Chapter 52

George firmly blocked their path. “Master Lucius’s decisions are final. If you intrude like this, you’ll only provoke his anger and risk your own safety. Be aware; this area is surrounded by swamps. If someone falls in, it could go unnoticed.”

With no other choice, they boarded the helicopter, albeit reluctantly.

Meanwhile, Violet lingered behind a tree, aimlessly kicking pebbles. George had instructed her to wait there.

Beyond waiting, she felt there was little else she could do.

“Do you think Master Lucius is…impotent? He was embracing me and being loving the other day, but there was no response down there. It was all limp, and he had difficulties getting it hard.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised. He’s never made a move on me, either.”

“Can you believe it? A man as handsome and wealthy as him…”

Violet was overhearing their hushed conversation, unseen. She was close enough to catch every word, and she nearly laughed out loud.

Impotent? Wasn’t he the one who kept her awake all night? Her body still ached, and there were marks from him beneath her garments. If such a man was labeled impotent, she wondered if any potent men still remained in the world.

She purposely coughed loudly, disrupting their gossip.

George arrived, his demeanor stern. Despite being Lucius’s lovers, they were terrified of the butler and dispersed swiftly.

He approached Violet, and informed her, “Ms. Agatha, today you’ll be working at the dog farm.”

The dog farm was a part of the Imperial Palace’s estate.

Violet was flown there in a helicopter.

“Your task is to clean the dog mill,” a supervisor instructed her.

Cleaning up after the dog mill was a disgusting, tiring, and stinky job. Not only that, but she had developed an instinctual fear of dogs due to her experiences. Her face paled at the sound of their barks.

“You’re not alone in this,” the supervisor added, before leaving Violet outside the dog mill.

This was the same location Lucius had brought her to before, where she had faced some issues with the farmers. They had made her life difficult before, and she expected more difficulties this time.

Her scalp stiffened with anxiety.

Then, a familiar voice called out, “Sweetie?”

Turning, Violet saw Naomi, broom in hand, concern etched on her face, and wrapped in a black scarf.

+15 BONOS “What brings you here?” Naomi asked.

Sorrow crept on Naomi’s face, and she asked, “I heard they’re sending someone new today. Is that you?”

Violet nodded, realizing she should address this woman as ‘Mom’ given her current identity.

“How are you managing such strenuous work?” Naomi’s voice trailed off into a sigh, tears welling in her eyes. ” My child, if only you’d been more compliant…”

She sounded like she was accusing Violent, but her voice was also overflowed with compassion for her suffering child.

“Come, you can work alongside me.”

She finally wiped away her tears, took Violet’s hand, and led her into the dog mill.

“Let’s work together.” Naomi said, drying her tears and leading Violet into the dog mill.

Aware of Violet’s fear of dogs, Naomi assigned her tasks around the mill instead of inside.

The work was tough, but with Naomi’s support, and the freedom it offered compared to the palace, Violet found a certain satisfaction in her new assignment.

During their lunch break, meals were brought to them, and the two shared a fulfilling meal together.

After lunch, there was a designated two-hour rest period. Even on the farm, there was a strict schedule for work and rest.

“Look at your hands. They’ve become so rough!”

Naomi took Violet’s hand in hers, and her heart began to ache once more. Calluses had formed on Violet’s palms as a result of many hours of manual exertion.

Violet examined her hands, and remarked, “Rough hands are actually better. At first, I wasn’t accustomed to the work and kept getting cuts. I’d end the day with a lot of wounds.”

These words further shattered Naomi’s heart.

“Child, don’t hold a grudge against Master Lucius. What happened in the past led to his current plight.

You may not be aware of it, but these farmers once kidnapped him.

“They were misled into believing he refused to cooperate with them and wanted to poison their products. Everyone was outraged by that situation. They didn’t think clearly and sought to punish him.

“After he was kidnapped, they didn’t want money, and they wanted to kill him. Every day, they beat him mercilessly. Despite his influential family, no one was aware of his kidnapping, and no one sought him.

The beatings almost killed him.

“Eventually, Lucius used his abilities to help the farmers solve their market issues, earning his release.

By then, he was gravely injured and barely survived when taken to the hospital.

“Upon his return, he found the Imperial Palace in turmoil. There were difficulties wherever he looked, and the +15 BONOS compassion for his ordeal, instead blaming him for their troubles.

“I learned of all this only after coming here. The farmers feared Lucius might expose their actions and seek retribution, but he never did. Years passed, and except for those here, no one knows who was behind his kidnapping. He never sought to avenge their wrongdoings.”