Am I a Villainess?

Homewrecker

He looked at her with such love and a heat in his eyes that I had never seen before. No matter how many ladies his parents place in front of him, he was always cold and polite.

Celeste was different from the delicate glamorous ladies, she rode and hunted with him. They sparred together, fed eachother, bathed together. I once walked in on them together in the garden and my heart shattered. I feigned a fever for a week.

What hurt worse was her kindness. Celeste, the new duchess, brought me tea and soup she had made herself. She also paid me for the week.

Celeste started to wear fine dresses so she could look the part of Duchess. Her beauty was undeniable and I could see why Draco was infatuated. Celeste managed the household as well as Draco's mother and improved the security around the castle's perimeter.

She was easy to like and I could not bring myself to hate her.

When her belly began to swell I resigned myself completely. I felt as if my family and my place had been stolen. Though I knew it was never mine to begin with. Celeste had taken everything I had wanted.

Her daughter was born and I tended to her dutifully. The little duchess was fussy, but she stilled for Celeste and Draco who adored her. Aurora was pretty, she had her mothers dark hair and Draco's sharp eyes. I was charmed by her, she seemed to like to chew on my hair. I bragged once about how exceedingly smart the young lady had to be, she listened as if she was trying to make out words. I was starting to get used to my new situation. Then I heard one of the other maids gossip.

"Flora acts as if it's her own daughter, it's a little sad."

"Well what do you expect, the girl has no family and lives for this job, I can't even remember the last time she took a vacation."

I was living a life for someone else, dedicating myself to a family I would never be a part of. I was, and had always been, the Help.

I started to attend gatherings in the nearby village and ports. Public balls, feasts, and festivals. I was hoping to meet someone and fall in love, but no man could compare to Draco.

Celeste's belly began to swell again, Aurora settled down into a very calm baby, and even Orion bonded with Celeste and her daughter.

I started to resent her, and the family that I had dedicated myself to. I had nothing and no one to show for my years of service. I deserved something. I wished for Celeste to disappear.

Celeste miscarried, the whole castle fell into a deep depression along with her. Even Aurora threw daily temper tantrums. Weeks passed and Celeste did not leave her room. When I brought a plate to Celeste and I saw a skeletal hand push the food away, I realized I was the worst woman to walk this earth. I felt as though I had condemned this family with my cruel thoughts alone.

Draco struggled, he tried to get her to eat and hide her condition from Aurora and Orion. He was exhausted and his nerves were frayed. Draco snapped at the staff and seemed lost.

One night I went into his room, it had become part of my schedule to remove his dirty plates and glasses. Draco was asleep in his arm chair. I blew out the candles and went to wake him so he could go to bed. He gripped my wrist and drew me close, I could smell the liquor on his breath. He kissed me and for a perfect moment I had thought that he was finally looking at me. Then Draco murmured her name.

I did not correct him, I knew it was wrong, but I wanted what was mine.

Draco made drunken love to me that night, he called out her name, but I pretended that it was my name on his lips. I let him hold me that night. I had intended to sneak away in the morning before he woke, but his arms felt so good that I ended up sleeping in. I woke up when Draco shoved me away.