𝙋𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝙇𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙨 || 𝘼𝙣𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙮 𝘽𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙤𝙣

Chapter 8

A/N: Sorry for the wait, I haven't had the motivation to do anything at all and my head is aching but oh well!

Anyways, don't forget voting and commenting is super appreciated, it helps so much to continue a story if I know people enjoy it!

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The time had come for the Hearts & Flowers balls hosted by the Bridgertons.

And for once, Lavina dreaded such a good event. For the remainder of the time before the day, with bustling servants and bouquets being found everywhere, she had stayed mostly in her room. And still said she had a headache.

It was midday, and she was contemplating which dress to wear, or even if she should make another excuse when a knock came at her door. The sound of it reminded her of Anthony's, and made her immediately nervous.

"Lavina? It's me, Benedict." A male voice sounds from the other side of the door, whispering.

Lavina opens the door to him, ushering him inside with a pull of his arm.

"What are you—what's going on?" Benedict asked, looking down the hall cautiously before entering.

"It's...your brother."

"Yes, he has been odd since that dinner but—wait...Lavina did you...?"

"Did I do what?" Lavina asks, half clueless, but not entirely, it wasn't like she forgot that night.

Benedict sighed, looking to the side, "Did you tell him not to propose to Miss Edwina?"

Lavina faltered. In her response, looking to the side guilty before sighing, "Yes, I did."

"What?! Are you insane, he finally finds an agreeable woman and they look perfectly happy, Lavina, he trusts your word and you throw him into a pit like that?" Benedict goes off, talking as he paces around the room slowly.

It was an odd sight to see the man so upset by this, but it was much better than telling him the truth. The awful, horrible truth of what happened.

"No...no, I'd never do that to him, even more so I would never betray a young girl like that."

"Then...why?"

"It's just, she's so young and has so much to do and see, she is a lady worthy of royalty! And Anthony, he is older, much different from her, I just do not know if they complement each other."

Benedict nods and slows his pacing, letting a hand rub his chin in deep thought.

"I see now, what this is."

Lavina looked up at him, waiting for more words, for mercy.

"You want him all to yourself, don't you?" Benedict says in a soft tone, half playfully, but the other half was concerned at its end.

Lavina froze, not able to give a fast response. She could've said anything, "No!" or "I'd never!", but instead, the woman froze.

Thankfully she collected herself, shaking her head as she walked closer to Benedict, her chest almost grazing his.

"I would never do that to Edwina, no matter how lonely and desperate I become, it will always be never."

"But you don't deny it."

"Benedict...what I want does not matter, I am neither a diamond nor a wantable bride, I'm simply a helper," Lavina said slowly, and as quietly as a whisper.

It was all true, she was the spinster that kept girls from a fate she hated. It had freedom, but it was a risk, a lonely, degrading risk.

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