Chapter 32: Bickering
Ten months later
Time flies...
Anna shifted her gaze back to the vanity mirror, watching as her long, elegant fingers gathered her golden waves into a neat bun at the nape of her neck.
Her transformation was complete. The face of Anna Hyde no longer existed—had never existed, or so it seemed.
She had grown accustomed to this new reflection, these striking features that no longer bore the scars of her past. The clear, luminous eyes, carefully concealed behind blue-colored lenses. The long, cascading hair. The poised, graceful woman staring back at her.
Chloe Dumas was breathtaking. And Anna had learned to embrace that.
A soft knock on the door pulled her from her thoughts.
"Mademoiselle Dumas," a maid entered quietly, hands clasped neatly over her crisp white apron. "Madame Garrel is waiting for you in the dining room. Breakfast has been served."
"Thank you, Léa," Anna said with a gentle smile, securing her bun with the golden hairpin William had gifted her for her birthday. The cool metal pressed against her fingertips, a quiet reminder of him.
Alright, I think I’m ready.
Smoothing out the imaginary wrinkles in her dark blue dress, she exhaled slowly, nerves fluttering in her chest. Despite the months that had passed, the idea of facing Madame Garrel—the woman who had been tutoring her for the past ten months—still left her unsettled.