This chapter is dedicated TheShyWriterwrites to for making my day with such lovely comments. I really appreciate your opinion💗!

Now to the story
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⚠️️T/w: Emotional abuse, death, parental pressure, gender identity, and forced gender identity presentation ⚠️
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✧☆☆ Victoria's story ☆✧✧
 
I was six when my mother died while giving birth to my brother. He came out successfully and died a few hours later after he was born. At that time, I didn't really understand what went on, but I was told that my mom was never coming back home.
 
My father was devastated and felt that his family members had something to do with it; if he had no male children, he wouldn't be able to pass on the business, so he could hand over the business to his next brother, as per tradition.
 
My father wasn't ready to remarry because he loved my mother too much, and he wasn't ready to accept defeat easily, so he turned to me.
 
I was playing with my dolls when he suddenly barged into my room with the hired servants.
 
"This room is unfit for a male child; evacuate this nonsense, including the toys and dresses!" He declared, and they got to work, removing all my clothes, toys, and every little bit of 'femininity' from my room. I was sad when my dolls were collected from me. He walked to me and placed his hand on my shoulder with a look of desperation in his eyes.
 
"I will make you into the perfect son!" He said that, which scared me.
 
"Daddy, but I am a girl.
" I spoke innocently, staring at my crazy father, whose eyes held thoughts I couldn't fathom.
 
"Not anymore!" He took my hand and led me out of my room, which they were currently renovating.
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"He looks so smart and dignified!" My father bellowed after the tailor fitted me into boy clothes. I stared at the mirror, scared of what I had become. He even ordered the servants to cut my hair.
 
"Such a fine young man!" My father touched my shoulder. I smacked his hand away and folded my arms, pouting.
 
"I am not a boy, Daddy!" I screamed at him. He looked genuinely shocked. I fussed and threw a tantrum.
 
"Stop this; you are embarrassing me!" My father yelled at me, "I am placing everything on you and you alone. You are my last hope, so stop being a brat and act  mature." He grabbed my shoulder harshly, and tears pooled in my eyes. I looked down, trying to stop my tears from falling.
 
"Men, don't cry! So suck it in!" He told me.
 
'That's a lie; you cried the most when Mom died!' I wanted to say it to his face, but I bit down on my tongue.
 
"And start calling me father from now on. It's more sophisticated."
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When I turned eight, my father tried enrolling me in a boarding school for boys. The headmaster was strongly against enrolling a girl in his school, but my father kept insisting I was a boy.
 
I was excused from the headmaster's office during their discussion, and I wandered into the school garden.
 
I sat under a large oak tree to relax and be in the moment when I felt something bump into me. I turned and saw a ball. I held it in my hand and looked around.
 
"Who owns this?" I muttered to myself. Then a group of boys in their school uniforms ran towards me.
 
"Hey, pass the ball back!" One of the kids said, I stood and threw the ball at them.
 
"Hey! Who are you?" One of them asked, "What's your name?"
 
"Hi. My name is Victoria!" I waved awkwardly at them. My mind froze. I didn't know how to act around fellow boys. When I wasn't even a boy in the first place, how would I know?
 
"Victoria? Isn't that a girl's name?"
 
"Yes, it's. I am a girl, but my father says I am a boy."I answered truthfully. The boys frowned and whispered amongst themselves.
 
"That's disgusting!" One said, and I felt my heart sink. They all laughed and made fun of me. I wanted to cry, but I remembered what my father said: 'Men don't cry!' So, I held back my tears and tried to act strong.
 
"Hey, you know what we do to girls pretending to be boys around here?" Another boy sneered.
 
"What?" I asked, feeling both scared and curious.
 
"We give them a good scare so they run back to where they belong!" He said it with a wicked grin.
 
Before I could react, they started throwing dirt and sticks at me. I tried to protect myself, but I was outnumbered and overwhelmed. The boys laughed as I fell to the ground, feeling humiliated and hurt.
 
"Let's go out of here!" They laughed and walked away.
 
"Go play with dolls or something, you stupid princess!" The boys yelled. I couldn't stop myself from crying. Are these actually boys—what my father wanted me to be so badly?
 
