"Ophelia wait! It's dangerous! You shouldn't..." Mace runs towards me.

"Not right now, Mace," I glare down at him just to see him grit his teeth in frustration. After tying my loose hair in a high-up ponytail I grab the leather reins, "Go Angel" the white horse starts galloping, and soon the view of the Duke's mansion disappears.

'Let me make it in time,' I needed to get Ivy back, I couldn't allow her to go to the palace.

Both Ivy and Olivia are new maids, young and pretty, with new blood for Terrel to stain. I could delude myself by saying that I am only doing this because I don't want any other girl to go through that nightmare, whether they are spies or not but that is not the real reason.

I needed to mark my dominance just like Terrel is trying to do. The fact that he "stole" a maid from my entourage means he intends to scare the people working for me. Something among the lines of: "If you go against me, this is what will happen". Ivy was nothing more than a little sacrificial lamb that he chose to use, an example for the others. Simultaneously, he is also sending me a message, a threat to be exact. 

'I never thought...' I was aware of how pissed off Terrel had become but I wasn't expecting him to act this rashly. 

'You are mine. I can take everything away from you and you can't stop it,' is what he is telling me ruthlessly. He is trying to show me that a good bride should just obey and watch things quietly in her own corner, not making any trouble. He wants me to know how powerless I am and how he can make my life a living hell.

I am not the girl I was in my past lives. I won't sit quietly and wait for this demon from Blasphemy to take all that's left of me. I will be the one ruining him, taking everything he holds dear, and feel the pleasure of his despair with my own two hands.

I will become his personal demon, day and night. 

 

As I reach half of the way to the palace I spot the Duke's carriage. They were traveling at a very slow pace.

'I see...' I let out a small chuckle after understanding the situation.

The coachman must be one of Terrel's personal servants and so, it is quite normal to think he is aware of Ivy's future. He was delaying it on purpose, as an act of courtesy, in a pitiful attempt to lower his guilt. 

"Stop the carriage!" I yell and the man pulls the reins right after looking back.

"Lady Ophelia...? What are you doing here?" he questions as I jump down the horse.

"Retrieving stolen assets," I open the door just to see Ivy holding back her tears as her body trembled slightly.

"But milady, these were Lord Terrel's orders," the man looks concerned. He knew that if he didn't bring her the consequences would be severe. 

"What is your name?" a cold glare is what he receives and, without a second thought, he replies. 

"Edward."

"Then Edward please enlighten me, who owns you?" I approach him. His body began to sweat uncontrollably. 

"Duke Wharton..." he was trying his best to hide his nerves.

"That's right... So did the Duke tell you that Ivy had been reassigned to a different position after personally assigning them to me?" Edward couldn't say anything. I was sure that Terrel had done this without asking his father for consent. He knew that this was inhuman and so the Duke, being a righteous man, wouldn't agree, "I am sure that you know that stealing from me is stealing from the Criswell's," he flinches after hearing my words.

"But Lord Terrel told me to bring Ivy to him, I have to bring her milady," Edward was indeed loyal to a piece of scum.

"I guess it can't be helped then... You shall take Ivy to him, and a message from me as well," I smile politely while he looks at me confused. I point towards a stone wall close to the carriage covered in ivy, "Make sure take it all, we wouldn't want Lord Terrel to think we were being cheap," Edward finally understood. Reluctantly, he went to grab the plant that grew from the stone, cutting it swiftly with a pocket knife. 

"Ivy, leave the carriage, you are coming with me," she looked scared but obeyed quietly.

 

After several minutes the inside of the carriage was now covered with ivy and as Edward sat to begin his journey I stopped him.

"Make sure to tell my fiancé that I am eager to meet him and that friendly guard of the palace again," after gulping, he heads off and I climb on the horse.

"Let's go, Ivy," I stretch out my hand and help her get on, "Hold on tight," we then headed towards the mansion in absolute silence, being only able to hear the sounds of nature.

 

✽ ✼ ✽ ✼ ✽ ✼ ✽

 

"Milord, Edward has arrived," a servant enters the study room and interrupts the meeting between Terrel and the second prince, Donovan.

"Oh? Well if you excuse me, your highness, I have some business to attend," Donovan knew exactly what were the hobbies of the eldest son of the Wharton's and it sickened him but, even then, he needed his power in order to get rid of Blake.

"As you wish," Terrel takes his leave while the second prince stared at the entrance of the castle from the window. His dark caramel hair looked almost like a shining piece of copper while his hazelnut eyes made him look younger than he was.

'Filthy man...' he couldn't help but to feel repulsed every time he would leave their meetings early to "take care of some businesses". 

 

Terrel arrives at the castle entrance just to be greeted by a sweaty Edward. He kept averting his eyes, almost as if he was hiding something. 

"I assume everything went smoothly?" he couldn't help but feel that something wasn't right since his servant had never behaved like this before.

