IGBD 31

Chapter 31

Lydia’s sharp hand struck Anita’s cheek.

Anita flinched at the stinging sensation. Her cheek swelled red, but she didn’t even notice the pain. Her fear of Lydia was far greater.

“When no one else is around, I told you to call me Your Highness, the Princess. I’m His Majesty’s daughter—the Princess of the Eirun Empire!”

Lydia shouted at Anita. Already upset about Yuan, she became even angrier when even her handmaiden Anita displeased her.

She had promised herself just a few days ago that she would never lay a hand on Anita again. Yet here she was, striking her once more.

“I–I’m sorry, Your Highness the Princess. I got confused for a moment. It was my mistake.”

Trembling, Anita repeatedly begged Lydia for forgiveness. Her pitiful figure only made Lydia snap again.

“Why are you trembling like that? You make me look like the bad one. Do you see me that way?”

Lydia grabbed Anita’s shoulders and shook her.

“N–No, of course not.”

Anita shook her head. To the world, Lydia Elliot was like an angel. But Anita knew the side of Lydia that she only revealed to her.

Whenever Lydia got angry or things didn’t go her way, she would vent her rage on Anita—sometimes with slaps, sometimes with scratches across her body.

In those moments, a murderous aura spread across her beautiful face, and Anita felt a chill. She sometimes thought Lydia might really kill her with her own hands.

“Anita, don’t upset me. I don’t want to hit you. I don’t want to be a bad master.”

Lydia forced the corners of her lips up. I’m a kind master, so I mustn’t stay angry. She forced herself to smile.

“It’s all my fault. I’m truly sorry, Your Highness.”

Anita swallowed hard and begged for forgiveness.

“Alright. I’ll forgive you.”

Since Anita seemed genuinely remorseful, Lydia decided to forgive her. Just then, she noticed Anita’s reddened cheek.

“Oh dear, does it hurt a lot, Anita?”

Lydia approached with a sympathetic expression. She lifted Anita’s chin so their eyes met. Seeing her frightened face, Lydia frowned slightly.

“Anita, are you afraid of me? Why that expression?”

“No, not at all. I only feel ashamed for being so incompetent.”

Anita shook her head frantically.

“Oh, Anita. Don’t be too upset. Everyone makes mistakes. Just don’t repeat them.”

With an angelic smile, Lydia walked to her vanity, opened a drawer, and pulled out a silver ring.

She slipped it onto her finger, admired it briefly, and then returned to Anita.

“Anita, isn’t this ring pretty?”

She held it out for Anita to see. To Lydia, it was just a trinket she could forget about. But for Anita, it was a ring she would never even dream of wearing in her lifetime.

“Yes, it’s beautiful.”

Anita glanced at it and nodded.

“Since you think it’s pretty, I’ll give it to you. It’s yours now.”

Without hesitation, Lydia slid the ring off her finger and pressed it into Anita’s palm.

As soon as it touched her hand, Anita’s face brightened instantly.

It was always like this. After venting her anger, Lydia would appease Anita with jewelry or money—almost as if to prove to herself that she wasn’t a bad person.

“Anita, I care for you deeply. You know I don’t treat others this way, right?”

Lydia squeezed Anita’s hand as she spoke.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Anita nodded. Lydia’s lips curved into a gentle smile.

Anita understands me so well. But what about Serret Innoheter?

Would she understand me the way Anita does? If she behaved as obediently, I would cherish her too.

But Yuan… your fiancée doesn’t seem like she’ll be obedient like Anita. That’s why it makes me even angrier.

Lydia muttered inwardly, recalling Serret beside Yuan.

“Jeremy, I’ll say it again—don’t cause trouble. Absolutely not.”

Serret clutched Jeremy’s hand tightly and warned him in a small voice.

It was the day Jeremy was returning to Saphir. From breakfast until they arrived at the train station, Serret had scolded him over a hundred times, telling him to focus only on his studies.

Jeremy’s ears were practically ringing from all her nagging.

“I said I won’t. I swear. Stop worrying. I’m leaving now.”

Jeremy looked at her with an exasperated face, eager to escape. He waved quickly and climbed aboard the train.

“Goodbye, Young Master!”

Hannah waved a handkerchief toward the departing train.

“Goodbye, Jeremy.”

As Serret watched him go, a pang of loneliness struck her. At least with Jeremy around, she hadn’t felt so alone.

She gazed absentmindedly at him through the train window.

“He’s gone now, my lady. I suppose we won’t see him until the wedding.”

Though Jeremy was a bit of a fool, Hannah knew he was a good-hearted man. She, too, felt regret at his departure.

“He said he might not come. He wasted all his time on that textile project and neglected his studies—he has mountains of work to catch up on.”

If not at the wedding, maybe I’ll only see him after the divorce, Serret thought gloomily, watching the train pull away with its loud whistle.

“He might go out of his way to attend, though.”

“Why?”

Serret tilted her head at Hannah’s words.

“Yesterday, when he greeted Lady Eve—his eyes looked different. I think he may have fallen for her.”

Hannah whispered.

“What?”

Serret burst into laughter at that.

Absolutely not. Never. Eve is far too precious for that.

After the train departed, Serret left the station and climbed into the carriage waiting for her.

As the carriage sped toward the duke’s residence, her thoughts lingered on Jeremy and Eve.

But what if Hannah’s right? That would be such a waste of Eve…

“Still, if Eve became family, that wouldn’t be so bad.”

Serret murmured with a cheerful smile.

