Chapter thirteen: Year end celebration (4)

Long line of carriages waiting outside the palace gate,

nobles of different households are patiently waiting for their turn to enter the palace.

the Baron's carriage is one of them,

Inside the carriage seated a family of four.

"Dear, we forgot Bethany"

Annison seated beside her husband asked, she was planning to share the fun but the Baron's reaction is far from what she expect.

The Baron was shocked, he now just remember her other daughter, (well man! Thats your own daughter.tsk), he know that his daughter dont like attending parties and balls, The Baron reminds his wife many times that tonight is exception,

The Majesty specially note that all single daughters available in the nobles household need to attend the year end celebration balls, if the lady are not available or cannot make it, the family need to send a valid reason to the palace, and the Emperor itself will look to it.

That is the main reason why Bethany can attend tonight's ball.

The Baron furrowed his brows, irritation can be seen to his face while he asked his wife

"How come you forgot such IMPORTANT thing?"

Annison was shocked by her husband angry voice.

"Dear, i am sorry, usually Bethany do not like attending a ball, i forgot that tonight she need to….."

"Enough!"

Before his wife can finish, the Baron cut her, he is aware of his wife and step children shinanigans and the way they treated bethany and Anthony, but he choosed to closed his eyes, treat it like it is none of his business,

Anyway he liked seeing them in pain, it is like seeing his dead wife's pain and it makes him feel better, Atleast he is not the only one suffering.

But tonight is different story, if the Majesty will check the attendance, and will see that one of his daughters are absent, the majesty will get angry for sure.

"I thought you are SMART, wife"

The Baron put more force on his words and gave a side eye to his wife.

Annison who is just reprimanded by her husband, smiled brightly and turn her head to face the Baron, she hold his hand and squeezed it a little.

"Ofcourse, my dear, next time I'll be better"

Annison know how to play, that's the reason how she hold the baroness position till now

.tch, the Baron did not answer, he just look at the window, tonight is a happy occasion no need to ruined it.

Brett and Mellisa who watched the incident in front of them keep their mouth shut. The Baron- their Step father is a scumbag, they aware of it, but given no choice they need to lick his feet if it's necessary because he is the only man, for now, who can bring them in high society.

After a while, someone knock at their carriage door, indicating it is their turn to enter the gates.

"Good evening My lord"

The palace guard extends his hand, while the Baron put the invitation to the guards empty hand, the guard looked down at the invitation and gave a small nod of acknowledgment,

"Baron Dobbrieve, you may enter the palace,"

The guard motion his hand to open the gate so the Baron's carriage can enter, but before that, he noticed that only one young lady is sitting inside, where in the invitation says two,

"Apologies, My lord, but it's supposed to be two young ladies?"

The Baron's hear the guard question, but before he answer, Brett beat him,

"Good evening sir, the carriages can only ridden by four people, my sister is on the other carriage, please do not worry,"

The palace guard think that it make sense and allow the Baron carriage to enter.

When the carriage passed the gate, the Baron give a short nod to his step son,

"Good job son"

"Thank you father"

The atmosphere inside started to lighten up a little.

Meanwhile Bethany is also inside in one of the carriage lined up outside the palace, luckily the old butler is still nice to her, and he prepared another carriage for Bethany.

"Andy, do you think my dress is fine?"

Bethany asked her maid, at first she did not feel nervous but seeing lots of nobles will attend Bethany started to get anxious.

Andy who is accompanying bethany replied in her most earnest tone.

"Believe me miss, you look good"

the maid who knows how to play her words, did not say 'Beautiful' this time, Andy knows that her miss will not accept that word.

Hearing what her maid say, soothe Bethany's tense nerves.

"GIVE WAY!"

The two young ladies inside startled from the loud shout, Andy and Bethany looked outside the window at the same time, checking what is happening

"Ah! That's the duke carriage!" Andy exclaimed in excited tone

"How do you know?" Bethany who doesn't have any idea about the duke, ask her maid who is sitting in front of her.

"Miss! You can see the Black dragon emblem, on the side of carriages, thats the duke of west emblem,"

Bethany look outside the window again, and in the very same moment the man inside the said carriage lift his curtain and look at her direction, Bethany's amber eyes met the man's blue eyes, it seems like time was suddenly stop and the two people only stared at each other's eye,

Bethany felt like the man's intense blue eyes is sucking her in, her heart starting to pound loud.

'Wow'

The duke of west carriages continued to move forward and it passed by Bethany's carriage, seeing onky the back if Duke carriage, she returned back from her seat, her heart is still in mess. After pandering for a second her eyes wide in shock

'Oh! I think I saw that eyes somewhere'

Meanwhile The Duke of west carriage passed by the long lined of nobles, and the palace guards automatically open the gate.