96 A STAGED PERFORMANCE

Morning came and the servants were busy preparing and organizing the whole manor. Some servants were divided into working and taking care of each member of the family as today was a special day for Felicia. 

Everyone was excited, talking about their first Miss receiving the highest honour one could receive—the Future Empress position. Surely, every noblewoman would be jealous at such honour being given towards their first Lady—

A loud shriek has made everyone stop from their chitchat, paranoid as to where that yell came from. Everyone started to rush towards the room in which they had heard the scream coming from, wishing nothing had happened. 

The continuous cries came from the emerald room, making everyone panic. The last time they heard someone shouting was the time the regent Duchess had a dead body in her room, slain by the unknown. 

"Milady!" Everyone called as they rushed to open the door, revealing Felicia on the ground, crying as she looked at her dress, made by Julie, destroyed and ruined that it is no doubt unwearable. 

"Oh, Goddess!" Everyone had various comments upon seeing the dress, ruined and wrecked. Their eyes went wide, pity flashed as the gorgeous dress was now unusable, leaving Felicia with no dress to wear.

"What happened?!" Alexander came and rushed inside, pushing the servants away from blocking the door. His eyes shot worry as he came forward towards Felicia who was crying, heartbroken. 

"What happened—" before he could even ask as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, kneeling beside her, his eyes then went into the mannequin with a dress almost unrecognisable with the trinkets ruined and on the ground. 

He could feel his blood pressure rising, looking at the servants with anger flashing in his eyes. Whoever did this to Felicia will surely taste hell. "WHO THE HELL DID THIS?!" He yelled, still hugging the crying woman. 

The servants were silent, no one was answering his call as they really had no idea who did it. Meanwhile, Olivia stepped inside and immediately went to the balcony, looking at the lock that was heavily severed. 

Meaning, someone has snuck inside the room through the balcony door. 

"Young Master... It seems that the bolt has been destroyed. The assailant must have used the balcony door for easy access and destroyed the First Lady's dress." She said, gripping the knob that was destroyed.

Whoever did this to her Mistress, Olivia hopes that she will face the hell ten thousand times or more than that. He deserves heavenly retribution after destroying the priceless dress made by her Mistress' friend!

"What?" Alexander asked, frowning. She meant to say, someone destroyed the door just to ruin the dress? His eyes slowly look at Felicia with confusion, how come she didn't hear the commotion happening?

It's not easy to destroy the lock after all. And if it is destroyed, it'll make a loud noise and would wake her up. Plus, Noctua is guiding her and is staying in her room as always. How come the two weren't able to notice the balcony being destroyed?

"What on earth is this commotion all about?" The Duke suddenly interrupted their conversation, making everyone now their heads in the presence of the lord of the mansion, fear creeping into their faces. 

Behind the Duke was Helena, peeking out her head to see the commotion. Once her eyes landed on the poor woman crying, she immediately went to her side, looking at her while shedding tears.

"Are you alright, sister? How awful!" She exclaimed with such exaggeration, making Alexander hiss at Helena who immediately stepped aside and went back behind the door, wiping her tears. 

"You all are making this a big problem. It's only a dress, it's not even priceless." The Duke coldly rambles, looking at Alexander and Felicia with cold eyes, making everyone gasp at how he would say such a thing towards Felicia. 

Felicia then looks at the Duke, wiping her tears. Before she could even answer the Duke, Alexander couldn't help but open his mouth and glared at his own father. "It's not just the dress being the problem here, Your Grace. It's the safety of the future Empress. How could you be so insensitive and baseless with your perception?" Alexander replied, gagging everyone with his answer.

Does he dare to say such a thing in front of the Duke? Did he lose his mind or something? 

Everyone was shocked and was lost for words, including Felicia who was just acting. Why not? She'd like for Helena to think that she had won this situation, which is actually working.

However, she was gagged with Alexander's audacity to mock the Duke in front of everyone. "Alexander..." She called, nervous because of this bastard who just didn't think about his own words. 

Lord, he's going to be the death of her. 

"Did anything happen to her?" The Duke asked, his tone rising while glaring at the two of them, displeased with the attitude that Alexander served to him. They could tell that the Duke was silently vexed yet trying to suppress himself.

"No, but it is still a threat—"

"Then it doesn't matter. She's safe, therefore there's no need to create a big disturbance over this issue. Her dress is destroyed? Then use the old ones!" He roared, slamming his cane on the floor which made everyone flinch at his roughness. 

"Don't overwork yourself over this matter, Alexander. It's making you look stupid." He added, glancing at Felicia who remained quiet and left the room, being accompanied by a trusted servant. 

