Home Sweet Home

EVERYTHING looked brilliant in the early morning sun. Sunbeams streamed through the open windows, and there was a radiant glow in the dining room. The room was noiseless, and it was only rattling with spoons and forks hitting the plates. Dozens of butlers, maids, and chefs were standing and lining near the wall. They watched their masters savoring the food served on the table without uttering a single word or compliment for the chefs' cooking. Duchess Bridget and her daughter Lady Dakota were having their breakfast in peace.

Suddenly, a messenger interrupted their breakfast. She had this worried look on her face. When she got the permission to come close, the messenger whispered some words to the Duchess. There was a big commotion of news that Young Lord Damien and his knights were heading back to the estate. It seemed like they had found Little Lady Grace, who had been missing for three months.

Bridget overheard the news with a chuckle. What a surprise! Yet, the statement did not shock her at all. "Dakota, dear," Bridget called her daughter.

Dakota stunned for a moment before answering, "Yes… mother?"

"You mentioned nothing to Damien about Grace's location, right?" Bridget suspected it.

"No, mother," Dakota replied in a barely audible whisper.

It took a while for Bridget to accept the answer. "Alright! Then, I would assume Damien was just lucky. Tediously lucky." Bridget gently dabbed her mouth with the napkin. "But I hope you have nothing to do with this, Dakota. Or mother would be so disappointed in you. And you know how much I hate to do that. Right, dear?" Bridget gave this meaningful smile.

"Yes, mother." Dakota continued eating her breakfast. When she almost choked herself with the food, she hurriedly took a sip of her tea to calm herself. She crossed her finger that her mother would not see her hands trembling.

Dakota tried to avoid her mother's suffocating glare. Honestly, a secret was hard to keep, especially to her mother. The Duchess seemed to know everything!

Bridget groaned and called upon the Head Butler. "Fire and replace the Head Chef. The breakfast for this morning was so terrible I could get an upset stomach!"

Upon the order, the knights arrested the innocent Head Chef and dragged him out of the dining room. The Head Chef did nothing wrong, and he could not defend himself. Other servants watch him dragged out with lots of arguments. But they agreed that at least the Duchess spared the life of the Head Chef. Normally, the Duchess just beheaded those who annoyed her.

The Duchess placed her napkin on the table beside the plate furiously. Then she excused herself first. Without looking at Dakota, she left the dining room with mixed feelings. Mostly anger and frustration, of course. She knew what Dakota did behind her back. Her beloved daughter almost ruined her perfect schemes! She had to think of her next step fast!

___

THE coachmen drove the carriage into the main entrance of Gregory Family Estate. Finally, they reached the estate after hours of a strenuous ride. Yuki took a glance outside through the window curtain. The estate was enormous as far as her eyes can see. One word to describe it. Magnificent! Just how rich this Gregory Family? Yuki lived her entire life in a solitary place. She knew that her Maruyama Family was rich, but not as wealthy as the Gregory Family!

Damien pulled the curtain. "Do not look outside. Just! Stay still!"

It startled Yuki! This man sitting in front of her was arrogantly superior and disdainful. A little peek would harm no one, mister!

Yuki tried to limit her moves, as she was afraid it would wake Grace up. So she tried to endure her feelings of irritation. Although in her mind, she already choked this ignorant man until demise!

And the moment of silence returned.

"Can I ask what your family does for a living?" asked Yuki. Unexpectedly.

"You are interested in money and wealth?"

"Oh! No, sir. I'm just asking. Never mind!" Yuki regretted asking such a stupid question.

Damien thought of his answer. "Mostly killing. And threatening. And we are what so-called royalty. Next in line for the Demon Lord's throne," replied Damien. Impassive. He crossed his hands superciliously.

Yuki was speechless once again. She did not focus on that royalty part. She only heard the part 'killing and threatening'. And her face turned ashen.

"You should feel lucky that Grace likes you. But just a warning, you better watch your back. We cannot guarantee your life won't be at stake living here. Welcome to the provisional Hell, miss." Damien deliberately tried to scare her.

Yuki blinked multiple times. She believed that her life would not be easy, and there was no escaping!

At last, they reached the second manor, where Damien and Grace lived in. Damien already explained that the first manor was for his stepmother, the Duchess, and her daughter. So Yuki just shut her mouth and questioned no more. Yuki found out a little about his family's complicated situation.

Yuki could hear the carriage stopped. And their arrival was welcomed by hundreds of servants!

"Grace, dear. We are here." Damien tried to wake her sister.

Yet Grace did not wake up. She was still asleep.

Yuki touched the little girl's forehead, and it was warmer than usual. "Hey! Grace's body is really in heat."

"What?!" Damien was shocked!

"Stay in the carriage. And do not come out unless I tell you!" ordered Damien. He hurriedly carried Grace out of the carriage and closed the door.

DANG!

In shock and confusion, Yuki just sat in the carriage. Silently.

The servants were surprised to see their little master at high temperatures. She has never been sick before!

"Anybody! Do something!" urged Damien. And some maids took Grace from his arms and ran into the manor in panic.

His heartbeat quickened with the pace of his footsteps. He forgot about Yuki in the carriage. Totally! Now, his focus was only on his sister.

Just when Damien wanted to enter his manor, an annoying voice greeted him at the door. Ah! It was the mad duchess!

"You don't greet me. Where is your manner, Damien?" it displeased Bridget.

Damien was frazzled. 'Why this madwoman must appear at this moment?'

"What are you doing here? This is not your manor, woman," enraged Damien.

Bridget sneered! "How dare you say that? This is my estate!"

"Listen! I don't have time to amuse you right now. My sister, Grace is upstairs in high fever because of you!" Damien shouted. His voice was extremely loud!

Huh! Bridget rolled her eyes at Damien in disgust. She refused to accept that insolent attitude of his stepson. She lunged at Damien and slapped him!

PANG!

"Whoa!" The other servants of the second manor were thunderstruck!

"I came here to meet Grace and see her condition. Yet you dared to shout in my face! You both are such ungrateful children! I should kill you two when I had the chance before!" Bridget had lost it.

"We will see! I'm looking forward to your other stupid schemes!" Damien smirked. "Let's see until when you can keep that duchess title! Until then, just enjoy your peaceful time. I will take my revenge one by one and make sure you suffered much MORE than I do!" Damien swore.

Dakota appeared shortly after. She knew something bad would happen between those two. "Mother! Don't make a scene here, please." She tried to hold her mother.

"Dear sister," Damien looked at Dakota while clenching his fists in frustration. "Please take your mother and get lost from my sights!" He fumed irritably as he headed inside his manor.