CHAPTER 3
She’s pregnant”
A voice that coming outside is now visible when Sir Oliver came in. The people there were shocked because of what he said.
“That can’t be true, right?” my mother reacted right away.
Sir Oliver signaled everyone present there to go out, except her mother and scarlet, the maid and me.
“We need to talk, duchess. Scarlet, can you guard outside, make sure nobody can hear our conversation”
Scarlet just nodded in response and slightly bowed to us then gone out. Sir Oliver asked us to be seated. My mother sit beside me. She grab my hand and hold it tightly.
“Is it true?” asked my mother.
“Yes, I didn’t tell you since, Walker is present at that time”
"Last night? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because we were interrupted by Walker. I don’t a chance to talk it out, and since, milady is present, this is the perfect timing. She also has the rights to know what happened”
Sir Oliver gazed at me seriously. “I know this will be hard to hear this but, I know you milady, your strong enough to handle this”
I nodded in response and he sighed in relief. Everyone sees me as strong but I’m weak, I have a soft heart but, no one knows nor noticed it. Chantria too, she lived a life that people wants her to be so she endured a lot of pain. She’s the same as me.
“I’ve been keeping this a secret. A month ago, the old lady who sent you here was Mari Lyn, she’s an old baron who abandoned her status when their house burnt at the same time her daughter caught an accident. She decided to live freely in the mountains. One day, when she goes out get some firewood. She saw you jumping on the cliff. She apologized to us for having a weak legs. She didn’t arrived on time, you were already fallen and blood are all around the place, especially on your head, milady”
“She told me before you lose your consciousness, you told her that you were kidnapped and you pleaded her to hide you. This is a very bad news to you, milady because when she clean your body she noticed that, there’s a stain of blood in your undergarments. Then a month passed, after contemplating whether to guide you home or stayed there to hide you from your kidnappers. When she goes to the market, she stumbled upon a paper that a lady were missing and it fits the description of the lady she found. She decided to escort you here. You might be in danger there and she can’t provide any protection as an old lady, her body is weak and fragile”.
I shed a tears hearing what happened to Chantria. Being kidnapped and sexually harassed is undeserving to happened to us. We were living our own life when inhumane people do this kind of stuff. People like this shouldn’t exist in this world. We are living in a dangerous world. If this were happened to me, I’ll make sure the mastermind pays for everything. I’ll seek my justice. They may be know what happened to me, but they can’t eliminate the crime easily as the one who behind all the kidnapped is the so called nephew of my stepfather. But, for an unknown reason, the crown prince were the one who entered the room and do the deed. That nephew was the legitimate child of my stepfather that my mother didn’t know.
I don’t know what’s the feeling of going through in Chantria’s life. All I read and admired is the protagonist, or the beautiful and angelic face of the main lead of the story. They made her a villain because of her tragic experiences. She was not weak, this girl is brave enough, to face her struggles. I know now, what drives her to become a villain. It's really different reading and experiencing them.
As I recalled of what I read in my past, there are missing points that I can’t remember especially in Chantria’s life and scene because I’m more focused on the love story between the crown prince and the female lead. I, too hate the villains in that story because they are the hindrances of the protagonists love story.
I was shocked when my mother hugged me tightly. She was crying so hard that she even said this to me, between in her sobs.
"I’m sorry for not be able a good mother. I’m sorry I put you in danger, I’m not fast enough to get you out of that situation. I’m sorry you had to experience like this. I’m sorry”
I don’t know why but, I hugged back and I felt my bottled up emotions began to go out one by one because of that warm hug that I needed for a long time ago. I glanced at Sir Oliver whose now, is slightly bowing his head and I saw sadness in his eye while he closed his fists.
He was the personal physician of Marcox family. Chantria sees him as a big brother. Sir Oliver showered her attention and loved, but, Chantria began to lose this vision when she knows that her mother has a lover and Sir Oliver didn’t tell her when he knows it already. She felt betrayed that she closed her heart to him and everyone in the manor except for Scarlet, the maid.
After crying myself out, I gazed at the two person on my side. They exchanged glances as if they have something they need to discuss further without me.
“I.. I should excuse myself”
“Then tell scarlet to escort you in your room, if there’s something you need just tell me. We’re also, on the way there so, let’s go together”
I nodded and smiled faintly to them. The moment I step out, all of the servants stopped what they’re doing and look at me with judging eyes. Some of them started whispering. Yeah, right. They hate Chantria. They labeled this lady a snob and has a bad attitude as well as reputation. In truth, this lady doesn’t want to communicate to others as she build a wall that nobody can destroy.
“I didn’t hire you to stand still and gossip in front of me like that”
My mother calmly told them. They started panicking and go back to their respective work.
“Make sure your work must be done today, as compensation of not having respect to the owner of the manor”
My mother called the head maid. She’s not very old, I think she’s on the same age of Sir Oliver, I think on 30’s. She wears a thick glasses, had a very dark black eyes and a bronze hair that she made into a bun. She has a different uniform to others. She only wears a long white skirt and a black long sleeves. She’s holding a thick book and a stick with her. She’s like a strict teacher that’s ready to scold her students.
I chuckled when I imagined that since, I have a professor just like her in the past. It gives us anxiety as she will call our name through picking of our index cards so, we must study ahead and be prepared always of the sudden oral particupation. I didn’t hear what they said to each other as I’m busy remembering my past. I only saw the head maid nod and walked away.
As soon as I arrived in my room. I quickly lay on my bed because my stomach still felt upside down. I can’t describe what I’m feeling right now.
