°•°•°||Chapter 9



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☆Warning : Mention of su!cides

The day of Duchess Amelia’s tea party was also the day Victoria started to daze off more than usual.

She was quiet as the maids bathed and dressed her, only responding with soft hums when necessary. Even as Aria carefully brushed her hair, Victoria remained uncharacteristically quiet.

Aria frowned slightly. Yesterday, Victoria had been fine—cheerful, even. But today, she seemed lost in thought.

Duchess Amelia… Aria thought to herself as she ran the brush through Victoria’s soft golden locks.

She tried to recall if the name had ever appeared in the novel, but no matter how hard she thought, it didn’t ring a bell. Was she just a minor character? Or… was she someone the novel never mentioned at all?

Aria sighed, feeling a tinge of disappointment at her lack of knowledge. If this was a significant event in Victoria’s life, then the novel had left out something important.

Victoria noticed Aria’s sigh and blinked, breaking out of her daze. “Ah… Did I affect you with my mood?” she asked, guilt creeping into her tone.

Aria quickly shook her head. “Not at all, my lady. I was simply wondering what’s on your mind.”

Victoria hesitated for a moment before lowering her gaze to her hands on her lap. "Well… you see…" She trailed off, her fingers lightly gripping the fabric of her dress.

Aria waited patiently.

Finally, Victoria murmured, “Duchess Amelia is my mother’s friend… and…” Another pause. Uncertainty flickered in her eyes, as if she wasn’t sure how to describe her relationship with the duchess.

Aria’s breath hitched.

Victoria’s mother…

Her eyes widened as realization crashed over her.

I COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT THIS—

---

Victoria’s mother.

Lilian Grace.

A refined and dignified woman who bore the same amber eyes as Victoria.

Lilian Grace was the embodiment of grace and dignity. Calm and composed, she carried herself with an air of refinement befitting her noble status. Yet, the very thing that led to her downfall was giving birth to Victoria.

Her husband, William, had been disappointed from the moment he received the news. His child was a girl. Not the heir he had hoped for. And to make matters worse, according to the doctor, Lilian would never be able to bear another child.

From that moment on, she became useless in his eyes.

Neglect replaced affection. The warmth in their marriage withered into cold indifference.

Victoria had watched it all unfold.

She had witnessed the shift in her mother—the once-loving, doting woman whose moods swung wildly between tenderness and cruelty. Some days, Lilian would hold Victoria close, whispering sweet words as if trying to convince herself that her daughter was a blessing. Other days, she would lash out, her voice sharp with blame, cursing Victoria’s very existence.

And then, one day, it ended.

Crushed under the weight of William’s relentless criticism, Lilian took her own life.

Victoria would never forget the sight—her mother’s lifeless body hanging from the ceiling, the room deathly silent except for the horrified gasps of the maids.

She hadn’t even been able to move. Someone had to pull her away.

The last thing she remembered was lifeless eyes her mother had that reflected her own, she didn't cry nor scream. Just stared.

And the novel did mention Lilian having a best friend yet it wasn't mentioned that much..

(The name William is giving me fnaf flashbacks—)

---

"Aria?" Victoria called, turning to face the frozen girl, who seemed lost in thought.

Aria pressed her lips together, hesitating. The woman standing before her had been labeled a villainess in the novel, yet her backstory justified the reasons behind her actions.

"Do you… perhaps have a problem with Her Grace, Duchess Amelia?" Aria asked, clasping her hands together nervously.

"Problems?" Victoria echoed before letting out a quiet murmur. "Perhaps… but I'm unsure.." Seeing Victoria’s hands curled up into a ball as she bit her lips— she decided to change the topic instead of pressing Victoria for answers.

"Right, what hairstyle would you like today, my lady?" she asked with a smile, gently turning Victoria to face the mirror.

Seeing Aria’s usual bright expression eased Victoria’s tension. She took a slow breath in and out, allowing herself to relax.

"Personally, I think I'm improving," Aria said smugly.

Victoria let out a small chuckle. "Didn't Leah scold you the other day for turning my hair into a 'mess' while you were experimenting?"

"Shh, Leah is just jealous!" Aria huffed.

----

During the carriage ride toward the duchy, a peaceful silence settled between the two girls. Aria sat across from Victoria, her attention fixed on the passing forest scenery outside the window—completely unaware of Victoria’s gaze lingering on her.

