Chapter 3 - A Wife! A slave!

VIOLET

My mind wandered as I walked down the stairs in the same dress.

Willow is back. I thought she had relocated to South Korea. Yeah! That was what Stewart told me a year ago when we chatted about our ex-partners. He told me about Willow and revealed that she dumped him before she left for Korea.

When did she get back? Why didn't Stewart tell me? Why did he gifted me the same dress his ex-fiancee had worn? Was that how pathetic I was? Yeah! I was less privileged but did that mean I should be disrespected by my own husband?

I was just excited over nothing. I thought he regarded me but he had to pretend he loved me because the woman he really loved dumped him. I was just a second option. I was just a substitute. Willow is back and he might be planning to dump me too.

My heart missed a beat as I thought about that. "You cannot let that happen, Violet," I cannot let him divorce me. I love him. I have fallen in love with him like a fool. I don't even want his money anymore. I just want him to reciprocate the feelings I have for him. He should love me the same way I love him.

I am ready to fight for my love even if that means I have to endure another round of torture from him and his family members. I can still make him fall in love with him. All I needed to do was to get pregnant. I am sure he wouldn't get along with Willow once I am with his baby,"

I told myself as I sauntered to God knows where. At this moment, my emotions were so overwhelming that I couldn't keep them within me anymore. My knees weakened and fell to the floor, hugging them. I broke into tears.

"Why are you so pathetic, Violet? Why is your life complicated? Why do you have to wake up to different problems? Why do you have so many misfortunes?" I shouted amidst my cries, allowing the tears to stream out without control. That was what I needed at that time.

Thankfully, the birthday ceremony was held in the garden and the loud music reverberating was enough to conceal the sound of my cries. Without caring, I increased my tears. I should just let it all out before I become crazy.

"What are you doing here?" A voice wafted into my ears, interrupting my emotional moment and causing me to raise my head. The moment I realized that it was the head of the maids in the house, Mrs. Agatha, I tilted my head to the side and quickly wiped off my tears before she could catch a glimpse of it, which I doubted she hadn't.

"Mrs. Agatha," I called, standing and forcing out a smile. "Can you please help me ask one of the girls to bring me a bottle of cold juice?" I asked, trying to dispatch her on time. I just wanted to be alone.

For some reason, Mrs. Agatha's behavior was a bit weird. Unlike the jovial and friendly Agatha that I know, she looked like she was angered and frustrated by someone or something.

She swayed a disgusted gaze over me and hissed. "And who is your maid? Who gave you the authority to send me on an errand? Do I look like your maid?" She spurted out, sending me a wave of shock.

My eyes widened and my jaw dropped.

"Mrs. Agatha! What is wrong with you? Did anyone anger you? This is unlike you," I mumbled, trying to make her say what was bothering her but she fired me almost immediately.

"You are mistaken, Violet," She said. This was the first time she would be calling my name without respect. At this point, I knew something was wrong but I kept my cool. "This is the real me. The old Agatha was forced to act that way because you are one of the mistresses in this house. You don't expect me to still respect you when you've become a maid," She mumbled and my eyes grew wider. What nonsense did she just spew?

"Are you drunk? Why are you talking like a senseless nonentity?" I asked.

It was as though she had been slapped with the way her face changed into a horror. "How dare you!" She blurted out, raised her hand, and aimed at my face. However, before her hand could reach my face, I snatched it in the air and shoved it away aggressively.

"Don't make a grave mistake, Agatha. I will not hesitate to report you to Stewart if you don't apologize for attempting to slap me," I commanded, my voice stern and cold. It was certain that she was pulling my legs and the disrespect would only increase if I didn't mark my boundaries and show her that I was not the type to mess with.

Staring at me for a few seconds, she burst into a peal of laughter, holding her belly.

Anger coursed through me like fire on dried leaves. What was funny? Did Agatha think I can do nothing?

Then, her laughter stopped and she brought out an apron behind her. "The same Sir Stewart who ordered me to take you into the kitchen and treat you like the maid you are?" She flung the apron, tossing it to my face.

She chuckled and shook her head. "You are so pathetic, Violet. Your manipulation has stopped working on my boss," She said.

I was speechless. My mouth opened but I couldn't produce a sound. Did Stewart actually say so? Can he say so? Did he mean everything he told me in the room? How could he just throw me into the kitchen when he had promised to introduce me to everyone as his wife?

A drop of tears fell from my eyes and I shook my head. "No, Agatha. You are lying. You are just trying to look for a way to escape your punishment. Stewart cannot say that. He will never say something like that," I told her and brushed past her, heading toward the door to the garden. I knew Agatha was telling the truth but it was hard to accept. The saying "truth is bitter" was accurate. It was bitter. Too bitter that it made me cry without control. Before I could reach the door, two burly men appeared from the sides. And without saying anything, they bundled me into the kitchen.

Agatha stood over me and hit my head countless times with the Apron. "I don't care what happened between you and Sir Stewart but you don't have a choice but to listen to me as long as you are here. He asked us to keep you here and never let you go out until the birthday party is over. They don't want a smelly pauper like you to ruin their wonderful day," She mocked, sticking out her tongue.

My heart twitched. It was as though I was being crushed with a pestle. I felt like dying. Too much revelation in a day. My strength was leaving me. Why did Stewart do this to me? What have I done to deserve this? Grandfather who was supposed to help me was out of the country for his annual leave and vacation. I had nobody in this goddamn house. Can they just kill me so that everything will end?

*

Tears wouldn't stop sliding out of my eyes as I worked in the kitchen as a dishwasher. While my husband introduced Willow Collins as his fiancee and denied ever marrying another woman, I was busy cleaning dishes.

Life is cruel and beautiful. But why do I have to witness the cruel part? At this point, I couldn't even cry anymore. The party would end and Stewart would beg me for what he did to me today. He wouldn't intentionally hurt me. I could swear that circumstances pushed him into it. I will wait until the party ends so that he can explain to me.

*

Lines of wrinkles were scribbled on my hands and they were freezing. It was finally the end of the party. Agatha and the two men guarding me finally let me go. Without checking my white hands twice, I rushed out of the kitchen and climbed the stairs hurriedly.

Getting to the last steps, the main reason what was supposed to be my happy day turned sad appeared from the direction of the master bedroom. My stomach churned with irritation the moment I saw Willow. A devil.