"I hate them!" I sniffed and wiped my tears. "I will make all of them regret it!" I resolved it within myself.
....…..…….….……………......................…......
 
I waited in front of the headmaster's office. My father and the headmaster both came out at the same time.
 
"Good, there you are! I don't have to be looking around for you." My father spoke after coughing and clearing his throat. The consequences of arguing so much.
 
"Victoria, dear, your clothes are dirty!" The headmaster looked at me, concerned. My father smacked the headmaster's back abruptly, making the headmaster coughed from the impact.
 
"You know young boys. Very energetic and  playful." My father laughed. I glared at him. I am not a boy. Boys are stupid!
 
"Well, Victoria, school policy doesn't accept girls, but I am willing to be your personal teacher. Is that alright?" He said it to me softly. I rolled my eyes and looked away.
 
"Well then!" The headmaster shook my father's hand. "We will see later!"
 
The headmaster walked away, leaving me alone with my father. I felt a mix of relief and disappointment. I was relieved that I didn't have to go to a boarding school where I didn't belong, but disappointed that I couldn't live as my true self.
 
"Come on, we're going home," my father said, grabbing my hand roughly. I pulled my hand away, not wanting him to touch me.
 
"I'm not going with you," I said defiantly. "I don't want to be your 'perfect son' anymore. I'm tired of pretending."
 
My father's face turned red with anger. "How dare you talk back to me? You will do as I say!" he shouted.
 
"No, I won't," I said. "I'm not a boy; I'm a girl. I've always been a girl, and I can't pretend to be something I'm not anymore."
 
My father's expression softened for a moment, and I thought maybe he would finally understand. But then he slapped me across the face.
 
"You are my son, and you will do as I say!" he roared. "I won't have a weak, pathetic daughter bringing shame to our family!"
 
"You are weak and pathetic!" I screamed at him and ran away from him, not caring where I was going, as long as it was far away from my father.
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We both got home that day in silence. I ate my dinner alone, and my father didn't even bother to join me. Not like I wanted to see him too.
 
After dinner, I went to my room. I wanted to check on my father first. Not because I care or anything! I got to his study and met him talking about the large portrait of my mother.
 
"Darlene, I have failed, and Victoria now hates me. I am just trying to make her strong enough to carry the family name. But it's disappointing that she doesn't conform. My father members are after my business now because I don't have a boy; I don't even know what to do?" He said that, and I frowned.
 
'He never told me that; this was about his business. His business means so much to him!' I thought and listened further.
 
"I should stop this madness, I think. Victoria is just meant to be a silly little girl!"
 
'What sort of divine guilt trip is this? Now I feel bad. Maybe I should help the old man!' I thought and tiptoed away to my room.
 
The next morning~
 
"Victoria, look...!" He stopped when he saw me awake and wearing my boy clothes. He was confused.
 
"Good morning, Father." I greeted him with a stoic expression and walked past him. He followed me.
 
"Are you okay, Victoria?" He asked me, genuinely concerned. I nodded
 
"I have seen the errors of my ways and accepted my new life, but on the condition that you will still always acknowledge me as a girl and not a boy." I told him diplomatically. His face brightened, but he quickly reverted to his stoicism.
 
"Why not?" He cleared his throat and adjusted his tie. The servants passed by us and greeted us.
 
"Good morning, Sir, and young master." They bowed
 
"Good morning, but Victoria doesn't..." He started, but I interrupted him.
 
"No, it's fine; they can keep calling me that!" I left the scene, with my father confused.
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I started my successor education, learning business administration, commercial arithmetics, government, and the rest. I also took swordsmanship and other necessary subjects. I became my father's 'perfect son'  and did exactly what he expected of me.
 
But he was still very hard on me and kept reminding me that the business world is not for 'Ladies of poise and grace but ruthless and aggressive men' and I have to be like them to be able to succeed.
 
When I was nineteen, my father announced me as the heir to his business at a family meeting. My uncle, my father's younger brother, who has been eyeing his business for a long time, now spoke.
 
"That's not how it's done!" He spoke, and the rest of the extended family looked at us with judgmental stares.
 
