Chapter 12: A Dog Biting Its Owner

When Aurelia managed to climb up the staircase, she saw an older woman standing at the top. Her brand new magenta dress flicked as she walked towards Aurelia. Her lips were smeared with a creamy red lipstick. As soon as she set her sights upon Aurelia, she raised her voice exaggeratedly.

“Mrs. Beckett, the weather has been wretched recently, and your body is weak. Why did you venture outside without someone escorting you? Where did you go? I searched the entire mansion but couldn’t find you at all.”

Aurelia’s lips twitched with interest. She couldn’t figure out if Sharon, Sarah’s mother, and the elusive nanny who had contributed greatly to the Beckett family were truly kept out of the loop or pretending to be innocent.

“Sharon,” Aurelia spoke up, “Why are you making a fuss all of a sudden? Don’t tell me that I need to report my whereabouts to you wherever I go.” She cocked her head to the side with a sarcastic look.

“I was just worried about you. Mrs. Becket, you have barely recovered since you came to Ashdale, and with the weather changing, if there were any unexpected accidents, how would I answer to Luther and the Patriarch?” Her mocking tone revealed just how difficult she was to deal with.

Aurelia’s smile dropped. “So, you know that I am here to recuperate, then why are you making a fuss and hindering me?”

Sharon’s lips flattened as she spoke sternly to Aurelia, “Mrs. Beckett, I have the best of intentions. You should not be walking all over the place and allow outsiders the chance to gossip.”

Aurelia looked at her quietly. Sharon and Sarah were ranked very high in the Beckett family’s hierarchy of servants. Hence, people listened to her unilaterally, no matter what she wanted. Throughout the year, Sharon was busy with errands outside the mansion, so they rarely had an opportunity to speak. But she had a close relationship with the Conrad family, and eager to please Kevin, Sharon had tried multiple times to set the scene so that Kevin and Aurelia bumped into each other.

Sharon didn’t show a shred of respect towards Aurelia. Instead, she acted as the overlord who could do anything they liked.

Of course, she remembered Sharon clearly. In her past life, the gossip about how she seduced Kevin had spread like wildfire because Sharon added fire to the fuel. She recounted the incident amongst the servants and staff members in the community as if she had seen it with her own eyes. Because of it, the rumors worsened and led Aurelia to her early ruin.

She knew now that Sharon was scared Sarah would be implicated for her part in the scheme and struck preemptively. She didn’t want Aurelia to have any credibility when she defended herself.

Aurelia didn’t respond for a long time. Sharon’s surprised eyes met hers. Aurelia’s gaze was unnerving, as if she were scrutinizing a plaything that would soon be destroyed. Aurelia pitied Sharon, and she knew it well.

“Mrs. Beckett?”

“Oh? Who is the one gossiping, Sharon?” she questioned flippantly. Her lips curved up once again. The edge of her brow rose, and Sharon wondered if Aurelia had turned into another person.

Although Sharon had lived in high society for a long time, she couldn’t help but think Sarah and the other women she had met would hold a candle to Aurelia.

“Don’t tell me… you’re the one making thoughtless remarks outside?” Aurelia’s next sentence reined Sharon’s thoughts back on track.

Stunned, Sharon shook her head unconsciously. “Of course, I have done no such thing.”

Aurelia nodded slowly, but Sharon could see the lack of belief in the other’s eyes.

“Good. A dog is raised to guard the house and bite intruders. If the dog turns around and bites its owner, do you know what its ending will be?” Aurelia asked her.

Sharon shook her head jerkily.

“It will be put down,” Aurelia spoke softly, slowly emphasizing the last two words.

Sharon’s blank stare fell on Aurelia. Under the bright light from the chandelier, Aurelia’s otherwise beautiful face looked menacing.

“Mr—Mrs. Beckett… Luther has asked me to guard you well over the next few days.”

Aurelia remained unbothered by the sentence. She had long known Luther wouldn’t be swayed so easily. To have not dragged her into the room and locked her up himself was a boon in itself.

She smirked and turned to ascend the stairs once again. “No need to escort me. I plan on resting for a long time,” she announced.

There was a skip in her step as she disappeared from everyone’s sight. Sharon had a complicated expression on her face as she wondered what had changed in the few hours Sarah and Aurelia had been out.

.

In another wing of the mansion, two people sat on the bed. The young girl of twenty cuddled into the middle-aged woman’s embrace and spoke critically, “Mother, I can’t stand how she speaks to us. Despite being unfavored, she walks around like she owns the place. Can’t we just get rid of her already?” Sarah moaned.

“Sarah, don’t speak nonsense,” Sharon admonished. “Regardless of her exile, she is Luther’s lawfully wedded wife, and the woman the Patriarch has chosen. We can’t mistreat her excessively and get caught,” she advised. “If she somehow gets an audience and complains, this might be used against us.” Though Sharon meant to admonish her daughter, her tone was full of doting.

She couldn’t bear to let her daughter suffer.

Sarah straightened into a sitting position. “How can she be considered that important? Look at her wretched appearance. Luther and the Patriarch have given up on her completely. I know how to handle her. But do you know what could help us further?” Her eyes gleamed at the opportunity.

She couldn’t allow her mother to know what had really happened. Moreover, she had to gain an upper hand before Kevin returned.

“Didn’t you say that Mr. Smith was interested?” she inquired softly.

Sharon’s eyes widened for a fraction of a second before a warmth took over. “You’ve thought it over already?”

Sarah clenched her fist under the covers, hidden away from Sharon’s keen eyes. She nodded with a small smile. “So, what if she is Luther’s wife? If I marry Mr. Smith and live at the old house with him, won’t my status be above that ugly woman’s?” Sarah asked enthusiastically.

Sharon heard the words with delight, but a sneaking suspicion stopped her. “Didn’t you think he was too old until this morning? What made you change your mind?”

Sarah huffed. “You don’t know how domineering she was today! She even threatened to kill me at one point. I can’t stand how she uses Luther to scare others.”

Sharon nodded in understanding. “I saw it too. She has changed… I can’t tell how.” She clucked her tongue and changed the topic immediately. “But don’t worry. Even if you are making the decision out of spite, I, as your mother, will never choose the wrong path for you. Marrying Mr. Smith is a wonderful option.”

Sarah leaned her head against Sharon’s shoulder and squeezed her eyes shut.

She hoped and prayed her mother was right.