Before long, the carriage arrived at the duke’s mansion. Serret and Hannah stepped down and walked toward the entrance.

“My lady, aren’t you going out today?”

“You want to? Shall we go look around the department store?”

“Yes, I’d love that.”

Hannah nodded eagerly, making Serret chuckle as they climbed the stairs into the lobby.

There, the butler noticed Serret and approached.

“Did Young Master Innoheter depart safely?”

He asked politely.

“Yes, thanks to you.”

The butler smiled, but something seemed off. His hesitation caught Serret’s eye.

“Is something wrong?”

With a slightly troubled expression, he finally spoke.

“Lady Elliot has come, asking to see you.”

“Lady Elliot?”

Serret frowned slightly.

Why is she here? Why does she want to see me? Could she have come with Jack—to trap me again?

“Is she alone?”

“Yes, she came alone.”

Relieved it wasn’t with Jack, Serret asked after Yuan.

“Is His Grace at home?”

“He is out.”

“Alright. She’s in the drawing room, right? I’ll change and go.”

Serret quickly ascended the stairs.

“My lady, wait for me!” Hannah called, rushing after her.

“Not Eve, not now. If I call her, it’ll be too late.”

Serret muttered, hurrying into her room. She immediately opened the wardrobe and scanned her clothes.

If there was anyone she refused to lose to, it was Lydia. She needed to look perfect.

She chose her finest dress and let Hannah style her hair.

Having gone out casually dressed to see Jeremy off, she felt she would look shabby if she faced Lydia that way. She needed polish.

“Use the green ribbon.”

“Yes, my lady.”

Hannah worked diligently. Once ready, Serret took a deep breath before leaving the room.

“Hannah, do I look alright?”

“Of course. You look truly stunning.”

Hannah spritzed her with perfume—the scent of lily of the valley spread through the air.

“Good. Let’s go.”

With a confident stride, Serret headed to the drawing room.

Standing outside, she heard laughter inside—two distinct voices. Frowning slightly, she pushed the door open.

Inside were Lady Lydia and Madam Lindsay, chatting and laughing warmly. Lindsay’s attitude was entirely different from how she usually treated Serret.

“You should visit His Grace more often.”

Lindsay’s voice swayed like a cat’s tail in delight.

“Yuan is always so busy.”

Lydia smiled kindly. Spotting Serret, she brightened further and waved.

“Lady Innoheter.”

Lydia rose from the sofa. Lindsay gave Serret a curt nod.

At least she’s polite, Serret thought with a smirk as she returned Lydia’s smile.

“Lady Elliot.”

“I came because I wanted to become better acquainted with you, Lady Innoheter. I hope it wasn’t rude to arrive unannounced.”

Lydia beamed.

“Not at all. You’re most welcome.”

Serret matched her smile.

For a while, the two exchanged polite, hollow smiles in tense silence. Lydia broke it first, turning to Lindsay.

“Bring us some tea, Madam Lindsay.”

For a moment, Serret almost thought this was Lydia’s house.

But no—this was the duke’s mansion, and she was the duke’s fiancée. It was her role to play hostess.

“Yes, Lady Elliot.”

“I think some cookies would pair nicely with the tea.”

Lydia went further, assuming the role of mistress by deciding the tea food. Serret’s neatly groomed brows twitched.

“Yes, I’ll prepare that.”

Lindsay answered sweetly to Lydia’s instruction.

“Madam Lindsay.”

Serret stopped her before she could leave. Lindsay’s face showed a hint of displeasure. Serret ignored it.

“We must treat our guest properly. We can’t just serve mere cookies.”

“……”

Lindsay looked at her as if to say, What do you want, then?

“Baking a cake would take too long. Bring the scones and madeleines that were baked this morning.”

“But Lady Elliot requested….”

“Madam Lindsay.”

Serret cut her off sharply.

She was already weary of this constant power struggle, but as Yuan’s future wife, it was unavoidable.

“If I have to remind people who I am again, especially in front of guests, it will truly break my heart.”

Lindsay’s face flushed red. After pouting briefly, she reluctantly answered:

“…As you command.”

“I’d prefer coffee instead of tea.”

“Yes.”

Lindsay bowed and left.

Once she was gone, Serret met Lydia’s eyes. Lydia’s pouty expression turned into a forced smile when their gazes locked. That alone gave Serret some satisfaction.

“Please, have a seat.”

Serret gestured. Lydia sat, and Serret took the opposite sofa.

“Since the ducal house has lacked a mistress for so long, the servants have grown a little unruly. His Grace is far too busy to manage household affairs.”

“Is that so? It doesn’t seem that way to me.”

Lydia kept her expression carefully controlled.

“After the wedding, I’ll have my hands full managing them. I’d be grateful if Lady Elliot visited often to lend a hand.”

“Of course.”

Lydia’s smile was strained.

She disliked that Serret was already playing mistress when she wasn’t even married yet.

“I truly wanted us to be close, Lady Elliot. Thank you for coming.”

“I felt the same. I wanted to be close to you too, Lady Innoheter.”

Lydia’s voice was sing-song.

“My, it seems our hearts are in harmony. Why don’t you stay for dinner?”

“If you’re inviting me, how could I refuse?”

Both women laughed politely, their real feelings hidden.

Serret, meanwhile, was already thinking: Should I use Lydia as an ally—or treat her as an enemy?

Perhaps a husband who strays with my friend would be more scandalous…

Serret gave Lydia a sweet smile, hiding her dangerous thoughts.

To be continued…