The whole room was in dead silence as the Duke left, leaving everyone speechless. The new attitude being directed at Felicia has made everyone conflicted with their decisions to serve her while others are shocked since he was beginning to like her before. 

"Sister... Please don't be sad anymore..." Helena muttered, clasping both of her hands together and looking at Felicia while feeling sorry about what happened. Yet Felicia could sense the sinister hiding deep within her eyes, laughing at her situation right now. 

"I could let you borrow one of my dresses, sister. If it makes you happy..." She offered, clapping her hands as her personal made came inside holding a dress that looked like even a Nun would hate the look.

However, everyone was waiting for her to accept, looking at Helena with their expression, telling her how kind of Helena to let her sister borrow one of her dresses, like the kind step-sister that she is. 

"Helena..." Felicia muttered as she stood up, followed by Alexander who still looked at Helena with hostility, wanting to push this vile woman away. "Thank you, you're so thoughtful. I am blessed to have you as my sister..." Felicia smiled, wiping her tears as she accepted the dress, even hugging Helena who suddenly backed away from surprise. 

"O-Of course! You are my sister after all. It's only right for me to provide what my sister needs." She said, smiling sweetly before bidding her goodbye towards Alexander and Felicia, leaving the room with everyone else. 

"How fake. Good thing I thought of this first-hand before anything else." She thought to herself while looking at the dress on her bed. It was all white with a tacky design. She looked mummified over this dress. 

Meanwhile, she chuckled to herself. Helena must have been thinking that the victory today belongs to her. However, all of what happened today was planned to make her feel she had won.

As Noctua left yesterday, she proceeded to ruin the balcony's knob, the lock that keeps the intruders away to create a scene where everyone would pity her and to make Helena believe she had won. 

Yet what she didn't expect was the Duke arriving and even mocking Alexander. Her fingers curled into fists as she couldn't accept what that bastard told Alexander. How dare he insult his own son and even tell everyone that she shouldn't be making a big deal over this.

"Seriously?! You accepted this dress?! You look like you're about to become one of the nuns! Even Nuns would prefer something less tacky than this dress!" Alexander exclaimed as soon as the door went closed, leaving the three of them alone here. 

"I can't help it. I have no dress that would fit for the celebration. Helena has many." Felicia answered while walking towards her bed and looked at the dress Helena gave. It screams ugliness. 

"You can't wear that, Mistress!" Olivia stated, with displeasure written all over her face while frowning at the dress. 

"What Olivia said is right. Don't worry, we still have time—"

"No, Alexander. I don't want everyone to tell me that I'm being an ungrateful sister towards the goody-two-shoes Helena. I'll work this out." She said, assuring Alexander that this doesn't end her here. 

"Moreover, are you not hurt with what he said to you? I swear, that man is becoming more hostile towards you." She asked, looking at Alexander with concern. Alexander on the other hand just rolled his eyes.

Sure it does hurt a bit in his heart, especially since he loves his father, however, the situation that happened earlier ended everything he has for that old man. 

"I don't care. He'll die anyway."

"Master/Alexander!" Both Felicia and Olivia muttered, shocked and frowning over Alexander who suddenly said those taboos. "Are you insane? If everyone heard you, you'd be dead!" She quietly nagged him who just scratched the back of his head. 

"So what? It doesn't matter anymore. However, what's your plan now? I'm having the irk that whoever did this might be someone from Helena's side. That wench" Alexander sighed, walking towards the couch and sat.

"The plan? I have no plan. I'm just going to fix this because apparently, I can't abandon the party." She replied while she was faking her actions in checking the dress. 

"Do you want me to help you? I can help you—"

"No thank you, Alexander. I appreciate it but I can deal with this. You have other matters to tend to, don't worry about me. I'm already old enough to know how to deal with this." She chuckled and smiled, reassuring him to which he only sighed and stood up, walked towards her direction and gave her a hug, making Felicia feel safe with how much he began to show how it feels to be loved. 

"Ask me if you need anything, sister. I'll help you whatever it is." He mumbled and pulled away from the hug, smiling at her with warmth visible on his face.

"I will." She replied, smiling back at him. As Alexander walked out of the door and locked the door from the outside, Felicia's smile slowly vanished as she faced Olivia who was alarmed with the sudden shift of her attitude. 

"Olivia. Find something to wrap this dress and burn this. This hideous dress doesn't suit me." She instructed, making Olivia follow what she commanded her. 

"Yes, Mistress." She responded, bowing her head and didn't ask for more. "After you burn this dress, go to the Viscountess' salon and tell her that I sent you. She probably has the idea now of what happened." She added, giving her further instructions that Olivia followed.

Tonight will be the night when she will rob that woman's expectations. Dare to give her a rotting dress? Then she'll give her what it feels like to feel invincible throughout the night.