𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕼𝖚𝖊𝖊𝖓'𝖘 𝕷𝖎𝖔𝖓: 𝕮𝖔𝖛𝖊𝖗𝖙

The Second Wife

Twenty years. That was how long Briar Harris was the Queen of wives. For twenty years her reign was an uninterrupted time of prosperity for the women. They used Briar's listening device to spy on the Aristocrats, hanging onto their every word. And when all the information they needed was collected, the wives would go about their days making sure every last detail of their lives was perfect so that their husbands' plans would not fail. Short of holding their husbands' hands when they drove knives down into the hearts of their victims, the Wives were just as involved with the Crown's crimes as the Aristocrats. But then twenty years of peaceful, secret tradition was shattered like thin glass.

Her name was Cloudia, Cloudia Phantomhive. And with that last name, came the first woman to be inducted into Aristocrats of Evil. It would have been something to celebrate, a woman in the Aristocrats, but instead it was seen as an atrocious declaration of silent war. Cloudia had been offered a place in the wives, and she chose not to take it. She had dismissed them, completely uninterested in their spying and secret services done for their husbands. Instead she almost taunted them, waving her induction right under their noses. But Briar said to her women to be proud of Cloudia, because that young woman was a sign that the era of an all-men society was coming slowly to an end. Even though her comments were more than disrespectful and the looks Cloudia gave the wives were painfully pitiful, Briar said she was a wonderful development. Briar said Cloudia's induction into the Aristocrats was a good thing, even if it meant she would look down on the wives. Cloudia was the best thing that could have ever happened, according to Briar.

But what Briar thought and what she said were two entirely different things. In truth, there was no one Briar hated more than Cloudia. She did not hate Cloudia because she was younger than her, or because she came from a wealthier family, or because of her unique teal hair and young skin and her big blue eyes. No, she hated Cloudia because of her husband. Cloudia Phantomhive was married to the Undertaker. The one thing Briar couldn't have, Cloudia swooped in and took from her.

The engagement had shocked everyone, for the rumors surrounding the Undertaker about his relationship with Briar would have caused enough gossip on its own. But Cloudia was young, twenty years young. The Undetaker had to be twice her age, if not older. It made people turn up their noses and look at the two with disgust when Cloudia was seen with her husband. However, for Briar, it was not Cloudia's age that made her feel molten rage when she saw her. It was the fact that her husband still came to Briar every chance he could.

The Undertaker was married to a young woman, as beautiful as the ocean and as rich as a king, but he still came back to Briar. He would dance with his wife at balls, but he would just as quickly duck away behind a hidden door to hold Briar in his arms and to feel her lips ghosting just before his. And Cloudia knew. She knew her husband would betray her at any moment if Briar simply told him to. She knew her husband would leave her for dead just for a chance to be with Briar for a mere second. Cloudia had known the rumors surrounding the Undertaker when she married him, she knew of his 'hidden' affection for Briar Harris. But even knowing he might betray her on their wedding night, she had said "I do," and swore herself to him.

From that moment on, Cloudia tried to make herself the only object of the Undertaker's affection. She was twenty years younger than Briar, her age having left its marks all over her face and body. But the Undertaker didn't want her. She was a part of the Aristocrats of Evil and possibly their most cunning member. But the Undertaker wanted the women who spied on them. The Undertaker could freely touch Cloudia, with no worry that some damned husband would rush in and pull him away. But instead he would rather ghost across Briar's skin in absolute secret, stealing precious moments away. It made Cloudia want to kill Briar, but if Briar died that way, Cloudia knew her husband would be desolate.