Chapter Two

Mariaisabella's only time of tranquillity, where she lies in the breezy fields, is interrupted with a rude kick to her side. Pain courses through her as she jolts up, unable to properly process what is happening. Confusion coats her face before realizing that she fell asleep beside Mary's bed.

Awoken by the unsympathetic maids, Mariaisabella gets out of the daughterless bedroom. Knowing that her daughters are being schooled, she strides towards her chambers. Mariaisabella is glad that she does not have to share a room with the horrid man any longer.

As she approaches her door, the main maiden, Tatiana, walks by. The woman with long strawberry hair and pure skin looks nothing like a maid. If anything, Tatiana looks like the epitome of an aristocrat. Mariaisabella knows that it is because her husband adorns her with the most lavish dresses and gorgeous jewelry. She is not alone as two lesser maids accompany the fair lady. As the three walks by her, they snicker at the woman they should respect.

Mariaisabella is very tempted to strike Tatiana. However, her husband would not like his wife hitting his personal wench.

The same wench who's to blame for her burning mark and fatigue. Ever since her husband hired her personally, Mariaisabella has been in pain. But the desperate need to save their marriage is long gone now. And all that is left is resentment.

Mariaisabella approaches the door to her chambers. She opens it and gazes at the unfamiliarly familiar room with soulless eyes. Bright mauve wallpaper with a gorgeous bed to match. The bedroom is nothing less than an empty hull.

In all of her thirty-two years, nothing has ever been her choice. From her upbringing to her marriage and children, she never had a chance to make her own decisions.

The older woman takes careful steps through the room. Mariaisabella continues walking in the silence until she hears the slight creak beneath her feet. A small smile slips into her face as she carefully kneels. She turns her head before tending to the fitted false floorboard.

Careful fingers wrap around the plank as Mariaisabella lifts it from its place. A piece of paper greets her. But the noblewoman admires it like gold. Picking it up carefully, she folds it and hides it in her blouse. She then leaves the room to confront her husband.

Once and for all.

Newfound confidence surges through the woman as she barges into his home office. Mariaisabella did not mind receiving any punishment from the vile man. She was going to take her life back from Stronzo's grimy hold.

But Mariaisabella stands there. All she can do is stand and watch in horror as her husband copulates with Tatiana.

Disgust fills her body as she can no longer hold last night's dinner. Storming into his office, only for her to see it happening with her own eyes, made her plans come to fruition. Mariaisabella's last piece of her reserve is now gone.

Mariaisabella can no longer feel her mark of durability burn in the back of her shoulder anymore. The wind-shaped symbol's glow was getting dimmer with every painful pulse. But now it has fully disappeared.

Mariaisabella storms off. She knows that she will be punished by the man later for not knocking. But she doesn't care anymore.

Two hours later, and after eating a meal of bread and soup, her face involuntarily slams against the wall. Mariaisabella attempts to glance at the perpetrator. She is surprised to see that it is Tatiana. The wench has her arm extended, with the palm painfully position to the side of the poor mother's head. The strawberry hair is frizzled, and her face reveals the incarnation of evil.

"You bacon-fed toad. You are ugly and venomous and no more brain than a stone." The fair lady spits out. Mariaisabella, with hatred in her eyes, watches as the maiden reveals the golden shimmery mark on her collar bone. Mariaisabella doesn't know why, but a surge of poisonous jealousy courses through her.

"Leave you unpleasant hag. Your vacancy will not bring any woe to me or my Stronzo. And take your children with you.

I'm with child, and your husband and I were celebrating. Make yourself useful for once and get rid of your existence." With a final slam of her head against the wall, the maiden storms off. Mariaisabella collapses onto the floor with a pounding headache. She closes her eyes and wills herself to not emotionally cave in.

But her emotions swirl like a whirlwind. Everything around her begins crashing down as she cowers for protection.

Once Mariaisabella's and Stronzo's daughters return from their schooling, they are instructed to pack their belongings. Stronzo had arranged for all three of them to be married off. So, they will be going to Paris for the seasonal ball. Mariaisabella will be accompanying them because he needs an excuse to get rid of her.

And soon, all four of them are packing their essentials into the least efficient carriage. The horseman is a bloated gnome who seems to have a sick and twisted obsession with Mariaisabelle. Nevertheless, they are on their way.

Mariaisabella tries to hide the smirk as they leave the main city. Once they leave Rome, the glistening knife reveals herself under Mariaisabella's skirt. Unbeknownst to Stronzo, Mariaisabella and her daughters are not obeying his wishes and going to Paris.

The mother hopes the plan works.