Villainess' Binded Heart

CHAPTER 2

The gloomy atmosphere earlier explains the heavy rain now. Etheneia was taking her tea behind the large curtain peeking at the raindrops sliding at the leaves outside. She is worried about sending Thea on an errand in this kind of weather.

'I hope she's fine.' She whispered from her thought while drinking the hot tea.

Thinking at the past from Etheneia's memory, this weather is her comfort. Everytime when it's raining, it feels so quiet and good for her self alone. However, this weather also sent her chills because of some unsightful memory.

Etheneia's chest begun to ache as if she was remembering all those memory from her current self. She can not understand why she was feeling unusually frightened and traumatized from that memory.

She place her hand on her chest firmly and clenched it as if it was the way to lessen her emotion. She breathe heavily to calm herself. One thing she was only thinking of was...

'This is not from me. This is from Etheneia's trauma'

   
    
    
    
  

On a night where it was raining cats and dogs. Young Etheneia covered herself on a blanket. It was quiet and lonely for a child like her. However, she felt relax since it was a weather when she doesn't feel a burdened as a bastard's child and as a Cumbleron's lady.

A large bang from her door startled her. She quickly got up from her bed and found out it was her father with a frightening look on his face together with the servants at his back.

"F-Father"

Bastian Cumbleron flinched as he heard the child called him a father. He gritted his teeth out of anger and walks inside her room.

Etheneia begun to tremble. Fear crept to a child's face as she saw the whip her father was holding.

"Undress this bastard"

As her father per ordered. The servants pulled her out of the bed and strips her night dress. They pushed the little Etheneia remorselessly kneeling on the floor with her tender bare back exposed.

"I don't know why you are this afraid where in fact you even pushed a viscount's daughter bravely on a pond."

"His Grace plea- ahh!"

The young child's plead was ignored and the duke started to whip her back without a second thought. Etheneia as a child cries helplessly. Her tears swept her tiny face over night and no one dares to sympathize her situation.

   
    
     
    
    
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"Lady! My lady please breathe slowly." A voice and a cold palm on her face woke her from a nightmare.

"Haahh... hahh..."

Etheneia opened her eyes and saw Thea caressing her face while lying her head on maid's lap. She tried to closed her eyes again because of dizziness. She even asked herself what happened.

“I was calling for my lady as soon as I arrived from my errand but no one answered me so I came in to check. Then I found you hyperventilating and lying on the floor.” Thea explained as she assist Etheneia back at her bed.

Etheneia even saw Thea's hem to be in drench, probably because of the heavy rain. That also explains why her hands are cold.

“My lady? Are you well? It is already dinner, I shall deliver you a meal.”

Etheneia did not answer and keep staring outside of the window. On the other hand, Thea sighed by the pity condition her lady have been suffering from the moment she was assigned from her job up to this point. She walks towards the door and once glance by her lady that seemed to be preoccupied.