Villains also get Second chance

I suppressed all my anger, taking a few deep breaths and spoke again, my voice was still calm but that eeriness was gone.

"Kate told me what was in the gift."

She also felt the change in me, as she raised her bowing head and wiped her tears.

"Your highness, I had packed a small portrait of all three of you together, as it's a good symbol of a new start" her voice was still shaky but it was much clearer to understand than before.

I nodded my head, understanding her goodwill but the point was they didn't know Killian, one thing what he hated, mockery. He must have thought that we mocked him for the broken family we shared.

"And I guess you didn't know about the allergy of Killian berries, Lina," I asked another shaking girl.

"Yes… yes your highness" she replied stammering.

I nodded again at the crux of the problem here was they didn't know anything about Killian.

"Very well, I want all of you to go and learn everything about lord Killian.

Normally you would learn about his schedule of study and what he usually does in his free time.

Kate, you would learn about his likes and dislikes, his friends and other important things.

Lina, you would learn about his eating habits, his allergies, other weaknesses and train the royal chef of my chamber as per that.

And for all that I am giving you three days leave from the lady in the waiting duty of the duchess chamber.

Any questions?" I asked covering all the important points I could think of at that time.

When I looked at the girls back after compiling all the important points, they were blatantly looking at me, as if I had two heads now.

In the starting, it was fun to see their widened eyes and agape mouths, and that silly look on their faces. But now I was getting bored with the same reaction at my every action and word.

"Did you forget what I told you?" I paused, gaining their attention, I could see curiosity brimming in their eyes, so I continued "if you continue to make that face, it would be permanent. Then no one would marry you."

For a second their eyes widened, and then their face turned completely normal.

Nodding my head in satisfaction I asked again, "so, any question?"

They looked at each other and then at me, hesitation could be seen clearly in their eyes which made my impatience grow again.

But before I could snarl at them, they sensed the forming black cloud over my head and nudged Lina, I raised a brow at her to signal her that she had my full attention.

"Your highness, we.. we are serving you from the day of your arrival. If we take holidays at the same time who will serve her highness?" she asked in a whisper, with her confusion filled eyes.

" I thought the duchess was assigned twenty maids," I asked, clearly remembering the account book I maintained in the past.

They all nodded, " your highness they all worked under you, but they have never served you directly." they added telling they are important.

'Fool they didn't know I had spent a long time in the dark prison without being served, I am not that haughty duchess anymore.'

"Then they would get a chance to learn, select three best girls among the staff and hand over your duties to them after proper explanation,'' I added to clarify my stance.

They looked at me reluctantly but nodded looking at my clear eyes. Finally, I took a strong step toward being a good person. I smiled at the thought, finally feeling better now.

"Now are you going to stay on the floor the whole day, go and work?" I told the girl who was still on her knees.

Sure the floor was well carpeted, but it still was the floor.

"Thank you for your highness, you are a very kind-hearted and warm person, your highness," they said, again and again, bowing as they went out.

And it was my turn to be stunned now.

In the past, everyone around me saw me as a very cold and irrational person. In their eyes, I was a strict master to my staff, I was a very cold-hearted mother to Killian and I was a stone for the one who cared for me.

But now they said I was a warm person. I have never heard anyone calling me a warm person. I somewhat felt strange about it.

Closing my eyes, I laid down on my bed for a while. I had to rejuvenate all my strength and will for tonight's dinner.

A bunch of footsteps and whispers disrupted my peace once again. I tried to turn deaf ears to them, but the voice kept increasing.

Sighing, I opened my eyes and sat on the bed. En, the room still has proper lighting but I could see it was already dark out there. Looks like I slept for a long time.

I turned towards the direction where the whispers were coming from and found three new faces. They hadn't realised yet that I was awake, so they were still pushing and nudging each other.

I furrowed my brows in confusion when finally the face I knew entered in. Kate and Norma came in, bowing their head.

"Your highness" they greeted me keeping their head low and I nodded.

"What is it?" I asked, looking at the hesitating faces of them.

"Your highness, all the preparations of your dinner with lord Killian had been done, and the maid from his chamber had informed he would be here shortly."

'Did I sleep that much?' I nodded at them and then looked at the new faces.

"These are your new waiting staff, your highness, Penny and daisy."

Both maid who was already bowing bent themselves further before wishing, "your highness."