Chapter 6: when worse becomes worst I

"Is there something wrong with the food?" Serena couldn't help but ask when she saw Emily wince. Not that she was trying to please her with her cooking.

Emily coughed then shook her head sideways, "No, no, I just had something on my mind." She replied before proceeding back to eat again.

Serena raised her brow as if waiting for Emily to expound but she did not continue. Wondering what it was about, she turned towards Leonard.

Leonard was facing Emily, then out of concern, he said, "Eat more slowly."

Emily looked at Leonard and gave him a slight smile as she nodded her head.

Serena made an eyeroll. Are they trying to feed her dogfood? Never mind. She thought as she continued eating her food.

--

After dinner, Serena cleared the table and went to the kitchen to wash the dishes. This was the daily occurrence. First, she can't ask Leonard to do it, like, he can't even stand up. Then, although Emily was there and she bets her money that she has more experience in washing dishes than she did, how can she possibly let Emily wash the dishes in the home she provided them as charity?

Emily also did not say anything or volunteer from past to present. She just lets Serena do all the chores. Not that Serena was complaining. But honestly, even before transmigrating, she never had to wash her own plate even once! The only time she did was when she was playing house with Charlton in the past.

Ah, it would be nice if someone else could do the chores. Oh, how much she misses Beatrice, her personal maid. It's been more than a year since they moved here, and poverty was still not something Serena thinks she can ever get used to.

Though one can't say that she's really suffering real poverty now. They're not begging for food out in the streets, and she has income from her sideline. She recalls that from her earning, she still has more than a thousand in her room. Not that she has anything to spend them on except for food. With regards to the house, well, she's not purely deadweight to Emily either. She does help by giving ideas on clothing designs once in a while. Her designs were not exactly cheap since they always sell.

Should she ask Emily to hire a Nanny? She took a deep sigh. Although they were in hiding, they were not criminals. Talking about being criminals, should she be grateful that the new regime only sequestered their property? She read from the news that some of the known members are currently facing court charges. Count Hugo Cobalt, Geoffrey's most avid supporter was in the list.

In any case, Serena doesn't worry about him, not that she should, considering her own circumstance. However, Hugo was Charlton's close friend, and Charlton being one of the figureheads of the radical faction/ new regime won't probably let Hugo suffer too much.

Not that Charlton was kind enough to consider their past relationship, or at least his past friendship with Leonard with everything that happened to them.

What? It's impossible that Charlton doesn't know about their property being sequestered and all that. Yes, her ex-lover who she loved so much that she was reduced into a simpering fool just to have him back. Everything turned up the way they did because of her stupidity in loving him. Not that she completely blames him because she did hurt him first and also there's the part of what Geoffrey did.

Still, he should know what happened to Leonard, or even if he doesn't, he should at least let them live in peace. But no. He didn't care enough, or maybe he was even part of the instigators! How heartless was he? Then again, after what he did to her, should she even be surprised?

She furrowed her brows in memory and the plate she's washing almost slipped her hands. Stop. Stop thinking about that man. Why did she even think of him again? After the war, to be honest, she did have some delusions of them getting back together.

Geoffrey divorced her, Charlton got his revenge, everything was over. Maybe, they can have a second shot at love now? She daydreamed that Charlton would come to see her. She fervently wished he would. When he didn't, she pondered many times if she should send him a letter. She waited and waited until the point their property was sequestered. In truth even then, she wished he would come to their rescue.

But days, weeks, months, passed. But nothing. He never tried to reach her, and she understood. She understood that he never would. Gods, how much of a fool should she continue to be? After everything, she still held a torch for that man.

Maybe because the punishment was just their family's property? Seeing the news with names of the loyalists from the monarchist faction facing court charges, well, it made her feel like they were still lucky.

Maybe this was Charlton's help to them? Like if, for example, Leonard would face charges, definitely, he would be found guilty. Not that she thinks that her brother was corrupt. It's just that there were instances where some process must be streamlined so the budget can be released earlier.

Ah, there she goes again with her delusions. She should just let it go. How much more of a fool should she be? Must worse come to worst before she even learns?

*tuk tuk tuk…. Tuk tuk tuk…

Serena heard the knocking and finally looked at the juncture connecting the dining room to the kitchen. "Oh, it's you. Why?" she asked seeing Emily. Usually, Emily stays with Leonard in his room, don't know what they did most of the time, but oh well…

"What are you so absent minded about?" Emily asked.

Serena shook her head "Nothing… is brother Leonard sleeping? Why are you here?" she asked, wondering why Emily suddenly chose to appear before her.

"He's busy proofreading. In any case, we need to talk."

--

TBC