Her gaze swept slowly across the room. To the head maid, it might have seemed as though Victoria was admiring the elegant interior....the ornate wallpaper, the delicate lace curtains fluttering softly by the window, the polished floor. But in truth, Victoria was being cautious. She was carefully taking in every detail, mentally comparing everything to how it had been in her previous life. Things weren't unfolding exactly the same way this time, and that made her uneasy.
After a long, contemplative pause, she finally moved to sit on the plush bed, her fingers brushing the smooth pink silk sheets as if searching for needles but there was none hence she sat down.
The head maid stepped forward, her tone respectful as she spoke. "I shall go and summon some servants to assist you with your bath and help you dress before the rest of the family returns, my lady," she said, her head slightly bowed in deference. "It would be best if you were properly prepared to receive them. What can I do for you before leaving though?"
Victoria turned her head slowly, her expression unreadable.
In her past life, the maids had helped her in taking her bath on the first day. That first bath had left her skin covered in red rashes and painful blisters. She had been locked away in her room for an entire month, isolated and humiliated, while rumors spread that her condition was contagious. Some had whispered that she was diseased. Others claimed she was cursed.
It was only later that Victoria had realized the truth: the soaps and oils used on her skin had been deliberately chosen to harm her. A cruel prank disguised as hospitality. She clenched her fists at the memory, her nails digging into her palms.
The world, although not entirely civilized, at least had the basics...there were cars, even if they weren't as modern as today's standards, and they had headline telephones. Technology was still present to some extent. Which is exactly why only a fool would believe that keeping Victoria locked in her room was the only remedy for a supposed skin disease. They could have easily invited a doctor to treat and properly diagnose her condition. But thanks to Victoria's stepmother, her father....who should have cared for her chose to listen to that woman's words instead. And so, they left Victoria to waste away in her room.
It was only after Victoria's stepsister came to see how miserable she was that anyone realized she was at death's door. Only then was a doctor finally called. And once she began to recover, she was sold again.
You could say it was a case of going from the frying pan straight into the fire.
Victoria heaved a heavy sigh, her thoughts bitter. But then she wouldn't allow such a thing to repeat itself again.
'Well it'll be too suspicious not to react to soaps contorted with disease medicine.' Victoria thought. 'I'll need to bathe myself.....that way, I can control the situation and maybe find a way to escape their traps.'
'Since the boss of the house....my lovely stepmother...isn't around, I'm sure my request to bathe alone will be granted,' she mused with a wicked grin curving her lips. She actually gave an order to the head maid to let me feel comfortable, just so she can punish me later when she and her children return. Well then I should make use of that opportunity now.'
"I prefer to bathe myself, ma'am," Victoria said aloud, swallowing hard and forcing a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
The head maid raised her brows. "Are you sure you can handle that, young lady? It's the maids' responsibility to take care of their masters, after all."
"Yes, ma'am. I've always taken care of myself. I trust myself with this task," Victoria replied with a warm, composed smile. "Besides, I'm not entirely free yet. Having someone serve me doesn't sit well with me at the moment. I can manage, right? As in, bathe myself?"
The head maid let out a small chuckle. "Oh, of course, you may. But not forever. Eventually, a maid will be assigned to tend to your every need. You'll need to start behaving like the young lady of this mansion sooner or later."
She paused, then added more softly, "There are plenty of outfits in the wardrobe, along with a variety of hair accessories. If you need help dressing up, the maids will be waiting just outside your room. You only need to call, and they'll come immediately."
"Thank you, ma'am," Victoria replied politely. The head maid nodded in return and exited the room, closing the door gently behind her.
As soon as she was alone, Victoria grasped the locket tied around her neck and finally released the heavy sigh she'd been holding in.
Without wasting any more time, she made her way toward the bathroom. It was lavishly decorated....white tiles covered the walls, and the bathtub, hand basin, and every toiletry, from soap to toothbrush to shampoo, were stored in soft pink containers. The scent of jasmine-scented soap hung thick in the air.
What is it with all this pink? Victoria scoffed inwardly, rolling her eyes.
Choosing not to dwell on irrelevant things, she approached the bathtub, which was already steaming with hot water. She dipped her hand into it, then brought it to her nose, sniffing cautiously.
Strange, she thought, frowning. No scent of the skin rash medicine they used in my previous life? Yeah she already registered that scent in her brain hence she'll know if it was being used now but then she couldn't smell it.
She exhaled heavily. Or maybe there's another herb this time around....one I don't know about?
Still, Victoria stepped into the bath and began to wash herself carefully. She reminded herself that if there was another kind of herb mixed in, it wouldn't matter. The locket would protect her.
Just two days ago, before she even arrived at the mansion, she had slipped and scraped her knee. Within moments, the wound vanished entirely. The locket had healed her.
The locket acted like a personal doctor....dispensing treatments when needed. If something harmful was in this water, it would be neutralized. And even if the maids responsible for setting up the bath with dangerous herbs see her unharmed, she could simply lie. She'd tell them she had changed the water because it was too hot. That was believable enough. That way, her sudden recovery wouldn't arouse suspicion.
Still, one thing continued to haunt her.
'If my mother had this locket all along... why didn't it save her?' she wondered solemnly. 'Why didn't it stop her from dying during childbirth?'
She sighed deeply again, pushing the question aside for now.
After bathing thoroughly, ridding herself of the filth and grime, Victoria stepped out and returned to her bedroom. She approached the wardrobe and opened it.
Her lips twisted in disbelief.
The closet was filled with dresses and shoes....mostly in pink and white.
This is ridiculous, she thought. Shaking her head, she pulled out a white, flowing gown. Thankfully, a pair of black shoes had been tucked into a corner. She grabbed them gratefully and slipped them on.
Her silver hair was quickly brushed and pulled into a neat ponytail, held in place by a silver hairpin she found among the accessories.
"Perfect," she murmured to her reflection, standing before the mirror. But then she glanced down at the white gown.
Poor dress, she thought grimly. It's probably going to get ruined soon once those lunatics return.
Memories flashed in her mind....being dragged across the floor, bruises, humiliation.
They behave like monsters only because Father lets them, she thought. But what if I try to win his favor? If I can turn him to my side, it'll be easier to crush those snakes....my stepmother and her awful children. And then, once they're dealt with... I'll deal with him too.
She sat down on the edge of the silk-covered bed, her eyes cold with determination.
There's so much to do, she admitted to herself. But I'll do it. I have to.
A sudden knock on the door snapped her out of her thoughts.
"Young lady!" the head maid's voice rang out from the other side. "The family has returned! They're waiting for you in the living room."
Victoria flinched slightly, rising to her feet with practiced grace. The moment had come.