death is the only ending for the trash queen

Part 15

If she thought about it carefully, this could actually be an opportunity in disguise. Initially she'd been freaked out, no she was still very freaked out, but now that Penelope had the time to sit and think she felt that this could in fact be the perfect opportunity to speed things along.

If she could pull this off, she might be able to hasten divorce proceedings and if she was really lucky, neither of them would leave the Henituse territory at all. Leaving the damn king to go back with his new young thing hanging off of his arm.

Alver might have murderous intentions but anyone who's presented with an effortless solution to a problem would be more likely to choose that then to bother with the hassle of committing and covering up a crime. All Penelope had to do was make divorce and remarriage the path of least resistance. Any compunctions Alver might have about losing his first wife would be immediately erased at the prospect of staying with his true love.

It was an optimistic plan and Penelope truthfully didn't feel as excited about it as she was trying to feel. It was a risky plan but if she tried to keep them apart then she risked playing into the villainess trope and hastening her own death. She certainly didn't want to spend any extended amount of time watching him flirt happily with the woman he intended to betray her mother with. The best solution was to harken their relationship and gracefully bow out.

Alver would have absolutely no reason to want them if he was presented with the better option and she'd utilize the Henituse family as protection. In some ways, it was the best possible outcome that she'd run into the homewrecker here of all places.

Although a part of her wretched at the idea that her father was going to cheat was someone from her mother's very own home town. She hadn't remembered reading that detail but perhaps the writers thought it was best to leave that bit out considering how crass it was.

With shaky feet but determination flowing through her, Penelope plopped out of bed on the third day at the Henituse estate. Due to the events of her first and second day the majority of the time had been spent cramped up in the bedroom they'd lent her with her mother at her side and her useless cheating father lingering nearby.

On this auspicious morning the royal family would be finally joining the Henituse family for breakfast. Penelope would finally have the opportunity to be formally introduced to the family aside from just her uncle. Before she set forth on her plan she'd need to determine just how many allies she'd have in her maternal family.

It would be too much to hope that they all cared about Cale. Why would her mother avoid them then? Why would they send her off to marry that horrible bastard? Penelope knew she had a step-mother and due to the cliche nature of stories like this, she suspected that Violan might have had something to do with it.

It would be a lot easier to install her son as the heir to the Henituse family if the eldest daughter was sent away to get married. The motivation lined up and it could neatly explain everything.

Despite feeling anxious, Penelope walked with all the grace of a princess between her parents and to the dining hall where her opponents waited. A butler announced their arrival and she curtsied sweetly before taking in the family with sharp eyes.

A middle aged couple and the uncle she'd already met. Her aunt was notably absent. The woman, Violan Penelope presumed, sat with perfect posture and moved gracefully. She watched the royal family with sharp eyes that didn't seem to miss much at all.

She certainly fit the visage of the archetypal evil-stepmother.

The man had a incompetent look to him. He was covered in finery and sat at the head of the table, clearly the count, but his wild hair gave him a goofy look and unlike his wife, he looked quite dull witted. It was something in how among those present, he was the only one who appeared to have the most trouble concealing his emotions. His sloppy expression and puppy-like eyes didn't give Penelope any confidence in his ability at all.