Nessa's Plot

Kalina was bedridden for two weeks after the incident. Her days were peaceful as Lucille was barred from going near her wing of the mansion. She received countless get-well-soon presents from the noble ladies, and even Count Willick sent her a letter saying that he was wishing for her fast recovery.

They were just business partners, but they had come to treat the other as a close colleague who they could discuss all their ideas with.

While Kalina was recovering in her part of the mansion, the far east wing where Nessa resided was in chaos.

"What do you mean I'm under house arrest?"

"Mrs. Nessa, it's just as you said. You and Lady Lucille are prohibited from leaving the mansion for two months." The person who spoke was the new butler, a man who was righteous and precise in every way. His name was Malcolm, and he was fiercely loyal to the Duchess and her daughter.

"Lucille too? How can you do this to a daughter of the Ephraim family?" Nessa shrieked, slapping Nestor across his cheek. A bright red mark appeared where her palm had met his skin.

Nestor slowly turned his head back to meet Nessa's eyes. "Mrs. Nessa, let me remind you whose home you are in. Your daughter is only connected to the Ephraim family through your husband's marriage. Her status is like a thread that could be cut at any time. If you want to keep leeching off the household, then stay away from Her Grace and Lady Kalina. Or else, I can't guarantee your safety."

With that, he turned and left, slamming the door behind him.

Nessa sank to the floor, her fists gripping the skirt of her dress tightly. "How...how dare a mere butler say that to me!" Her face distorted into an ugly snarl. "When I become the Duchess, he won't be laughing anymore!"

A small figure stepped out from the shadows of the room. It was Lucille. She had heard the entire exchange between her mother and the butler.

"Mama." Lucille walked towards Nessa who was still on the floor. Her purple eyes were narrowed and dark. She reached out to help her mother up, but Nessa slapped her hand away.

"This is all your fault! Tell me, why did that bitch fall in?" Nessa remembered that everyone was blaming Lucille for pushing Kalina into the lake.

"Mama, I didn't push her. She's framing us." Lucille frowned and stood off to the side. Her eyes that stared down at her mother were filled with impatience.

She had realized it now, that all her mother knew how to do was scream and throw things at people. Apart from seducing the Duke, that is.

It was fine. Her few skills were useful enough.

Nessa didn't reply and just chewed her nails like a maniac.

"Mama, you're not going to let her step all over us, right?" Lucille leaned in and said. Nessa couldn't see it, but her expression was sinister. "We have to bite her back."

"Yes, yes..." Nessa nodded along as if she were hypnotized by Lucille's words.

Lucille whispered a few sentences to her mother and soon both mother and daughter wore matching wicked smiles.

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"Your Grace, have you heard the rumors that the servants have been spreading?"

Nessa was nestled in the arms of the Duke after they had spent the night together in her chambers. After years of accompanying men, she had found out that the prime time to exploit her customers was after intercourse.

"Don't pay attention to them," the Duke said. "I'm sure Lucille didn't mean to push Kalina into the water. They'll move on soon enough."

"You have to seek justice for me, Your Grace!" Nessa exclaimed and sat up, pushing herself away from his chest. She had an aggrieved appearance.

"Alright, alright. I'll see what I can do. Let's go to sleep." The Duke pulled Nessa back down and soon fell asleep.

His words were empty, and Nessa could tell. She began biting her nails again. How could her biggest backer be so useless? Shouldn't he be promising her to punish the workers spreading the rumors?

In reality, the Duke couldn't do anything. He had confronted the Duchess about it a few days ago, but she had threatened to kick him out the moment he mentioned Kalina's incident.

The gentle Duchess was like a mother bear. When provoked, she would get angry, but if her child was touched, she would fly into a rage, disregarding anything else. Now that Kalina had been harmed, not kicking Nessa and Lucille out was a very merciful action.

Nessa didn't understand this and thought the Duchess was trying to suppress her on purpose. Her heart filled with malice and she thought that if she didn't get rid of the Duchess soon, her plans would be ruined.

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Since she was under house arrest, she couldn't make any contact with people other than the workers, and there weren't any on her side.

Just when she was about to go mad from frustration, the maid at her side spoke up.

"Madam, I have an idea..."

"What is it? Hurry, tell me!" Nessa gestured to the maid to come closer.

"My cousin knows someone who deals in the black market. If you pay him enough, I'm sure he'll be able to find you some sort of poison to give the Duchess."

The maid was actually not one of Kalina's people. She harbored malicious intent towards the Duchess because of a trivial matter: in her twenty years of working at the mansion, she had only been promoted once to a trivial maidservant. In reality, she was not a hard worker nor a talented person, so it was normal for her not to be promoted. But narrow-minded people would always try to blame others for their faults.

Previously, this maid had also advised Nessa to poison the Duchess. Kalina and the Duchess had never found out who she was, so she was never punished for her evil deed. Instead, she was promoted to Nessa's personal servant and continued to help her mistress in her schemes.

"Good, good! Tell him to come find me. I'll work everything out." Nessa clapped her hands excitedly, like an excited child. "Here, take this and remember not to tell anyone." She removed one of the bracelets from her wrist and handed it to the maid.

"Yes, Madam."

Nessa sank into a plush red velvet armchair and held her hand out, her palm facing away from her. She looked over the rings that adorned her fingers and slowly clenched her fist, like she was crushing a flower. Her lips curled into a blood-red smile. Soon, she would be able to get everything she wanted.