Outside the Vega manor, James awaited Clara's arrival with a thumping heart, he hasn't seen her for a week, he had no idea if she would even agree to see him, but he had to see her.
As Clara came outside alongside Safa and Wolfgang who carried Denver in his arms, she was surprised to see James dressed in his commoner clothes.
He looked tired and disheveled, his hair wild and unkempt, dark circles had already formed under his eyes from the lack of sleep.
Immediately upon noticing James, the puppy barked, "Woof! Woof!" He was happy to see him after a long while.
But James was busy focusing on Clara, He wanted to approach her but was afraid she'd back away into the house if he did so, so he kept his distance as he asked "Clara, How are you?"
"What do you think?" Clara replied frowning at him.
"I missed you...the house feels empty without you." James said.
Safa rolled her eyes at his words, "Weren't you the one who gave me days off, My Lord." Clara replied mockingly.
"Using my own actions against me, I deserve that." James said.
"Oh you deserve so much more." Safa replied.
"Safa please, let them have their moment." Wolfgang said, "You call that a moment?" She responded.
"I know what to do now...I should give you back your rightful place." James said.
Glaring, "What rightful place?" Clara asked.
"Whatever I own as a Teaton, is also yours Clara.
Your rightful place is at the Teaton house, as A member of our family, as one of us." James replied.
"I don't want to be part of a family that didn't want me to begin with." Clara said.
"Believe me, I want you by my side in that house, you're the only one there that matters to me, and you know that!
I always wanted us to be a family, I just didn't think it was the right choice."
"That doesn't change the fact that my life was ruined from the start because of your family's actions."
"I've finally realized that I should've never lied to you, I should've told you the truth the moment our father died.
But I can't fix what I've done in the past, I can only do something now, so please give me another chance.
I want to be the one to give you what was taken from you." James said.
"You mean What you yourself helped take from me." Clara replied.
"It was never my intention Clara, I can swear on anything you want me to that I wasn't trying to take anything from you, maybe at first my motivation was the Will, but by the time I did inherit everything, I started to think that I was genuinely protecting you.
You wanted to be free and happy and make your own choice, but I thought the truth would stop you from that.
As a noble, your nobility is a double edged sword, yes it comes with status and money and opportunities but...
All that pretending, all those lies, you find yourself willing to do everything to keep your reputation intact, I didn't think you would enjoy that life!" James said.
"But it wasn't your decision to make!" Clara protested, "Just because you thought that was the best for me, doesn't mean you had the right to decide for me!"
"I know that now, and I'm really sorry that it took me this long to realize.
I hate being a noble so much so that I believed you would hate it too." James replied, his eyes glistened with tears, it made Clara's expression soften.
"So what are you saying now?" Clara asked.
"I won't be making decisions for you anymore, I will only support you from now on.
Because I would rather lose the world than lose those I love, so I'm more than ready to let the world know I have a sister, one that I love with all my heart and I don't care anymore if this will destroy our family's reputation!
So If that's what you want, from now on you will be known as Clara Teaton, not Clara the maid or Clara from Southwark.
But as Miss Clara Teaton, I Will even have it printed for everyone that see, just say the word and I'll do it!" James replied.
Both the girls had surprised looks on their faces, while Wolfgang smiled at James in an encouraging manner.
"I...well...you know..." Clara was almost speechless.
"How did you get him to do this?" Safa whisper-asked Wolfgang.
"What do you mean?" He asked back.
"Do not pretend to be unaware! This man for 6 years was doing the most, just to keep her being his sister a secret, and now he wants to announce their relationship whistledown's style?! You had to have something to do with this!" Safa said.
Chuckling, "You shall understand when you acquire a lover." Wolfgang replied.
"Eww, forget I asked anything! Now I believe you manipulated this lustful man into risking his entire reputation with sexual intercourse." Safa said making her manservant's face turn red.
"THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENED!"
"Hmm, whatever you say, lover boy."
"SAFA I SWEAR!"
"How do men do it by the way, I assume through the rear end? Or do you just sword fight?"
"SAFA I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"
"So how do you determine who gets impaled?"
"IMPALED?! WOMAN HAVE SOME GODDAMN DECENCY!"
As Wolfgang was losing his mind once again to Safa's relentless teasing in the background, James was waiting for a coherent response from Clara who was an anxious mess by now.
In her heart she really wanted to forgive James, but didn't know whether he deserved a second chance or not.
"If you're unable to come up with a decision right now, I understand.
Take as much time as you need, just please...think about it Clara." James said, "I am willing to accept whatever you choose." He added.
...Meanwhile...
After a moment of panting together, "Release me!" Fabian said.
"Do you hate it? What happened at the dinner party?"
"What?"
"You hate it, just admit it, you hate that she mentioned Clara."
