Page 13 of Villainess's Redemption
As the night wore on, I noticed Liam, Noah’s guard, approaching him several times. Each time, Noah’s face grew tenser, though he quickly masked it with a smile as he rejoined conversations.
Through the crowd of dancing nobles, I spotted Laurel standing with the other servants against the far wall, heads bowed, hands clasped. My heart ached. In my previous life, I’d barely noticed them, treating them like furniture. But now…
Well, I still didn’t care about the other servants, but Laurel was different. She was my responsibility and I treated her so badly. I knew changing suddenly wouldn’t be believable but I had to start somewhere.
I made my way to the buffet table, piling a plate with delicacies. The chocolate cake caught my eye - Laurel used to steal glances at it whenever she thought no one was looking.
Walking over to where she stood, I cleared my throat softly. “Laurel?”
She jumped, green eyes widening. “My lady?”
“Would you join me at the buffet?”
Her face paled. “I… I couldn’t possibly…”
“Nonsense,” I gestured to the laden tables. “There’s more than enough food.”
She wrung her hands, glancing nervously at the other servants. “It wouldn’t be proper, my lady.”
“Just for a moment?” I kept my voice gentle, remembering how I used to snap at her. “I’d appreciate the company.”
After several moments of internal struggle visible on her face, she followed me to the buffet. I handed her a clean plate. “What would you like?”
Silence. She stared at the plate like it might bite her.
“The chocolate cake looks divine, doesn’t it?” I nodded toward the three-tiered confection. “I’ve seen you eyeing it.”
Her cheeks flushed pink. “I… I shouldn’t…”
“It’s just cake, Laurel,” I cut a generous slice and placed it on her plate. “No one will mind.”
“But my lady, servants aren’t meant to eat from here. I will be punished if I eat,” she looked at the cake and then back at me, her hand wringing the poor dress.
Well, in that case…
I glanced around the ballroom. Most guests were occupied with dancing or gossip. No one was looking at us. The novelty of being the new bride had worn off after the first dance. Perfect. I grabbed Laurel’s hand. “Quick, under here!”
Before she could protest, I pulled her under the long buffet table. The tablecloth hung to the floor, creating a private little cave draped in white linen.
“My lady!” Laurel whispered, horrified. “What are you doing?”
I settled cross-legged on the floor, arranging my skirts and giggling. God knew I always wanted to do this but mother would have been mortified if I did. “Now no one can see us. Problem solved.”
“But…”
“Just eat the cake, Laurel,” I took a bite of my own slice, making exaggerated sounds of enjoyment. “Mmmmm. Divine.”
A tiny smile tugged at her lips. “People will think you’ve gone mad, hiding under tables.”
“Let them. I’ve been called worse things,” I winked at her. “Now, shall we discuss how absolutely atrocious Lady Penelope’s hat is?”
Then we—well, mostly I—proceeded to insult everyone’s fashion choice while we ate our cake. Laurel listened to me with rapt attention. It was quite adorable even if I’d never admit it out loud.
After my small dinner with Laurel, I made my way back to Queen Felicia, who was observing the crowd with sharp eyes.
“Your Majesty,” I curtsied. “I hope I’m not interrupting.”
She waved a hand. “Not at all, Ilyana. I was just thinking how different you seem from our last meeting,” her tone was marginally warmer than before.
