Cruel Beauty

Rage

'Are you ready for this?' you ask as you enter the House of Baroness, keeping up with Victoria. 'Ready for what?' she calls over her shoulder. 'Your meeting with the department store managers, you know how they can behave.' you remind. Victoria chuckles. 'You coached me well my dear, I'm perfectly capable of dealing with them.' The Baroness enters the work floor with you and the rest of her entourage at heel. 'Grubby girl, get me lunch. Soy salmon, lemon-zest risotto, cucumber sliced into two-inch diagonals at an eighth of an inch width sprinkled with seven leaves of parsley, shredded, not torn.' The Baroness instructs her new protegee, you watch the skittish redhead set to task. You have no doubt she will fail, you follow Victoria to her office. 'You know she's going to fuck it up.' You forewarn. 'Mmm? Perhaps but it's a simple task to test her metal besides there is something about that one she's...different.' Hearing the Baroness say this about another woman inspires your inner serial killer.

Victoria sighs taking her seat at her desk through the glass window you see two men approach laughing and joking. You roll your eyes. Imbeciles. 'Ah, there she is the little lady herself, we are most honoured to be of service, Baroness.' The shorter of them announces as they come to her desk, he extends his hand. The Baroness doesn't look up from what she's reading. 'Take a seat.' you instruct standing behind her on her right-hand side. The men share a bemused look but comply sitting. Victoria looks up at them. 'Speak.' The tall one starts talking. 'As the department stores that stock your range, we thought perhaps we could give you some input.' The shorter chimes in. 'Feedback.' God they both look so fucking smug it turns your stomach. Victoria addresses the shorter of the two first. 'Oh, great. I'll start, shall I? My feedback. You're short, you're fat, you smell like an anchovy, you're colour-blind, but you pretend you aren't.' His smile is gone, he looks dumbfounded. Victoria turns zeroing in on his partner. 'You're a man who can't take responsibility. Your revenues are down 15%, your foot traffic by 12 and a half. Yes, I do my own research. Your store hasn't been refurbished since the Blitz. People don't know whether to buy a frock or duck and cover. And most of the funds meant for refurbs are being embezzled by you, stashing them in Swiss bank account number 32254766 to be precise.' Okay now you are smirking, Victoria remains totally neutral. 'That's me. Your turn. I'm all ears.'

You consider that the Baroness should write a book for all women, how to shatter that glass ceiling whilst still wearing heels. The managers looked uncomfortable, one gulps the other was perspiring madly. 'If that is all, good day gentlemen.' she flutters her eyelashes. Neither man responds they gather their briefcases and leave with their tails between their legs. 'Imbeciles.' You step closer to the Baroness. 'You read my mind.' you smirk. 'Lunch now.' You quirk an eyebrow and discover that Estella had entered the room with the Baroness's lunch. She looks in awe at how the Baroness handled the situation your eyes darken. Victoria gets up and goes to her lifting the silver lid, you wait to hear her attack. 'Oh.' Here it is. 'Finally, someone competent.' she drops the lid. If steam could pour from your ears... Just then, the idiot lawyer Roger enters crashing through the door. 'And someone not, that's Roger, my lawyer. Although he spends most of his time playing piano in a dingy little bar, actually, he's a good lawyer.'

Did you miss something? Roger is a good lawyer, and Estella is competent, what next? Is John employee of the fucking month?! 'Baroness, it's time for your 9-minute power nap.' you announce talking over the other two idiots. 'Oh. Box up my lunch Estella.' The Baroness takes her power nap and the two idiots leave, you tidy up her desk. In exactly 9 minutes you approach and she looks so peaceful it breaks your heart to disturb her. 'Baroness?' you speak softly and gently stroke her cheek. Her eyes flutter open. 'Y/n?' she gives a soft smile and gently pats your hand. 'I feel better already.' she holds your gaze. 'I need to go home and get ready for Lady Marie's birthday party.' she sits up and you kneel gently taking her ankles and placing her feet into her shoes. You follow her out of the room taking a moment to check out her arse as she walks in front of you, what, you are only human. 'Estella!' she calls to the redhead who looks up from her sketch pad. 'Come along.' "Come along?!" "Estella?!" You watch the little idiot gather her personal effects and rush to keep up with you. You glower with fury at her as she gives you a nervous smile. 'Yn, I will meet you back at the house, I've business to discuss with Estella.'

Victoria gets into her car and Estella awkwardly squeezes by you to get into the car, it drives off and you don't know whether to laugh, cry, or scream with rage. You get a cab and arrive just behind the Baroness and her new pet bitch the girl follows her like a collie dog. Victoria tosses her purse aside when she enters and frowning you follow her and the little bitch up to her room. Estella is all blushes and scribbling ideas you watch as Victoria steps behind her modesty panel to dress for the party. 'Estella make the bodice pencil thing, have you done it yet?' You might as well not even be here, might as well not even exist. Victoria sashays out from behind the screen in a slinky black dress she looks delicious. 'How would you have done it?' Estella edits the design and shows her. 'I think you are...something.' The Baroness leaves and the girl looks so smug and so full of herself. 'I wouldn't get too caught up.' You walk over to her looking stern. 'The Baroness takes an interest in her little dolls every so often it never lasts love, I wouldn't get too comfortable.' Estella blinks. 'What do you mean?' You smirk. 'It's a long fall from the top Estella, be aware of that.' you give a cold smile and leave.

Hellman Hall is lonely when Victoria isn't there she's been inviting you to less and less of her events since the little bitch showed up on the scene. You pace Hellman Hall in a white flowing nightdress the car draws up outside. When she enters she laughs at a comment John makes, so someone has obviously been on the champagne. She climbs the stairs and sees you standing with your arms folded you look pissed. Her pupils are dilated and her eyes are glazed. 'Well, well, if it isn't my most talented assistant. I was just thinking of you.' she approaches and reaches to touch your cheek, and you step back. 'Nice night?' you ask bluntly. Victoria chuckles but frowns a little when you step back. 'Mmm, so-so, but it's about to get better.' she whispers huskily leaning in. You step back again. 'What is the matter with you? What is wrong with you?' she demands sounding frustrated. 'Nothing, not a damn thing.' you walk off to your room slamming the door behind you. A few moments later she enters. 'What the hell is your problem?' she demands. 'Oh, by all means, enter my room, don't knock.' You bite back. Victoria narrows her eyes. 'Ah I see we are in a bit of a mood.' she mocks you like your toddler with a tantrum. This further infuriates you.

'Go to bed Victoria.' you reply sounding furious you get into your bed. 'I need help with my dress.' she announces. 'Ask EsTeLlA, you are so fond of her.' The Baroness stiffens. 'Yn, I am still your boss and I demand you assist me. I need help with my frock.' You are livid you through back the covers and march over to her, you spin her around making her bend placing her hands on the wall. For a split second Victoria goes cold and fears you will do the worst to her. She remembers him, her husband how he would....You rip open the back of her frock not caring that you damage it in the process. 'There, now get the hell out of my room.' you storm back to your bed getting in without making eye contact with her. You don't see her shaking as she stands, the twinkle of tears threatening to fall in her eyes. Reaching behind her she holds her frock closed and walks to the room door her trembling hand turns the handle and she goes to her room. The door clicks softly behind her.