Chapter 3
I hung out at Curtis's place all the way until sunset the next day.
It wasn't until he watched me leave, clearly not wanting me to go, that I finally dragged myself home.
As soon as I stepped down from the carriage, I spotted Bradley getting out of another one.
Bradley's birthday was coming up.
Every year, he'd invite some friends and colleagues over for a little get-together at home.
And in front of everyone, we'd put on a show of being the perfect couple.
Even after he started seeing Chelsea, he never skipped these parties.
Bradley was too concerned about appearances to let Chelsea set foot in his home.
Every year around this time, Chelsea would always throw a fit.
When Bradley saw me by the doorway, his first instinct was to frown.
But then, his face softened, like he suddenly remembered something.
He walked up to my carriage. "Went out shopping, huh? So, what's your plan for my birthday party this year?"
He cut himself off halfway through.
The carriage was empty, not a single thing inside.
I gave Bradley a sideways glance for no real reason.
Man, this guy thought the world revolved around him.
Ever since I found out about him and Chelsea, I started letting the butler handle all the party stuff.
Bradley said, "So you weren't out shopping for the party? Then what were you up to?
"Megyn, you're the lady of the estate. Shouldn't you be staying home instead of wandering around all day? Is that any way for the lady of the house to act?"
Bradley kept firing questions at me as he followed behind.
I yawned and gave him a half-hearted reply over my shoulder.
"Why do you care where I go? You're out there flaunting your mistress everywhere, so why shouldn't I be allowed to step out?"
We were about to reach the main courtyard.
Normally, Bradley would head straight for his study right about now.
He'd never step foot in my domain.
But today, he did something out of character. He rushed over and grabbed my arm.
The force of his grip almost knocked me off my feet.
"Bradley, are you crazy?" I shot back.
Bradley didn't respond. He just glared at me, his face stormy.
"What's that on your neck?" he barked.
I wasn't about to waste my breath on his random craziness, so I tried to shake his hand off my arm.
But Bradley wouldn't let go. He was way too forceful.
His grip kept getting tighter, veins popping on his wrist as he squeezed.
I let out a sharp hiss without even thinking.
"Bradley, you're hurting me."
But Bradley ignored me, his grip still tight as ever.
He clenched his jaw and snapped again, "Where did that mark on your neck come from?"
A mark?
Crap.
Things got a bit wild last night.
Yeah, that was probably Curtis's doing.
My stomach dropped for a second.
But the nerves faded almost instantly.
I snorted, giving him a scornful look.
I shot back, "Why do you care?
"Bradley, don't forget what your mistress told you. She made it crystal clear you're not even supposed to look at me.
"If you keep blocking my way, I'll go and get her to put you in your place."
The moment I brought up Chelsea, Bradley finally eased up his grip.
I yanked my arm free and strode off into the courtyard.
His voice came from behind me, flat but simmering with suppressed anger.
"Megyn, are you keeping a man behind my back?"
I didn't even bother to turn around.
"Why the hell do you care?" I shot back.
The next morning, Bradley headed out early for his official duties.
With nothing else to do, I took a stroll around my shops.
When I got back, I spotted someone standing outside the main gate.
It was Chelsea's personal maid.
When she saw me, she lifted her chin and looked down her nose at me.
"My lady asked me to bring you something," she said.
With that, she held out a box to me.
Even though I knew it couldn't be anything nice, I still opened it.
Curiosity got the better of me.
Inside the box lay a white handkerchief.
The maid kept running her mouth.
"My lady said, since you're always stuck alone in your room and barely ever see your husband, she specially sent you something personal of Lord Sawyer's, so you can ease your... loneliness."
"My lady also mentioned that every time she and Lord Sawyer are together, he uses this handkerchief to clean her up after they're done."
I shot a glance at the maids behind me.
They caught on right away and rushed forward, grabbing the maid and forcing her to the ground.
Chelsea's maid yelled, "What do you think you're doing?
"You old biddy, touch me, and I'll tell my lady. She'll make sure Lord Sawyer kicks you out for good."
She was pretty young, but she sure knew how to dish out threats.
Her face still looked innocent, but her eyes were brimming with spite.
I bent down, grabbed her chin, and sneered, "Just a lapdog, throwing your weight around because of your master.
"Chelsea? Who does she think she is? She's spent a few nights with an old man and burned through his cash. Now she actually believes she's the lady of the house?
"Go back and warn her to behave herself, or I won't hesitate to tear apart her filthy little nest."
The maid gave me a nasty look, got up in a hurry, and ran off without another word.
That night, I was having dinner in my room.
Bradley strode in.
He carried a strong scent of makeup and perfume.
Looks like he stopped by Chelsea's place right after his official duties before coming home.