As the carriage started moving again, leaving the mansion and Bella behind, Fiona couldn’t help but feel irritated. She knew that the Baron was a dangerous man, with a vendetta against her that went back years, which had some justification. But this was the worst possible time to be wasting on him.
Baron Riverty had been a thorn in her side for too long. Ever since the death of Duke Frideric, the Baron was convinced Fiona had killed the old Duke, an honest man, to claim her sizable inheritance. As the Duke’s secretary, one of the many phases she had gone through in her life, the Duke grew quite fond of Fiona. When he passed with no remaining family, he left his fortune to her - his most trusted confidant. The Baron saw it as an obvious ploy, and in truth, he was right. Fiona had carefully poisoned the Duke to gain power and secure her own wealth. To add insult to injury, she had also eliminated one of his heirs, a promising young man, and passed it off as a botched robbery to guarantee that everything proceeded as planned. But the Baron could never prove it.
Fiona’s businesses were the Baron’s prime target, for he knew well of her vulnerable position as a parvenu in the aristocracy. She had bought her title with her fortune, but she had no blood ties to support her in times of trouble. If he could ruin her enterprises, he could destroy her as well.
Fiona’s import business was the source of her power and success. Exotic fabrics, spices and other goods made their way into the country on her ships, where her buyers would distribute them to both noble and common folk. The Baron’s latest scheme was intercepting and spoiling her shipments to make her business look unreliable.
She arrived at Lady Charlotte’s estate, the two women embracing fondly. As a widowed Marchioness, Charlotte had connections and resources at her disposal that Fiona lacked. Though their stations in society were quite different, their cunning and intellect were matched. Together, they made an unstoppable team.
“The Baron grows bolder, I’m afraid,” Fiona said, accepting a cup of tea from her friend. “He is sabotaging my latest shipments. I can’t afford delays and spoiled goods, not with the licenses for the new trade routes still pending approval.”
Lady Charlotte nodded thoughtfully. “Then we must strike at the heart of the problem. Sabotage may be the Baron’s weapon of choice, but we have far more sophisticated means at our disposal.”
Fiona smiled. The Baron would rue the day he made an enemy of them. The games were just beginning.
Fiona explained the full extent of the Baron’s tampering and the potential impacts to her business. Lady Charlotte formulated a plan to spread damning rumors about the Baron through her social circles, destroying his reputation and ruining his own trade company. They would coordinate to cripple the Baron’s business from the inside out, just as he sought to do to Fiona.
They plotted late into the evening over tea and biscuits, as close as sisters. No one would threaten Fiona’s hard-won power without facing the retaliation of them both. By the time Fiona returned home under the cover of night, the first stages of their scheme were already falling into place. The Baron wouldn’t know what hit him.
Despite the late hour, Fiona’s mind was fixated on one final task she needed to complete before she could rest. As she returned to the mansion, her servant Dania greeted her with a customary bow.
“Welcome back, my lady,” Dania said, her eyes lighting up at the sight of her mistress.
“Where is she?” Fiona asked, not bothering to return the greeting.
“In the spare room, beside the stairs,” Dania replied.
Fiona didn’t waste any time and walked straight to the room where Bella was staying.
Without bothering to knock, Fiona barged into the room and immediately locked eyes with Bella, who was clearly startled by the abrupt visit.
“Ah! There you are!” Fiona exclaimed, a wicked grin spreading across her face. “You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this.”
Bella was shocked, but she was relieved to finally be able to talk to her sister.
“Sister! I-” Bella started, but she was cut off by another slap from Fiona’s hand.
“Two mistakes,” Fiona said in a chilling voice. “You don’t call me sister. You call me mistress. And you don’t talk without permission. Don’t make me repeat myself, never again.”
Bella winced from the pain of the slap, but she knew better than to argue. This new version of her sister “Fiona” was not one to be trifled with, and Bella had learned that the hard way.
Fiona approached Bella, her eyes piercing through hers. “I bought you, Bella. You are mine now, and you will do as I say. Do you understand?” her voice was low and threatening.
Bella nodded but shook her head right after.
“Why are you doing this?” she began “What happened? There’s so much I want to know, so much we have to talk about, but why are you treating me like this? Why did you leave us? Where have you been? Sister, talk to me! Please-” Bella cried in desperation begging for answers, but while she was screaming Fiona’s irritation grew with each passing moment, until she finally snapped.
“SHUT UP, THAT’S IT!” Fiona screamed, and with a snap of her fingers, Dania flew out of nowhere smashing Bella’s face on the ground.
“Agh!” Bella screamed in pain by the sudden impact.
“Know your place in front of Lady Fiona!” Dania scolded, as she gagged Bella with a piece of cloth and held her down.
“It seems like you have much to learn before you are of any use,” Fiona said, her anger beginning to subside. “Hmph. Ruining the welcoming party, seriously... But it doesn’t need to end like this.” She retrieved a bottle of wine and two glasses, filling them.
“Cheers! To our reunion and to your new life!” Fiona said enjoying the moment, raising her glass in a toast as she took a long sip.
ns 172.68.244.165da2