Victoria’s expression softened at Aria’s childlike wonder. Now that she thought about it, Aria had hardly ever been away from her, except when fetching food or retiring for the night. A small, satisfied smile curled on Victoria’s lips before she subtly covered it with her hand.

"Aria," Victoria called, drawing the brown-haired girl’s attention.

"Yes, my lady?" Aria responded, tilting her head slightly.

"Have you ever been to town before?" Victoria asked, crossing her arms and legs.

"Hm… no?" Aria blinked. Now that she thought about it, she really hadn’t once set foot in town.

"Really?" Victoria raised a brow, surprised.

"Mhm. Besides, Sherly would scold me, saying I’d most likely get scammed or kidnapped with my personality," Aria admitted sheepishly, chuckling as she scratched her cheek.

Victoria huffed out a soft laugh. "What about before? Before you worked in the manor?" she asked curiously.

"Before…?" Aria murmured, her voice trailing off as she turned back to the window.

In the reflection, she saw herself—her own face staring back.

Aria parted her lips slightly.

Come to think of it… I don't remember.

Her own face stared back at her in the window’s reflection—

Wait… who was I in my past life again?

"Aria?" Victoria’s concerned voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Ah, I…" Aria hesitated, unsure how to phrase her words.

Should I lie or change the topic?

Before she could decide, her eyes caught sight of something outside.

"Lady Victoria! We’re almost here!" Aria beamed, her voice suddenly filled with excitement. The carriage soon entered the duchy.

Victoria blinked at the abrupt change in subject, reaching out instinctively.

"Aria—"

"Lady Victoria, look!" Aria practically pressed her face and hands against the window, her eyes wide with awe. "A cat!"

Victoria followed her gaze, spotting a small cat licking its paws in the street. A soft, delighted sound escaped from Aria’s lips, completely entranced by the sight.

Victoria’s outstretched hand faltered.

After a brief pause, she withdrew it with a quiet sigh, deciding not to press Aria any further.

"Isn’t the cat cute, Lady Victoria?" Aria turned around eagerly, her eyes shining with pure excitement.

Victoria stared at her for a moment, the way Aria practically glowed with joy making her heart soften.

"Indeed, the cat is…" Victoria paused, watching as Aria turned back toward the window.

Her lips curled into a small smile.

"Cute."

But at that moment, she wasn’t looking at the cat.

She was looking at Aria.

---

"Victoria, darling! It’s been so long."

A woman with sleek black hair and striking purple eyes greeted them with a warm smile—Duchess Amelia.

"Greetings, Your Grace." Victoria returned the smile, her tone polite as she lifted her skirt slightly in a graceful bow. Beside her, Aria followed suit, bowing respectfully.

"Oh, come now, no need for such formalities." Amelia beamed, her voice light and playful. But then—she paused.

Her expression shifted, and the warmth in her eyes dimmed just slightly.

"After all… you are Lilian’s child."

Her gaze darkened, the sharp glint in her eyes sending a shiver down Aria’s spine.

Victoria, however, remained composed—too accustomed to this reaction to be fazed.

"Come now, the others are waiting for you!" Amelia said brightly, taking Victoria by the arm and pulling her toward the manor.

Victoria sighed, sweat-dropping as she allowed herself to be dragged along, while Aria trailed behind them.

---

The manor had an entirely different atmosphere from Victoria’s own—darker, heavier, as if the very walls carried secrets. Yet, its owner was the complete opposite.

Cheerful and exuberant, Amelia radiated warmth, her smile ever-present. Meanwhile, the gathered noble ladies busied themselves with flattery, showering her with compliments on her beauty, her charm, her grace.

Victoria, however, felt out of place.

It's been awhile since Victoria went to a tea party since she preferred to stay in her manor unless her father forces her to join.. yet unlike any other tea parties—this one is where the host seemed to thrive on being the center of attention more than the tea and pastries themselves.

This feels like de javu..Victoria thought as she remembered her past with her ex friends.

"So… Victoria."

Amelia’s voice was light as she set her teacup down, but there was an unmistakable weight behind it.

The idle chatter among the noble ladies died down, and suddenly, all eyes were on Victoria.

The familiar, scrutinizing stares—the ones she had thought she’d left behind.

Victoria pressed her lips together before mustering a nervous smile. "Yes… Your Grace?" she answered, trying to mask her unease.

