The Villainess Wants More

Part 17

Lady Serena Copulette was the daughter of marquis Copulette. She was spoiled and crude and she always had what she wanted since birth. She had gone through her whole life getting everything delivered to her on a silver platter. And while Lucienne was spoiled, her father and brothers taught her the right morals and that along with her natural kind personality made her a wonderful and caring person. But Serena's family did not care how she treated others as long as she got all she wanted. The one thing Serena wanted was the one thing she could not have. She pleaded with her father to set her up with one of the prince's. While she knew she had no chance with the crown prince, she begged her father to have her marry the second prince. She had always dreamed of being a princess. Her father wrote a marriage proposal to the second prince and when he denied it, her father blamed it on the fact that he had a mistress. Luckily for him, tabloids of the prince's proposal came out and he got away with his lie. But now his daughter blamed the woman who stole his heart for her lost chance at power and she'd do anything to get back at her.

Serena stood infront of Lucienne's table eyeing her down. Lucienne stared at the strange ginger woman looking at her and blinked a few times. Serena turned to Isabelle. "Marchioness Swanson I just wanted to thank you for taking the liberty to invite everyone to your tea party today," she glanced at Lucienne. "even those who don't belong here." She smiled slyly. Lucienne's eyebrows furrowed and she looked shocked. She knew that the common etiquette to have when another person is indirectly insulting you is to beat around the bush and not fully acknowledge that they are talking about you but she had never understood how that made anything better. "Excuse me, I couldn't help but notice you looked at me when you said that. I don't recall we've ever met. Have I transgressed you before?" Lucienne played innocent as she watched Serena startle. It seemed she wasn't expecting Lucienne to be so bold. "Oh allow me to introduce myself. I'm Lady Serena Copulette." She didn't even take the courtesy to bow to Lucienne. Lucienne deduced from her name that she was only the daughter of a marquise and struggled to understand how she could behave in such a manner in front of someone much higher than her. Serena continued. "I only meant that since you have so suddenly come into power you must be so busy that you have better things to do. Or maybe you are just too mighty to come to parties filled with such common nobles." She was clearly indicating that she thought that Lucienne thought higher of herself than the rest of them. Lucienne was after all probably the highest ranking woman there, being the fiancé of royalty. She could hear the whispers of the other ladies as they talked about her. "Oh no I do not see myself as higher than the rest of you all." She smiled softly. She looked up suddenly at Serena. "Though maybe some of you do need to touch up on your etiquette." She stood and placed her napkin on the table. Isabelle stood. "Don't leave Lucienne. I'm sure she is just kidding around. Right Lady Serena?" She pleaded silently with Serena. "What have I got to apologize for?" Serena suddenly burst out as Lucienne began walking away. "She is the one who stole my future husband!" She yelled. Lucienne stopped in her tracks. She spun around slowly. "What..?" She sounded dumbfounded. "I said you stole the second prince! If not for you, I would have been married to that man by now! You... you.." she struggled to find a word. "You tramp!" She finally yelled. The party went silent. No one could see the expression on Lucienne's face. She walked back to the table slowly. Her heels made a clack every time her foot hit the pavement. When she reached the table she stood there for a second. Serena looked as if she was proud of herself. "What? Come back to defend your ma-" THWAK! There was a loud thud as Serena hit the ground. Her breathing was shaky and unorganized as she reached her hand to her cheek. She pulled it and saw red trickled down it. She stared at it for a few seconds before her breathing turned rapid and she began to sputter noises. The noises grew louder and she was suddenly wailing, crying on the floor. Lucienne had backhanded her with the hand her ring was on and it had left a deep gash in her face. "You crazy-" she winced of pain and began wailing again. Lucienne scowled and looked down at her. She turned on her heel and began her way out of the garden. Isabella had to stay behind but she watched as Laine ran after Lucienne.

"Lucienne!" Laine called out to her. Lucienne turned and hurriedly wiped her tears. "Laine! What are you doing here? You should be back at the party." She let Laine catch up to her. "That was amazing! You really showed her, her place! I can't believe she talked to you like that!" Laine shook her head. "Laine I don't think you want to be seen with me after I just completely tarnished my reputation right there." Lucienne looked to the floor. She couldn't bear to face Laine after she had shown her such kindness earlier. "Are you kidding? That was so cool! Besides, no one really cares about me either way." She grabbed Lucienne's hands. "So let's be friends! Ok?" She smiled at Lucienne. Lucienne wiped her tears away and nodded. "Yes." She sniffled. Laine walked her to her carriage and waved her goodbye. Lucienne waved back and sat back in her seat. She couldn't believe anything that was happening. She had hit another lady at her first ever social event and still she had made a friend. She thought of the hit. She wasn't going to hit her that hard. Well she wasn't going to hit her at all until she called her that. Lucienne could handle being called a villain or vain or rude, but she wasn't going to take being called a tramp for marrying the man she loved. When she heard Serena talking it just all boiled over and she let it all out. She reminisced about the feeling of slapping her and caught herself thinking fondly of it. She didn't like that she slapped her, she liked that she had gotten the last laugh. She sighed at herself. Was she really becoming a villainess?