The Slave Queen - Chapter 57: Chapter 57
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Katherine had served Julia for years and knew full well Julia wasn't nearly as graceful or composed as she pretended to be in public. Still, she hadn't expected her to be this far gone—so twisted with hate.
Now, it wasn't just Raelynn she resented. Even Hugo and Cecilia, maybe even Margot herself, were no longer safe from her growing fury.
But she was just a servant. What terrified her most now was becoming the next target of Julia's wrath.
So she kept her head down and tried to make herself invisible.
Just then, Isabel returned from running errands.
As soon as she stepped through the door and saw the wreckage—the broken vase, overturned furniture—her breath caught in her throat.
She was about to quietly back out of the room when Julia snapped, "Stop right there! Even you think you're too good for me now, is that it, you worthless little wretch?"
At that moment, she was like a powder keg—ready to ignite at the slightest spark.
Isabel, normally her most trusted maid, bowed her head low, trembling and silent.
A heartbeat later, a glass cup came hurtling through the air.
Crack! It struck Isabel squarely on the forehead.
Blood poured down her face.
Both Isabel and Katherine dropped to their knees in terror, kowtowing furiously. "Please, Lady Julia! Please calm down! Spare us, Lady Julia!"
But Julia was seething. She stormed over and, without hesitation, kicked them both hard in the chest. "You ungrateful rats! Even you dare look down on me now?
"Tomorrow I'll call the matchmaker and sell you both to the filthiest brothel in the city! Let's see who's still feeling superior then!"
Isabel and Katherine turned ghostly pale. They gritted their teeth against the pain and pressed their foreheads harder to the floor. "Spare us, Lady Julia! We would never dare! Never!"
"Look at you—groveling like worms. That's more like it."
Watching them cower at her feet gave Julia a twisted sense of satisfaction.
She spat toward them with contempt and then sat gracefully down on her chaise.
Her tone cooled, slow and deliberate. "Isabel, what about the matter I asked you to look into?"
Isabel lifted her head just enough to speak, her voice trembling. "Vania said... Lady Raelynn—"
Smack!
A sharp slap echoed in the room.
Isabel's head snapped to the side, her cheek swelling instantly.
"Lady Raelynn? Raelynn is nothing but a filthy little wench! She's not fit to carry my shoes, let alone run this household!
"If you can't keep that straight, I'll cut off your ears and rip out your tongue!"
"I was wrong, Lady Julia! Please forgive me!"
Isabel fell into a desperate bow, forehead thudding against the floor over and over.
She was usually careful with her words.
But between the slap and the tension, she had slipped—at exactly the wrong time.
"If I hadn't grown used to you over the years, I'd have sent you to clean toilets by now."
"Yes, Lady Julia! Thank you, Lady Julia, for your mercy!"
Julia finally cooled enough to wave her hand and allow her to continue.
This time, Isabel spoke even more cautiously, choosing every word with care. "Vania said that yesterday, both Lady Cecilia and Lady Margot sent gifts to Lunebloom Hollow—clothes, hair ornaments, fine fabrics, vases, some jewel pieces, a few household items... Lady Margot even gave her a large sum of money..."
Crash!
Julia swept an entire set of glass coffee cups off the table. They shattered loudly across the floor.
"She doesn't deserve any of that!"
Isabel immediately dropped her head again, not daring to speak.
"Anything else?" Julia asked suddenly, her eyes narrowing as a glint of malice sparked behind them.
After serving her for so long, Isabel knew exactly what Julia wanted to know.
She quickly added, "Yes. Lady Margot also asked Maryellen to design new dresses for her... said it was for the Ice Party in two weeks."
"What?" Julia let out a sharp, mocking laugh, part disbelief, part scorn.
Then her expression darkened. "That worthless girl thinks she's going to the Ice Party? What is that old hag thinking—trying to push her back into society?"
No. She wouldn't allow it.
Just as Isabel and Katherine braced for another outburst, Julia suddenly let out a low, cold laugh.
"Well then. If she wants to stand out, I'll make sure she becomes the biggest joke in all of Hazond City."
No matter how much Shawn tried to protect her, once scandal struck, even he wouldn't dare marry a woman so mired in disgrace.
The thought soothed her rage, just a little.
She called in the other maids to clean the room and restore order.
