Once the door closed behind me, the sound of something dragging onto the wooden floor echoed, followed by a powerful slap. Someone gasped, surprised by such sudden action.

   “You ungrateful child...!” The Duke’s voice was almost covering Amanda’s pitiful sobs.

   Seeing how my figure leaned on the door, definitely overstaying, a guard grabbed my arm, pulling me away from the entrance and pushing me towards the cold wall.

   “Leave.” He said.

   Amanda was already past marriageable age. Last month she even held a big celebration, marking her 18th birthday but with it, came other responsibilities. If her current engagement went astray, it would be difficult to find another suitable match – at least within the Duke’s standards.

   Ever since she was an infant, Alvin spoiled her, giving her anything she wished for without taking into consideration the consequences of such actions. Due to her poor education and lack of restraint, my sister believed she was the embodiment of perfection, having the entire world at her feet, bounding every heart to her egoistical desires.

   Even feigning ignorance within his study room walls, everyone knew how aware he was of my sister’s unfaithful acts. Because if he wasn’t, how could the servants be so quiet about the matter at hand? They are but humans, men and women surrounded by luxury they could never attain perfect prey for greed to spread like a sickening disease.

   But now I knew, and such simple fact created a brand-new problem, a threat to her future stability and, clearly, to that man’s meticulous plans.

   He has to send me away...

   My feet touched the bright green grass, creating a ticklish sensation on my skin before focusing on the painted blue sky, displaying a handful of pearly white clouds.

   Bradley Trace, the second son of Duke Carlyle Trace, was one of the most wanted eligible bachelors in the wedding market. Of course, he was to be wed to my sister, but until the vows were sealed, the young maidens[1] still prayed to be the chosen ones, the sole owners of that man’s heart. His father was one of the richest and powerful Dukes within Ashen’s Kingdom, having an extensive military power and several natural resources, such as mines and extremely wealthy land. Even his duchy was the biggest territory ever given by a king and, of course, their businesses were astonishing, monopolizing most of the markets they were inserted in.

   Just like a moth to a flame, my silly sister was immediately drawn to his inhuman beauty. But one can’t simply erase ink from paper. Amanda’s habits were of a lowly prostitute, needing constant attention from men and wearing the envy from other women as adornments. Everything my father tried so hard to achieve by meticulously placing Amanda in Bradley’s sight and sparking his interest with her beauty was about to disappear, all because the ghost knew, and no one knew who the ghost would haunt next.

   As my body headed towards the fountain, further down in the garden, a feeling of anxiety devoured me. I wanted to leave this house, this life. The Duke needed to throw me away as quickly as possible, just so that man, that filthy bastard, seed of a demon, was able to greet his fateful demise.

   “Ah...” I sighed once my bottom sunk onto the cold stone ledge. Leaning my torso slightly forward allowed for my reflection to appear in the water, making a painful chuckle escape, unwillingly. Hesitantly, my hand touched the skin it saw on the calm translucid liquid before carving its claws deeply onto the cheek, agony casually strolling within my being. “A perfect body for a cursed soul...”

   My long and straight black hair contrasted the extremely light blue eyes that blended in perfectly with the clear water. A pale skin-tone similar to a corpse’s was enlightened by meticulously shaped light pink lips and my deeply dark yet long eyelashes. Defined jawline and nose, with a slick neck that seemed to easily break. A very faint and soft rouge embraced my cheeks as the dress fluttered with the wind, due to my malnutrition. A figure that was extremely thin, yet it allowed me to mimic a perfectly shaped doll with beautiful, lifeless eyes.

   Pathetic.

   Feelings of anger and frustration embraced me as utter disgust clouded my mind, all from the wicked appearance before my eyes. The looks that monster loved so much, that he adored, that he obsessed. This repulsive looking face.

   But it wouldn’t be long now. My plan was simple and perfect. They would send me to the Wharton’s estate, and I would get rid of my loving fiancé, Terrel Wharton, alongside the naïve Layton Verne. Once that was done, Alvin would cry himself to sleep and have a taste of his own bitter pill as my luxurious lifestyle eagerly sucked his finances dry, leaving nothing but scraps behind.

   A lustful life never sounded so appealing. I chuckled, touching a wilted red rose that lied on the ground before rotating it slowly between my fingers. Once the dead nature touched the crystal water from the fountain, it floated momentarily and then sunk, touching the stone base within a matter of seconds – a beautiful scenario that predicted the future to come.

[1] Maiden: An unmarried girl or young woman.