Finally, after waiting for several long days I was summoned to the Duke's study where he gave me the good news.
"You will marry Terrel Wharton, the firstborn son of Duke Wharton," he stated with his rough yet cold voice.
In my 2nd life, I tried to persuade him out of marrying me off to some stranger but that only ended up with a slap on my right cheek.
"You should feel thankful to the Wharton's otherwise you would die alone without a man to provide for you," he said as if I had committed a grave sin because I strongly opposed the marriage. This "blessing" is indeed so rare for me and so convenient for the Duke. Ain't I "blessed" that the Wharton's own several mines and are extremely wealthy?
"Very well Duke. I will take my leave," I reply after hearing the final details.
As planned, he now sees me as a threat, a big threat to Amanda's wedding. I will be leaving this house in a week and I couldn't be more thrilled.
✽ ✼ ✽ ✼ ✽ ✼ ✽
"Kitten, where are you? I brought you food," I speak loudly as I enter my room. My eyes wander to the bed just to see a familiar shape, a pure black furball, sleeping soundly. Weirdly enough, his wound was much better compared to when I caught him in the bushes, in fact, it was almost fully healed. Even then, he stayed and never left my room.
After placing a bowl filled with meat on the floor I sat down on the wooden chair in front of the table. I remove some paper sheets and start getting my ideas straight.
According to the memories of my first life, Terrel should only come to my room three months after I move.
'That's too long,' I think as I play with the quill around my chin and cheeks. I don't want to waste three months in that house. Hell no.
"If they don't run to you, then you run to them," I chuckle, and after getting up I notice that the black cat was looking at me. His bright red eyes popped out against the sun rays that came down from the windows and I suddenly lose the strength in my legs.
'What the...?' I think as my hands clench the back of the wooden chair, 'Did I just imagine it?' in another look the cat was eating peacefully, almost as if nothing had originally happened.
I decided to leave and take a stroll in the garden. This was indeed weird, peculiar to say the least.
'Am I going insane? It's just a cat,' it kept on bothering me and, as my head was in the clouds I feel a hand grab my waist. Suddenly, my body is showered with someone else's warmth.
"Lady Ophelia, to appreciate the lake's beauty one should be on land," the charming voice of Bradley, my "knight in shining armor".
'Should I feel thankful? Are you a dog waiting for praise?' I cringe as I see his yearning expression.
"Lord Bradley, what a coincidence meeting you here. You might not be aware but there are several ways to appreciate beauty," I go back slowly, placing some distance between us. His puppy-like expression turns into a grin almost as if he was extremely amused.
"Please enlighten me, my lady. How do you appreciate beauty?" that charming smile looked so proud, almost as if he had achieved one of his longing desires.
"That is quite a simple question Lord Bradley, I don't. Wasting my precious time in appreciating beauty is nothing more than wasting my breath talking with engaged men," a polite smile appears on my lips while Bradley's grin disappears.
"Lady Ophelia, excuse me for my rudeness but I have to ask... Why are you so hostile towards me?" his green eyes were sparkling as his golden hair was waving with the wind. A part of me was taken aback by that scenery, however, that's where I understood everything clearly.
Those sparkling, almost crying eyes and that hair that reflected the sun were tools of his charm. That's how he stole hearts that never belonged to him in the first place.
"Don't misunderstand my words, Lord Bradley, I don't despise you, nor am I hostile towards you, however, you are my dear sister's fiancé," I state as I quietly approach him. "Besides, my heart is set on another prize and you don't fit the criteria, my lord," I whisper, and when I back away I let out a chuckle after seeing his enraged expression.
'Did I hit a nerve?' I questioned myself as I could understand the damage I had done. Of course, a man whose appeal is higher than an aphrodisiac is used to being desired by any maiden, however, this time, he tried to play with a lady, and now he is sulking like a spoiled kid.
"Well then Lord Bradley, my sister might be looking for you so make sure to show her your love and affection, have a good day," I bow and take my leave while he stood there, without being able to utter a word.
✽ ✼ ✽ ✼ ✽ ✼ ✽
'Ophelia... This brat... ' Bradley thought as he watched Ophelia's figure disappear. Her superior attitude annoyed him to the extent that he wished to see her beg.
In his head, this was a first. He had never been rejected or even played with and the fact that this young lady was toying with his ambitions made him furious. He was well aware that she had no interest in him and that only made this chase more challenging.
'I want you... I will make sure to humiliate you as you humiliated me... I'm going to have you, no matter what," a grin was created on his lips, and, for the second time in his life, he felt the desire to fight for something.
✽ ✼ ✽ ✼ ✽ ✼ ✽
「 A week later 」
I was finally going to start living with the Wharton's.
