Chapter 25 Framed
CHAPTER 25.
\-LILITH-
“What are you waiting for, seize her” The queen ordered her guards.
They marched towards me and grabbed my arms forcefully, pulling me up like a criminal.
Before I knew what was happening, I felt a tight, ear deafening slap on my cheeks from Alpha Damian's mother.
“You ungrateful lowlife slave!” The queen thundered.
I feel like I need to know what is happening because I'm still so confused. The accusations, the guards seizing me and Nerida laying false accusations on me.
All of these, I needed to know what was going on. But who am I to ask?
“How dare you steal my precious jewelry?”
“I'm sorry.. I have no idea what is going on. I didn't steal anything from you”
“Really? Then, do you say that the queen is lying?” Nerida snapped.
“No.. I didn't say that. All I'm saying is that I didn't steal anything. I know nothing about the missing jewelry”
“Really? Then why were you staring admiringly at the Queen's jewelry earlier? Why did you startled when I walked in? Isn't your job to serve Alpha Damian as his personal maid? What were you doing in the Queen's room?”
“I was cleaning”
“Then you want to say I didn't see you hold the Queen's jewelry?”
Why do I feel like Nerida is throwing those questions at me purposely or to prove a specific point?
“Yes.. I was staring at the Queen's jewelry. And I swear, I was there to clean…” I trailed off.
My eyes roamed through the maids that were there. I was searching for just one person. The maid that asked me to clean the Queen's room in her place.
I found her. I pointed my finger at her accusingly.
“She asked me to do it. She pleaded with me to clean the Queen's room. Hey… tell them the truth”
“Why would she do that?” Nerida fired.
“She has an injury and I was only trying to help”
All this time, the queen stood and watched. She's letting Nerida handle things in her place.
The queen asked the maid to step forward and inquired about her injury but there was nothing on her.
I swear she had burns in her arm. How is it possible that there is nothing?
And when the queen asked her, she claimed not to know anything. She made me a liar right in front of everyone.
I still don't know what is going on.
“You're lying. Tell them the truth. You asked me to do it..”
“Enough. You should be confessing, providing my jewelry and asking for forgiveness rather than lying and playing innocent” Alpha Damian's mother said, taking a step closer to me.
“I didn't take anything, I promise. I have no idea what you're talking about”
“Still calling the Queen a liar uh?.. My queen, why don't you search her thoroughly. I'm sure she's hiding something” Nerida suggested.
I shook my head.
“Do it Nerida” The queen commanded.
“With all pleasure, My queen”
She said with a smirk, covered the distance between us and began searching. I couldn't resist because the guards held me.
“You won't find anything.. I'm saying I didn't steal anything” I said but I guess my words only fell on deaf ears.
Because the very next thing Nerida said, shocked me to my bone.
“Here is your Jewelry, My queen. I told you she's a despicable thief”
Neruda pulled out a piece of gold necklace from my pocket. I'm startled.. shocked and tongue tied. How did that piece end up in my pocket?.
It's the exact same piece I was staring at back in her room. The exact piece I admired. I'm pretty sure I had it placed back in the drawer before leaving.
I'm certain I did slide it into my pocket.. not even by mistake.
“My precious Jewelry”
Alpha Damian's mother was happy to have retrieved her jewelry.. But,she sent me a disdainful look.
One that almost made me pee in my pants.
“You little thief” I felt another slap in my cheeks.
I couldn't hold back my tears. There's no way I'm going to pretend not to be in pain. Not when I'm being slapped and being wrongly accused.
“Please.. I didn't take the jewelry. I promise.. I'm not a thief. My father didn't raise me to be a thief”
“Father indeed. I'm sure your father is also good for nothing. He must be a notorious thief for you to have inherited those traits”
“Don't you dare speak about my father in such a manner. You don't know who he is” I snapped at Nerida.
“A pauper.. That's what he is” She retorted and my anger escalated but I held myself back just so I won't worsen the situation.
Nobody speaks bad of my father and goes away.
“I can't believe this is someone my son chose to make his personal maid. Behind that pettiness of yours, you're just a thief. I wonder how many more things you must have stolen from the palace” The queen said.
I shook my head.
“I'm telling the truth. I promised, I didn't steal anything. I have never stolen and I won't steal your most precious jewelry”
I hoped Alpha Damian's mother would believe me.. Just this once.
I'm not a thief.. I didn't steal anything.
I'm being framed right now.
And that maid, she lied about everything..I can't believeni fell for that.
But why? I barely know who she is. Why would she do this to me? What motive does she have?
“I'm going to make sure I have your head. Stealing, especially from the royal house. You just stole from me. I should have you punished..”
I shook my head, crying and saying that I'm innocent but no one heard me.
“Take her to the dungeon and have her locked up. Henceforth, she is a criminal until Alpha Damian returns and passes judgment. Until then, she remains locked up without food or water” The queen ordered.
“No.. please. I didn't steal anything. I promise”
I cried and no one listened.
The guards dragged me out even while I struggled.
Turning, all I could see was Becky.. Hands clamped against her lips, standing helpless and fighting the urge not to cry.
What can she do? Absolutely nothing.
I was dragged to the dungeon but before I was thrown in, I was whipped with an iron rod.
My cries.. screams.. echoed through the walls of the dungeon.
I was whipped so hard and mercilessly until I had no strength left to cry, scream or even breath.
They threw me to the cold floor like a piece of rag and locked up the iron bars.
I have become a criminal in a twinkle of an eye.. I have become the Queen's prisoner just because I was falsely accused.
That maid.. she made everything up. She lied and tricked me.
Why? For what reason? What does she have against me?
Hot tears rolled down my cheeks as I could barely keep my eyes open.