36 Not That Kind of Relationship
"You have—"
"The Blessing?" Rosalind smirked. Why would she reveal her Blessing to Victoria? The Matriarch of this house?
It was quite simple. Victoria would always protect Dorothy and if Victoria revealed Rosalind's Blessing, everything would change.
"Did you ever believe that the one gifted with black hair would receive the Blessing of the light?" Rosalind asked.
"You played us all—"
"As much as I want to, I cannot do that, Madam." Rosalind lowered herself until her face was at the same level as the Marchioness. "I am not as talented at playing people as you and your daughter," she whispered.
"You—"
"Yes, I know what you did. And I will make sure that you suffer a fate worse than death if you let me stay in this mansion."
"You are a Lux!"
"Not according to father or grandfather," Rosalind gave a half-shrug. She got up and walked towards the seating area. "I cannot imagine how Dorothy would feel if she discovered that her younger sister, whom she loaths, was the one who received the Blessing of the Goddess. Do you think she would end her life this time?"
"You—"
"These are mere assumptions, Madam. I am sure Dorothy would be able to handle it." Dorothy grew up pampered, grew up thinking that she would become the next matriarch. What would she feel if one day, Victoria announced that the next matriarch was actually the one that they threw away all those years ago?
How would she feel if the one that they had look down upon all this time would rise up the pedestal and achieve the position that she expected to have?
Seeing Victoria's scowl, Rosalind gave an elegant smile. The older woman understood what was going to happen, not just to Dorothy, but to the Lux Family as a whole. Not only would they suffer at the hands of the new matriarch, but they would also become the laughingstock of the entire empire.
People would ridicule them for choosing a stone over a diamond.
Seeing the glint in Victoria's eyes, Rosalind knew that the older woman had already made a decision.
"I heard that the tea in the North is quite bitter?" Rosalind turned her attention to the tea in front of her. "I think it would be best if you start sending me the tea from the North. I needed to get used to it, no?"
"You— you are really going to the North?" Victoria asked. Rosalind didn't miss the sinister glint in the woman's eyes. Just as she predicted, Victoria had fallen into her trap. She smiled inwardly.
"Why not? The Duke was the first person who protected me from the foxes in this place."
"You are going to leave the empire for a man you just met?"
"The man that I just met is better than the people who I call family," Rosalind answered without batting an eyelid.
"That man— is using you."
It was her who was using him, Rosalind thought inwardly. Naturally, she was not going to tell the woman that she already had a deal with the Duke.
Rosalind had already made her move, now it was for Victoria time to make hers.
"I have no interest in ruling this family, so you can rest your mind," Rosalind said. Though her absence would mean that the Lux Family would start to decline unless they found another one with the Blessing of the light. Rosalind had already factored this in her deliberation.
She could not hide her Blessing forever, so she had thought of ways to reveal it to everyone. With the Duke's involvement, war was probably going break out once she refused to come back to the Lux Family and to the Aster Empire.
From now on, she needed to be more careful about her future moves. To achieve this, she needed someone on the inside that would do anything to help her hide her secret.
Victoria Lux was the perfect woman for the job.
Victoria was selfish and would only think of the things that would benefit her and her daughter. She decided to use this to manipulate the woman and make her suffer at the same time.
Wasn't that sweet?
Victoria wouldn't have any other choice but to help her while gnashing her teeth in fury.
"I should probably leave," Rosalind said. "I am going to give you time to think about my proposition. You could— tell my father and grandfather about it, making my status more important than yours. How could you let a mere maid's daughter become more relevant than you?"
Rosalind started walking to the door. She could hear Victoria's brain scheming and she was loving every minute of it.
"Or… you help me keep my secret. I promise not to rule this family. I am going to the Wugarian Kingdom and you will probably never see me again."
With that, Rosalind left the room. Before she could close the door, she heard something break inside the room, then Victoria screamed.
Oh… Music to her ears.
Sadly, she could not just stand there and listen to the woman's angry screams. She continued walking until she arrived at her residence.
"Young Lady! I heard about what happened!" Milith's panicky voice welcomed her. "The knights won't let me leave and I— "
"Have you been staying outside waiting for me all this time?" It was already the dead of the night and was so cold, yet the woman was pacing outside of the house, waiting for her.
"Yes, but that is not the most important— "
"Go ahead and rest Milith. We will talk tomorrow."
"Young lady— "
"I am exhausted."
Milith reluctantly nodded.
"I could prepare the bath— "
"No need," Rosalind said. "I am going to sleep."
Milith bit her lower lip then she bowed and went inside the two-story house and into her room. Seeing this, Rosalind walked towards the second floor, her face dark.
"Why would you suddenly visit a woman's room in the middle of the night?" she asked the moment she stepped inside her dimly lit room.
"I don't think we have that kind of relationship… your Grace," she glared at the man who was comfortably sitting in the seating area of her room, drinking his bitter tea.
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