Chapter 14

MAGNOLIA WAS TOO AFRAID to even look back. Just hearing that name made her skin crawl. The duchess had to grip the edge of the table as the waves of emotions crashed against her. She swallowed hard, trying to be rational about the situation.

There was no way that the princess of the kingdom invited the one person Magnolia loathed the most to her afternoon tea. But as Serena joined the princess and greeted her, Magnolia's optimistic thoughts vanished.

'How is this possible? It takes a week to travel from Kerika to the capital? Unless she was already here. Or maybe the princess had invited Serena before she even invited me.'

"Duchess?" the princess called Magnolia as she was the only one still standing, lost in her thoughts.

All eyes were on her, she looked around and sat instantly. Her head was in chaos. Her eyes traveled to Aurora, and she realized that this whole tea charade was for the princess to torment her by inviting this evil person.

Her stomach turned at the thought. Princess Aurora looked evil herself at that moment, her wicked smile was quite sickening and scary.

'How could she loathe me so much even though this is the first time we meet?'

Then, Magnolia met Serena's eyes and a chill ran through her body, the woman welcomed her with a fake smile.

"How have you been, dear? I have not seen you since…" she pretended she was thinking for a moment. "Since you married the baron."

'You mean since you sold me to the baron.'

"I understand you raised the duchess." The princess could not hide her delight.

"Yes, Your Highness. She is the daughter I never had."

Magnolia felt disgusted at the mention of the word 'daughter'. She would have probably considered ending her life, had she had a drop of Serena's blood in her.

"There was an accident when she was a child, and unfortunately no one from her family survived except little Magnolia. Poor thing she was so traumatized, she doesn't even remember anything from that day."

"Oh my, how sad." The countess looked at Magnolia with tears in her eyes.

'This woman is too sensitive for her own good.'

"That is horrible, you are a saint for taking care of a child who is not even yours, Lady Lasen," Lady Jepli commented.

"Well, it was a blessing to have her around."

Serena wore a gentle look, but Magnolia saw right through it. This person could not even begin to understand the meaning of being 'gentle'. She was a monster, an evil and heartless monster.

"Did you know her family, Lady Lasen?" the princess asked. She was not trying to hide her curiosity at all.

'She was curious about my family?'

Magnolia was a bit surprised. She could never imagine that the princess would be so interested in someone like her.

'She must really love Daniel.'

The thought disappeared completely after Serena started to speak again.

"Not really, only what my late husband told me," she answered. "He was the sixth cousin of the duchess' mother. But that did not matter when the accident happened. I just could not bear the thought of a small child ending up in an orphanage because of an unfortunate tragedy."

'An orphanage would have been heaven compared to your house.'

As Serena went on, lying about how she took care of Magnolia, all the latter could think of was the pain this woman had inflicted on her during the years she had spent in her house.

Her face felt hot, her whole body felt hot, and her nails dug in her palms unconsciously.

'If you misbehave in front of the baron, I will kill you.' Serena's voice echoed in her head.

Memories of the bruises, broken bones, blood, and hunger flooded her head. Her breathing was uneven, and her temperature kept rising.

Magnolia ran her hand over her throat as she remembered Serena strangling her once, because she had dared greet one of her guests. It was hard to breathe, her chest was getting tighter and tighter, and her heart was beating frantically.

"Duchess, are you alright?" Concern was all over the countess' face.

"Actually," Magnolia stood at once, "I apologize, Your Highness, but I am feeling ill. May I excuse myself for today?" Aurora studied her for a bit.

"You do look unwell, Duchess. Call for her maid," she ordered.

"Thank you, Your Highness, I will take my leave then." Magnolia plastered a smile on her face, but it was more of a grimace.

"Have a wonderful afternoon, Your Highness. Ladies." She staggered toward Clara. The maid rushed to her side and helped her walk.

"Your Grace, are you alright?" Clara's face was anxious. "You look pale, and you're sweating quite a bit.

"Just help me get away from this place," she whispered. Magnolia's vision was so blurred, she was relying solely on Clara to guide her.

As they slowly took a turn at one of the hallways, Clara saw the duke walking with some men.

The maid hesitated for a moment, then she called, "Your Grace." Her voice was full of panic.

She knew that she could be punished for yelling inside the royal palace, but she had no idea what else to do.

The duke turned to the source of the voice and laid eyes on Magnolia. He instantly ran to her and took her hands in his, she was burning.

"What happened?" There was urgency and worry in his voice.

"Daniel?" Magnolia's hand touched his face. "It is you, right?"

Daniel's eyes widened. 'Can she not see me?' He turned to Clara.

"What the hell happened to her?"

The maid trembled. The duke was quite scary.

"I–I have no idea, Your Grace," she stuttered. "Everyone was having tea and chatting and all of a sudden, the duchess did not feel well."

"Daniel," Magnolia called with a weak voice.

"Yes, I'm right here." He pulled her to him.

"Please, take me away from here," she pleaded. "Please."