"Well, milord... There was a problem..." after hearing these words Terrel frowns and quickly heads towards the carriage.

"Milord don't...!" it was too late, as the door was opened, Terrel saw the amount of ivy and vines inside.

"You have ten seconds to explain yourself," his eyes were filled with anger as he tried his best to conceal the desire of beating up his servant. He knew that Edward was loyal to him, he would never do anything to betray him but, even then, he couldn't understand this situation.

"Lady Ophelia appeared and demanded Ivy back... I tried explaining that it wasn't possible but somehow she knew that Duke Wharton wasn't aware of this exchange... I-..." Terrel clenches his fist in frustration.

'How could that woman know? It is impossible...! Ah...' he tried to understand how she was able to predict the situation so quickly, 'So she is rebelling, is it...? Well, the last ones to fall are the best ones,' he chuckles at this thought. 

Terrel had been suspicious of Ophelia's movements. He knew she had been locked away in Criswell's mansion ever since she was born and so, her knowledge about the world is close to none. Everything had been prepared and calculated, but even then, she slipped through his fingers as if she was nothing but sand. 

"That little black sheep is trying to play the wolf's part uh..." Terrel clicks his tongue as he pushes his short brown hair back.

"Milord, she told me to tell you that she is eager to meet you and the guard of the palace again... Do you think she knows?" Edward receives a strong slap from Terrel, making him fall onto the floor. 

"Remember where you are, be careful of your words." quietly, the servant asks for forgiveness.

Terrel was extremely suspicious of Ophelia. He knew she was her father's doll but yet she kept going against his will. 

'She's not as dumb as I thought...' he remembered their first meeting. For a long time, he wondered how she was able to escape his grasp but, when he saw the cuts in her body and her dress covered in dirt, he understood she had jumped from the window. Still, Terrel remembers the fear in her eyes when she saw him for the first time. It was something he had never seen before, in any lady's eyes. 

At that moment he thought she was indeed a puppet, an item whose purpose was to be used to fulfill his every need since there was no other explanation for that horrified expression. He wanted to believe that it had been nothing more than a coincidence, that she didn't actually jump, and that the guard had forgotten to lock the door properly.

Even then, something kept on bothering him. Something didn't felt right, almost as if there was a piece of the puzzle missing. That is why he had Edward pick one of her new maids, he needed to show her that it was useless to struggle since the ending would remain the same. 

"Clean up the carriage, I need to send a letter to an old acquaintance" Terrel grins as he walks towards the inner part of the castle.

'So that's what you will do...' for Terrel's surprise she had taken the bait and had rescued Ivy. He now knew she was not the sweet and innocent child Duke Criswell had said, in fact, she was a greedy woman that tried to make a statement, 'Those are the most annoying...' 

He despised women that defended ideas like "women's rights", stating inhuman things like "women deserve to be equal to men". Ophelia was just like them, going against the true nature of women, going against him, the man in this relationship. 

'I just need to teach her properly...' he stops and looks towards the carriage once again. Edward was removing the plants from the carriage carefully, 'Yes, I will do what her father didn't...' 

He turns and heads towards his chambers. As he walked he kept on wandering how Ophelia came to know about the guard, how she realized he was working with Terrel. 

'I need to know everything...' he realized he needed to know the truth behind the girl since one cannot go to war without intel, 'I'll make sure you regret it you little whore.'

During this time, Donovan, the second prince was watching the scenario unfold from his study room. As Terrel's face became filled with anger and disgust he felt amused, and, simultaneously, curious as to who had gone against the Wharton's first son.

 

✽ ✼ ✽ ✼ ✽ ✼ ✽

 

「 One week before 」

After Ophelia leaves the room Patricia calls for her servants.

"Bring me paper and a quill immediately," quietly, her maids obey. 

'Ophelia Criswell... Who'd know you'd be so useful...' Patricia understood that Amanda's younger sister was a simpleton, to say the least, and she was well aware that what she saw the night of the ball was an effect of the drug.

It is not unusual to hear about nobles that ended up too drunk or drugged in Lady Catherine's parties and, for what she had seen today, she understood Ophelia was only a victim. She considered that the drug poured out her rough emotions, especially her hatred for Amanda which, to a certain extent, Patricia could understand.

'That's why she didn't do anything to us, the drug made Ophelia unfiltered and since she didn't know us...' everything made sense in her head.

"Milady, your writing material," Patricia smiles as the servant places her sheet and quill on top of the table.

 

[My dear father,

As you might be aware, my dear friend Amanda Criswell has been passing through some rough times and, in order to understand her better, I talked with her younger sister, Ophelia Criswell.

We will be hosting a tea party in the mansion next week. I would be happy if you would be so kind as to attend.

 

With all her love,

Patricia Hillgarden]

 

[Dear Holly,

I wish to invite you to a cup of tea tomorrow afternoon. I have so many new and exciting stories to tell you. Please find some free time in your busy schedule to visit your friend.