"So? that's what I want for my business." My father said, "Victoria's properly trained and ready to take the world by storm. She is sure not to disappoint me."
 
"But she isn't a boy." The rest of the family reasoned
 
"But I raised her as one. If not biologically, she is one mentally."I looked at my father in annoyance; he doesn't seem to still get it. I rolled my eyes and spoke immediately.
 
"I believe what my father is saying is that I have gone through successor education and I have proved to myself that, despite being a woman, I can do just as well as a man in the business world."
 
"Preposterous!" My uncle roared
 
"Your attitude is preposterous! Have some dignity!" I countered
 
"What! Watch your mouth, young lady. That's the problem with a lady—not having a mother figure to guide her through her  delusions."He stood in anger, and I scoffed. However, my father didn't take it lightly.
 
"Xavier, how dare you bring my late wife into this issue?" My father roared, and my uncle paled on the spot. "You think I don't know you have a hand in her death! Don't let your greed be the death of you!"
 
"And this goes to all of you trying to take over the business that I so labored for! Victoria is the true heir to my business, and that's final. Come, Victoria, let us take our leave."
 
With that, we left the room, leaving our family members in shock.
....…..…….….……………......................…......
 
Three years later, during a board meeting~
 
"You wrench!" An investor glared at me from the floor; tea stained his clothes, and his face turned bright red in anger.
 
I smirked at him, holding a mug in my hand. I kicked his chair and then poured my tea on him.
 
"Oops!" I laughed with a smug expression on my face.
 
"You will regret this!" He stood on the floor, glaring at me with so much disdain. Before turning his heels and walking towards the door in anger.
 
"I already have!" I looked at the empty mug, feeling a bit sad because of the wastage. My general manager came into my office, alarmed.
 
He saw me holding the mug and sighed. "Miss, I can't do anything for you again, and there goes investor number 4!" He complained like a kid while looking out the window.
 
I rolled my eyes and walked towards my seat, while my manager kept looking out the window, dejectedly, probably watching the angry investor leave the hotel's premises.
 
"General manager!" I called him. He turned to me and said, "Can you send someone to bring me another cup of tea?"
 
He sighed again and left my office. I leaned into my chair, finally having peace and quiet.
 
I was always seen as a disrespectful shrew, not that I cared anyway. I would always have a thing or two to say to those who looked down on me. I finally took over my father's business.
 
My extended family members were still not really impressed with my father's decision, claiming he shortchanged them and that I couldn't take over the business. They call it shortchanging; I call it business.
 
He still owned the hotel, but I took over it mostly. The hotel became more successful, and we had more clients. I felt satisfied with myself and my achievements. Finally, I can shove my success down those idiots' throats!
 
But sometimes, I couldn't help but wonder: if I had ignored my father that day and didn't bother to go to his study to see him, how would my life have been?
 
But anytime I think about that, my mind becomes blank. Little decisions can really make a large impact on someone's life.
 
I heard a knock at my door, pulling me out of my deep thoughts. One of the workers in the hotel came in with a tray with a tea set.
 
The tea set was placed on my desk before the worker excused herself and walked out of the office.
 
I looked around my office idly; things are rather mundane.
 
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For three days now, I have constantly received malicious threats from an anonymous person, and I find it extremely annoying. Firstly, I suspected the last investor I dealt with, but I don't think he would be stupid enough to do so.
 
But when I examine the letter, it's written in sloppy handwriting; either the person wants to conceal their handwriting or the person is illiterate.
 
And which illiterate person do I know? I guess none, so the person was probably concealing their handwriting; this probably means I probably know the person since the letter was directly addressed to me. I also noticed the writing slanted a bit to the right, meaning the idiot is left-handed.
 
I also considered the quality of the paper. Because of my line of work, I have been able to effectively recognize the types of papers I come across.
 
As the papers on which the threats are being written. I started examining the paper, and I noticed that the texture of the letter and my document papers were the same. This fact could mean this person has a considerable amount of money to own it.
 
"Young master, why are you still looking at that thing?" Alfred called me. We were in the dining area, and I turned to him as he observed me with a dissatisfied face.
 
"I was just trying to see if I could get any evidence from the letter." I answered him.
 