"Alright cat, it's time for you to leave. I won't be able to take care of you now," I say as I kneel on the ground and softly place him on the bushes I had found him in. His red eyes were sparkling brightly and he kept chasing me around, no matter how many times I left him.
"Ophelia, you are indeed a whore," I quickly get up and look back. Amanda, my elder sister was right here, without any maids as her face was tainted with disgust.
"Well, I learned from the best teacher, sister. If you hadn't taught me the way to seduce men..." as I was speaking Amanda slaps my right cheek harshly, interrupting me and making me lose my balance for a second.
"Shut up wench. I know you tried to seduce Bradley but you failed, how sad. That's what you get for trying to take what's not yours," right before giving me time to compose myself I feel another slap on my left cheek.
'Bitch,' I thought to myself as she grinned, proud of her achievements.
"Sister, let me tell you a secret," I grab her shoulder with my left hand and lower her torso right before punching her abdomen with all the strength in my right arm, making her spit saliva right out of her mouth. "You will never have Bradley's heart and you are delusional if you think he is yours," a whisper echoes into Amanda's ears as she falls onto her knees from the abrupt shock.
"You... I will tell father!" she screams euphorically while her hands covered her stomach.
"Oh please tell Duke, he can't touch me anymore, and neither can you, my dear sister," I slap her right cheek harshly cutting her face slightly with my deceased mother's golden ring.
"Well then Amanda, shall I teach you how to create a curse? How do you want to die? In a fire? With your insides dripping out? Being raped by men until you lose your sanity?" I grab her hair and a psychotic grin is portraited on my lips. "I can tell you it always starts with blood... And with someone already cursed..." with my other hand, I caress her cheek, removing some blood dripping from her wound right before licking it out of my fingers.
'Yes, Amanda... Look at me like that... Fear me more... Hate me more...' I keep on feeling the bloodlust accumulate while her eyes portraited her true feelings: hatred and pure fear of the monster she was seeing.
"Y-You... You are insane!" Amanda yells as she escapes my grasp and runs towards the house.
'You can hide for now little rabbit but there is no hole deep enough to keep you safe,' I chuckle as my heart wraps itself in a desire to ruin her.
I get up and look around, however, the cat was nowhere to be seen.
"All is well when all ends well," I mumble as I head to the front gate appreciating the light Seedling air.
✽ ✼ ✽ ✼ ✽ ✼ ✽
「 At the Wharton's mansion」
"Duke Wharton, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance," I bow down as I am summoned to my father-in-law's study room.
"Lady Ophelia, please have a seat," his polite speech matched his outer appearance. Long yet sharp brown eyes held by slight dark circles contrasted his light grey hair and beard. His pale skin was showing off the great gift of aging, wrinkles that made him look wiser and kinder.
"Thank you for your kindness, your grace," I state before sitting on a comfortable chair from his office.
"Please call me father, we will be family soon after all," the Duke was a kind-hearted man, during all my lives he always tried his best to make me feel safe and cared for.
"Alright, father. Thank you for having me," I reply as a warm smile appears on his lips.
"Terrel is currently in the palace so you won't be able to meet him but he will be back in a month. In the meantime feel free to do what you enjoy Ophelia if you need anything don't hesitate to ask," he is indeed a very kind soul.
As the maids brought me to my room I kept on wondering about the sudden death of Duke Wharton. Even though he is old he is a very healthy man.
'Something's not right...' I start to think as my mind wanders through my past knowledge.
"You're all dismissed," the maids leave the room after finishing arranging my belongings.
I remove the book that held all my old memories and start reading each sheet carefully.
In my 1st life, the Duke was extremely healthy and had no known disease. Suddenly he started having a really rough fever and he vomited anything he ate. He kept complaining to the doctors about pain in his stomach area and then, in the middle of the night, he died. This was all in a matter of two days, no one was expecting it.
Then, when I remarried Terrel in my 7th life, the Duke also died in a matter of days with the same symptoms. At last, in my 8th life, he also met the same fate even though my sanity was too shattered to be able to remember any details about his death.
"No matter how you see it this is odd... This was no accident. Was he poisoned?" I mumble as I begin scribbling some words onto the paper sheets.
I was well aware that Terrel Wharton was a greedy man, he enjoyed being in control, he loved having power above anything else.
'But he was already the first in line...' this situation was indeed peculiar.
I hear someone knocking on the door.
"Hello Lady Ophelia, I'm Mace Wharton and this is Ralph Wharton, we're Terrel's younger brothers. It is a pleasure to meet you," a young boy about my age presents himself alongside his brother. Both of them resembled their father, the Duke, with their chocolate brown hair and their dark eyes. A small pain pierces my heart as I recall Terrel's wrongdoings.
