Cruel Beauty

Look At Us Now

The Baroness is determined, she's still exhausted from her nine-month ordeal so you at least talk her into taking 9-minute power naps. Over the next few years her brand is well and truly on the map everybody loves her, she doesn't look the same she's started to grow her hair out. She has changed in personality too, she drips with arrogance, and she's closed off and cold. You remain loyal and protective, That all changes at one fateful gala. 'Baroness.' she waves you off talking with her new snooty friends. 'Baroness.' you try again. 'Not now yn, can't you see I am in the middle of a conversation?' A woman younger than you laughs. 'I would never let the help talk to me like that.' You stare at the woman strongly considering punching her. 'For heaven's sake yn, make yourself useful and get us some drinks!' Victoria snaps at you. 'I thought you might want to know Hera has had her pups, and you can get your own damn drinks.' The Baroness blushes with embarrassment at how you have spoken to her, her jaw tightens as you turn and leave. Her lips twitch and she fakes a smile. 'Pardon me, I just have something to deal with.' She excuses herself from her guests and storms after you. You leave the party the door closes blocking the noise as you head upstairs, you hear the door open again. 'Yn!' You hear Victoria and roll your eyes. 'I've nothing to say to you.' 'YN! COME HERE THIS INSTANT!' her roar echoes.

You stop and turn you see her sway a little too much to drink. Again. You march back down to her looking her in the eye. 'Yes?' The Baroness looks furious. 'Do you have any idea who I am? Who you are talking to?' she snarls. 'Um no one knows who you are anymore, but I'd like to think so or I'd be questioning my memory recall Victoria.' The Baroness sneers. 'You will address me as Baroness Von Hellman, and remember your place.' You raise your eyebrows. 'Oh? Is that right? You are so full of yourself, it's not attractive.' The Baroness laughs at you. 'You think that I want you to find me attractive?' she looks down her nose at you. 'My dear, I tolerate your little touches and lingering looks but I don't welcome them, I find them entirely too familiar! I am your boss, you are my employee, I own you.' You stare at her feeling rage build in your chest. 'Wow, it's a shame you and Wilhelm couldn't make it work, you are both so alike.' you simper. The Baroness opens her mouth looking outraged she slaps you across the face. At first, she gasps in shock and goes to comfort you but restrains herself. Your head is turned your hair shields your face. The Baroness turns on her heel going back to her party your eyes sting with tears.

You walk back over to the stairs sitting down and you cry, you cry your heart out. You cry because of how she spoke to you, you cry because of your delusions that your feelings were reciprocated, and you cry because you trusted her. Inside you hear the party laughing and having a good time. You stop seeing the handkerchief and turn to see Monique sitting down beside you, you grip onto her hugging her as you cry.                                                                                   'Did you get your little staffing issue sorted?' The young woman asks. The Baroness is still in shock at her own actions and shaken up. 'What?' she is caught off guard, she grabs a champagne flute her hand shaking as she sips. 'The impertinent serving wench.' she clarifies. 'Oh, oh. Yes, the situation is resolved.' The sighs dramatically. 'If only it was like the old days where we could still physically punish them, I'd have had her tongue cut out if I were you.' The Baroness blinks in horror, the woman is serious. 'Excuse me.' she leaves to mingle.                                                   Monique manages to calm you down and stop your tears, she walks you back up to your room. 'I think you waste yourself on her yn.' you turn to the young French woman. 'If I had someone adore me the way you do her, I would not waste it.' You are kissing before you know it and draw the woman into your bedroom the door gets kicked shut behind you.

Downstairs the Baroness is in a crowd of her snobby friends they talk, and she occasionally replies but ultimately pays no attention. She is overwhelmed with an unfamiliar emotion, guilt. 'Excuse me.' she interrupts a count telling some story or something. The group looks at her with judgment at her rude departure. 'Baroness.' John greets her as she practically runs into him. 'Is something wrong?' The Baroness shakes her head. 'Out of my way, out of my way.' she pushes passed him. Gathering her skirts she quickly runs up the stairs to find you and apologise she hadn't meant any of it. Reaching your room she doesn't knock you were practically in and out of each other's rooms anyway. 'Yn, Yn, I'm s-' her voice catches in her throat. She is frozen to the spot she stares at your naked body your back arched and one of her maids between your legs. You are bucking your hips and neither of you has noticed your employer, you reach up grabbing the headboard biting your lip as Monique gives you pleasure to heal your pain. Victoria's eyes filled with tears and anyone watching could have pinpointed the exact moment that her heart simply shattered. You turn to her catching her eye and your eyes fill with tears but you look at her coldly she made it clear how she felt about you, and you turn away from her.

Victoria slowly backs out of the room closing the door over. She remains composed walking up the empty hall stopping at a door frame she doubles over in pain placing a hand on her chest. She doesn't know if it's because of the pain in her chest the feeling of her heart breaking, or the hot vomit rising in the back of her throat. She sobs gasping erratically for air she leans against the wall and slowly slides down it. Victoria is furious, this is a betrayal, but how can it be, she made it clear she didn't want you, that she thought you were beneath her. The trouble is it had all been lies, in truth she knew those people downstairs were only here because she held power. Had Wilhelm been around they wouldn't have cared about her at all, you did and she had thrown it back in your face. Looking up she sees John's hand and they share a look, she is so broken, that she grabs his hand he helps her up and escorts her to her room. 'I will see to it that the guests are told the party is over.' he inclines his head. The Baroness sits at her vanity table the door clicks shut and she can hear you moaning next door. Victoria stares at her reflection, dressed in all her diamonds and finery she looks beautiful. Tears of black eye makeup leave tracks down her cheeks as she stares at herself crying listening to your screams of pleasure. She places her head down on her vanity table her body shaking with sobs.

The next morning Monique left your room, she didn't stay in your room all night. You awake and get dressed you knock entering the Baroness's room but she isn't there. John informs you she has already left for work so you take a car out to meet her there. She has just finished dismissing a flock of designers and see you stand. Her lips twitch. 'Oh, yn. I thought you might wish to rest today.' You shrug. 'Nope. I'm fine.' you reply emotionlessly. The Baroness isn't going to fold either she won't give you the satisfaction so she acts like she has never even seen you. 'Right.' she gives a faux smile. 'There are shipments of fabrics due to come in, if you could check the order and sign for them, then I have a meeting at the Ritz.' You nod. 'And do you wish me to attend?' The Baroness raises her chin. 'You always do, why would this trip be any different?' she puts a hand on her hip looking down her nose. You give a small snort. 'Right. I'll be there then, count on it.' You leave to check the fabric order. The Baroness bites the inside of her cheek determined not to show any emotion she heads back to her office. Later that night you lie in bed your quilt wrapped around you for warmth. You sit up a little, you hear her crying in the dark quietly, she does this night after night, you feel a moment of guilt then remember how she treated you, and every night that stops you from going into check on her.