Family downfall!

As the highest ranking woman in the empire after the empress I politely smiled and asked the ladies "May I know your names, ladies?"

The gossiping women turned towards me in surprise, holding their fans towards their face they glanced into my eyes.

"Hahaha, I am the wife of Viscount Robert, Heather Robert, my lady. It's nice to make acquaintances with you," one answered proudly, while the other slowly muttered, "I am the second daughter of Lord Jelon, Prelliya Jelon." One looked like she was a woman in her early thirties while Prelliya was in her late teens. They were adorned in frilled dresses and cheap gems.

Obviously, both were members of some insignificant families who never knew how much power I held.

"Aha, I see. Lord Jelon must be the trader who runs a monopoly on silk clothes. Am I right?" I asked his daughter.

"Yes, my lady. That's my father," Prelliya replied with an awkward smile confused on why I suddenly mentioned her father's name.

I never wanted to fight against these insignificant characters in this novel world, but if I did nothing, I would be a laughing stock in front of everyone like the old Helen.

"Dear, you may let your father know that he is no more contracted in the supply of all the Mackil Dukedom business." I ordered glaring at her with a cold smile. That's when she realized that I, Helen Mackil, the sole heir to the Mackil Dukedom, who controls the nation's trade, was not someone she could pick a fight with or spread rumors about.

"My lady, what do you mean?" Heather interrupted, trying to protect Prelliya, still not understanding the situation. Well, it was now time for her to know her doomed fate.

"Oh right, it's not fair if I just exclude one person from the trader's list, is it? You may tell your husband to pack up things and move out from the shops he contracted in my mall, tomorrow morning itself." Heather Robert's husband, Viscount Robert, was someone who worked in my mall as a shopkeeper, and he earned quite a good amount from the three shops he owned in my mall. "Oh, you may also tell your husband that the sweet words you spoke about me right in front of me are the reason now your husband is going to be jobless."

The mutters of everyone stopped; the only sounds were of Prelliya and Heather making excuses on how to forgive their ignorance. But I had already decided to punish them and set an example for others to not take me lightly, as I was no longer the weak Helen in love.

Now it was my turn to explain why I gave the largest piece of cake to the crying host, Miss Clivat, who now stopped crying and was visibly disturbed at what was happening in the tea party she organized.

I turned towards her and with a smile, I announced sweetly, "You all may be confused why I gave the largest piece of pie to Miss Clivat, who had an affair with my ex-fiance, rather than dividing it equally. Well, it's because I truly want to congratulate Miss Clivat on her blossoming love that she found in an already engaged man." Everyone was silent. All were eagerly watching how the drama was unfolding in front of them. Instead of making a scene, I was being polite by sharing a large pie piece with the woman with whom my man cheated on me.

I continued' looking towards everyone else, coldly smiling, spoke "This pie is not just my congratulations for the start of Miss Clivat's relation, but it's also an expression of gratitude towards Miss Clivat for taking something from my life that constantly gave me headaches and anxiety. Only a truly kind person would gladly accept something that someone lost interest in." Clivat's face darkened as I just indirectly named her as a trash collector. I was never wrong, as she fell in love with the trash that I broke up with.

With an awkward smile, Clivat spoke, "My lady, I already accepted your congratulations. How about we talk about something more meaningful?" She already wanted me to stop talking and divert the topic as my words were directing towards the fact that how shamelessly Clivat had an affair with an engaged man and how people blindly supported her.

I never think what I did or said to Clivat is as cruel as once what helen had to go through, all harsh remarks just because she loved a man whom she was ordered to love by the king from a young age.

One more reason I did not want to stop, the teases directed towards Clivat as it was entertaining to see the expressions she made.

"Oh no, my dear. You were just expecting me to congratulate you a few minutes back. Now, I truly am thankful towards you for taking in the Crown Prince with whom I annulled my engagement, on my own wish." I spoke, pouting at how the congratulations Clivat wanted so badly is now hurting her. Clivat was trembling in shame; her cheeks were flushed. This time, not because of love but because of my words that were piercing right through her heart.

Once again, silence fell, and everyone was quiet. What could anyone say? weren't I just speaking the truth? though the ladies were all from families supporting the Selgae family they couldn't justify Clivat's action. there were no more words to be spoken. All held a blank expression and swallowed the pie that I served them to show me their respect. Each lady present understood that it was no more easy for them to mess with me.

Noticing that everyone else but Clivat was eating the pie, I asked Clivat, "Are you not going to take a bite of the pie I served you with my own hands as a gesture of gratitude?"

If Clivat eats the pie it clearly meant that she accepted the fact that she took in someone that Helen Mackil the daughter of Duke threw away. It meant that Clivat was a mistress of an engaged man. The story that was known to everyone as a romantic relation of pure love between the crown prince and beautiful and kind hearted noble lady would now be known as the mistress who took in the trash thrown by the Duke's daughter. Still Clivat had to eat the pie to show me respect and to keep the noble etiquettes.

Gritting her teeth, Clivat ate the pie. Maintaining the angelic image was now getting harder and harder for Clivat, the mistress.