Chapter 56: let them fight

That day I had thanked heavens for sending Marianne's father at my doorstep just when Isabella's father had come asking for our marriage.

If that day Isabella's father would not be there, I would have denied Marianne no matter what his father offered to me.

If not for her, I would not have married Marianne too. Marianne was nothing but just a pawn, to let the world believe that I married her for the money. So that no one could force me to marry this snake, Isabella.

If her father had not come that day with a proposal of Isabella's hand, I would not have said yes to Marianne in a hurry. Now that I think about it, just to save myself from falling into the well, I jumped from the hill. How both were alike.

But it was a good chance, let both of them fight and expose each other, then I would find a way to execute both of them and would live a peaceful life.

Just then I remembered the differential behaviour Killian was showing today. First that warm smile, then hurried footsteps, was it because Isabella was coming to meet him. I wish I could tell him, the reality of Isabella whom he proudly called aunt, but that would alert the enemy. Walls had ears too, plus Killian was still a child, his behaviour would give away his feelings.

"His highness" she spoke so coquettishly that I wanted to puke right there.

Did she not know that I was married now? Still, I maintained that smiling facade, I was showing her family from the past two years.

"Good evening, lady Isabella." I greeted her and started moving as she called me again,

"Your highness, are you in a hurry. I was thinking if you have some time we can sit and talk over tea," she asked, biting her lip and fluttering her eyes.

"I am, at this moment. Why don't you come tomorrow to the duke sitting area to have tea," I asked with a kind smile no matter how much I was repelled by the sight of her trying to be appealing.

She smiled brightly and nodded, "Then tomorrow it is."

I nodded as I added in my heart, "I would disappear in the early morning to greet the royal ambassadors, you can have all the tea you want in the sitting area. After all, I had offered you tea, not my company."

With that, I turned back to go when I heard her laughing like maniacs. I was sure she was crazy since starting, but did she need to prove it like that. What if a maid gets a panic attack, listening to her evil laughter.

But then I heard her shouting, "Your highness, your highness" was she calling me again. With that thought, my footsteps hurried but I heard the clicking of heels again, this time it was the footsteps of a whole group and again I did not need to turn back to know who the person was.

I should have walked further away, but then curiosity took better of me.

Just last night Marianne had dinner with Killian and now she is here again. I had to give her the credit for her persistence.

For the whole year, she was good to me, and now she was glued to my son and disregarding me completely. How could all the affection die overnight? It clearly showed she had no affection from the start not for me or for my son.

I saw how she was ignoring the continuous calling of Isabella, good at least they were against each other, they could keep each other in check.

Just then I stopped in my tracks, were they both going to have dinner with Killian? It would be great fun to see both of them fighting with each with that fake smile.

So I turned back and called,

"Marianne," and she stopped in her tracks in an instant.

Fool! Wasn't she planning to say "oh I didn't hear you isabella" now she could not even use this lame excuse?

A small smile crept my lips as I walked to her, and the nerve of her she glared at me. Now that thought about it she was glaring a lot these days.

"Isabella was calling you,'' I replied, looking deep into her eyes to see the panic but they were cold and mocking for a moment. I was stunned.

"oh, is that so. I was lost in my thoughts then. What are you doing here?"

"I was here to check Killian's sword training for the next competition. I heard Isabella laughing hard, so I turned here to find you two going in. But what are you two doing here?" I replied looking at her cold eyes, even before realising I was giving an explanation to her. But her expressions turned uglier.

They both were going to have dinner with Killian. They spoke in unison as I nodded. Since I was tired anyway, then why look at the catfight, it would also help me in knowing which side Killian is inclined to.

"Since everyone is going to have dinner together then I shall join too." I invited myself.

Isabella's face bloomed like a rose, the black rose would it be, for sure. But Marianne sneered. She was getting good at hating me. But I still did not understand how a person could change this much overnight.

Has something happened that I was not aware of? Or did Isabella or her father do something? I narrowed my eyes on Isabella, no matter how much I hated Marianne, it was a fact that she was my wife, and if looked closely, except trying to stick to me all the time and punishing maids, she had done nothing much.

But then Marianne spoke again, "You don't need to do that, your highness. Everyone here knows you are busy with your work." promised just throwing me out was left, her eyes were blazing that much as she denied me to come.