FAILED ATTEMPT

"What do you mean this can't be, Helena?" The Duke uttered, looking at Helena directly which made Helena flinch because of how cold his stare was. Felicia could see that she was trembling as it was unexpected that she let out her thoughts.

What remained a thought should be kept as a thought, nothing else. But this fool, ruined by her excitement had uttered something that ruined her and could be taken advantage of.

"Oh dear," Felicia uttered quietly, watching Helena who was embarrassed and scared at the same time. She remained in her position, looking down as she could not seem to find the right word to defend herself.

"T-Thats right! This can't be happening, Your Grace! What if she had already thrown the evidence away from her? Or she could have given it to someone else? We must continue punishing her!" Tyren said, stuttering as Helena won't budge and talk.

"That's funny, Madame. I was seen in my bed preparing to go to sleep. Olivia was beside me the whole time, helping me to prepare for my rest." Felicia said as she objectified herself, fighting that she wasn't doing anything weird.

Although she did.

"You're a liar! You keep on lying!" Helena roared, glaring at Felicia with tears running down from her eyes. "Daddy... Why don't you believe me? Why won't you believe me? She really did lock me up! If she wasn't then how will I be able to end up in that room?!" Helena added, fighting for her claims which Felicia found very funny.

"You know, Little sister... There's always a thing called self victimization wherein you victimize yourself and it was you who did the crime." Felicia said with a mocking smile on her face that was hidden under her pleasant smile.

"Are you saying that Helena did it on her own?! How shameless can you be for blaming Helena?!" Tyren yelled as she pulled Helena and hugged her. This wench! Can't she understand that Helena had already caught her to begin with?!

"I was only suggesting something, Madame. I am not implying that it was she who locked herself. Only those who are stupid enough would do that." Felicia answered as her lips stretched even more wide, grinning at the Duchess who was being defensive, adding more suspicion and thrill.

The Duke wasn't responding as he was watching how his family clashed every time and tried to blame it on Felicia even though she was docile. There is no sufficient evidence that would point to Felicia that she was the one who locked her up.

Search Helena's room and her body." All of a sudden, the Duke suddenly ordered them to search Helena even though she claimed that it was Felicia who had locked her up. This made everyone gasp at the decision.

"W-what are you implying, my Lord?! Our Helena is innocent! Why are you doing this to her?!" Tyren asked as she tried to hide Helena but Helena, stepped out from her mother's arms.

She smiled proudly, confident that they wouldn't find anything to her. Moreover, the key might still be in Olivia and if it was proven that she doesn't have the key, she will really beg the Duke to punish Felicia—

"I found the key, Your Grace." The maid who was inspecting Helena had found the missing key in one of her pockets made everyone shocked the moment it was revealed that the key they were searching for had been in her all this time.

"N-NO! WHY WAS IT IN ME? I SWEAR, I-I... YOU! YOU PLOTTED THIS TO RUIN ME, DIDN'T YOU?!" Helena said, bursting into anger as she was about to run her way to Felicia and attack her when all of a sudden, knights began to station around her as she was blocked from ever attacking Felicia.

"Your Grace! That cannot happen! It's a scheme! She won't lock herself! My poor baby won't be able to do that!" Tyren yelled, fighting for her daughter as she couldn't believe how the events started to unfold.

It was unfortunate because everyone saw how the maid was able to pull out the key from her pocket, making Felicia's suggestion factual and not a scheme. It only proves that the Saintess can pull such a wicked plot even though she's already their beloved child.

The Duke's face became even colder as everyone remained silent while Helena sobs, feeling dejected and betrayed because they wouldn't believe her that it was Felicia who pushed her into that darkness and imprisoned her.

"Everyone, go out. Except for Helena." The Duke ordered everyone to get out. Everyone seems to feel hesitation in leaving Helena with the Duke as the Duke might do something harmful to Helena. Even the Duchess Tyren couldn't settle as the Duke's eyes fiercely stared at Helena who was looking down, crying silently.

"Just a moment, Your Grace. I have a concern about the people you sent to me just to fetch me." Felicia said before they tried to leave the room, hoping for the best of all the best. But that thought vanished when Felicia called out the people whom the Duke ordered to get Felicia.

"What is it again, Felicia?" The Duke said enraged with her not wanting to let the issue end. Seeing how the Duke was staring at her with exasperation, she couldn't help but smile at him, trying to vex him more.

"The maid earlier was rude to me. She accused me that I was the one who locked Helena. She stared at me with crude eyes that made me wonder if I wasn't part of this family, especially if I wasn't given the respect that I deserved. May I remind everyone again that I am the daughter of the official wife? I deserve some respect and acknowledgement as the official wife's eldest daughter." Felicia said with a warm expression on her face as she looked at the maid who was rooted in her place, looking so pale.

