DINNER IS SERVED

It was already dinner time and everyone was called for dinner. That makes no exception for Felicia. It's her first time joining them for dinner. Back when she was still a pushover mute, she was only given bread and water to feed herself.

What a way to feed the Duchess' legitimate daughter.

They were peacefully eating and served a luxurious and incredible feast prepared by the staff from the kitchen. Everything was making Felicia's mouth water as she stared at the food in front of her.

She had never experienced such a lavish feast before her eyes. Because of these people who made her life turn into a living hell, she suffered harshly.

"Seems like you do not like the food, Felicia. As expected of you." Alexander said as he was slicing up the meat on his plate. Felicia looks at Alexander, dead in the eyes and smiled later on. It seems that he wanted war.

"It's not that I do not like the food. Rather I'm impressed to have a meal like these after years of eating rotten bread and water to quench my hunger." She said straightly, didn't mind the Duke's twitching face.

Alexander on the other hand stopped and glared at Felicia for answering him. It made the Duke displease because of her and she will further ruin his mood if she keeps this up. The Duchess then looked at Felicia who was smiling at them as she began to eat quietly like a meek feeble creature.

"Now, now. Darling, why didn't you tell me that Felicia is residing in the emerald green room? I could've prepared her a room instead of you, doing it." The Duchess, Tyren said while smiling at the Duke who was eating peacefully.

"And what? Suffer once more? You'll place me in an uncleaned room filled with filth and away from the luxury? No, thank you. The Duke had already given it to me, so Duchess Tyren, you can't do anything, especially if it's interfering with his decision." Felicia said, looking at her meal while eating elegantly.

"What are you saying? How could I do that? Are you accusing me of being a terrible mother—"

"For once, I never accepted you, nor want to call you my mother. Second, as much as I want to trust you, after all the years of suffering from the annexe, you believe me to believe in you? That's something that I wouldn't do, Duchess Tyren. Third? I am not accusing you as a terrible mother. It's based on experience, Your Grace." Felicia cut her off before she could even declare whimsical words.

Duchess Tyren glared at Felicia. What a sharp tongue she has for answering her! She was gripping her utensils hard as she watch Felicia acting calm while eating her dinner.

"Oh, dear... She's telling me that I'm only a concubine..." Tyren said as she wiped her eyes as if she was shedding tears. Alexander slammed the table, making everyone stop eating.

Helena flinched because of what Alexander did, she looked scared yet indignant about the situation. Meanwhile, Felicia never faltered, she was just continuing to eat instead of facing them.

"For once can you be respectful to the grand Duchess, Felicia?! Your insolent behaviour is immensely upsetting to everyone! Show some manners!" Alexander yelled at Felicia.

"ENOUGH!" The grand Duke meddled in, glaring at these people fighting in front of their food. "If you want to fight, do it outside! My appetite is losing because all of you want to bark at each other!" He added. His tone was angry, roaring at everyone causing them to stop their mayhem.

"It was Felicia who started this, Daddy! Is it because she couldn't accept me as her sister? She bullied me earlier... She poked fun at me in front of the young marquis! I am ashamed, Daddy!" Helena answered, standing up from her seat as she strongly complained about what happened earlier.

Hearing this, Felicia blinked multiple times before bursting out laughing, surprising everyone as to why she was laughing. "What's funny, Felicia?!" Alexander asked as he frowned at her.

"Oh, dear... I couldn't comprehend what Helena said. Bullied? Mistreatment? That's something that I never did." Felicia defended herself. Knowing that it's 3 vs. 1, she needs to show how evil she is compared to them.

"What do you mean? It's true!" Helena fought back, sobbing as she turned her body and hugged the Duchess, crying. Alexander looks at Helena, pitying her as he goes to their side, comforting Helena.

"Is it true, Alexander?" The Duke asked Alexander as he massages his temple. Alexander was caught, he didn't know what to do. But as usual, he nodded his head in agreement with what the Duke said.

"Yes, Father. Felicia embarrassed Helena in front of the guest. But I was there to stop Felicia from mistreating Helena in front of the young marquis." Alexander said, creating a story that was out of what happened earlier.

"Felicia." He said with a dark gloomy voice, obviously, he didn't like how she acted. He let himself believe their lies instead of figuring this out further. Felicia sighed, what could she expect from her father who abandoned her?

