•°Marry My Stalker °•[M!sub x F!dom Reader]

Chapter 14 [Madame Red's Mission]

There were a few things your father had made clear to you growing up. First, never fight with your brother. Second, never think of a friend in the underworld as just a friend. And third, there was no room in the underworld for lovers.

So, you knew when Madame Red sent a calling card, it wasn't to chitchat over something trivial—it was for a job.

Madame Red, contrary to her name, was a tall, thin, black-haired beauty. The kind you saw on runways and perfume commercials with high cheekbones and perpetually narrowed eyes. Her hair was always tightly pinned up, never loose, and she was forever dressed in formal attire—heels, tailored dresses, and always a custom-made hat perched on her head.

The first time you met her, you had thought she was royalty. She carried herself like someone whose lineage had never mixed with common folk. Despite her reputation for being a treasure trove of information, you'd never heard her speak. Until today.

In the drawing room of your wing, she sat across from you, a cup of tea in her hand. You didn't care much for tea—it was tedious having to discern if it was poisoned, and it never tasted good enough to be worth the effort. She sipped quietly while you leaned back in your chair, legs crossed, arms folded. In contrast, she sat at the edge of her seat, straight-backed, legs crossed delicately to the side. She was the antithesis of Marcy, but now you understood why Marcy turned out the way she did.

Once she finished her tea, Madame Red set the cup down on the table and turned to you. "I won't waste your time. I'm sure you have some idea of why I'm here."

"I assume it pertains to Marcy?" you asked, your voice neutral.

She nodded, her hands folded neatly in her lap, clutching a pristine white chiffon handkerchief. "I worry for that girl. She has a habit of involving herself in troublesome situations, and I am forever left to clean up after her."

"You consider being cheated on a pesky situation?"

"She was well aware," Madame Red snapped, her voice tight with irritation, "of the kind of man he was. So why is she so shocked now, seeing it with her own eyes? The Lord said, 'Blessed are those who believe without seeing,' but that foolish child—" She stopped abruptly, her hands trembling slightly, overcome by frustration.

You simply smiled, amused. "And I can't imagine what you'd expect a girl in her twenties to do about it."

Madame Red scoffed, as though your words were absurd. "Just a girl in your twenties? If you're just a girl, then I am just a widow."

You snickered. You loved it when people recognised who you truly were. Med school had been your focus for so long that you'd nearly forgotten the thrill of building your reputation in this line of work.

When people heard your name, they should cower. They should bow. They should realise you were not to be trifled with.

"The job is simple," Madame Red continued, her tone crisp. "I have all the information you need. I just require you to make good use of it. I want it public, humiliating. I want her name in every gossip circle for the next two months."

She reached into her bag and pulled out a folder, setting it on the table in front of you. "Do you accept, princess?"

Was that even a question?

You took the folder, a satisfied smile spreading across your face. "Give me a fortnight. I have other matters to attend to first."

.•° ✿ °•.

If you were planning on bringing Arthur into your world, there were a few things you needed to be certain of. Your father's hunting grounds were where the two of you met the next day, and Arthur had shown up in combat boots.