The Duke on the other hand didn't expect that Felicia wanted this issue to get dragged and was about to open his mind but Felicia didn't let him open his mouth as she cut him off before he could even say something that would oppose what she wanted.

"Isn't this a crime? A slander of my reputation? Smearing my name as part of your family? Isn't this defamation worthy to be punished?" Felicia cut him off with serious offences that would trouble the maid further.

Felicia proudly stood still, pointing at the maid who was being disrespectful to her and even belittled her. She thought that Felicia was still weak but she wasn't. Like a snake, she waited for the opportunity to show her fangs and bite her prey.

Everyone was silent once again as they didn't expect Felicia to be so invested and passionate about laws and crimes. They weren't expecting this at all.

Even the Duke seems to have his tongue rolled back, staring in awe at Felicia who was still proud in her stance. How laughable that they reacted with exaggeration.

"What... What do you want me to do?" The Duke said. Indeed, it is a crime worthy to punish the maid for not knowing her master at all. "Do you want me to beat her up with planks and let her work at the stables to ease your anger? Or do you want me to fire her?" The Duke asked with sarcasm.

The maid felt anxious yet at the same time glad that it wasn't a bit extreme. Rather the punishment the Duke had given to her was at least a bit friendly. The maid's eyes looked at Felicia, grinning as the Duke mentioned how light the punishment was.

But soon, the maid's grin slowly vanished from her lips as she saw Felicia looking at her with mockery in her eyes. Unknowingly, the maid suddenly felt cold and shivered as her spine became chill as if something horrible might happen to her.

"No. I don't want anything or that." Felicia said as she never broke her eyes over the maid who was taken aback by her words.

"What do you mean? The Duke had given you the options that you need to pick. Don't be so conceited about your personal grudge, Felicia. Your excessiveness will ruin you." Alexander who was quiet earlier finally spoke, hitting on Felicia once again.

"Alexander is right, Felicia. Don't be so cocky!" Tyren snarled, holding Helena who was still trembling in her arms while waiting for her punishment.

"Oh... I was? But then again, her rude behaviour has already sullied my name and soon after, it will also affect the Duchy's reputation. How can your brains be so shallow if the two of you aren't thinking about the possibilities that may affect us just by that maid acting so cocky as if she's somewhat higher than my position?" Felicia asked, stopping herself to become sarcastic and act like a bitch.

The two suddenly went quiet once again as Felicia directly said how dumb they were with her indirect words. Tyren was biting her bottom lip, scowling at Felicia meanwhile Alexander felt self-conscious as the Duke was in front of them. This bitch, she is toying with their patience, crossing their lines!

"Then what do you want to do with the maid?" The Duke asked, massaging his temple. It's already late at night but here he is, still fixing this problem. It would've been solved if Felicia never pushed her demands.

"Simple, fire the maid," Felicia said, glancing at the maid who suddenly had hope on her face as she looked at her. She didn't know that Felicia still had other plans other than firing that arrogant maid.

"And sell her for a couple of silvers. But since she's from our family, she's passable for one gold only." Felicia added that it ruined the maid's face. The hope on her face fades away after hearing Felicia's request.

"THAT'S TOO MUCH!" Helena yelled, helping the maid but with the Duke's strong gaze into her, she went back crawling into her mom's arms, like the big baby that she is. How embarrassing.

"Well then. Let's do that." The Duke said, looking at his men to drag the woman as per Felicia's request. "No! Your Ladyship! Please! Forgive me! Please forgive me, My Lady! My Lady!" The maid yelled as she struggled with the knight's harsh treatment of her and eventually disappeared from their sight.

"Well then, the issue is now solved. I shall go as you have instructed us." Felicia said as she curtsied to give the Duke the respect even though he doesn't deserve an ounce of respect from her.

"Wait a moment, Felicia." The Duke said, eyeing Tyren, Alexander, and Helena before looking back at Felicia once again.

"The Crown Prince will be visiting tomorrow. I hope you will give your utmost generosity and kindness to him. After all, he is your fiancee." The Duke said that made Felicia's face twitch.

She had forgotten about the Crown Prince.

"But dear! I-I can manage! So is Helena! Are you really pushing the responsibility of taking care of the prince to her?" The Duchess opposed the idea but only earned a low growl towards the Duke, sending her a warning not to push his anger to the limit.

"Yes... Your Grace. I will heed your command." Felicia said, slightly annoyed because of his order. After saying those, she immediately left his office with anger flashing in her eyes.

Why must she be punished for attending to that punk?!