Page 72 of Villainess's Redemption
“You can elope with Prince Anderic. You have my approval for that.”
“What?!” My eyes almost came out of my socket. “Why are we even talking about this? This is ridiculous.”
Laurel gave me a flat stare as she started folding my clothes, the ones I had sent for alteration. “Don’t give me that look. We both know that you want out of this marriage and what’s a better way out of it than eloping with a certain prince who probably has feelings for you? Also withhow manytimes Lord Noah has been to see you-” judging by her expression it wasn’t that many, “I really don’t see any problem.”
I sighed. It was better to let her in on my plans. Looking at the gentle sunrays playing through the windows, I started telling her my plans. “I do want out and I also have plans for my future but it doesn’t involve Prince Anderic. I’ll divorce Noah.”
Laurel gasped, looking scandalized. “Divorce? How can you say such things?”
I rolled my eyes. “Did you simply think I could elope with the Prince without divorcing Noah? Or were you hoping for Noah to disappear into thin air? Anyway, divorcing is not even that scandalous anymore.”
Laurel still looked conflicted as she said, “I know it’s more accepted nowadays but everyone would still make fun of you. Ijust wish you had realized your lack of love before you married.”I wish too, Laurel. Along with many other things.
“Well, it wouldn’t matter since I’ll leave the capital with my family and go to the countryside and live peacefully in a small manor. I’ll either farm or cook, I haven’t decided yet.”
I heard a thump and as I looked up, I saw Laurel hurrying to me with a concern in her eyes. She started checking my head. “What are you doing?”
She was checking the back of my head as she replied, “You don’t seem to have any injury on your head. Are you sure you didn’t hurt your head when you fell?”
I gave her a look.
“You can’t keep any plants alive, Ilyana. Remember when Lord Elyas brought that exotic spiny plant from his trip to the Southern lands? You managed to kill that plant too and it could live for months without water.”
I scowled at her and crossed my arms, not ready to accept defeat. “I can learn.”
“And what about this ‘cooking’ you’ve been saying about? I’ve been by your side since we were children. You never stepped foot in the kitchen.” She said mirroring my posture.
“You weren’t there all the time. I sneaked around at night.”
“You sleep like the dead.”
“No. I don’t,” I did.
“Yes, you do.”
“That’s what Imadeeveryone believe.”
She clearly didn’t look fully convinced. I quickly changed the subject and asked her how long I was unconscious, noticing the altered dress on the floor which she dropped in her haste to mock my incompetence of growing trees.
“Two weeks.” Laurel went back to folding my dresses. “Everyone was so worried.”
This time I really did choke on my tea, sputtering and coughing as the hot liquid went down the wrong pipe. Laurel rushed to my side, patting my back with a concerned frown. She gave me a napkin, her eyes understanding.
I blinked at Laurel, wiping my mouth as I struggled to process her words. “Two weeks? I’ve been out for two whole weeks?”
She nodded solemnly, her fingers nimbly folding one of my newly altered dresses. “Yes, Ilyana. It’s been that long. You almost didn’t make it.”
It dawned on me how severe the situation I had put myself in truly was.
“What about the charity event?” I managed to croak out between coughs. “It was supposed to be a week ago.”
Laurel’s brow furrowed. “Oh, that. It was canceled, what with the palace being on high alert and crawling with soldiers. But don’t fret,” she added, misinterpreting my wide-eyed look of alarm, “they’re planning to hold it alongside the Spring Festival instead.”
Her words did nothing to calm the rising tide of panic in my chest. The poisoning was supposed to happen at the charity event, yet it had taken place two weeks early. The future had changed significantly, and my stomach churned at the implications. There was another major event scheduled for the Spring Festival in my past life. What if that had changed too?
I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. The only advantage in this life I had was my knowledge of the future, but if that too was slipping away… I needed to plan for the inevitable.
Was I already giving up? No, I was too stubborn for that. If I couldn’t control the main events, then I’d take advantage of the surrounding things.
