In the humid afternoon, the sun was hot and the air suffocating as the servants rushed with ice up and down the corridors. Musical instruments sounded from the big, extravagantly decorated hall of the Duke of Chiang's kingdom. The nobles socialized, whispers and chuckles in the air.
A loud, blood-curdling scream sounded from outside the hall, interrupting the harmonious environment inside. The others eyed each other, baffled by what was happening.
Outside the hall, a young maid knelt, crying as she choked on her words. The Duke ran out with the guests hot on his trail. He arrived outside, followed closely by a woman dressed in dark red silks and jewellery worth the expenditure of a small empire. At first glance, no one could see it, but looking closer, the flirtatious glances she and the Duke had been exchanging throughout the time were undeniable.
Despite the invitation being from the Duke and the Duchess, only the Duke and his mother showed up to the party. This did not raise any concern because it was a known fact that throughout the empire, the Duchess was sickly, and only the Duke and his mother—the former Duchess—would attend any outside activities.
"Shut up and speak up! We don't have all day to listen to your nonsense," the Duke thundered as the maid flinched and cowered but stopped her sobs to utter, "The Madam is missing. We looked around her courtyard but couldn't find her."
Any intelligent person could see the quick glances between the mother and the son. Something was amiss. Though the Madam was reported missing, the search was directed straight to a small courtyard standing alone at the furthest corner of the estate. The weeds surrounding it were knee-tall, and the smell of mould hit the guests as they made their way to the courtyard. The roof looked like it was about to fall, and the house was in bad shape.
Mei stirred. Her sides were hurting, and her whole body felt like it had been run over by a carriage. She blinked; her eyes were blurry as she tried to look around.
She felt an arm wrapped around her waist, and she smiled, thinking it was the Duke. It had been a while since her husband came to her courtyard. Despite her trying many times with soups and snack deliveries to his courtyard, he was adamant that he had work to do all the time.
She blinked once, feeling the warmth of the person beside her against her skin. Even though she wanted to turn, her cheeks heated as she blushed. She was too shy to face him and too dizzy, so she relaxed back into the hug and closed her eyes to drift back to sleep.
Then she heard rushed footsteps in the courtyard. Panicked, she opened her eyes sharply as the footsteps grew louder.
The doors slammed open, and a woman's scream, raw and torn, ripped through the room. Before Mei could make sense of what was happening, the sheets were ripped away. Goosebumps rose on her skin as the wind hit her, knocking the air out of her lungs.
Horrified gasps and screams rang out through the dilapidated courtyard. Her head swam, confused at the sudden interference, her mind still foggy.
Then her blood ran cold when she saw his face.
His expression didn't show anything but pure rage. His usually lukewarm eyes that carried a polite smile were empty and cold.
Mei tried to stand up, which earned more gasps. Mothers covered the eyes of their daughters, some chasing them out of the room. Then she looked down and felt like dying. She was standing in front of the whole nobility stark naked, her whole body covered with red dots, which was a clear indication of her "crime." She was caught in bed with a man who was not her husband in front of everyone.
She felt a metallic liquid rise in her throat. She tried, but she could feel the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. It was over for her.
"Adulteress," the Duke said, his voice echoing throughout the whole estate. He didn't look at her but past her, at the figure sprawled beside her who was stirring from sleep now. And the moment she laid eyes on the man next to her, she knew—clear as day—this was an insidious plan to get her. And they had succeeded. She fell onto the bed as her feet gave out.
"No… wait…" Her words were slurring from the effect of whatever they had fed her. As much as she wanted to explain herself, or even beg him to believe her, her body wouldn't obey.
She looked behind him into the crowd to find her mother-in-law's smile.
The man beside her was her hidden guard—the only one remaining of the servants her mother left for her. Still half-drugged, his eyes snapped open and widened in pure terror.
She looked at him. As much as she wanted to reassure him, she knew it didn't matter. His fate—and hers—had been sealed long before.
The Duke instructed the maid to take her and lock her and the guard away, as he dispersed the crowd of the shocked nobles.
Mei sat in a dark, mouldy shed, her mind reeling from what happened that afternoon. She was shivering cold, and her stomach was rumbling with hunger. She was numb—no tears—but she felt a deep fear. She knew her father was never going to save her, and her maternal family were on the furthest end of the empire. She regretted every decision she made that brought her to this specific moment.
She had no loyal maid by her side, as they had all been chipped away by her mother-in-law throughout the three years they had been together. And now, the realization of her naïveté and stupidity hit her. How did she not see what was happening right under her nose? She had been so head over heels in love that it never dawned on her—the treatment her husband and mother-in-law had been giving her. Regret consumed her. She cursed herself. The strong women before her had advised her never to trust too much. She failed them, and now she only had herself to blame.
She sat there throughout the night, the moon reflecting on her back through a small hole meant for air circulation. Her shoulders were slumped, and she was dejected.