"What kind of question is that?!" Fabian was pissed, he tried to free himself for the thousand time but his hands were tied to the bedframe and no matter how many times he yanked them, the robes were too sturdy to even budge.
"BAHAHAHA! How pathetic!" The dream version of Safa laughed as she sat on his stomach wearing the same loose nightgown.
"Tell me, why are you torturing me every night?!"
"Me?! Hun I am nothing but a figment of your imagination, You made me because you just want the real Safa to dominate your degenerate arse!"
Blushing, "LEAVE ME ALONE!" Fabian shouted.
Still laughing, The girl leaned back into him, "You made me, you get rid of me! and I think you know how." She said.
"What?"
"What else but the real thing to defeat what is fake?"
"What are you talking about?!"
"The real me, silly! You are already thinking about it, do you not? You want to give Safa a chance because you hated when she mentioned her friend Clara, you hated that she thinks Clara is more suitable for you, you hate that Safa does not even realize just how much you want her.
You hate that she does not even acknowledge you as a man, you hate that she is not the one sharing your bed right now!"
"Shut up!"
"You stupid boy! Who falls in love so quickly with someone they barely know anything about?"
"I SAID SHUT UP!"
"Make me!" She said and Fabian started violently thrashing on the bed in an attempt to free himself.
...[End of dream]...
"OWOW!" Fabian winced in pain as he fell off his bed, "Ugh...I swear...these dreams are nightmares!" He mumbled.
Still laying on the floor next to his bed, he paused to think for minute.
"She might be a sadistic dream person but she is right...the only way for me to find peace now is to see this thing through with Safa." He said to himself.
"I wonder what would Safa's reaction be if I told her about the dreams...will she also see me as a degenerate?"
...An hour or so later...
As she went into the dinning room, "Gertie, welcome back! How was church?" Fabian greeted the old woman who was surprised to see her young master, up and dressed and had just finished his meal.
He seemed excited and ready to go somewhere, and her surprise only intensified as Colin popped into the room, with a smile on his face.
Astonished, "What are you doing in here? Don't you ever get sick of coming to visit? Young master was literally at your house last night!" She asked Colin.
"Miss Gertrude! Good morning to you too, I'm here to take Fabian off your hands for a while, we are finally going to meet lady Danbury." He replied.
"You did not have to come all the way here Colin, now you have to travel once again with me." Fabian said.
"Worry not, I came here to make sure that you have not changed your mind overnight." Colin replied.
"So what are you planning to do when you meet lady Danbury?" Gertrude asked, "I plan on Introducing myself, and explain my situation in better details, see if she can help me." Fabian replied.
"Should I come along?" She asked.
Simultaneously, "NO!" Colin and Fabian said shocking her.
"What?"
Nervous, "No need to stress yourself Gertie darling, take the day off, relax a little!" Fabian said helping the confused lady to a chair.
As she sat, "Yes, today I will be taking care of Fabian, so worry not if he doesn't return early, just know he's with me!" Colin said flashing her a suspicious smile.
Gertrude raised an eyebrow at them, it was obviously obvious they didn't want her to tag along but she decided it wasn't worth investigating at the moment, "Just make sure he doesn't skip any meals." She said.
...Sometime later...
Lady Danbury had formed a picture in her head about the kind of man she was about to meet, still, Fabian has somewhat exceeded her expectations.
"Lady Danbury!" Colin's cheerful voice grabbed her attention as he entered her drawing room alongside Fabian.
"This is my friend I spoke of, Fabian Kainz." Colin said, "Fabian, this is Lady Agatha Danbury, the exceptional most known woman in the Ton after the Queen of course, and my mother's best friend."
Chuckling, "Colin! Since when do you introduce people in such fashion?" Lady Danbury said.
"It is...nice to meet you Lady Danbury." Fabian spoke-up anxiously.
For some reason, something about lady Danbury's presence made him feel on edge, he could tell just by looking at her that she isn't just anybody.
She was even more intimidating than Safa, "Please, have a seat." Lady Danbury said ushering for the boys to join her.
Once they're sat, "Now, I must start this by saying that you are quite the handsome and unique looking young man." Lady Danbury stated with a smile.
"Thank you for the nice words..." Fabian replied.
"From what Colin has told me, it seems you have finally changed your mind concerning Lady Vega?"
"Yes...I wish to see this through."
"And why the sudden change of heart?"
"Because I finally realized why my aunt liked her."
Both Colin and Agatha were confused and intrigued by his words, "What do you mean?" Colin asked.
"She is attractively smart, brutally honest, always thinking of others, and kind when needed to be.
The way her manservant was being himself around Safa yesterday, how he spoke freely and sang her praises whenever he could, it was fascinating to say the least." Fabian explained with a deep blush coating his cheeks.
"What could a man ask for more in a wife?" He said.