Chapter Six- 60 lashes

Kathryn's POV

If he thought he was just going to waddle back into my life like nothing had happened then he had it coming.

I had been a damn weakling, losing everything and everyone I loved because of a man. In this life, I was going to become strong and powerful to choose the trajectory of my life. I would prepare a life worth living for my unborn child.

Even if I were to give him a chance, I couldn't ever forget how I had lost my child. Tears shone on my eyes and I absentmindedly caressed my belly as I remembered the cruel torment I had faced. After losing my child, he had called the doctors to attend to me, but it was too late. That too, I was not going to be able to give birth after. My womb had gone through so much damage.

I sighed long and hard as I thought about it. Reborn or not, Marcus Night was just wasting his time here. I had a choice over who I would marry and in this life, it won't be him.

A knock on the door brought me out of my soliloquy, “Milady, we're here to prepare you.”

I didn't give them the permission to enter and instead addressed them from where I sat. “Prepare me? What for?”

No one responded and soon the door barged open, a dozen maids sauntering in.

I had almost forgotten about this. In my past life, I had lived like a decorated maid, disrespected and treated less than anything by even the maids of the household. After all, I had been the daughter of a maid myself who had become lucky because her mother was smart enough to open her legs for one of the higher ups.

But that was a lie. My mother had been promised love and marriage by the asshole called my father and had gotten her pregnant only to marry another woman from the military household.

In this world, strength was recognised and weakness could get you killed.

“Who gave you the permission to enter?” I asked calmly, not sparing then a glance and they glared at me.

I recognised the headmaid who was one of Cassandra's staunch supporters in my past life. She looked at me in disdain and snickered, “Who is making you feel like you can order us around?” She sucked her teeth, “Don't get the delusion that you are now some empress because the Alpha king wants you. You're still nothing but the daughter of a maid slut.”

“Only the heavens know how long she'll last as a favoured concubine before being cast away.” Another maid piped up, laughing into her hands.

I simply smiled as I addressed them. “According to the household rules, maids are to serve with their heads down and not speak unless spoken to. Not only have you broken this rule but you have spoken to a noble with disrespect. Your punishment, 60 lashes of the horse whip.”

Everything went silent for a while before they stared at each other in disbelief. A harsh laugh broke through the silence and the headmaid inputted, “Damn, you really do feel important now huh? I'd like to see how you'd punish us, milady” she mocked with a drawl.

I smiled, my eyes glinting with mischief. My revenge could start from her. Step by step.

What use is the Alpha King to me if he can't help me exact some punishment on these little riffraffs. I am well aware that I am presently without authority or power of any kind. My grandmother or father who are the ones with power in the household, would be the last to help me. Sigh… I guess he'll have to do.

I stood, brushing invisible lint off my simple gown, and fixed the maids with a calm yet chilling smile. They didn’t know it yet, but their arrogance had signed their punishment decree.

“I’m glad you all think this is a joke,” I said, my tone deceptively light. “But you’ll soon see who’s laughing last.”

The head maid rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed. “Is that so? And who’s going to enforce your little punishment? You?”

I tilted my head, my smile widening. “Oh no, not me. I wouldn’t dare dirty my hands with the likes of you. But the Alpha King? He might find this… amusing.”

The mention of Marcus wiped the smirks off their faces. For all their disdain toward me, they weren’t foolish enough to risk crossing him.

“You’re bluffing,” one of the younger maids muttered, though her voice wavered.

“Am I?” I crossed my arms, my confidence unwavering. “Perhaps I should call him here and let him decide how to handle this breach of household conduct. After all, he’s been quite attentive to me lately. I’m sure he’d love to hear how his beloved Kathryn is being treated.”

The head maid’s face darkened, but the flicker of unease in her eyes betrayed her. She took a step forward, trying to regain her composure. “You think he’ll waste his time on you? You’re nothing but…”

“Enough,” I interrupted sharply, my voice cutting through her words. “You’ve said more than enough to lead to your imprisonment, if not worse. But I’m feeling generous today.” I stepped closer to her, my tone dropping. “So here’s what’s going to happen: you’ll all leave this room immediately and pray that the Alpha doesn’t hear about this. Because if I do summon him, I won’t stop at sixty lashes. Do we understand each other?”

The maids hesitated, their bravado crumbling as the weight of my threat sank in. Finally, the head maid sneered, though it lacked her earlier confidence. “This isn’t over,” she muttered before turning on her heel and stalking out of the room.

As the door clicked shut behind them, I let out a slow breath, the tension in my shoulders easing. They wouldn’t dare report this incident, not when the possibility of Marcus’s intervention hung over their heads.

But I wasn’t foolish enough to think this was the end of it. The maids were merely just a sign of the larger problem. This household saw me as a nobody, and until I proved otherwise, their disrespect would continue.

I moved to the window, gazing out at the sprawling estate. Strength was all that mattered here, and if I wanted to survive…no, thrive…I would need to seize power for myself.

And if that meant using Marcus to do so, then so be it.

I was no longer the weak, desperate woman of my past life. This time, I would rise above them all, no matter the cost.