The Evil Ladies Form An Alliance

CHAPTER 11:First Step Of Redemption

The door creaked open, revealing Emma, true to her word, carrying a tray of food. The alluring aroma of creamy mushroom soup, warm and comforting, filled the room, accompanied by the rich scent of freshly baked bread. She stepped carefully, her movements precise, and gently placed the tray on the small table near her lady’s bed.

"My lady, please eat something," Emma urged softly, her voice filled with quiet concern.

Valerie turned her head, a hint of surprise in her eyes, and offered a small smile. "Thank you, Emma," she replied, her tone warmer than usual.

Emma blinked, startled. Her chest tightened, and a small laugh escaped her lips, more from disbelief than humor. For a moment, she studied her lady, her heart swelling with a mix of curiosity and hope. The woman sitting before her now seemed different, softer somehow.

"My lady," Emma began hesitantly, her fingers nervously intertwining. "You seem... changed. Instantly so."

Valerie paused mid-sip, the steam from the soup curling around her face. Her expression shifted, curiosity flickering in her eyes as she set the delicate spoon back into the bowl. "What do you mean by that, Emma?" she asked, her voice low but inquisitive.

Emma swallowed hard, her timid nature battling against her urge to speak the truth. "Well," she said cautiously, "you’ve been thanking me a lot today... which you usually don’t. And since you woke up, you haven’t... screamed at all."

Valerie froze, her face flushing as though Emma's words had illuminated a shame she couldn’t hide. The spoon in her hand slipped from her fingers, clattering against the porcelain bowl and splashing a few drops of soup onto the tray.

She stared down at her hands, her mind churning. Emma’s observations struck her harder than she cared to admit. The truth of her old behavior played into her mind. A tempestuous woman who screamed at her maid threw objects in fits of rage, and basked in self-centered whims. The image was ugly, and it stung more now than it ever had before.

Valerie’s gaze lifted, and for the first time, Emma saw a vulnerability she’d never associated with her mistress. Her eyes brimmed with regret, shimmering like dew on a winter morning. "Emma," she said, her voice trembling, "I’m so sorry."

Emma’s face turned bright red, her hands waving frantically as though to dismiss the apology. "No, my lady! I didn’t mean to—"

But Valerie continued, her tone resolute despite the quaver in her voice. "No. From now on, I won’t throw things at you. I won’t scream at you anymore. You don’t deserve that. Please, forgive me for how I treated you in the past."

Emma’s eyes widened, and her lips parted in disbelief. Was this the same woman who had once hurled vases and books in frustration? The same woman who had treated her kindness as something to exploit? Her heart surged with a warmth she hadn’t felt in years. A beaming smile broke across her face, one filled with uncontainable joy and cautious hope. "Of course, my lady," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

For a moment, an almost sacred silence settled over the room. It was a quiet yet powerful moment, charged with the possibility of redemption. Though the bond between mistress and maid had been battered by years of mistreatment, it had not shattered. Now, it has begun to mend, fragile but resilient, like the first bloom of spring after a harsh winter. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Emma allowed herself to hope. Perhaps the woman she served could truly change. Perhaps the future could be brighter.

But Akari, the soul inhabiting Valerie’s body, knew there was still a long road ahead. Winning over Emma was only the first step. The disdain of the entire household still loomed over her like a dark cloud. The workers of Henstone despised her, and rightfully so. She had a mountain to climb if she ever hoped to soften their hardened hearts. Yet, even that wasn’t her most pressing concern. She had to uncover the truth of how she had ended up in Valerie’s body in the first place.

"Emma," she said, her voice soft yet carrying a note of urgency. "May I ask you something?"

Emma nodded immediately. "Anything, my lady."

"Could you tell me about the accident? What happened that day? Please," she added quickly, sensing Emma’s hesitation, "don’t leave anything out. I promise I won’t get angry."

Emma’s hands trembled slightly as she clasped them tightly in her lap, her knuckles turning white. She bit her lip, clearly reluctant, but Valerie’s imploring gaze left her with little choice. With a deep breath, Emma began.

"My lady... three months ago, the Marquess left the estate for a monster subjugation. Soon after, the former Marquess traveled to the southern territories to address the people’s needs in his absence. During that time... you—" Emma paused as if searching for the right words. "You started hosting tea parties. Many tea parties. And even a ball."

Valerie—Akari—felt a sinking weight in her chest. Her lips pressed into a thin line as shame twisted her stomach. While Valerie’s fiancé, Marquess Ashton, risked his life on the battlefield, and her father-in-law worked tirelessly for the family’s domain, she had been playing the part of a spoiled aristocrat, indulging in frivolity and extravagance.

Emma continued, hesitantly, her voice trembling slightly. "The last tea party you hosted… it didn’t end well. The madam—" Emma paused again, her voice dropping to a whisper. "She stormed into the garden. She was... furious. She threw tomatoes at you and caused a scene. After that, your party ended abruptly. But then..." Emma hesitated, looking down as if reliving the incident was too much.

"Go on," Valerie urged gently. "I need to know everything."

Emma exhaled shakily. "You confronted her later. She was sitting on the bench near the fountain, catching her breath, when you approached her. You grabbed her by the hair and screamed, ‘You crazy old hag! How dare you ruin my party?!’" Emma’s voice faltered. "The maids tried to stop you, but you wouldn’t listen. You kept shouting about how important you were to this family and how society would laugh at them without you."

Akari’s jaw clenched. Hearing this version of herself, the real Valerie was nothing short of horrifying. It was like listening to the tale of a villain she didn’t know she was playing.

"The madam fought back," Emma continued, her voice barely audible. "She scratched your face with her nails, shouting, ‘You demon! Leave my son alone!’ That only made you angrier. You screamed something about your face being too precious to be ruined and lunged at her again. But... the madam pushed you. Hard."

Emma stopped, her breath hitching, tears glistening in her eyes. Valerie leaned forward, her heart pounding. "And then?"

"You lost your balance," Emma whispered, her voice breaking. "You hit your head on the edge of the fountain... and collapsed. Blood was... everywhere. Everyone froze, even the madam. We thought... we thought you were dead."

Akari sat back, her mind racing. The vivid imagery Emma painted made her stomach churn. The raw intensity of the fight, the cascade of emotions, the blood. Valerie’s life had been so tangled in chaos and pride that it had nearly ended in tragedy. And now, here she was, carrying the weight of Valerie’s past sins. The road to redemption stretched long and uncertain ahead of her, but one thing was clear, the body she inhabited was not merely hers to redeem. It was hers to heal, along with the lives Valerie had damaged.