Divorce Manual

Chapter 6

"I'm glad you didn't, but—"

"... ..."

"Why are you all crowding in my room like a bunch of dogs, and scolding me like you're the duchess instead?"

Catherine's expression is shattered by my beguiling smile.

It didn't need to be like this.

You have to pay for what you've done to me, right?

I stare at Libby with a wry smile, hiding my displeasure. "Now, I don't know what that maid said to you, and what she's saying to me right now, I'm not sure..."

Then I drop my innocent expression that has allowed them to feel at ease because I wanted to leave a different impression instead. "I know that you've not always polite when speaking about me, so I'm sure that you're not trying to tell me about respect, right?"

In that moment, a heavy silence blankets the room.

"... ..."

Catherine's expression becomes more subdued until she finally speaks, calmer than before. "Because you didn't wake up, she has to wake you up. You also decided to sleep in more."

"... ..."

"Such behavior, even saying—"

"... ..."

"I don't think such is a behavior is of a duchess, right?"

I could see Catherine's jaw sticking out, which stiffens by my slow-moving response. "Then who can wake me up in this castle?"

Previously, Abella has never woken up on time either. Usually she wakes up early. If she has time, she'd pull on the ropes and call the maids in. Because she has never taken a nap, she didn't need to be woken up.

Regardless, nobody could disturb me, not even Charles.

Yet Libby did.

Very well.

"What do you think?" I ask, taking in a deep breath from Catherine's silence, and trying as harmless as possible. "Who can wake me up...?"

"None," says Catherine, speaking very vaguely and biting her lips.

It's bleeding. It's bleeding.

Not only Catherine's lips, Libby too will soon be hit somewhere and bleed.

Or she'll be kicked out.

Though Catherine, who loves Libby's snobbery so much, probably won't be able to kick her out. Instead, I'll have to punish them properly to end this show between us, maybe by kicking them out for a while and delivering physical punishment.

I was determined not to make trouble, but I knew it was going to end like this today. At least fewer people will talk to me carelessly after today.

Most of all, Catherine, the head maid, will have to have a different way of speaking to me. Her words won't be the same as before because she'll be afraid of me.

When the word person changes, the way one treats others will too without knowing.

Now that's enough.

"I'm sorry, your grace."

I was thinking about something else for a while when her apology pulls me back. "Yes, Catherine."

Catherine bites her lips, and hesitates for a moment, surprised at my positive response.

"There's nothing that you cannot teach or pay attention to. I'll understand it for today, but be careful in the future, Catherine."