In all my lives I never met them, in fact, I was forbidden to. Terrel started stealing power from his father when he was young and when I arrived, he already controlled every single person in this house. The maids and butlers within the estate always prevented our encounters so the only time I caught a glimpse of Mace was in the coming of age ceremony of the princess.
No matter how you see it, they are children. Ralph is still so young, he should be seven years old, and yet Terrel killed them once he became the head of the house officially to prevent power struggles.
'Disgusting,' I think as I hid my clenched fist behind my back.
"Thank you for taking your time to visit me, Lord Mace, Lord Ralph," I bow down just to hear Mace chuckle.
"You don't need to be so polite Lady Ophelia, just treat us as you would treat a friend," you can feel the kindness from his smile.
'Luckily, not all the apples are rotten,' I understand the similarities between Mace and Ralph with their father.
"I'm sorry my lord but I don't know how to treat someone like that," after hearing these words the environment grows heavy and dark. Mace's expression became conflicted between sadness and pitifulness.
Truth be told, I never had a friend.
I remember vaguely from my 3rd life the existence of someone, a man that I trusted but he betrayed me. Even then, I feel deep down in my heart that I didn't consider him to be a friend. He was somewhat an escape from this devilish torture I have been facing. I needed someone to bind me down to earth, someone to tell me 'No, Ophelia, you are not insane,' and, I was indeed reminded of keeping my feet on the ground as I burned up in flames in front of children, adults, and my family.
No matter how hard I try, I cannot remember his face or even the time between my father's discovery of my time loops and my public execution. It was almost as if my memories had been shattered, smudged, almost as if they had been intentionally erased by something or someone.
Dying every night on my 18th birthday engulfed by flames is my unchanging fate. Having my body burn alive is beyond any pain I've ever felt before throughout all my lives: besides feeling the flames on your melting skin you also can't breathe due to the smoke so, if you are lucky, you die of asphyxiation before dying to the fire. I am nothing but a marionette to some pyromaniac being whose pleasure lies in burning me every single damn time.
"I know that for now, these are only words but I hope that will change soon. Will you be my friend Ophelia?" Mace's eyes sparkled as he yearned for my answer like it was the prettiest jewel in the whole world.
"I will do my best not to let you down my lord," I state politely after bowing just to see Mace scratch his curly chocolate hair.
'Wasn't I supposed to say that?' I thought as I strived to understand the situation.
"This will do for now. You must be tired so make sure to get some rest!" after seeing my troubled expression, he smiles compassionately before leaving with Ralph towards the Duke's study room.
✽ ✼ ✽ ✼ ✽ ✼ ✽
I thought I would be able to lustfully live my life for a month but soon those thoughts were nothing but false hopes. As lunchtime arrives I am greeted by Duke Wharton and his two sons, alongside a surprise guest: Bradley Trace.
"Lady Ophelia is indeed as marvelous as the rumors say," Bradley comments once I enter the room. Despite being shocked and extremely uncomfortable I managed to retain my emotions as I sat down in front of him.
'This guy...' I could perfectly see his intentions. He was a sore loser. A womanizer that can only see his value through a woman's desire.
"Thank you, Lord Bradley, that is very kind of you," I reply politely as I feel some anger accumulate inside of me.
"Where might your fiancé be? Didn't he come to welcome you?" his sarcastic smile arbored hurtful intentions. He was testing me, teasing me, trying to win, however, I am not a prideful person and I have nothing to lose.
"Lord Terrel is very busy, there are certain things that can't be avoided. My fiancé is a responsible man, he'd rather take care of his own instead of wandering around," Bradley's expression turns sour as he sees my winning smile.
'Give up' I thought as the silence on the table turned heavy.
"My lady you do seem very dedicated to your fiancé, I'm jealous," he smirks, showing me that he had no intention of giving up.
'So annoying...' I think while trying to keep my hidden emotions at bay.
"Congratulations on your engagement Lord Bradley, Lady Amanda is a real beauty, I'm sure you are thrilled," Mace Wharton intervenes and the flow of the conversation gradually turns into the mining business.
Even then Bradley kept his eyes on me during the ongoing conversation. His soul was blinded by greed and lust. No matter how you see it, this man is not a calm and beautiful angel just like everyone else imagines him to be.
I really hope for Ophelia to arrange "some event" to happen for Bradley that will brought him down a peg. He deserve at least that much. Terrel in the other hand deserve death as Ophelia planned.
Thank you for the story it's really engaging and fun.
Thank you for taking your time to write a comment! It makes me really happy to know someone is enjoying this story! (feels like my hard work in creating it has been worth it! )
I can't tell you anything regarding Bradley or Terrel's future BUT I can tell you this much:
In the upcoming chapters, there will be several events and situations that one would usually not expect. Each one of these events will harbor severe consequences to the characters and sometimes not everything is what it seems...
