"yes, " the Duke affirmed. His gaze was indifferent.
"How could you? " the Duchess slammed her hand on the table and got to her feet. No amount of etiquette class could have prepared her for that moment.
"Anita, put yourself together, " Duke Thomason was angered by her rude behavior. No matter the situation, she was not expected to speak to her husband in that tone.
Duchess Anita also felt that she had misbehaved, so she took her seat and took a deep breath to calm down.
"My husband, I know that lady Maureen had been your wife, but from the moment she stepped down to become a mistress, her daughter's status also fell. I think the royal family would consider it disrespectful to have the crown prince marry the daughter of a mistress," Duchess Anita stated. She put on the air of a rational wife who was only stating the obvious for the benefit of her husband.
"The Emperor knows this and has agreed that the two are a good match," The Duke said. He understood that his wife just wanted this marriage for her daughter.
"How could the emperor agree?" Duchess Anita was dumbfounded. She felt that the emperor had become old and stupid, but she would never dare to voice such words.
"My husband, you have to talk to the Emperor; although, as a mother, it is wrong for me to look down on my daughter but, Anastasia had gone from bad to worse since the death of her mother. Although she attends classes, she is still slow. The teachers are all complaining about her bad attitude towards her study. How could such a lady become the mother of our empire?" Duchess Anita paused.
"I am afaird that if she enters the royal family like this, she will embarrass our family," she added. Of course, she would never say anything that would make her appear as a biased stepmother.
"Since you know of this, what have you done as a mother to correct her?" the Duke asked.
The Duchess was tongue-tied. She has said so much, but the Duke only found reasons to blame her.
The Duke was not surprised that she could not answer his question. "Arrange for better teachers to teach her. Anastasia must learn properly. If she embarrassed the Duke family, your reputation would take most of the burnt. After all, as a mother, you failed to enlighten your daughter. If that happens, which noble family would dare find Elisabeth a good match to marry, " Duke Thomason said.
"But my husband, Anastasia, is turning eighteen in a few weeks. Talk to the... " Duchess Anita was saying, but the Duke called her off.
"Who do you think the Emperor is? Would he listen to me just because I spoke? If you think it is that easy, why don't you go ahead, "Duke Thomason said.
Duchess Anita did not expect him to raise his voice suddenly. Since she married the Duke, he has treated her with much respect.
"How can I go and talk to His Majesty? Have you forgotten so soon what you promised my father when he agreed to this marriage," Duchess Anita thought to bring up her family. In the past few years that she had been married to the Duke, she always used her family to threaten him when things were not going her way. She did not believe that she would not have her way this time.
"No, I promised you and your children would get the best treatment. I promised that you would not suffer any grievance, and I have done that for the past few years, " The Duke was angry that she brought up her family again.
Ever since they got married, she was fond of using that trick.
He was never afaird of his wife's family. It is just that he hated to be involved in any scandal, so he gave in to her. Moreover, the things she wanted then were not out of line, in his opinion.
"Did you say we enjoy the best treatment, " the Duchess was smitten with anger. "if that is the case, why is Anastasia the one becoming the crown princess? In what way is Elisabeth inferior? " the Duchess question.
"Anastasia is my first daughter. According to custom, her younger sister cannot get married before her, " Duke Thomason reminded her.
"That's just a convenient excuse. If she must marry first, can't you look for another husband so my Daughter would marry the crown prince? You are just a hypocrite, " Duchess Anita argued. She was furious that her husband did not bow to the threat of her family as usual.
"You are right; I have been a hypocrite for many years. I turn the other eye when I see you maltreating Anastasia. I pretend to believe your one silly excuse after the other always to engage her in the house when we had to go out as a family. To fulfill my promise to your father, I did not step into her courtyard till her death. I pretend not to know that you treat my daughter as a maid, but this is off your hands. Anastasia is qualified to be a crown princess. In the Emperor's words, 'although her mother had later became a mistress, her virtue is a testament for all to see. She willingly gave up the seat to be a Duchess when she realised she could not bear her husband an heir. A virtuous wife must think of her husband and his family. Lady Maureen had done all this; surely her daughter would be a virtuous wife, " Duke Thomason repeated the emperor's words.
Duchess Anita felt like someone had slapped her in the face. She never thought in her wildest imagination that the thing that made her look down on Lady Maureen would become why her daughter would find favor from the emperor.
Duchess Anita had always thought that Lady Maureen was very stupid to give up her status as a Duchess just because she suffered complications while giving birth and would be unable to bear children again.
Who knew that after a few years, she(Anita) would become the joke? In the past few years, she had found reasons to stop Anastasia from going out. She had also done her best to make Anastasia forgotten.
After all, if she did not appear in public, many would believe that she was unpresentable. Who knew that while she was trying to ruin Anastasia, such a good marriage would fall on her?
"I will speak to my father; I am sure he will find a way, ' Duchess Anita was unwilling to give up.
"You would do no such thing, if you dare, then you can take the divorce letter and return home, " Duke Thomason threatened. It had been seventeen years of her threats. No man could stand their wife flaunting her family's power at him.
"you dare to divorce me? " Duchess Anita felt a chill in her heart. She had always known that her husband was selfish, only thinking about himself. Duchess Anita never thought a day would come when he would mention divorce to her. In her opinion, she felt she had been an excellent wife to him. She could understand why he was not worried about Anastasia marrying the crown prince; after all, she was also his daughter. If he helps her become the empress, they could mend the father and daughter relationship. But as a stepmother, especially one biased, she expected revenge.
"The choice is yours, " Duke Thomason had a lazy look. The Duchess felt that he was looking down on her.
"You think you can divorce me just because you want to? Let me tell you, it would not happen, " the Duchess fought back.
"if you don't want it, then you better act accordingly. After all, how you have treated Anastasia in the past five years is enough to divorce you without affecting my reputation, " The duke reminded her. He was not taking her seriously at all.
Once more, the Duchess was speechless. She felt like her husband had been ignorant all these years. After all, he never got involved in how she ran the house.
"I will expect you to do the right thing. I want to work, " the duck said. The second part of the sentence was asking her to leave his presence.