 

Patricia Hillgarden]

 

Patricia stretches her arms and back right before delivering the letters to her servants.

"Send them right away," she smiles and soon the day comes to an end.

 

✽ ✼ ✽ ✼ ✽ ✼ ✽

 

「 The next day 」

"So, what are these exciting stories, Lady Patricia?" Holly grabs a piece of the carrot cake sitting on the table as her host drank some lemon tea.

"Lady Holly, I am sure you have felt it too... The tides are changing," Holly knew that Patricia was referring to Amanda's waning influence.

Ever since the ball, everyone in the high class was talking about The Black Rose, Ophelia Criswell. They say she managed to place her thorns around several noblemen already, being Amanda's fiancé one of them.

'The beauty that you can never touch,' Holly thought as was reminded of her maid's comments.

Even if they were in the background, Amanda and Holly both had seen Ophelia's display of power. When she left the most wanted man alone, being engulfed by a wave of noblewomen as if he was nothing more than a burden, everyone became astonished. No person at that ball tried to approach her afterward due to her overwhelming presence. 

'It was almost as if she was out of reach...' she recalled what she felt when Ophelia walked down the stairs, more graceful and dignified than any other noble lady.

"Only a blind person wouldn't notice my lady, what is your point?" Holly brushed her short and curly blonde hair to the side.

"Ophelia Criswell came to visit me yesterday... She needed space to throw a tea party next week," Patricia smirks right before seeing her guest frown in suspicion.

"She's cursed Patricia, why are you even trying to approach a girl without any influence?"

"Holly, Amanda's falling out of grace while Ophelia has her hands full of wealthy men... Layton Verne and Bradley Trace were seen courting her even though she is engaged to Terrel Wharton," Holly drinks a little bit of her tea while her light blue eyes glare at Patricia's evil smile.

"Her father despises her, she will never gain his power," Patricia's guest made a good point, however, she had already anticipated this matter beforehand. 

"Alone she can't but with the help of the other houses... Besides, I'm not saying to give up on Amanda but we should keep our options out in the open, you never know what might happen..."

'She's right... It is true that Ophelia couldn't do it alone but would the noblemen help her?' Holly was conflicted since she had never spoken to the cursed girl before. All she knew of her were rumors and what she had seen at the ball.

"She's a menace Patricia, don't you remember that night?" reminding herself of the events of that evening, Holly becomes nervous but soon, Patricia explained everything that had happened the day before, "So you are saying she needs some knowledgeable friends to guide her?" Holly smirks as she understood the idea behind Patricia's mind.

'So we're going use her status to climb... Poor girl... She shouldn't be so easily tricked, may this serve her as a lesson for the future,' Holly puts down her cup. 

"And who else would be friends of a cursed girl beside the kind-hearted Holly and welcoming Patricia?" she smiles as Holly focused her eyes on her.

"Indeed. Let's guide a lost puppy home," Holly's lips portrait an evil grin before they start talking about other trivial matters.

Holly had joined forces with Patricia a long time ago, they weren't exactly friends but they needed each other and, until that was a reality, neither of them would abandon the other.

They were both daughters of Earls. That meant they were mere pawns in Duke Criswell's game and that's why they wanted to have more power, more status, more influence. They wanted to be adored, to be respected, to be feared by everyone. 

Patricia wished to marry someone like Bradley Trace due to all his merits. It was common knowledge how Bradley had left the Royal Academy with the highest grades ever since its opening and he was as beautiful as an angel that had fallen on the earth. The majority of the nobility members stopped chasing him due to his engagement with Amanda but not Patricia. For her, Bradley was more than a man, he was her obsession. She desired him more than anything else in the world alongside the power that he carried. 

Holly's wish was higher than marrying into a Duke's family. She wanted to marry a prince and make him the next king. That's why she always played the role of a saint no matter where she went, not fighting back, helping the poor. She knew that if the people loved her beforehand then the other candidates would have a harder time dealing with her.

Holly had been living for this sole purpose, for this unique dream and finally, the opportunity had arisen. She knew that if she managed to get friendly with one of the elders at the tea party then she would be able to visit the palace and, from then on, everything would work just as she imagined. She didn't care what prince would like her, Blake or Donovan, since she would make the one that chose her the rightful king. 

They knew this situation was extremely beneficial for both since, for the first time, they would be at the party by themselves and not serving someone else. Due to being around Amanda during parties and balls, they were never able to make any connections because she focused her time on bad-mouthing everyone other ladies with her obnoxious voice. 

"Well then, I hope to hear from you soon Holly," Patricia takes her partner to the door.

"Of course, Patricia. I will let you know about any developments," Holly smiles right before leaving.

The cards were set on the table, the players had been decided and as Patricia and Holly thought about the beginning of their new lives, Ophelia was already preparing the bait for her next target.