Amelia chuckled softly. "Just call me Auntie."

"Yes… Auntie," Victoria said, hesitating slightly as she clasped her hands together on her lap.

Amelia let out a dramatic sigh, placing a hand on her forehead. "How have you been, darling? Forgive me if my invitation seemed sudden… I simply couldn’t bear to wait any longer."

"I… I have been doing well," Victoria answered, her voice carrying a hint of nervousness.

Meanwhile, in the background, Aria found herself stuck with the maids stationed near the tea party.

This is the most lifeless tea party I’ve ever seen.

She glanced around, stifling a sigh. The maids beside her stood in eerie silence—so still that she swore she could hear the faint buzz of a lone fly cutting through the heavy air.

Her gaze shifted to the garden. Everything felt… off. The flowers, once vibrant, seemed to have lost their color, as if drained by the atmosphere surrounding them. The neatly trimmed bushes stood solemnly, as if whispering secrets they wished they had never heard.

Aria pressed her lips together. Duchess Amelia… No matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to recall anything about her aside from being Lilian’s best friend…

Suddenly—one of the noble ladies collapsed, her teacup slipping from her grasp and shattering on the ground. A chorus of screams erupted from the gathering, panic spreading like wildfire.

Aria’s eyes widened at the sight, but before she could react, a strange sensation crawled up her spine—someone was watching her.

Her gaze flickered to Amelia. The duchess sat calmly amid the chaos, her eerie smile unwavering. But in an instant, she shifted, feigning concern as she urged the maids to summon the guards and a doctor.

Something… something feels wrong.

Aria’s chest tightened as she turned to Victoria. The young lady sat frozen in her chair, her hands trembling slightly, her face pale. As if she was recalling a memory that flashed in her mind.

"Lady Victoria?" Aria called softly, hurrying to her side. She placed a gentle hand on Victoria’s shoulder.

Victoria flinched at the touch but slowly turned her head. Her violet eyes met Aria’s, and for a brief moment, everything else faded away. The golden sunlight streamed behind Aria, illuminating her figure like a beacon of warmth.

To Victoria, she looked like a savior—someone she had been waiting for all this time.

"Aria—" Victoria murmured, reaching out a trembling hand toward her.

Before their fingers could touch, Aria was yanked away.

"Victoria, didn't I tell you?" Amelia’s voice was soft, almost sweet, as she stepped beside Victoria, placing a firm hand on her shoulder.

"You shouldn’t place your trust in just anyone."

Victoria stiffened as Amelia’s grip tightened.

"After all," Amelia whispered, her breath cold against Victoria’s ear, "remember what happened with your previous personal maid."

Victoria’s stomach twisted into knots. She pressed her lips together, anxiety creeping into her chest like a slow, suffocating grip.

"H—Hey, wait!" Aria gasped as hands suddenly grabbed at her, guards roughly inspecting her clothes.

Then, a hush fell over the tea party.

One of the guards held up a small plastic bag, its contents unmistakable.

Poison.

From Aria’s pocket.

Aria’s breath hitched. Her heart pounded against her ribs as she stared at the incriminating evidence in shock.

This… this wasn’t hers.

But as the noble ladies gasped and whispered, their judgmental stares piercing into her, a terrible realization settled in.

She had been framed.

"Victoria… remember, I’m the only one you should trust."

Amelia’s voice was gentle, almost soothing, as she cupped Victoria’s cheeks, tilting her face upward to meet her gaze. A bright, cheerful smile adorned her lips—yet her eyes held something unreadable, something unsettling.

"After all," she continued, her tone dripping with faux warmth, "I’m your mother’s best friend… The only piece of her you have left."

Then, she pulled Victoria into an embrace.

Victoria didn’t move, didn’t react. She felt Amelia’s arms around her, but her mind was elsewhere.

Her gaze flickered past Amelia’s shoulder—to Aria.

Aria, struggling as the guards dragged her away.

Something inside Victoria snapped.

With a sharp breath, she shoved Amelia away.

"How do you know about my previous personal maid?" Victoria’s voice was steady as she rose to her feet.

Gasps rippled through the noble ladies. Some were frozen in fear, while others leaned in, hungry for the unfolding drama.

"No one knew," Victoria murmured, her hands tightening into fists at her sides.

