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"Ha ha ha ha ha ha"
They as in her husband and his mistress watched her laugh giddily as if they had said the funniest joke she'd heard in her lie
"Have you lost your mind, I know it's hard for..."
She held up her hand to halt him mid-sentence and looked at him unimpressed, the next words she utterly shocked the cheating bastard,
"It was funny when you appeared here with those devious smiles on your face, but then you proceed to insult me after cheating, funny world you leave in, let's separate cleanly I'll need my alimony. I hope you realize everything you have is my sweat right ".
He was flabbergasted by her response, she reckoned that he had been looking forward to seeing her clinging to his feet, with a snot-stained and tear-streaked face but that was never gonna happen. She put in her everything into the duchy's development and it wasn't because she was such a trophy wife, comfort bunny wife but because she didn't trust him one bit. The absurd thing parents did in old times, setting up marriages between young inexperienced teenagers was beyond her, what was more disgusting was that you could get wedded to a man older than your grandfather. If you were lucky, you'd get a guy about your age and fall in love not having to deal with any mistress drama, keyword "if" that's even if you were lucky everything could turn out to be a lie and s**t would hit the fan real quick. As a modern woman who had travelled to a world that seemed to be the age of kings and dragons, she wasn't going to sit here and take his or anyone's bullshit most importantly, it was her duchy. Just because some lame-brained chic almost decided to single-handedly Destroy her life, did not mean she was going to let it be, especially after she inherited her body. Thankfully the girl's body she inherited was still young she was about 17, disgusting, how could her parents let her be wedded to the wolf of a man especially when she was just 15 at the Time? They should have been more firm in objecting to her plan to marry the bastard. He seduced her and took her title because he was the 'man', the 'husband', well unfortunately for him he met the wrong girl, she was deeply affiliated with dark places when she was a CEO.
She awoke in the girl's chambers which wasn't her husband's room it hadn't been long since she had taken possession of her body. The man had moved his mistress into the estate and later she had the nerve to move into the main house in her very presence. What was more infuriating was that she got pushed out of it.
"The nerve of that man and that old hag pretending to be a young maiden",
She knew what the aforementioned owner of body knew and even more, it was like the new world wished her to succeed and willed itself to her.
The room she was in was dull and cold, there was a certain feeling of absence, probably the emotions of the former owner. She looked around the room some more and noticed how little the former owner had. Out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed a rope that looked like it was to call all the attention of the maids that worked in the duchy but according to the memories of the body, no one usually responded to the call that was how much they had abandoned her. The workers of the duchy hardly had any respect for her, as all she did was layabout in her room and wallow in self-pity. She was 15 she couldn't blame her, how could anyone blame her? But that was just how it was, if at 15 you didn't know what it took to be a properly educated woman you'd be the butt of every joke at high society gatherings. She put on her robes and marched down the hall to look for her so-called personal maids, when she got there, everyone had a look of annoyance on their face. She laughed and everyone was wide-eyed, she never laughed.
"How far I've fallen... isn't this a funny scene, you think when you sleep with someone of high status once you think it rubs off on you".
The suddenly haughty maids lost their composure and were left either shocked or ashamed.
She called forward her personal maids who blatantly refused to pay her any attention. She smiled then pulled the first one by the hair and slapped her to the ground then stepped on her head pressing her head further into the marble floor. She gave out an annoyed chuckle then proceeded to cooly address their attitude towards her,
"Why did you have to force my hand?"
She looked at everyone coldly, and commanded all of them to fall in line in front of her and ordered one of the maids to bring her a chair, the maid scurried off to find one. The chair was brought and she sat with her legs crossed, silence enveloped them as no one had the guts to oppose this new Madame, as they had just seen this side of her for the first time and were not ready to test the waters.
"I feed you, I shelter you, I work my ass off just for this duchy but yet the people I work so hard to keep happy so they enjoy their work treat me like this. Are you smart?" She asked clearly expecting an answer but they were all silent.
"When I ask a question I EXPECT a reply or are you too good for this benevolent lady that works day in day out just to provide for you?"
The silent but malevolent tone of her voice frightened them but what sent chills down their spine was the friendly tone she used to ask them of their ungratefulness.
