Chapter 9

Jane kept me seated, stopping me from getting up.

She said, giving me a deep look, "You're up to it.

"This house has needed the real lady of the house to take charge for a long time. You're the rightful person.

"Russ has totally lost his head over that seductress. He's blowing through money like crazy, and the finances are a disaster.

"The staff are restless and unruly. There's no order left in this place.

"This house needs a tough leader to step in and whip things back into shape."

I looked at her, and in her eyes, I saw real appreciation and recognition.

She wasn't feeling sorry for me. She was picking the right person to run this family.

I'd shown her what I'm really capable of through my actions.

I stopped hesitating and accepted the responsibility.

"Yes, Mother. I promise I won't let you down," I said.

I took the family keys, and with them, the authority to manage the General's Estate.

As we left the hall, Juliet was practically glowing with excitement.

"Lady Lucy, your hard days are finally over. Now the good times are here!" she said.

I smiled, feeling the weight of the keys in my hand.

I didn't agree.

This wasn't the end of hardship and the start of good times.

This was the crucial first step in my revenge.

The first thing I did was dig into the finances.

I didn't realize how bad things were until I took a look.

Russ was pouring money into Abigail.

He was showering her with expensive jewelry and rare silks.

Just the items officially recorded were worth tens of thousands of silver.

That was not even counting all the off-the-books gifts he slipped her on the side.

I stared at the ledger, every entry an eye-popping reminder of just how much he'd spent.

Russ was quite generous with her.

Without hesitation, I grabbed my red pen and slashed through every single one of Abigail's outrageous expenses.

From now on, her allowance would be no different from the lowest-ranking servant in the estate.

After all that, I strolled at my own pace toward my real turf, the kitchen.

Now that I'd reclaimed my position as the head of the family, the kitchen staff's expressions were totally different when they saw me.

The pity and disdain they once had for me had been replaced by complete respect and fear.

As soon as I walked in, everyone stopped what they were doing and bowed deeply.

"Lady Lucy, greetings," they said in unison.

I responded with a calm nod.

I headed straight to my own stove.

The ingredients were already prepared exactly as I'd instructed.

As usual, I dismissed everyone from the kitchen, leaving only Juliet behind.

Then, I began my most important daily ritual.

I began with the usual routine, washing, slicing, and preparing everything for the pot.

At last, I reached into my herb pouch and took out a small packet wrapped in oil paper.

With my fingernail, I lifted an almost invisible trace of ink-green powder.

With a flick, I sent it straight into the soup.

Every movement was fluid and precise, like a sacred ceremony, there was a cold, mesmerizing beauty to it all.

Russ still came to dine in my quarters.

Maybe it was Jane's orders, or maybe he just wanted to keep an eye on me and figure out what I was planning.

Either way, the atmosphere between us was downright icy now.

He sat across from me at the dinner table, quietly eating my cooking.

With every mouthful, it was as if he was tasting poison.

His gaze never left me, scrutinizing and searching for answers.

I remained completely unfazed.

I served him dishes and ladled soup into his bowl.

My face was adorned with a gentle, graceful smile, one that spoke of warmth and virtue.

I said softly, "General, try this. It's your favorite fish.

"General, have some soup. I've been simmering it all afternoon just for you."

The sweeter and more gentle I acted, the darker his expression grew.

I could tell he was scared.

He used to think I was someone he could control however he wanted. But now, I'd turned into someone he couldn't read at all.

That loss of control scared the hell out of him and pissed him off, too.

I was fine with this.

I wanted his fear and his anger.

I wanted him to spend every waking moment drowning in suspicion and unease because of me.

At the same time, I started cleaning house.

I remembered those servants who had flocked to Abigail's side and encouraged her.

I remembered those who mocked me, piling on when I was at my lowest.

I etched every single one of their faces into my memory, crystal clear.

I found a convenient excuse and targeted an old maid who loved to gossip and stir up trouble.

I gave her twenty hard lashes for "stealing from the family," then threw her out of the General's Estate.

I was sending a message to everyone else.

The whole vibe in the General's Estate shifted. Everyone was suddenly on their best behavior.

Word spread fast.

I wasn't the pushover I used to be anymore.

I had become a rose with venomous thorns.

I was stunning but lethal.

One day, while I was sorting through things in the storeroom, I accidentally came across a small chest.