âDonât worry. I can assure you, the dukedom is going to be Levantâs. Youâll be the next Lady Musgrave. No one is going to take that away from you.â
Daphne hesitated. She glanced around anxiously before whispering, âAunt Portia, I heard Uncle Stephen has a daughter. Will sheââ
âThatâs just a rumor.â
âWhat if that daughter does exist? What if she returns? Sheâs Uncle Stephenâs daughter. Will Levant and I end up with nothing?â
âDonât worry. If that daughter exists, Levant will get rid of her. After all, all he wants is to be the next duke, right? He wonât give the title up easily.â
Aunt Portiaâs right, thought Daphne. Levant wonât give up on the dukedom.
âI hope Iâve worried for nothing.â
Portia took Daphneâs hand and comforted her. âDaphne, Iâve always treated you as my daughter. I didnât give birth to Levant, so I need to be cautious around him. The only way to be Lady Musgrave is to make him fall for you, do you understand?â
âAunt Portia, I understand. Donât worry, Iâll take good care of you.â
âAlright then. I trust you.â
â shall leave now. Iâm going to prepare some snacks for Levant.â
âBe observant. If you think Ms. Lane is an eyesore, just send her away.â
âGot it,â Daphne answered with a smile as a ferocious glint appeared in her gaze.
Everyone who will threaten my future must die. Iâll clear all obstacles blocking my path.
At night, the Musgrave Estate was brightly lit.
Nicole left her room to go for a stroll in the garden. She couldnât wait to bump into Daphne.
I can ask her where she learnt her acupuncture skills.
That might be a clue.
She was enjoying her stroll when footsteps suddenly sounded behind her.
Before she could find out who it was, a blow landed on her and she blacked out instantly.
The person picked her up and left swiftly.
Unbeknownst to him, someone who was upstairs had witnessed the entire incident.
The manâs brows creased in perplexity. Why would someone kidnap her at night?
I canât believe something like this is happening in the estate.
He summoned the bodyguards at once.
Nicole was brought back to Daphneâs room.
âMs. Ankins, itâs done.â
âBring her to the darkroom. Wake her up by splashing water on her. Donât forget to stuff her mouth lest she shouts for help.â
âGot it.â
Nicole only gained consciousness after a pail of ice water was poured on her.
When her eyes fluttered open, another pail of water was poured down over her head.
âMm! Mm!â
She wanted to yell for help, but there was a cloth stuffed in her mouth. Her limbs were also tied up.
As the water dripped down her body, she was shivering, thoroughly drenched.
Sh*t! Iâm like a helpless animal waiting to be slaughtered!
Did Yoda and my bodyguards realize Iâm missing? Will they come save me?
âMs. Ankins, sheâs awake.â
The door opened, Daphne stood in front of her with a smug look as she towered above Nicole disdainfully.
âDonât you know your place? How dare you wander around the estate? In the morning, you stuck by Levantâs side. Were you on your way to his room just now? What a wench!â
Nicole instantly regretted stopping Evan from ruining this arrogant Daphneâs face last night.
Is it too late to repent?
Can I turn back time?
Nicole was praying fervently when suddenly, Daphne took a step forward and grabbed her dripping wet hair. âTell me,â she demanded. âHow did you seduce Levant?â