Chapter 34

As Eden strolled through the residence, lost in thought, she overheard the maids talking about her without even concealing their disdain.

“Oh, look! Here's the new viscountess,” said one of them.

“Look at that! Isn't she our elegant new lady?” replied another with a sneer

Eden passed them without a glance. It had been a week since she had married Ian, and she felt lost in this new life. 

The people around her mocked and disrespected her, and at first she could feel the anger rising... But now she's used to it.

On her way back to her room, Eden noticed clouds of dust; the housework hadn't been done. 

Her bed was never made by the servants either, but that didn't matter; she has always used to doing it herself when she was with her father. 

What makes her sad is being ignored by the servants when she just wants to have a good relationship with them. 

Apart from Jackson, Eden felt that her presence disturbed the castle's inhabitants.

“I've become a viscountess, but I'm not treated as such,” she thought, and to think that I've just decided to stop living a life dictated by others...

The next day Eden got up at her usual time and went to wash her face, but gasped when her hands touched the water. The maids put a basin of very cold water in front of her. 

She felt a twinge of anger but said nothing and went to get ready herself , dressed and fixed her hair. 

She was ready to start her day.

The bedroom door opened and Miss Colin entered with two other girls.

“My apologies, Milady! I forgot about you, I was doing something else... Oh! Did you get ready? she said condescendingly

“as if you had anything to do," thought Eden indignantly, "I can't let this pass. I've got to do something.

“Yes, I've prepared myself. But that doesn't give you the right to be lazy.”

They were all surprised by Eden’s reaction, as she was usually so calm.

“You'd better be on time tomorrow, or I won't forgive you.”

“Uh, Milady? You're not your usual self today,” she smirked.

That face... she challenges me, Eden thought.

Ms. Colin... most employees look down on me, but she's on another level.

By putting her in a dirty outfit for the meal between village nobles the day after her wedding, she wanted to make Eden a laughingstock. 

Luckily, Alexis noticed the big stains and gave her one of her dresses... On another occasion, Colin lied to her about the time Ian was supposed to join her for dinner while he was still at work, so Eden waited for hours, hungry even though it was not advisable during pregnancy. 

She continually ignores orders and plays innocently in front of Ian and Aunt Anna, saying she had "forgotten", and today she's defying me again.

“Colin?”

“Yes,”

“Come closer”

SLAP! 

The sound of the slap echoed around the room, Eden’s hand was on fire, but more importantly, Colline's cheek was as red as a tomato.

“Whether I change or not is none of your business. It doesn't matter how I behave, you just have to follow my orders. This is the price you pay for your laziness.”

Eden glanced at the other girls, who now had a frightened look on their faces.

“The correction will be received by Coline as the person in charge,” she continued, "if you're late a second time... it won't end with a simple slap. Do you understand?”

They gasped

“Now get out!”

Eden closed the door

“I've done it! It feels so good! I blame myself a little, but...given the reaction of the other servants, I did what I had to do for my own good and that of my baby.”

“Don't you think the viscount and his wife have been getting closer lately?”

“Yes, they even embraced in front of the hall last time.”

Colin could hear the conversation between two of the residence's other maids; Eden’s behavior last time worried her. 

And if she were to tell Ian, all her chances with the alpha would be lost. 

She'd been in love with Ian since they were toddlers, but due to their class difference, she'd never dared reveal her feelings to him, but when she learned that he was going to marry another omega who was apparently poor, it made her seethe with rage. 

Why hadn't Ian noticed her when she'd always been there for him from the start? She hated Eden for taking away what she wanted…

"The majority of the maids, Madame Knight and the Butler are all on Eden’s side, I have nowhere left to hide, I need to humiliate Eden in public so that Ian realizes he made a mistake in choosing this peasant who's not up to his standards. This is my last chance to bring her down," she thought.