How funny. He was there when he watched Helena displaying how much of a crybaby she was in front of the Marquis. Should she even tell the Duke about her, spilling the information about the arrangements between her and the Crown Prince?

"For the record, Your Grace. I haven't done anything that could harm your beloved daughter or the reputation of the family—"

"SILENCE!" The Duchess snarled at her, looking at her fiercely as she hugged Helena dearly to her. That was rude, cutting her off before she could even tell what really happened.

"What's there for you to defend yourself, Felicia? I saw what you did to Helena. You're not even apologizing to her!" Alexander exclaimed, pointing his finger at her while condemning her, accusing her of a thing that she never did. They're a bunch of fools trying to nail her for a crime she didn't commit.

"Alright, fine. Do you want it this way? Your Grace, since it's unfair to me, fighting the three of them and ganging up on me, should I call the Young Marquis instead? He knew what happened so it's only right to involve the young Marquis, especially since they claimed I mistreated Helena in front of the Marquis." She said, fighting for her right.

"Father, why should we include someone that is not part of our family?" Alexander said. The Grand Duke stayed still in his seat, looking all dark because of them. Yet it didn't make Felicia feel scared. Nothing is to be scared of.

"So you're telling me that the Young Marquis is irrelevant to this matter? Weren't you saying that I did it in front of the Maquis? Shouldn't that make him more prominent in this case?" Felicia said, smirking at Alexander who was lost in his own words.

"That doesn't mean that you bullied my daughter, Felicia? Do you really have to do it? Bullying your sister because you don't like her? Is it because you despise us for making you feel unwanted? Greed and envy are a sin, Felicia. You better let go of that." The Duchess Tyren replied, looking at her with a sad expression.

"So the Duchess also wants me to forget the fact how unwell I was when you cast me aside? Is that how you define greed and envy? Then shouldn't you also let go of those feelings? Considering that your daughter is the Saintess. That would be very hmm, I can't figure out the word." She said, stopping midway through her speech.

"Atrocious?" She said, smirking. "The church would view your atrocities as a defiant action towards the Goddess. Wouldn't that make you a laughing stock? Telling your step-daughter to consider my greed and envy against your daughter when it is you who's displaying such unwanted bitterness." Felicia added.

The Duchess growled with her words. She had enough of this brat! "Felicia! I am still older than you—" Before the Duchess Tyren could even finish her word, the Duke's aura had already spread, making the atmosphere cold and foul.

"Enough! Felicia! You are bound to remain in your room! Not until everything is investigated! Alexander, call the Young Marquis, first thing tomorrow and we shall figure out what Felicia did to Helena." The Duke said, closing the case.

"But dear! Alexander was there! Why don't you believe in him?" The Duchess asked, frustrated because of the result. She didn't want to end this conversation! She needed more. Her soul cannot settle with his judgement on Felicia, just being reprimanded and asked to stay in the emerald green room!

"Don't make me repeat myself." The Duke said coldly as he stood up, making the table shake. In his anger, he stormed out of the room with loud stomps echoing inside. Everyone looked at how the Duke furiously walked away from the scene.

"It's because of you that His Grace is mad!" The Duchess Tyren said, shooting daggers at Felicia as she stood up while comforting Helena who was scared about what just happened.

The Duke's murderous aura was too much to handle that she cowered in fear. Everyone cowered in fear when the Duke meddled in. "Let's go, Helena," Alexander said as he gently pulled Helena, walking away from the kitchen with the Duchess at their side.

Felicia was left in the dining area, standing while watching them leave the room. She sighed, sitting back in her seat as she looked down. Everyone who was stationed inside glared at Felicia for being a rude brat. They wished that she should've stayed in that run-down filth instead of inviting her back to the main house.

But what they didn't know was that Felicia was smiling, stopping herself from laughing loudly in this room. She bit her lip, not wanting to let these people look at her while she was laughing at their stupidity.

"Fools! They thought they could bring me down! Oh my, I couldn't handle their faces earlier. That was satisfying!" She thought to herself as she laugh silently. Her shoulders were shivering, not because of crying but because of her silent laugh.

Everyone thought that she was crying but as a matter of fact, she was celebrating because of how disappointed they were when she was only reprimanded and told to stay in her room.

"This is only the beginning before I make you all su

bmit." She said, promising to herself. One day, everything will fall into her hands.