imagined herself as one of those glamorous, imperious mothers-in-law who would slam stacks of money in the face of her son’s poor girlfriend just for the fun of it.

Life wasn’t meant to be that serious, and she intended to keep it that way.

Everything was perfect.

Except for one small, persistent annoyance, Amelia Cosgrove.

---

She had hated Amelia with a passion after Amelia had called her the trash princess of Langford. While Sera disliked her attitude, she had no hard feelings previously. But that hatred intensified when she met Lilac.

Lilac had been a breath of fresh air, a kind, gentle girl who was the complete opposite of Amelia. Where Amelia was a storm, Lilac was sunlight. And Amelia had tormented her relentlessly.

So, Sera had picked a side.

And she had chosen wrong.

She had been happy that she and Lilac had chosen the same college, and truly, college had been a dream at first. Everyone adored her. She had a wide circle of friends, invitations to all the best events, and a fiancé who was perfect on paper, Ash Millard, the fourth son of a prominent family, handsome, charming, and just as privileged as she was.

Everything had been set.

Until Lilac ruined it all. The angel she thought she knew had been the devil who stabbed her in the back. Yet, she had been naive, thinking that her fallout with Lilac would have no consequences, forgetting that Lilac had almost everyone wrapped around her fingers.

It started with whispers, then rumors, then outright isolation. Sera wasn’t outright bullied, but she felt the shift. People who once smiled at her now averted their eyes. Conversations stopped when she entered a room. The social circle she had thrived in suddenly wanted nothing to do with her.

It had been humiliating.

But the worst part? The part that truly cut her?

She had trusted Lilac.

She had believed in her, defended her, thought of her as a close friend. And in the end, she had been left to deal with the fact that her fiancé liked Lilac and had most likely cheated on her with Lilac, while Lilac played the victim.

Sera had acted like she didn’t care. She walked with her head high, threw herself into distractions, pretended she wasn’t affected. But the truth was, it hurt. It hurt a lot.

She had been betrayed.

And now, here she was. Sitting in a car with Amelia Cosgrove, of all people.

The same girl she had once despised.

The same girl she had spent years clashing with.

And that same girl had just asked her to be friends. And funnily enough, she didn’t mind, not one bit.

Because now, all she wanted was a true friend.

---

"You did this." Ray’s voice was cold, sharp and accusatory.

When Mason had called him, informing him that Lilac had come back for the weekend, he had rushed back home angrily from school.

Lilac was seated gracefully on the couch, draped in a soft ivory dress that made her look every bit the innocent, pitiful damsel. A cup of tea rested in her delicate hands, her expression serene, as if she weren’t the reason Amelia’s name had been dragged through the mud and had also been kidnapped.

Eve Cosgrove sat beside her, a protective arm placed gently on Lilac’s shoulder.

Lilac looked up at him with wide, doe-like eyes. "Ray... what are you talking about?" she asked, her voice soft and trembling just enough to make her seem fragile.

Ray nearly scoffed at himself, wondering how he had never seen that her every behavior had been an act all this while.

"Everything that happened to Amelia, you did it, didn’t you?" he said, his grip tightening around his phone. "Don’t play dumb, Lilac."

Eve let out a dramatic sigh, pulling Lilac closer as if shielding her. "Ray, honestly, how can you say such a thing? Lilac has been nothing but kind. She would never do such a thing."

Ray frowned. He didn’t know if Eve was just like Lilac or had also been deceived by her, so he said,

"That’s what you think, Mother, but Lilac isn’t as kind as you believe." He turned his attention back to Lilac. "I know exactly how you operate. You don’t need to say anything directly. A few words in the right ears, a few crocodile tears in front of the right people, and suddenly, Amelia was being vilified all over again. And worst of all, you ordered Amelia’s kidnapping."

Lilac’s eyes welled up with tears, her lips trembling as she clutched Eve’s hand. "Ray, how could you think that of me? I—I’ve only ever wanted to be part of this family! Amelia has always hated me! She never accepted me as your sister!"

"Because you aren’t her sister." The words left Ray’s lips without hesitation. "You were a snake in her life, always slithering your way into things that didn’t belong to you."

"Ray!" Mason’s voice boomed across the room. He had been sitting quietly, watching everything, but now he felt Ray had gone too far.

Ray turned to face his father, but Mason was already storming toward him, his expression dark with anger.

"That’s enough," Mason snapped. "I will not tolerate you disrespecting your family like this."

Ray let out a humorless laugh. "Family?" He shook his head. "You mean your family. Because Amelia and I were never part of it, were we?"

Mason’s expression hardened. "You’re speaking nonsense."

"Am I?" Ray clenched his fists. "Because all I see is history repeating itself. You let them tear Amelia down back then, and now you’re letting them do it again."

Mason’s lips pressed into a thin line, but he said nothing.

Lilac sniffled, lowering her gaze, her shoulders shaking as if she were struggling to hold back sobs. Eve rubbed her back soothingly. "Ray, I know this must be hard for you, seeing Amelia’s name in the news like this," Eve said in a soft, motherly tone. "But blaming Lilac won’t change anything. She’s innocent."

Ray exhaled sharply, the frustration boiling inside him. He had come here expecting resistance, but somehow, it still pissed him off to see how easily they dismissed Amelia’s suffering.

This was what she had endured.

This was what she had faced , alone.

Ray felt something in him snap. He had nothing more to say to these people.

He turned on his heel without another word, striding toward the door.

"You’re just like her," Mason called after him. "Blinded by your own emotions. No wonder you and Amelia are both such disappointments."

Ray froze for a moment.

But then, without sparing them another glance, he walked out, slamming the door behind him.