The Slave Queen - Chapter 86: Chapter 86

Seeing this, Mandy Watkins thought, 'Lady Jaylee is no match for Lord Shawn and Lady Raelynn.
'With Lady Jaylee so humiliated today, I'll surely bear the brunt of her anger again.'
If the situation escalated, Jaylee would end up venting her rage on the servants. Mandy decided it was better to get her away now, before things reached the point of no return.
Maybe this way, she could suffer a little less.
With this in mind, Mandy timidly approached Jaylee and whispered, "My Lady, it's getting late. I believe I see some of our attendants over there, coming to fetch you."
Jaylee frowned.
Her sense of grievance was abruptly cut short. She shot Mandy a displeased glare.
Mandy, summoning her courage, said, "My Lady, if we return too late, your parents will be worried. They've even prepared sweets for you..."
No sooner had the words left her lips than a carriage bearing the Ramos family's crest pulled up right before them.
Mandy breathed a sigh of relief.
She thought, 'I just blurted that out on a whim, but who would've thought salvation would actually arrive? Looks like my timing was spot on after all.'
Only then did Jaylee climb into the carriage with great reluctance.
Yet deep down, she couldn't bring herself to blame Shawn at all.
Instead, she poured all her hatred onto Raelynn.
Once inside the carriage, she yanked the curtain aside and shot Raelynn a venomous glare.
She thought, 'How could this be? For the past four years, I had her at my beck and call, tormenting her however I pleased.
'Just last year, I cooked up some excuse and had that wretch's arm broken.
'Even then, Aunt didn't scold me. She actually praised me for it!
'So why is it that now, the moment this wretch reappears, I suddenly can't do a thing to her?'
Sensing Jaylee's gaze, Raelynn turned around, her expression completely unruffled.
She even offered Jaylee a subtle smirk.
But to Jaylee, that smirk was nothing short of a blatant provocation.
Furious, she yanked the curtain down, her face a thundercloud. She hissed, "You wretch!
"Just because you've got Shawn's protection, you dare to disrespect me?
"Mark my words. One day, I'll make you pay for every single humiliation I've suffered today."
She spat the words through clenched teeth.
Mandy cowered in the farthest corner of the carriage, making herself as small as possible, terrified of becoming the next target of Jaylee's rage.
But she could not avoid what was bound to happen.
Jaylee's eyes, practically blazing with fury, locked onto Mandy. "Mandy, get over here," she snapped.
Mandy's body trembled again. Resigned, she dropped to her knees and crawled forward toward Jaylee.
She didn't even dare to beg for mercy.
She thought, 'I've served Jaylee for so many years. I know exactly what's coming next. Only by enduring this can I survive.'
Just as Mandy was about to reach Jaylee, a delicate slipper flashed into view.
The very next instant, a vicious kick slammed into her chest.
Though Jaylee was a pampered young lady and not particularly strong, she put all her might into that blow.
It sent Mandy sprawling to the ground, the metallic tang of blood flooding her throat.
Yet she didn't dare utter a sound. Clenching her teeth against the agony, she forced herself to scramble back up and resumed her kneeling position at Jaylee's feet.
Before she could steady herself, another sharp slap cracked across her face.
Instantly, a fiery handprint bloomed on her cheek.
Jaylee said, "You lowly maid, how dare you compare yourself to me? You've been scheming to take my place all along, right?"
She sneered, as if struck by a sudden thought. "The Lennox family once passed off a country bumpkin as a noble lady. Don't tell me a mere servant like you dares to dream the same?"
"I dare not, my lady! Please, spare me."
Mandy had thought that as long as she let Jaylee vent her anger, things would blow over.
However, she could've never guessed that Jaylee would accuse her of harboring treacherous thoughts.
She thought, 'This is defemation! If Mr. Ramos and Mrs. Ramos heard of this, I would be as good as dead!'
Completely disregarding the pain in her chest, she crawled to Jaylee's feet and begged for mercy while tears streamed down her face.
Seeing Mandy sniveling in terror, Jaylee finally felt the suffocating rage within her begin to subside.
She let out a cold snort. "As if you'd dare! Just look at yourself. You are born to be a lowly servant for life. Dreaming of being a noble lady? That'll only shorten your miserable life.
"If you manage to please me, then when you come of age, I might arrange a match for you. Even our stable boy would be above your station.
"Remember. If I catch even a hint of treachery, I'll skin you alive.'
Mandy bit back the excruciating pain as she knelt to offer her thanks.
As she bowed her head, no one saw the seething hatred in her eyes.
Ever since she joined the Ramos family and started serving Jaylee, who was spoiled and ill-tempered, she had been walking on eggshells. She was constantly on edge and terrified that the slightest misstep would earn her a round of physical abuse.
And now, even though Jaylee was upset with Shawn and Raelynn, she still took it all out on Mandy.
Mandy thought, 'Had I not thought quickly and managed to get her away just then...'