"Well, stop it!" He snatched the letter from me quickly, crumpling the horrid letter.
 
"Hey!" I frowned at him. Alfred gave me a glare.
 
"People don't act as nonchalant as you when things like this happen." Alfred spoke, slightly annoyed.
 
"It's not like anything could happen to me. It's probably one of those idiots from work." I relaxed into my chair, feeling smug. "It is part of their tantrum-throwing process. When they don't get what they want, they throw a fuss."
 
Alfred sighed, defeated. "I am reporting this to the guards! And during this period, you have to stay at home."
 
I gasped and sat up from my reclining position, dumbfounded. Alfred was staring at me with a poker expression on his face.
 
"But at the hotel, I have things to do there!" I complained. Alfred shook his head.
 
"No, you don't; your manager can handle it for you."
 
"No, he can't. Have you seen the way he is?" I argued back. How could Alfred do this to me? My poor manager! He is like prey in between those monsters!
 
"The hotel wouldn't suddenly collapse if you didn't check on it. Besides, what if something bad happens to you? Then all that I have worked for will be gone," Alfred said, and I felt melancholy from within.
 
"Fine!" I sighed, and Alfred walked away with the paper I was examining. One of the houseworkers came up to me after he left.
 
"Young master, I could help but overhear your conversation with Mr. Alfred. I can't do anything about the situation, but I hope I can help you."She paused before continuing.
 
"You could get yourself a protection charm. It is sold in the Darklane district. Although it seems like nonsense, it actually works."
 
I looked at her, confused. "What's the Darklane district?"
 
"That's the place where people get supernatural assistance, like sorcery," she answered.
 
My eyes widen in excitement. "Really?"
 
Even as a kid, I read a high fantasy book, and I loved it so much. Since then, I have always been interested in weird kinds of stuff like this. I always imagine myself as a powerful mage while playing with my dolls. Ha! Such good times.
 
"Will there also be magic?" I asked her excitedly, and she looked confused as she nodded.
 
"Well, sorcery is magic, I guess?"
 
Really! I want to see how magic works with my eyes! And now I am determined to go there. Hurray!
 
Meanwhile~
"Lady, are you listening?" The woman called to Victoria, whose eyes glimmered while she was stuck in her thoughts.
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I snuck out of the mansion that evening, wearing my hood. I couldn't take my family's carriage because of Alfred. He would know immediately and stop me from going out.
 
The evening air was cool as a light breeze blew across the streets. The faint smell of spring flowers filled the air. I halted a passing carriage and described my destination to the coachman. He nodded, and I entered the carriage enthusiastically.
 
I can't wait to get to the Darklane district.
....…..…….….……………......................…......
 
I can't believe this was what I was excited about. The air smells weird here, and one shop vendor sprayed a sticky substance on me just to demonstrate her goods. No magic anywhere, just people selling abominations.
 
At least, if there wasn't the magic I hoped for, I could at least get a protection charm, as that worker lady advised. I got to the center of the market, where a large tent was put up.
 
I saw a sign outside the tent, and when I got closer, I read it.
 
"You want something?" A woman peeked beside me. I flinched and took a step back. "Come in, dear, we have tea!" She spoke. I shook my head, and she laughed.
 
'Never talk to strange people' I repeated in my head while trying to escape this weird lady.
 
"I could give you a mystical future reading." She called to me, and I naturally stopped in my tracks. I was sure a sucker for things like this.
 
....…..…….….……………......................…......
 
The woman welcomed me into her tent, where I met a brown-haired lady with nice green eyes, but I felt sad about the scar she had on her face.
 
Moments later, a noble lady, obviously dressed as a commoner, entered the tent. If she wanted to conceal her identity, she shouldn't be smelling like expensive perfume.
 
I got extremely irritated because the woman kept on being weird and all that. She didn't even give me my mystic crystal reading. I eventually got angry and almost attacked her, but the next thing that happened was a real shocker.
 
Imperial guards came in and kept us all in handcuffs and escorted us out of the district. Angry,  I cursed at the old lady currently on one of the imperial guard's shoulders, while acting nonchalant.
 
"Senile hag!" I muttered again under my breath.