Unfortunately, I'm an Evil Villainess

Chapter 117 - Nemesis (II)

It did not take long for my health to recover. However, to make Catherine's crime seem more heinous by making myself seem more pitiful, and at Mother's insistence, I took a few weeks off to relax and spend time with my family. It was quite nice, now that we didn't have destined doom hanging over us, though it felt like Damian paled by the day. Well, I'd done all that I could, and surely when Catherine was gone for good he would come back to me sane. She was safely locked up in the Tower, and even he could not penetrate its defenses to sneak in and see her without being noticed. At least, I was fairly sure he hadn't yet.

Nevertheless, it was time for my return to society, to show everyone that despite Catherine's wickedness, I had not been harmed too severely. They may be allowed to pity me, so that they may resent Catherine, but they mustn't dare think I had been weakened. How perfect that I shall demonstrate this by tormenting my nemesis!

"Happy birthday, Your Highness. What a fortune to the kingdom that you've survived another year! I wonder what new havoc you shall bring upon us in your adulthood?"

"Taking out the scum, I hope," Elizabeth scowled. Queen Josephine, who stood beside her daughter, smiled with her lips tightly pursed.

It was a beautiful afternoon. Sunlight streamed through the windows of the largest drawing room in the castle. Everybody who was anybody was there, celebrating the eighteenth birthday of this useless princess. Her dress looked like someone pried all the elegance of the design from it forcefully, and her bird's nest of a hairstyle was laughable.

Unfortunately, I could not ridicule her for long in such a public space, with a line growing behind me to greet her. Thus, I went to meet with my own followers, to praise them for a job excellently done in condemning Catherine, and to assure them that I, their backbone in society, was back and stronger than ever.

"Lady Valentina, I'm glad to see you well enough to come to an event as pleasant as this."

"Thank you, Lady Delilah. I would not have missed it for the world. After all, we only get this kind of entertainment once a year."

"You're finally back, Lady Valentina! Why, we've missed you terribly. Society has been absolutely bleak without you."

"I've missed you all dearly too, Lady Annalise. Now, before we go join the festivities, catch me up on all the news."

"Oh, certainly! Of course, the horror and disgust at that creature who I will not stoop to even name was all everyone spoke of. Lady Bryant made her stance clear in supporting you. She's moved back to the Bryant Manor now that vermin is gone, and is doing all in her power to persuade the baron to give up on defending her. But surely you have already heard all that, on the other hand..."

We had corresponded regularly by letters, and I'd seen them a few times privately with just us, the ones who held the power within the group, but it was much more fun to be out together. Gorgeous in appearance, surrounded by a loyal, doting entourage, and enjoying great tea, it was the peak of aristocracy, the very opposite of what the star of today's show stood for. God, she must hate it so much! The thought made me smirk wide.

The tea party commenced as any other. It was grand compared to Catherine's, being a royal birthday, after all. The delicacies were delectable, especially since I could enjoy them without the detail that deadly nightshade coursed through my veins.

I sat at the head of the table with the royal family, being the future sister-in-law of the princess, with Oscar next to me. Elizabeth, of course, was at the head of the table, her naturally disgruntled countenance being forced peculiarly into a half smile that seemed more like a grimace whenever someone approached her, under her mother's glare.