Freen's POV
We were now cleaning up the mess we made earlier from our childish flour fight. I was mopping the floor while Irin was brooming the flour. All four of us were cleaning the kitchen, including Miss Nam and Lady Rebecca, which was a rare scenario for high-profile people. Miss Nam volunteered to cook us some food again. We'd spoiled the breakfast I made.
"Thank you," Miss Nam said.
"For what, Miss Nam?" I asked, confused.
"For making her smile like this." She said, gesturing toward Lady Rebecca. I looked over at Lady Rebecca, who was giggling and covered in flour from head to toe. Seeing her happy made all the mess worth it.
"I will do whatever it takes to see that smile on her face again," I said determinedly. Miss Nam smiled at me appreciatively, knowing that our efforts in the kitchen were not in vain. Together, we continued cleaning up the flour and started planning for a special dinner to make up for the spoiled breakfast.
"I have never seen her this happy for a very long time since..." Miss Nam spoke again but was cut off by a thud sound on the kitchen door.
"What happened here?" We were all shocked to hear the voice coming from a male standing in the kitchen doorway, looking furious.
"Father," Lady Rebecca quickly approached her father to explain, but—
"And why are you looking like that? No one would believe you to be my daughter and a part of a noble family. You look so filthy." Mr. Armstrong glared at Lady Rebecca, his anger evident in his eyes. "I expect better from you, Rebecca. This behavior is unacceptable."
"What have they done to you?" Lady Rebecca's voice trembled as she questioned her father, concern etched on her face. The room fell into an uneasy silence as everyone awaited Mr. Armstrong's response, their eyes darting between the two of them.
"Are you seriously asking me this? When I'm the one who should be asking you that?" Mr. Armstrong retorted, his voice filled with disappointment and frustration. "You have brought shame upon our family name with your reckless actions. I never thought I would see the day when my own daughter would stoop so low."
"Stoop so low? Where? What have I done to bring you shame, father?" Lady Rebecca's voice trembled with a mix of confusion and hurt. Her eyes welled up with tears as she struggled to understand her father's harsh words. The weight of their strained relationship hung heavy in the air, leaving both of them searching for a way to bridge the growing divide.
"What have you done? Look at yourself right now." Her father's voice dripped with disappointment as he gestured toward her disheveled appearance. "You used to be a beacon of grace and elegance, but now you've become a mere shadow of that. Your reckless behavior has tarnished our family's reputation, and it breaks my heart to witness it."
"Tarnished?" Lady Rebecca repeated it just to make sure she had heard her father correctly. The word echoed in her mind. The weight of her father's disappointment bore down on her, fueling a determination to prove herself worthy once again.
"Yes, you did the moment you ruined our agreement with the Maurer family." Her father continued, his voice filled with a mix of anger and disappointment. "We had worked hard to establish a strong alliance with the Maurers, and your reckless actions have shattered that trust. It will take time and effort to repair the damage you've caused."
Lady Rebecca shook her head with a bitter smile while looking down at the floor, gripping her dress's silhouette. She couldn't help but feel a surge of anger rise within her, fueling her determination to prove her father wrong. Deep down, she knew that there was more to her than what met the eye, and she was determined to show him that she was capable of redemption.
"And all of this is just because I couldn't marry that evil, and Father, let me remind you that evil man brutally abused me and my handmaiden—"
"That wouldn't have happened if you didn't interfere!" Mr. Armstrong cut her off from speaking with a sharp tone. His face flushed with frustration as he clenched his fists tightly. The room fell silent, and the tension between them was palpable. I felt hurt just watching Lady Rebecca fight her father, even though I didn't understand what they were talking about. However, he glanced in my direction, and I noticed hatred in his eyes for some reason.
"YOU!" He shouted, which I now understood because he spoke in my dialect.
"Mr. Armstrong." I greeted him while holding the mop handle tight.
He approached me.
"Why are you still here?" He asked me.
I looked at him, confused.
"Didn't I tell you to get rid of her?" Now he was talking to Miss Nam.
"Mr. Armstrong, I—uh," Miss Nam couldn't answer because she was too shocked by his sudden outburst. She stammered, trying to find the right words to respond to his question.
"Get out of here!" He grabbed my arm and dragged me toward the exit. I could feel the panic rising within me as I struggled to free myself from his grip. Miss Nam stood frozen, unable to intervene or comprehend the situation unfolding before her.
"Let go of her!" Lady Rebecca shouted something and snatched my arm away from his grip. As Lady Rebecca intervened, Mr. Armstrong's face turned red with anger. He glared at her, his grip tightening on my arm. I could see the fear in Lady Rebecca's eyes as she stood her ground, determined to protect me from his aggression.
"What are you doing right now, Rebecca? This woman should've been thrown out long ago. This woman's family took part in the poisoning of the king of the Ayutthaya kingdom. Keeping her here will only bring more trouble and danger to our household," Mr. Armstrong said, his voice filled with accusation. Lady Rebecca's eyes widened in disbelief as she processed the shocking accusation. She quickly responded, "Father, I understand your concerns, but we cannot jump to conclusions without proper evidence. Let us handle this situation calmly and rationally."