They were still silent, she sighed annoyed by their foolishness and pride so she took the next step.
"Oh well, I did try to help you, I gave you a chance to defend yourselves but it looks like you know what you did was terrible and don't even have the guts to say anything since you're ashamed of yourselves... I understand, let me relieve you of that shame, you're all fired", they all protested immediately and started showing their true colours.
"You think you can get away with being so arrogant?! You think you can fire the duke's people?!" One worker yelled out, and she chuckled.
"I'm the lady of this house, if I fire you all and the public catches wind of this, all I'd be is the crazy duchess of Windhoek nothing more nothing less. I could even kick that man to the curb because this duchy is MINE. You all forgot that?" After she made the statement everyone came to a realization and in fact remembered that the Duchy truly was in her name and never changed hands. It was just because she was a fool and suppressed that she willingly let him trample on her. Anyway, the transfer wouldn't happen because the condition of the marriage was that she would be the heir of the duchy being the only competent child of the former duke, she lacked confidence in herself but her work was diligent and impeccable, all that combined with her skills was a deadly but excellent combination.
They began to fall on their faces trying to appeal to her merciful self, she was loving but still, she had to get rid of all of them because they were all his spies but they still had a little use, people don't change overnight after all.
"I have a deal for you all, move all the files, any form of document over to the office in this hall, unless you all want to be on the streets in less than a year from the duchy being ruined, you'll do well to bring it here without that useless bastard causing a fuss",
They all nodded in understanding but still in their spot,
"Well! Chop chop, hurry up time waits for no man, time is money and our money is running out", they understood what she said they quickly scurried and flurried about to carry out her orders.
"Ugh this shabby place, to think the madame of the house would be residing in this place", she knew who the sluggish, crooked, nasal voice, belonged to, she thought it was alluring, the only alluring thing on her was the generous bosom she so over generously offered to betrothed men. She had come to showcase her fool's gold to her like she did every other day. Today was the day she wanted to say something to the b***h.
"Oh look who it is, Therese, I haven't seen you since forever, a pleasure to see your face". Her demeanour knocked her composure over,
"It is? I mean it is of course, I'm a previledge enjoyed by only the worth", The mistress was hit with confusion and uncertainty as was met with the cheery greeting from the duchess but quickly gained composure re-established what she thought was her status.
"Of course, Mr Willshere a very worthy man, really known for his deeds", she coyly said to a shocked mistress
"What was that?" She quickly asked not thinking she heard properly.
"Oh nothing I was just saying of course it is! You gave me such an enlightenment, I could have never gotten it without you. You can have him, take him, trap him even", She said so joyfully,
The mistress finally had something to respond to,
"Oh darling, I feel so bad for you are you trying to salvage whatever piece of dignity you have left? No need we already saw you crawl and beg me to leave him alone. You didn't give him to me, He left you for me, so don't be mistaken".
It was a typical response she expected it.
"O I know! a relief for me, I finally thought about it I own everything here, I keep this place running. He never paid attention to his tutors so he couldn't even get anywhere without my influence. He can keep living here but not in this house you should all move to the holiday home. Since he has a mistress it's only fair I do the same. Like they say, when in Rome do as the Romans do",
"Ro-" the woman struggling to comprehend what she had said,
"No need to worry about that, just ramblings", She waved her off,
"Anyway I hope you can continue to do as you have, supporting him I mean", to a passing stranger, it would sounded genuine but only the woman being addressed would understand the chills she felt.
The leading lady informed of the mistress of misery she felt just thinking of how she couldn't personally see her out. The mistress, Therese didn't know how to feel about the conversation she had with the lady and ran off to confide in her lover.
"Danielle, prepare, I'm going to see my father", the maid looked like a deer caught in the headlights, her father had clearly expressed how he wished to never lay eyes on her again. The maid tries to protest and talk her out of it all she got was a cold stare.
They left and her movement was reported to her husband,
"She went to see her father?" He had noticed she had begun to act strangely, cold and detached but it didn't seem dangerous but the fact that she left to see her father who had clearly expressed his displeasure for him socially, physically and verbally proved that something was amiss and people weren't telling him anything. He needed to do something but for now, he'd wait till she came back to know what was really happening behind the scenes.
