Chapter 202 - Slow Seduction

Victoria kissed her husband's lips and he patted her head. 

"I will be back soon." She whispered. "Make sure that you will have a break." 

"I know." He kissed her forehead and he held the door for her. He nodded at Renzel and Victoria waved at her and glanced at the girls who were always there to assist her. But now, she must give them a chance to make something stupid while she had her back on. 

The Duchess of Westeria won't let anyone betray her. That's why, she's trying to be innocent in their eyes and soon, the little revenge will start. The car drove off and she turned her head to the window at the back and watched her husband waved at her. She sighed and glanced at Renzel. 

"I didn't know that you have this kind of situation," Renzel said. 

"It's between me and my husband. I will take care of it." 

Renzel smirked and then he chuckled. 

"I never thought that Dana would shape you so perfectly that you become completely perfect in everyone's eyes. I guess your training went for nothing. Everyone thought of you as a perfect Duchess. A perfect lady, but looked at her real daughter. Katarina looks defective." 

Victoria only sighed to show how sorry she was toward her grandmother who shouldered all of it. 

"I don't want you to do something stupid too, Renzel. It would worry grandma so much." 

"Sorry, couz. But I was focused on the business." 

"And you haven't had sex with anyone yet?" She turned her head to him with a grin. 

He stared at her for a while and shook her head. 

"I did have sex with my exes or few call girls." 

"Oh," She nodded her head. "That's quite practical. But you didn't impregnate your exes?" 

"Nope. They were impregnated by someone else." 

"Oh," Victoria giggled, then she reached her phone to check her husband's message. She sighed, still worried about leaving her husband for a while. 

They picked up the flowers and herbal tea from the Tea House of Astera before reaching the hospital. When arrived at her room, she's already wearing a fine dress and her mother was taking care of a few things with their family maid. 

"Duchess," Mila gracefully curtsied. "I will be discharged." 

"Okay," Victoria looked at the basket of flowers that she was holding and herbal teas. "Here," She gave the herbal teas to her. "This will help you relieve your headache. It's chamomile, fruit teas, and others." 

"Thank you, Duchess." 

"Sure thing." She nudged Renzel who gave the chocolates to the maids. 

"Mr. Parson, if you want me to sign any contracts, I won't do that." She said, "I had to think about it. I will file charges against Katarina Parson. But I won't make it in public." 

"Thank you," Renzel said and extended his hand. "I think pressing charges toward my cousin is enough punishment." 

She took his hand and shook it. 

"If you don't mind. I would like to escort you back to your residence." 

She looked at her mother. 

"I will stay in Westeria for a while, mother. Please go back to Faroh." 

"But, darling," Mrs. Elish looked at her with broken eyes. 

"Mother, please. I'm already old enough to handle all of this." Mila looked strong as she pushed away from her mother in that tight situation. 

Victoria and Renzel escorted her to one of the residences of Etrama. It's a safe house with enough security to protect her. Renzel will have to deal with a lot of things, like preparing for PR. And this time, he won't fix Katarina's mistake. He will let them deal with it. Victoria already left but he stayed in the safe house for a while as he spoke to his grandmother through video call. 

The old woman looked unpleasant. But when he mentioned one name, he knew that it's one of the things that would change her mind. 

"Victoria wasn't against it. But she said that she won't make it public unless someone would leak information." Renzel told her. 

"If that's what Victoria said, then so be it. If this came out, it would also taint the Duchess." Baroness Regina looked away and sighed. "My granddaughter became a Duchess overnight. But her sister was pulling her down." 

"I don't think about that, grandmother." He said. "Everyone knows that Katarina was harsh toward Victoria even after that video that she was bullied. They looked up at the Duchess like a Queen and Angel. Your granddaughter was doing well, grandma." 

"Alright," She nodded her head. "Please send my regards to Mila Elish. I want her to get well soon. I won't tolerate Katarina anymore." 

He noticed that the woman looked tired. Maybe because of the stress that this family is causing. He will do everything in his power to make sure that everything will be fixed. 

"Grandma, if you think about those things, Victoria will get worried." He sighed. 

