Beginning of Rumors 1

~This is a fictional world, setting is Early 19-Early20th century and fantasy no real events or places are mentioned in this book~

Evangeline woke up, stretching and yawning. She saw Richard wearing his chastity belt, smiled, stood up, walked over to him, and placed her hands on his shoulders, massaging them.

"Good morning, my lady. I want to inform you that breakfast is ready," he spoke as he gently removed her hand from his shoulders. He wasn't at peace due to what had happened the previous night.

"Oh, thank you." She kissed his cheek, walked to the small drawer, retrieved a pouch of coins, and placed it in his hand. "That's your bonus for last night."

Richard resisted taking the money, but she forcefully opened his hand, put the pouch in it, tapped his shoulder, and walked away to lie on the bed sideways.

"Don't reject gifts from me. I'm not comfortable with that unless you want to be punished," Evangeline warned Richard as he glanced at her figure through the transparent dress. Her breasts jiggled as she sat up and turned her head. "You can leave now." She gestured for Richard to leave. He nodded in agreement and left the room while secretly holding onto her handkerchief, which he had taken without her noticing.

She then noticed the ring on her hand. She pulled it off and threw it toward the door just as Magdalene opened it, narrowly dodging the ring aimed at her face. Luckily, Magdalene caught the ring and bowed her head.

"Good morning, my lady," Magdalene greeted, holding the ring. "Did you sleep well?" She asked, her thoughts lingering on the noises she had heard last night. Not wanting to offend or pry, she clapped her hands, summoning the servants who had accompanied her to the room.

Evangeline smiled and stood up. "I slept well." She took a ribbon from her dressing table, tied her hair into a bun, and turned to Magdalene. "Prepare water for my bath," she instructed Magdalene and the servants behind her.

They nodded in unison before the servants went to the bathroom to prepare her bath, leaving Magdalene behind.

"Magdalene, I'll be visiting the gallery today to place some of my paintings there. Will you come?" she asked her lady-in-waiting while playing with a tulip in the hanging flower pot.

"Yes, my lady," Magdalene replied as Evangeline walked to her dressing table, picked up an envelope, and handed it to her.

"I would like to get some jewelry later today. Deliver this to the jeweler. When I go to the gallery, bring Mr. Richard along."

At the mention of Richard's name, Magdalene clenched her fingers slightly around her skirt, bowed her head in agreement, placed the ring in Evangeline's jewelry set, and left the room.

Dominic was sitting in his office, acting as governor and managing the hotel with Caleb. Two guards accompanied them. He was reading the monthly and yearly account books of his business, which he had been in charge of before marrying into the Sarogath family. Azielle had given him this responsibility while she was in seclusion due to health problems. He sighed, looking at a framed picture of Evangeline's family on the table. His eyes moved to little Evangeline in the picture, and he rubbed his thumb over the glass. "Don't worry, Your Grace, I'll protect her no matter what," he thought, but his thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. It was Caleb.

"Sir, breakfast is ready," Caleb said as he adjusted his glasses.

Dominic removed his thumb from the picture. "Is she coming?" he asked Caleb, referring to Evangeline.

"Yes, she will. It's your first breakfast together as newlyweds," Caleb chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head.

"I'll be there soon..." Dominic closed the account book, took his cup of alcohol, sipped from it, then stood up from the chair and left the office, heading for breakfast.

Evangeline walked down the stairs into the dining room. She was dressed elegantly in a red, long-sleeved slim gown with a cross neck and strings at the hem, sleeves, and bust. She wore red shoes and the locket given to her by her mother. Her hair was straightened to fit her outfit, and she wore dark red lip gloss. As she saw Dominic approaching, she noticed he was wearing his wedding ring, but she looked away, pretending not to see him, and sat at the table.

Dominic admired her outfit and what she wore but noticed she wasn't wearing her wedding ring. He didn't care and sat down opposite her. The servants served the couple their food.

There was a lot of whispering about the lady's bodyguard and her husband's family background, but Evangeline and Dominic paid no attention to the gossip. They ate their food, staring at each other like rivals on a battlefield without saying a word. Dominic could read the hatred in her eyes, but she looked away after taking a bite of her dessert. She carefully dabbed her lips with a napkin to avoid further eye contact. Dominic didn't stay long; he simply stood up and left to attend to other matters. Evangeline finished her meal and saw Richard approaching her and Magdalene. She stood up and left the dining room, heading toward the living room.

The servants helped Evangeline put on a coat and gloves while some guards carried her paintings outside to load them into the carriage.

"I didn't expect the weather to be cold today, and it's not even raining," Evangeline remarked as she put on her gloves and walked outside the house with Magdalene and Richard following behind, accompanied by four official guards.

Dominic watched his wife leaving the building from the veranda of his office, holding his accounting book. Green leaves blew along with the wind from the trees around the house to Evangeline's carriage. Dominic scoffed slightly with a charming smile as the carriage took off. Richard was given a horse to ride alongside the guards.

Evangeline, now seated in the carriage with her lady-in-waiting, fidgeted with her gloved hands. Magdalene noticed that her lady wasn't wearing her ring.

"My lady, you're not wearing your ring," she gently reminded Evangeline.

"Pfft... I'm not wearing that. I can't believe I'm married to this man. I don't know why my grandmother trusts him so much!" Evangeline hit her right fist on the seat of the carriage in frustration, then took a deep breath, turned her head to the window to admire the view, and sighed in sadness.

~CHAPTER END~