“Milady, do you want to eat something?” that’s right, I didn’t eat anything since, I can’t swallow the food they prepared to me. It’s a waste not to taste it. Since, it’s looking so delicious but my appetite says no. I hope they’re not going to throw it away. I think it’s best to eat a healthy ones since, I know that I’m pregnant and I need to take care of it.
“What about vegetables? And for the drinks, I think milk should do”
“I’ll prepared it as soon as possible, milady. We will deliver it in here”
I smiled to her in response. I’m sure she didn’t see that because she walks away as soon as she give an answer.
*********
Meanwhile, in the office of Duchess Fleur, the mother of Chantria. Two people were sitted in front of each other. One of them, was nervous to hear something unpleasant. There’s a cup of black tea in front of them.
“Why didn’t you tell me of what truly, happened to my daughter”
“I thought that it would be best not to share that valuable information since, your lover is present at that time”
Duchess fleur shake his head sideward to show her disagreement of what Sir Oliver did.
“I’m planning to broke up with him but, I don’t have any courage to do so”
“You were in love, with the wrong person, your grace”
The Duchess smiled faintly. She really wants to break free from that guy because all of the information she had obtained about him was disgusting. That time she decided to settle this once and for all but, her daughter was kidnapped that she lose her courage and neglected it again.
“I don’t think the lady sees that man as a father figure. I saw her one time, she’s disgusted to that man. I don’t know the reason of it but, I’m sure the lady knows something and the kidnapped had something to do with Walker”
The Duchess nodded in response. “Just, keep on investigating on what happened to my daughter and make sure that you’ll come to me first”
Sir Oliver isn’t only a physician but, also the personal secretary of Duchess Fleur. He oversees all suspicious person inside the manor and investigate about that person. But, there are things that he hesitated to tell at first but, in the end, he told her the truth and didn’t hide anything. That’s why he didn’t let Walker joined their conversation in regards to their family issues especially her daughter because he believed that man is not belong to the Marcox Family. He’s an outsider for him and always will be.
“If we have enough evidence, I’ll make sure he will not get away with it”
He let out a long sighed before he stood up to do his work. He looked back and said these words to the Duchess.
“I hope you make your decision, your grace”
I woke up by a delicious smell that makes me want to eat. I didn’t noticed that I fell asleep. I don’t know why but it seems I’m too tired. As soon as Scarlet noticed me that I’m awake, she takes the cart of foods to the side of my bed and she arranged it in front of me. This is what they say breakfast in bed style. I slowly lay my head on the headboard to not spill the foods in the sheets.
“How long did I asleep?"
“Just a couple of minutes, milady”
After she’s done preparing the food. She just told me to eat well and seated on the sofa, a couple meters away to my bed on my left right side.
I stared at the breakfast in front of me. It’s a waste eating this creativity. The way those eggs and veggies put together, it’s just like a professional chef dishes. It’s like I’m eating on a five star hotel or something grandiose than that.
I glanced at Scarlet who know closed her eyes. Maybe, she’s too tired of her work. I called out to her, she was startled and begin to walk briskly towards at me.
“Yes, milady?”
“Have you eaten, yet?”
“No, we have a rule that after we accomplished our tasked, we can take a break and that’s the time we will eat, milady” what a harsh way of life. So, it means they can’t eat on time?. Is this how my family managed things in here?
“Then, eat with me”
“No, I can’t do that, milady”
“You can eat with me, it’s nice to have an accompany while eating and, it’s lonely if I were to eat alone”
“No, I can’t do that. We were forbidden to do that”
“Then, how about I command it. Do you still unwilling to eat with me?”
She resigned to my arguments. She take a long deep breath as if, she didn’t want to trouble me anymore. She accepted my selfish command then I asked her to placed the food in the coffee table, that’s were we eat. I have three sofas and it has a coffee table in the center of it. It’s really like a dollhouse if I were to describe my furniture, my things and the design of the wall.
We sat down and eat silently. I wonder if she will answer my silly questions.
“By the way, who designed this room?”
“It’s you, milady”
I was shocked I didn’t know that Chantria likes girly stuff. It’s not in the book, or have I forgotten something?. As for me, I like dark colors, but when it’s come to my room I want it black and white. Because, for me it’s pleasing in my eyes.
“It’s okay that I will make changes, right?”
“W..why? didn’t you tell me that this room is important since, your father remnants is here?”
“I.. say that?”
“Yes, that’s why you didn’t made a change ever since”
I didn’t know that. I know how the story will flow but I can’t hardly remember the details in Chantria’s life. I’m doomed if this keeps up, I don’t know if I can avoid my downfall.
********
It’s already night time. I am wide awake. I keep recalling what will happened next and because I know that I’m pregnant, and after two years the story will progress. That’s the time I’ll saw the female protagonist.
What I did during my pregnancy is, I moved my room to the basement to avoid crossing with people. The servants were decreasing because my mother wants to keep the trustworthy ones and I wanted to my life and the child a secret. I’m hiding from the society.
I don’t want that kind of lifestyle. I want my child to be free. I want to see how he or she will grow up. My tears slowly flowed down on my cheeks. This is not a sad tears, but this is tears of joy. My wished was heard that in my next life my child is with me.
My child soul didn’t let me go, it’s clinging onto me since I arrived here in this world. I’m very happy, I can’t expressed this in words. I rubbed my stomach, I know there are no bumps there yet, since it’s only been a couple of days but I still caressed it.
“I’m excited to see you soon, dear”
I’m in deep thought when I saw one of my maids running somewhere. I squint my eyes to see clearly where she will go and that’s the direction going outside. I’m curious to where she will go. Maybe she will go some errands but, it’s already late so, probably not. I let it be since, it may be some personal matters.