"Have you gone insane? Has this woman also poisoned your head now?" Mr. Armstrong said, furious.
"No! We don't even talk, and I don't even understand her dialect." Lady Rebecca answered frustratedly.
"Then why are you concerned about this lowly person? She is just another random maid you had. I can give you more maids far better than this!" Mr. Armstrong shouted back.
My arms were starting to hurt. I looked at Miss Nam, asking for help, as I didn't understand what was happening right now.
"She's my friend." Lady Rebecca answered her father. I understood the "friend" part, as Kirk had taught me that when we still saw each other. Was Lady Rebecca considering me a friend? Was this why she was fighting her father for me? I couldn't help but feel a sense of confusion and surprise. It seemed that Lady Rebecca valued our friendship more than I had realized, and she was willing to stand up against her own father for me. This revelation warmed my heart and made me even more determined to support her in any way I could. Being considered her friend was already an honor for me, though deep down my heart wanted more.
"A friend?"
"I am happy you found yourself a friend. I understand you never had a friend, but... a peasant friend. You have really gone insane." Mr. Armstrong looked at Lady Rebecca with judgment.
"Yes, father, she's my friend. I don't care about her social status or background. I want her to stay because she's my friend, like Irin and Miss Nam." Lady Rebecca's voice trembled with emotion as she defended me. "I understand that you may not approve, but please try to understand how much she means to me."
Mr. Armstrong's grip on my arm loosened as he looked at Lady Rebecca like he was considering her words. After a moment of silence, he sighed and said, "I may not fully understand, but if she brings you happiness and treats you well, then perhaps I should give her a chance."
I didn't know what he just said, but I saw how it lightened Lady Rebecca's face.
"In one condition." Her father added, in a stern but compassionate voice.
"I accept any condition you make; just don't throw her away." Lady Rebecca answered. I didn't understand their language, but I could sense there was a bargain going on between them, and it was me who was at the center of it. I couldn't help but feel a mix of curiosity and apprehension about what this condition might be and how it would affect my relationship with Lady Rebecca.
"You will come with me the day after tomorrow to attend the party that the Maurers are holding as a sign of truce, and by chance you will ask for their forgiveness upon you and the Maurers' delayed wedding because of your drama." Her father stated firmly, his voice carrying a hint of authority.
Lady Rebecca cast a doubtful glance at her father. She left the room without letting her father see the tears that started to form in her eyes because she could no longer endure the burden of their tense relationship. Her father's countenance softened as she walked away, showing a brief moment of sadness before he turned away.
"You have one day to decide, Rebecca." He added to Lady Rebecca's retreating back.
However, he glanced in my direction, and I noticed hatred in his eyes for some reason.
"Mr. LEE." he called Mr. Lee, who I only noticed now was standing in the corner of the kitchen. He approached.
"Yes, Lord Armstrong." Mr. Lee responded, full of respect.
"Bring this woman into the punishment room, and don't let anyone feed her until I say so. Lock the room and put a guard on duty. I want her to understand the consequences of her actions." Lord Armstrong's voice was cold and authoritative, leaving no room for argument. Mr. Lee nodded obediently and grabbed my arm to follow him. As we walked down the hallway, I couldn't help but feel scared of what was going to happen to me, knowing the harsh fate that awaited me in the punishment room.
"Oh, it seems like I missed a drama in the house." A familiar voice said. I looked up and saw Lord Nop with all his grace mockingly looking at me, and I looked down.
I didn't know why he always had this hidden hatred toward me; since we were little kids, I don't even remember doing bad things toward him.
Mr. Lee hadn't said a word until we reached the punishment room.
"Don't do anything stupid to make the situation worse, Freen." He told me before he let go of my arms and grabbed the lock of the punishment room, put a key on it, and it clicked open.
"I didn't even do anything wrong," I just whispered, looking down, accepting my fate.
"I know, Freen. I am sorry, but you have to go in this room, and I have to obey what's been decided." Mr. Lee's voice was filled with remorse as he gently pushed me toward the open door. I couldn't help but feel a surge of confusion and frustration, wondering what had caused this sudden turn of events and why I was being punished for something I didn't even remember doing.
As he closed the metal door, I held the metal bars of the punishment room, and we looked at each other eye-to-eye. He had an emotion in his eyes like he knew a lot but not enough to explain it to me. I could sense that there was more to the story, but I had no choice but to accept my fate and wait for answers in this confined space.
"Everything's going to be fine, Freen. Everything is happening in God's timing, trust the process. He might be allowing the impossible to happen for a reason," he said softly, his voice filled with a mix of reassurance and uncertainty. I couldn't help but wonder what exactly he meant by "the impossible" and how it related to my current situation. Despite his attempt to comfort me, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something much bigger at play, something beyond my comprehension.