Amelia let out a soft hum, then lazily flicked her fingers.

The guards halted.

Aria, still struggling, let out a small huff of relief as she yanked her aching arm free. The guard’s grip had been painfully tight, and she rubbed the sore spot with a wince.

"Oh, Victoria darling," Amelia drawled, crossing her arms as she tilted her head with an almost lazy amusement. "You really should have asked where your previous maid worked before coming to you."

She watched as Victoria's expression shifted.

"But you didn't, did you?" Amelia continued, her voice dripping with faux sympathy. "You simply chose that maid because others described her as… cheerful."

She let the word linger before raising a hand—gesturing straight at Aria.

"Just like that one."

The air grew heavy.

Victoria’s hands clenched tighter, her nails digging into her palms.

And Amelia, ever the observer, smiled.

"Aria… Aria’s not the one who poisoned the noble lady." Victoria’s voice was quiet but firm as her gaze dropped to the ground.

"Oh?" Amelia hummed, tilting her head. "And how exactly do you plan to prove that?" She gestured lazily toward Aria. "That maid of yours was caught with a bag of poison in her pocket, plain as day."

Victoria lifted her head, meeting Amelia’s gaze with unexpected resolve.

"But Aria wasn’t the one serving the tea." Her tone was steadier now. "Your maids were."

A beat of silence.

Then, soft, lilting laughter escaped Amelia’s lips. She placed a hand on her hip, her eyes gleaming with something unreadable—something dangerous.

"Ah, yes…" she mused, turning her gaze to one of the maids standing stiffly nearby.

The girl was trembling.

Like prey caught in a hunter’s sights.

"Perhaps someone," Amelia continued, tapping a finger thoughtfully against her chin, "slipped that little bag of poison into Aria’s pocket instead while standing near her."

Her voice was sweet, but her smile—her smile was anything but sweet.

"Hm, get her."

The words had barely left Amelia’s lips before the guards lunged forward.

The maid bolted—desperate, frantic—but she wasn’t fast enough.

A scream tore from her throat as she was seized, her struggling futile against the firm grip of armored hands. Aria, watching the scene unfold, felt a cold shiver run down her spine. She clutched her chest, trying to steady the erratic thudding of her heart.

"Take her to the dungeon for interrogation." Amelia’s voice was light, almost bored, as if she were commenting on the weather rather than sentencing someone to imprisonment.

The maid’s cries echoed through the garden, desperate and filled with terror.

"It wasn’t me! Please! I didn’t—!"

Her pleas faded as the guards dragged her past Aria, the girl’s tear-streaked face burned into her mind before the heavy doors slammed shut behind them.

"It seems," Amelia sighed, turning back to the tea party with an air of finality, "that this gathering has officially come to an end."

Her gaze flickered toward the poisoned noblewoman, who remained slumped in her chair, the doctor at her side working swiftly to prepare an antidote.

"Worry not," Amelia continued with a pleased smile, gesturing toward the young man tending to the victim. "My doctor here is one of the finest—one of the young geniuses who studied medicine from an early age."

The man in question adjusted his glasses with practiced ease. His long blonde hair fell over his shoulders, and his sharp blue eyes remained fixed on his patient, completely unfazed by the chaos.

"Just by glancing at the symptoms, he already knows what poison was used. Impressive, isn’t it?" Amelia beamed, clearly expecting admiration. And admiration she received—murmurs of approval rippled through the remaining noblewomen, eager to praise her for employing such talent.

But Victoria had no interest in Amelia’s boasts.

She rushed to Aria’s side, grasping her tightly, her body trembling.

Aria felt the shivers wracking Victoria’s frame and wasted no time in wrapping her arms around her, holding her close.

"It’s alright," Aria whispered, resting her chin gently against Victoria’s shoulder. "Everything’s alright now."

Even if, deep down, she wasn’t entirely sure that was true.

----

As the carriage swayed gently along the road, Victoria remained still.

She clung tightly to Aria as if letting go would make her disappear. Aria said nothing, simply running her fingers through Victoria’s hair in soothing strokes.

The trembling hadn’t stopped.

Victoria buried her face deeper into the crook of Aria’s neck, her breaths uneven, her grip unyielding.

"My lady..." Aria murmured softly.

A pause.

Then—

"Victoria."

Aria blinked in surprise. "Huh?"

"Please..." Victoria’s voice was quiet,