Chapter 23:
Anita had been quite anxious since the day she had left Anthony's manor and returned to her own. Though she asked him a question even she didn't dare think of before, and for a fact, she knew asking this with label her with treason she was desperate.
Anthony on the other hand looked quite taken aback by her sudden question and sent her away. Even though all her persuasion and pushing, he didn't want to take a second glance.
"What a coward…" she smiled to herself.
Though he pushed her away, he was a greedy man who only wanted the best. His reply may take a while, but he was going to reply, and she already knew the answer. She laughed to herself in a frantic manner, as her handmaid simply flinched at every sound.
"Yes, That's right, why worry when I already know?" she asked.
The handmaid looked genuinely concerned for her mistress as she had begun looking crazy slowly. Though she brought it up to the heads of the house, the marquis and marquess simply waved her away and threatened to punish her for saying such defaming words.
A slight wind breezed through Anita's ears as she sat up abruptly. A small smile on her face knowing what it was. She turned to her handmaid with a straight face.
"Please leave, I would like some time to myself," she said as the maid looked hesitant.
"Is there anything I should bring, my lady?" she questioned
"No, no, I simply need to be alone." She smiled lightly trying to reassure the maid.
The handmaid bowed and walked out closing the bedroom door behind her. once her footsteps disappeared down the hallway. Anita let out a sigh as she ran her hand through her blonde hair.
"You really need to start getting your timing right," she said as the room turned completely dark only with a dim light illuminating around her.
A dark shadow* roamed around the room as Anita plopped down on the couch in s slightly foul mood.
"You told me things would go the way I planned if I simply listened to what you told me, but don't you think it's funny how nothing has been working out for me?" she questioned.
The shadow before her was one that latched unto her at a young age and she had learned how to bring it under her power making it completely submissive. After Winter had come into the estate, her hatred allowed her shadow to grow powerful enough to even predict what moves its master should take to succeed in anything or any plan she devised.
"…Don't know…" the voice said gruffly. "Someone's been playing with the already set fate," the voice continued.
"Are you trying to tell me someones changing things that are already set and destined?" Anita said quite annoyed, "You're making no sense," she spoke as she clicked her tongue.
"It's the truth," the voice said trying to explain.
"Well then if it's the truth should you not be finding the cause and eliminating it to satisfy your master?" she asked as she scoffed getting annoyed.
Anita sighed as she rubbed her temples. If what the shadow is saying is true then that means if she gets rid of the source everything else will fall into place then she can call out a checkmate. Winter would be gone and shed claim the title duchess and better yet, if Anthony heeds to her, she could be empress. Nothing could be better than that.
A small knock came in through the door as she sighed yet again. Could she not get some privacy in this damned house?
"Find whatever it is that is causing this entire mess, and get rid of it," she said. "I want absolute success," she said as the shadow simply slithered away and the room lightened up again.
"Come in," she said in a gentle tone as her handmaid came in. "I thought I told you I was not to be disturbed," she said in a defensive tone.
"I apologize, my lady, but you said to come to you if the duke replied, and I'm here to deliver his letter,"
"Ah, bring it here," she said as the handmaid bowed handing the letter on a tray.
Anita picked up the letter and opened and low and behold a smile lightened her face. Oh, how she knew. A man full of greed was indeed one easy to trap.
"Haha," she laughed.
"I deem you received good news, my lady," the handmaid said.
"Indeed, I have…"
*
I prepared myself to have lunch with Zachary who had disappeared all so suddenly for the last few days. The maids helped my dress up as they tightened the corset. For a moment it felt as though my back was going to break completely.
Putting me in a blue dress that was made of lace in the front, they tied my silver hair up and lightly powdered my face. Why were they making me so pretty all of a sudden, it was only lunch.
"I think that's enough, don't you think so too?" I asked them.
The head maid shook her head, "My lady, you are meeting his highness after a few days, you need to mesmerize him," she said making me laugh.
Me? Mesmerize who? His Highness the crown prince? Little did they know no matter how pretty they dolled me up or what I did, his objective wasn't me, and he did not really find any interest in me. A small pang fluttered in my chest thinking about it.
'No Winter, you both agreed,' I thought to myself trying to bring myself out of my foul mood.
"I think its enough, he might get upset that I'm late, shall we?" I said as they all looked down to have to stop their masterpiece.
Smiling at them, they nodded as they escorted me to the dining hall. Opening the door, Zachary was already there, his meal before him as he stared out the glass that formed a wall around the hall. The wind blew in from the opened balcony door and swished in, blowing his hair away slightly.
He looked lost in thought and didn't even notice I had walked in. I cleared my throat getting his attention as he turned to me, his greyish eyes holding a tint of blue locking with my blue eyes. He smiled brightly toward me and My heart thumped slightly at the moment as I felt heat rushing up my face, I hurried to my seat trying to calm myself down.
I couldn't get swept away this easily. I shouldn't. but I was human too and with a face like that, who wouldn't fawn or fall so easily? Sighing I shook my head as the servants placed my food on the table.
"We haven't seen each other for a few days, how have you been?" he questioned softly.
"I-I've been well," I answered curtly. I didn't know how I was supposed to talk to him without giving myself away, other than answering curtly.
"Well, that's good. I hope the wedding has not been stressing you out as much,"
"No, there hasn't been much I had to do anyway, so it's been going well," I said as we continued to eat in silence.
Allen walked in, and at that moment I remembered the little boy.
"Your high- I mean Zach," I called out as he hummed looking up from his plate.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Who is that little boy in the restricted part of the garden?" I asked as he froze at my words his shoulders tensed as his grip on the glass he was holding tightened almost as if it would break in his grasp.
"What?"
*
Note*: A shadow is an entity almost like smoke that usually latches on to people who have a strong drive to accomplish things in a bad or dirty way or people who grow a strong sense of hatred. It has a conscious and is usually the remnant of black magic. In Anita's case, her fathers cheating resulted in her hatred towards Winter's mother causing a shadow to latch onto her, later allowing her to see it and try to tame it, and when Winter arrived at the manor, her hatred and jealousy were out of control allowing her to make it submissive and loyal to her.