2 Countess that wishes to be my mother

"Rise and shine, my lady."

As soon as Andrea, my personal maid, pushed the drapes aside to enable the invading sunlight to brighten the room, I squinted. I turned over, groaning, and attempted to pull the blankets over my head. I didn't get very far before Andrea grabbed the sheets and yanked them down.

"Andrea!" I let out a yell.

"It's time for you to get up, my lady. It's nearly ten o'clock in the morning, and you're still sleeping."

"I'm feeling under the weather," I admitted. "Please give me a few more minutes to sleep in."

I shut my eyes, thinking Andrea would leave me alone. Instead, I sensed her standing over me with a palm on my brow. Andrea said nonchalantly, "You don't have a fever."

"What is the matter with my lady?" Andrea inquired as she sat on my bed, staring at me. "Did someone offend my mistress during Her Late Highness' memorial?"

As I sat up in bed, my abundant bouncy copper hair fell over my shoulders, I narrowed my eyes. "Normally, you let me sleep in whenever I wanted."

Andrea stepped out of my bed and smiled as she stood near me. To be honest, I'd become accustomed to her weird smiles, but this time it was the creepiest of them all. I continued to observe her as I got out of bed. "You're concealing something."

"Did you meet a decent man for you the day before?" She inquired sarcastically.

When I heard the question, I blushed and answered, "Yes." "I did meet a man, but how did you find out about him?"

Andrea grinned and cupped her palm over her mouth. She appeared to love taunting me at the time, which honestly did not bother me. She was more than just my personal maid; we grew up together and she was more than that. "This morning, I overheard His Grace talking about it with his guest."

"Guest?"

"Indeed, my lady. His Grace's visitor. When you think about it, she's rather lovely with her titian shoulder-length bob hair and amber eyes. Oh, and don't forget about the mole on her face near her lips. She is stunning but no one in the world can compete with your beauty."

"I see."

I entered the bathing room Andrea had previously prepared for me and sat in the tub while she assisted me with my bath. "Your skin is so lovely and fair, my lady. It's perfect, and it makes me envious."

I grinned since I was so used to her compliments every day, and I thoroughly loved each and every one of her remarks. It took her quite some time to clean me up and assist me with my clothing. Putting on the corset was the portion of dressing that I despised the most.

Andrea tugged my corset strings with all her power, her leg on my back, while I clung to my bedpost. Suffocation, a sensation I'd become accustomed to... But what could I possibly do? What we go through for the sake of beauty and fashion.

I then sat on my dressing chair, staring at myself in the mirror as Andrea arranged my hair behind me.

"Do you like my lady's hairstyle?" Andrea inquired in hushed tones as I continued to stare intensely into the mirror. She had my hair in a fluffy side ponytail, which astonished me because she knew how to arrange my mid-thigh long hair. It was almost as if she were a professional.

"I adore it!" As I waited for her to do the remainder of my makeup, I shouted. What can I say? She chose an amazing teal gown for me and I resembled a walking living doll. As I smiled, I thought to myself, "May God bless her hands."

************

I dashed over to where my father was and saw a face I never enjoyed seeing. Even though I hadn't watched it in years. They were conversing as they sipped tea hand in hand until I noticed the female visitor alongside my father laying her hand on my father's lap. That infuriated me.

"Good morning, papa." As I walked into the sunroom, I said hello. The woman had the arrogance to continue holding my father's hand in my presence. What were her intentions toward my father? I didn't like her at all.

"Oh, Eli, good morning. Finally, you arrived at the appropriate time." My father welcomed me pleasantly, but I could see he was worried as well. I could see how hard he was trying to shove that woman's hand away from his.

"Papa, are you unwell?"

"Eli, my darling. I've been missing you terribly." The woman, Leonie, remarked as she stood up to meet me. She kissed each of my cheeks while holding both of my hands. "Did you miss me as much as I missed you?"

I stared at her, then averted my gaze to my father, a false grin on my face. We weren't close, and I didn't like her, but did I have to keep it a secret any longer?

"You should know the answer to that, Countess Leonie." I continued, coolly looking at her. "Her Royal Highness, Eliana Alexander Devensian! Please do not use my name carelessly; we are not equals."

Leonie flinched when she heard what I had said. She quickly curtsied to me, and I could see how hard she was trying to disguise the fact that she was biting her lip under her scowl. "Your Royal Highness, Eliana Alexander Devensian, please accept my apologies for my rudeness."

I walked by her and left her curtsying as I sat opposite my father and faced him. My father stared at me as if he had vital news to tell me. But, with that expression on his face, what could the news be?

"Leonie, come on over and join us." When my father called to her, she instantly altered her demeanour. She sat in the same seat as him, although she wasn't as near to him this time. I observed as she picked up her teacup and took small sips from it while snooping at me. I could see she was irritated from where I was sitting.

"How come this woman is in our talk, papa?" As Andrea poured me a cup of tea, I inquired. It upset me that she came to see us in the first place and that she was being too tactile with my father.

As I took a sip from my cup, I could see how unhappy she was becoming. My father, on the other hand, didn't appear to appreciate my inquiry either. He set his cup on the coffee table and fixed his gaze on me.

"As you are aware, the countess has been a widow for quite some time, and she was a close friend of your mother." He sighed deeply and asked, "What do you think about having her as your mother?"

When I heard what he said, I almost dropped my cup. Was he serious? How can I let a woman I didn't like become my mother when she plainly had ulterior intentions for contacting us?

"I disagree," I replied, placing my cup on the table and crossing my arms and legs, my gaze locked on Countess Leonie. She didn't appear to appreciate my remark, given how hard she was trying to keep her cool.

"Your Highness, maybe you could try giving me a chance. You m―"

"Did I give you a chance to speak?" I cut her speech short before she could continue it. "I'm sorry I had to derail your plans, Countess Leonie. If you genuinely wanted to be my mother, you could have contacted me first rather than my father, am I correct? Or are you possibly in love with my father, which is completely out of character for you? If I could remember where you were and whose arms you were in last night."

My remark really caught my father off guard. It was as if I had released him from the enormous chains that had been imposed on him. He looked at the countess as if he was waiting for her to explain if what I said was real or simply my own assumption. I was having a good time watching the show.

"Your Highness, I believe you are exaggerating with your remarks. I'll presume you're referring to me as a loose woman in front of your father, His Grace." Leonie stated this while acting pathetic in front of my father. My father might outperform her in terms of acting ability. She continued to force tears from her eyes, but nothing came out, which disappointed me. Was she worried about smudging her thick makeup?

"You're a horrible actor, and I'm not falling for your words," I said, lifting my brow and smiled before turning to my father, who had a solemn expression on his face. "Father, I was informed there was a visitor and that is why I wanted to join you but now that I have seen her, I shall excuse myself."

"Wait a second, Eli." As I was walking away, my father stopped me. He stood up, straightened his suit, and went over to me, turning to say, "Our visitor was just departing."

The countess was left stunned in the sunroom, biting her nails. As I walked away, I couldn't help but catch a glimpse of her rage. Yes, she was enraged, and I enjoyed it.