Thanks to this ugly outburst, the Duke's estate enjoyed a few days of quiet afterward.
Now, it wasn't just Raelynn she resented. Even Hugo and Cecilia, maybe even Margot herself, were no longer safe from her growing fury.
But she was just a servant. What terrified her most now was becoming the next target of Julia's wrath.
So she kept her head down and tried to make herself invisible.
Just then, Isabel returned from running errands.
As soon as she stepped through the door and saw the wreckage—the broken vase, overturned furniture—her breath caught in her throat.
She was about to quietly back out of the room when Julia snapped, "Stop right there! Even you think you're too good for me now, is that it, you worthless little wretch?"
At that moment, she was like a powder keg—ready to ignite at the slightest spark.
Isabel, normally her most trusted maid, bowed her head low, trembling and silent.
A heartbeat later, a glass cup came hurtling through the air.
Crack! It struck Isabel squarely on the forehead.
Blood poured down her face.
Both Isabel and Katherine dropped to their knees in terror, kowtowing furiously. "Please, Lady Julia! Please calm down! Spare us, Lady Julia!"
But Julia was seething. She stormed over and, without hesitation, kicked them both hard in the chest. "You ungrateful rats! Even you dare look down on me now?
"Tomorrow I'll call the matchmaker and sell you both to the filthiest brothel in the city! Let's see who's still feeling superior then!"
Isabel and Katherine turned ghostly pale. They gritted their teeth against the pain and pressed their foreheads harder to the floor. "Spare us, Lady Julia! We would never dare! Never!"
"Look at you—groveling like worms. That's more like it."
Watching them cower at her feet gave Julia a twisted sense of satisfaction.
She spat toward them with contempt and then sat gracefully down on her chaise.
Her tone cooled, slow and deliberate. "Isabel, what about the matter I asked you to look into?"
Isabel lifted her head just enough to speak, her voice trembling. "Vania said... Lady Raelynn—"
Smack!
A sharp slap echoed in the room.
Isabel's head snapped to the side, her cheek swelling instantly.
"Lady Raelynn? Raelynn is nothing but a filthy little wench! She's not fit to carry my shoes, let alone run this household!
"If you can't keep that straight, I'll cut off your ears and rip out your tongue!"
"I was wrong, Lady Julia! Please forgive me!"
Isabel fell into a desperate bow, forehead thudding against the floor over and over.
She was usually careful with her words.
But between the slap and the tension, she had slipped—at exactly the wrong time.
"If I hadn't grown used to you over the years, I'd have sent you to clean toilets by now."
"Yes, Lady Julia! Thank you, Lady Julia, for your mercy!"
Julia finally cooled enough to wave her hand and allow her to continue.
This time, Isabel spoke even more cautiously, choosing every word with care. "Vania said that yesterday, both Lady Cecilia and Lady Margot sent gifts to Lunebloom Hollow—clothes, hair ornaments, fine fabrics, vases, some jewel pieces, a few household items... Lady Margot even gave her a large sum of money..."
Crash!
Julia swept an entire set of glass coffee cups off the table. They shattered loudly across the floor.
"She doesn't deserve any of that!"
Isabel immediately dropped her head again, not daring to speak.
"Anything else?" Julia asked suddenly, her eyes narrowing as a glint of malice sparked behind them.
After serving her for so long, Isabel knew exactly what Julia wanted to know.
She quickly added, "Yes. Lady Margot also asked Maryellen to design new dresses for her... said it was for the Ice Party in two weeks."
"What?" Julia let out a sharp, mocking laugh, part disbelief, part scorn.
Then her expression darkened. "That worthless girl thinks she's going to the Ice Party? What is that old hag thinking—trying to push her back into society?"
No. She wouldn't allow it.
Just as Isabel and Katherine braced for another outburst, Julia suddenly let out a low, cold laugh.
"Well then. If she wants to stand out, I'll make sure she becomes the biggest joke in all of Hazond City."
No matter how much Shawn tried to protect her, once scandal struck, even he wouldn't dare marry a woman so mired in disgrace.
The thought soothed her rage, just a little.
She called in the other maids to clean the room and restore order.
Thanks to this ugly outburst, the Duke's estate enjoyed a few days of quiet afterward.
End of The Slave Queen Chapter 57. Continue reading Chapter 58 or return to The Slave Queen book page.