"Have you killed it?" Cass asked.
Cass had known she would face the council, so she asked the workers assigned to her to kill a young turkey and squeeze the blood into a bucket and dip the clothes she had worn the day before and also dip the bandage too into the blood, in case the council asked her for evidence, she could show, and Maryann would get the worst punishment ever.
"It's ready Ma'am" Amy said after dipping the clothes into the bucket of blood,
Jo took a new bandage and pasted it on Cass's shoulder, the exact place Maryann had bitten her.
There was no blood, but there was a tooth scar.
"I think we're ready, Ma'am" Jo said as they followed Cass to the White House.
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"Miss Cassandra is here". A guard announced from outside.
"Let her in," one of the members approved.
The door opened, and Cass entered.
Cyril didn't even look up, while Maryann sat on the floor.
Everyone in the office, except Cyril, whispered in shock upon seeing the bandage with blood on it.
Cyril raised his head as he passed the iPad, he was holding to Bobby from behind.
"What happened?" he inquired, his gaze fixed on Maryann.
Their eyes locked, and although Maryann was the first to look away, Cyril continued to stare.
Cass noticed the direction of Cyril's gaze, leading to Maryann.
Her fury intensified, and the animosity she harbored towards Maryann solidified.
The Sheriff began "According to Miss Cassandra Oliver..." Cyril cut him short.
"Let her speak for herself."
"Okay sir". The sheriff bowed and stepped aside for Cass to talk.
Cass began, "I returned to stay with my father. My room was in complete disarray. I needed my workers back. He suggested I call them myself. Entering the cottage, I instructed her to step outside as I intended to take her to work for me. When I summoned her, she inquired why and for what purpose. Her question irritated me, and noticing she seemed unfamiliar, I asked if she was new. Instead of answering, she simply stated her name and that she had arrived that day. Then, suspecting her, I asked if she was the thief, at which point she lunged at me, biting my shoulder deeply," Cass recounted.
"Is that all?" Cyril inquired, his gaze fixed on a booklet before him, never once glancing at Cass.
"Yes, Your Excellency," Cass responded, bowing.
"And the worker—tell us what happened," Cyril commanded.
"But Your Excellency, with all due respect, this is a trivial matter that ought to be addressed by the Sheriff, not you," a VIP member interjected.
"I chose to take on this case. Is there a problem with that?" Cyril retorted, turning to face the board member.
"I'm so sorry, Your Excellency". The board member apologized.
Maryann knelt down and began her explanation.
"She entered the cottage and summoned me to her side abruptly. When I didn't recognize her and inquired about her intentions, she scolded me for daring to ask such a question. Instead of answering, I offered my name, and she accused me of being the new thief..." Maryann fell silent, and the room followed suit.
"Finish your story, I thought you were fearless," David challenged from across the table.
Maryann remained silent, her face downturned, not saying a word.
"And then what happened?" Cyril prodded.
Maryann knelt quiet, tears streaming down her face, acutely aware that no one would defend her.
As a commoner accused of theft, her situation was dire.
She knew she had no choice but to repeat her words from the cottage and accept imprisonment.
"And I told her that..." Maryann's voice faltered. "I told her that at least I don't wear so much makeup that I resemble a masquerade."
"What?!" gasped several council members.
For a commoner to retort to an authority figure was a grave offense in the White House, and her punishment would be severe.
Cyril couldn't contain his laughter; he chuckled heartily, a smile spreading across his face.
He glanced at Maryann, and everyone stared at Cyril in astonishment.
He rarely smiled, and this was a grave matter, yet there he was, laughing.
Cyril raised his head to look at Cass.
"Why didn't you clean your room by yourself?" he asked, his laughter ceasing.
"I apologize, Your Excellency, I was exhausted from the long journey," Cass replied, bowing.
"You summoned her, and she declined. Why not just leave her alone? Was she the only attendant available?" Cyril inquired.
"No, Your Excellency," Cass responded, bowing once more.
"Your Excellency..." David began, but Cyril interrupted him.
"Mr. Oliver, wasn't there a directive to the butlers and staff not to engage any workers from the cottage until I completed the PBP?" Cyril questioned David.
"Your Excellency..." David rose to speak, only to be interrupted again by Cyril.
"Your daughter seems to be the first to contravene your orders," Cyril observed.
"Your Excellency..." David attempted to respond, but was cut off once more by Cyril.
"Does this imply she has no regard for me?" Cyril posed the question.
Before David could reply, Cyril turned to Cass.
"Why did you label her a thief?" he questioned.
"I deeply regret it, Your Excellency. My anger was due to her disrespect towards you at the market," Cass explained, bowing.
"Did accusing her of theft undo the insult she directed at me?" Cyril probed.
"No, Your Excellency."
"So, you're suggesting that calling her a thief is what provoked her to bite you?" Cyril pressed on.
"Yes, Your Excellency"
Cyril looked at Maryann. "Why didn't you respond politely when she called you out?"
"I didn't know who she was?" Maryann answered, still kneeling down as she kept her face down.
"Are you a thief?" Cyril asked Maryann.
Everyone turned to look at Cyril in shock.
Maryann lifted her face up and looked at Cyril and their eyes locked for the second time.
Maryann knew the President knew she was a thief, so why did he ask?
"Yes Sir" Maryann answered.
"So why did you get offended when she addressed you about what you actually are?" Cyril asked Maryann.
"Nothing Sir," Maryann answered.
"Did you bite her because she called you a thief?" Cyril asked.
"No sir"
Bobby whispered to Cyril, "Sir, we got the footage from the cottage."
"Play it," Cyril commanded.
Bobby plugged the USB into a laptop, which projected onto the large TV in the room, showing everything that transpired in the cottage from Cass's arrival to her departure.
As everyone watched the video, murmurs spread across the room.
Cass kept her head down.
Cyril rose from his chair, and silence fell once more.
"Sheriff, proceed with the punishment," he ordered, exiting the room followed by Bobby and several guards.
The Sheriff announced, "Miss Cassandra Oliver is hereby prohibited from selecting any workers other than the two assigned to her. She is also barred from entering the cottage. As for Miss Maryann Taylor, she will be chained and whipped for her insubordination. Take her away," he concluded, as two guards escorted Maryann out.
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All the workers from the cottage were told to come out and witness the punishment of Maryann to avoid the same offense occurring.
Two poles were set aside from each other and one pole connected the two poles at the top.
Maryann's legs were chained so tight while her hands were chained to the top pole.
Tears rolled down Maryann's eyes as she hung on the pole.
She knew she was guilty, but she didn't know why all these events happened in less than two days.
She felt miserable, two guards held a lashing whip and each of them lashed her one after the other without stopping.
"Arghhhhh!" Maryann whimpered as she was being lashed.
Lisa and Sarah cried so much, everyone at the scene felt pity for her, as she was lashed again, her nylon top tore according to the lash whip, she screamed in pain.
As Maryann lifted her face up.
She saw Cyril standing on his balcony staring down at her with those cool, piercing blue eyes.