"I know. I'm sorry, grandson." The Baroness sighed. "Even my sons are useless now." 

"Grandma, don't say that." Renzel smiled warmly. "I will join Lady Mila for a while." 

"That's good. I don't think that even Jason would come in there." 

Renzel looked outside the window and found Mila walking in her sundress with a big hat on. 

"Grandma, do you know that Katarina was the reason why she got a miscarriage?" Renzel asked. 

"I heard about it." She said and sipped on her tea. "I can't believe that we have someone like that in our family." 

<><><><> 

Kenzo lifted his eyes to someone who knocked on the door. Headmistress Rhiana bowed her head when the door burst open and a smiling Pauline came with a tray of snacks together with Victoria's handmaiden Arlene. He was puzzled on why they served him snacks, an hour after his wife left. 

"What is this?" Kenzo asked. Arlene and Pauline curstied. 

"It's your snack, your grace. The Duchess told us to also look after your health while she was gone." Pauline said. 

"My wife said that?" He creased his brows and looked at the Headmistress who remained calm. "That's so sweet of her." He commented and smiled. "Leave it. The two of you may leave now." He waved them off and looked down at his papers. 

"Your grace, it's already time for your snack. Nine-thirty. The Duchess wants you to take a break." Pauline insisted and he glared at her. 

"Leave now." 

The Headmistress cleared her throat. 

"Miss Pauline, Miss Arlene please don't disturb the Duke." The Headmistress said as the two hesitated. Then, they left quietly as the Headmistress closed the door and approached him. 

"Take each sample of it." He grumbled. 

She nodded and took out a ziplock plastic and a small bottle. She takes each sample of foods that they take. Mostly the drink that they served. 

"It was almost the same as what the Duchess served you, your grace." The Headmistress said. 

"How long was it until it was processed?" 

"In two hours, sire. I already have the chemist waiting." 

"Alright," Kenzo intertwined his hand as he carefully leaned his chin over it. He watched as the Headmistress left and he stared at the food that they gave. 

He was accurate that Victoria never said that she would let her assistant and maids. After an hour, a message was sent to him by the chemist. The drink contains a sedative. And he should be asleep by now. He ate the ref cake that his wife made together with the fruit tea. All of his snacks were already stocked in the fridge before she left. 

So, he went to the sofa, removed his shoes, and lay down. He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. He dozed off and that's when he smelled a familiar scent. It's his wife's perfume. But then, the way the woman touched isn't familiar. 

"My Duke," A seductive voice whispered, and she kissed his cheeks. She breathed heavily like she's being touched by someone. His hair stood up and he opened his eyes and quickly pushed her. He stared at the door to see his wife frowning. 

"What are you doing, Pauline?" Victoria asked coldly and Pauline's eyes widened and faced the Duchess. "Didn't I tell you to do your job, not the job of the Duke's wife?" 

Victoria dropped her shopping bags and rolled her eyes. Kenzo crossed his arms and moved away from Pauline as the Duchess rushed to Pauline and slapped her hard. 

"Duchess!" Pauline started tearing. "It's not what it looks like." 

"Really?" Kenzo scoffed. "If I didn't have someone test the food that you gave, I would be fooled and get raped in my own office." 

Victoria slapped the other cheeks and the guards came shortly. 

"Love, that's enough." Kenzo approached his wife and hugged her. "Nothing happened." He kissed her forehead, wrapped his arms around her small waist, and carried her away. "Take her to the dungeon." 

"Your grace!" Pauline started sobbing and pleading. "I love you! Please!" 

Kenzo's eyes became murderous whenever he remembered those threats toward his wife. He hugged his wife tightly while her arms wrapped around him and she started sobbing. Her whole body was also shaking, probably from anger. 

"Baby, I will handle her." 

"I don't want to see her again. Do everything to put her in jail." 

"Yes, of course." He gently pushed her and wiped her cheeks and kissed both of them and then her lips. "I make love to you later?" 

"I'm not in the mood." She gently pushed him. 

"Love," he kissed her lips. "You are the one that I love." 

"I know.." She snuggled to his chest.