It was a stormy bone chilling night, the waves were especially enraged, and there I was on the shore. Lying on wet sand that was no warmer that the water.
That was the day I became Nerissa, the daughter of a count, who was forced to take her own life after her engagement...by her own family.
My real name is XXX XXX, I died or so I believe and mysteriously ended up here in a different world. That is all I can remember about my real self.
Since that night, I have not left this bed let alone this prison of a room.
Nerissa Ainsworth, the nineteen year old daughter of Count Lucien Ainsworth, one high society's Flowers, a loved lady with all the things she could ask for, but that was just on the surface.
The beautiful cover for a ruined book. The memories carved into her body, pierce my soul, memories so painful it's like I lived through it.
The doors creak open, a man clad in Emerald green and beige walks in. His red hair combed back, his grey eyes cold. His presence alone made my heart sink. My stomach churned, heart beat painfully against my chest.
He's here, the man who made her life a living hell, the current head of the family and her uncle Cedric Ainsworth.
"Ainsworth heiress bedridden After Midnight Incident" he read from the newspaper before shifting his gaze to me.
I subconsciously avoided his gaze my body still trembling. I knew what was next.
KRAAASH! He swung his cane through the glass perfume bottles on the dressing table.
BAM! He violently kicked the chair. THUD! it falls broken.
"NERISSA! CAN YOU EXPLAIN YOURSELF!" He roared. I flinch in response.
"A..a..am so-"
"Was killing your mother not enough!,"
My world cracked.
"Was pushing your father to the brink not enough!".
A chill ran through my spine.
"Now!" he paused the veins along his jaw tighten "you want to tarnished this family's reputation!".
My heart, desolate. It's was terrifying the damage he inflicted with just words. What's more terrifying is that all these emotions are this body's response. How deep she broken.
"You really are useless nothing but a empty pretty doll, this must not happen again!".
He stormed out. A maid soon came in and started to clean the mess, she looked annoyed probably because it was my fault she got extra work.
I looked at my hand, slender fingers, delicate, pale. They were still trembling. I bit my lips, my eyes sting, this is so unfair. What did we ever do to deserve a life like this. How cursed.
---
The next day, still in bed. Slightly better. A maid, Ella, barged in carring a silver bed tray with soup and bed. She forcefully sets the tray before me.
"Eat, and stop making trouble for us, do you not pity us servant everytime you cause trouble, we get the short end of the stick, it is not fair" she complained.
I did have the patience to indulge her. I picked up the spoon to eat.
"Are you ignoring me!, you should apologize, all you have is your pretty face."
"I am sick of this."
"Wha-"
Raising the sheets I get out of the bed, I carry the the hot soup and pour it on my self, hot enough to sting not burn.
"Are you insane!"
KRAASH!, ClINK!, i pulled the rest of the tray, the glass wear all shattering, then I fall. I scream at the top of my lungs.
In seconds guards were inside. Their eyes widened as they saw my reddened skin.
"Help me!, it burns" I yelped holding my body, trembling as I wailed.
"Wait! She's lying! She di-"
"Silence!" Roared the guard. "Do you not know the grave consequence of harming a noble" he yelled as they rushed to restrain her.
"Wait am innocent, she's lyin-"
"What is happening in here" says the low and steady voice worn smooth by years of authority, Matilda the headmaid.
"This maid here has harmed the young lady, mistress Matilda" he said as he gesture to me.
Her Dark brown eyes furrow as she sees my skin.
"Quickly call for the physician!" She yelled dashing to me, "are you alright my lady".
Such fake kindness sickens me but I tried my best to protray myself as I would in the presence of the count.
"S..she..poured hot soup on me a...a..and called me insane" then I burst out crying.
Here in this mansion everyone knew Nerissa was helpless, so they would usually vent out on her, fearing her uncle's response she went quiet. Harming her will lead to grave consequences so they hurled verbal abuse instead.
It was but a fact no matter how vulnerable and mistreated she was by her family a noble, far superior to measly servant.
Matilda stood turning to Ella, " take her to the dungeon, I shall call the count."
I saw how devastation settled in her, "it wasn't me rea-"
"Quiet, the count shall decide!"
Her eyes wonder to me, only to widen by shock. Behind my fingers covering my face, was a visible exhilarated smile.
Now Ella what will happen if he hears how his fair asset got injured by a mere maid. I wonder what he'll do.
I couldn't help but smile behind these fake tears.