Thank you for the hardwork and the creativity! Please have some virtual head pats.
I can't tell you anything regarding Bradley or Terrel's future
Please don't tell me! I want to enjoy it as it's come. I also eagerly await these twist and turn.
@Thatsnoreason Feels patted man
I'm very happy to know! I will post a new chapter every 2 days (or at least try to) Once again thank you so much for this amazing comment, made me super happy!
I'm getting suspicious about the black cat...
Is it a spirit, a demon or something Ophelia could make a bond or contract with?
Speaking of which, I'm excited for Ophelia to gain some awesome dark magic!
Loving your theories Vini!
We will see how everything will turn out... Also thank you for taking your time to comment
Also do you have any theories regarding Bradley as you did in the first chapter?
@Not_A_Symphony About the black cat again, maybe it could just be a cat beastman that could either become her adoptive son or a love interest! Maybe become her personal combat butler!
I feel that eventually, Bradley could genuinely fall in love with Ophelia when seeing her kindness and her Gap Moe moments
@ViniPaiva25 I see, well that is an interesting theory in it's own way
I'm just imagining her black cat shapeshift into the Black Power Ranger That's way too funny too imagine
"Who are you?" Ophelia's eyes blink after seeing her black cat turn into a man whose clothes looked from another world.
"I'm..." *insert gogo power rangers theme song* ... your personal combat butler!
[Thank me later ]
@Not_A_Symphony Lol!
@Not_A_Symphony How could Ophelia train him to become a combat butler?
@ViniPaiva25 With sushi! [Kidding] To be honest I still don't know what is the faith that awaits the kitten
@Not_A_Symphony Another theory by the way the cat looked at Ophelia...
Maybe he's the vessel of the one responsible of the loops or someone that has been sent by it to keep an eye on Ophelia in all these loops, and just now she noticed!
@Not_A_Symphony About Bradley again, I feel that eventually, by the time Bradley notices he's falling heads over heels for Ophelia when seeing her kindness and her Gap Moe moments, there would be nothing he could do besides begging her to marry him in exchange for anything she wants! Maybe she could turn him into her submissive husband!
@ViniPaiva25 I loved this! Since I am still writing the novel I don't know what the future holds so reading theory's about the characters is very amusing! Thank you
@Not_A_Symphony Again, maybe that cat is just a beastman boy, and Ophelia would train him and make him her personal combat butler! XD
@ViniPaiva25 Go go go Meow rangers! Fighto!
@Not_A_Symphony Well, that previous theory about the cat being the vessel of the one responsible for the loops or someone sent by it still opens the possibility that after hearing this truth, Ophelia would make a pact/contract with it!
Maybe this would give her some awesome dark and light magic!
@ViniPaiva25 Maybe the cat could be the demon lord in disguise And then turned into her familiar (Like I said I have no idea what the future holds since I haven't written it yet, this is just a funny theory I thought regarding your comment )
@Not_A_Symphony Lol!
But still, I think it could be one of these two!
@Not_A_Symphony Okay then, about Terrel, even if this guy deserves to die, I think he would suffer the same fate as Bradley; by the time he realizes he's falling heads-over-heels for Ophelia, there would be nothing he could do about it!
@ViniPaiva25 Like that it sounds like the story will turn into a reverse harem Everyone wants Ophelia
@Not_A_Symphony It's always like that, the person gets interested into someone because of their actions, maybe maliciously, but then without warning, this person already falls in love
@ViniPaiva25 True it is usually always like that but I can't spoil
@Not_A_Symphony With Ophelia helping the black cat like that, I feel she could have some kindness inside, and maybe there could be some gap moe moments!
@Not_A_Symphony Like, there’s the logical part that she doesn’t want trouble, but in the end, the kindest people are the ones that don’t notice their kindness and helps everyone unconsciously
@ViniPaiva25 I really like your last theory. That while she is pragmatic and ruthless for the 10th life her previously held kindness is not gone and could shine through.
@ViniPaiva25 Yeah I understand what you mean but Ophelia, even if she saved the cat, is not exactly a "kind" person. She does things for her own benefit, if it doesn't benefit her she won't care just because the majority of her kindness "dried out". Of course, she does have some glimpse moments of "pure kindness" but, even then, I don't think I consider her a "kind" person that goes out of her way to help others without any ulterior motives, at least.... for now.... Who knows what the future holds (I have no idea)
@Thatsnoreason It is a possibility like I said before she used to be a kind-hearted person but due to her traumas and past life experiences she cut that side of her. I'm not saying she will turn out to be a kind hearted heroine or that she will turn out to be the most villain of them all, I'm still writing the story and I have no idea what to do with her future so (I'm the type of writer that goes with the flow(?)) the tables can turn at any moment