Inside the cavernous Kingsley mansion, a flurry of whispered activity took place among the staff. The air was thick with the scent of lemon polish and quiet tension.
"Giel, Felix is on the line for you!" Calina shouted across the marbled foyer to her colleague. They were both senior members of the household staff, their uniforms crisp and posture weary.
"Alright." Giel took the phone from Calina's outstretched hand. "Call Mia and have her prepare a room for the Master's new wife," he instructed Calina while putting the phone to his ear.
"Which room? There are dozens of rooms in this irritating palace, Giel. Which one do you want me to clean? Speak clearly." Calina's face was sour. If not for the substantial salary, she would never deign to clean such an enormous estate. Honestly, the place was too vast, rivaling the size of a famous shopping center in central Berlin, a fact that often made the maids grumble during their cleaning duties.
"Fine, fine. Wait a moment, let me speak with Felix first." Giel pressed the phone to his ear. "Felix, what do you need? You know we're extremely busy here preparing for the new Madam's arrival." He listened, letting Felix speak.
Occasionally, Giel's brow furrowed deeply, and a look of astonishment flickered in his eyes, which were beginning to show faint wrinkles. "Ah, I see. Understood."
Giel was still wearing a deeply puzzled frown when the call ended.
"What is it? Why do you look so confused?" Calina shook her head in mild exasperation. "Ah, never mind. So, which room should I prepare for the new Madam? I want to finish my work soon; my favorite drama is about to air."
"There's something strange about this," Giel murmured, staring at the phone.
"What part of it is strange?" Calina asked, bewildered. "Preparing a room? What's strange about that? Ugh, alright, let's not waste more time. Which room needs preparing? The largest suite with the view of the white swan lake? Or the one directly connected to the Master's—"
"Felix told us not to bother preparing any special accommodations for the new Madam."
"W-What? Are you serious?"
Giel nodded, his expression confirming he was utterly serious. "I'm serious. Mr. Gabriel wishes for us not to go to any trouble serving the new Madam. Not yet, at least. He didn't even order us to consider his new wife as the lady of the house."
"Does that mean the title of 'Madam' is reserved solely for Mrs. Evelyn? Is that what you mean?" Calina's voice dropped to a whisper.
Giel gave a slow, confirming nod. "Calina, it appears Mr. Gabriel holds no affection for his new wife."
Calina's face brightened with visible relief. "Does that mean we can relax a bit now?"
---
A short while later, Seraphina stepped out of the town car. She immediately frowned as Albert merely set her suitcase down at her feet on the gravel driveway, not offering to carry it inside the imposing stone entrance.
"Miss Marsha, this is the main mansion of the Kingsley family," Albert stated formally, avoiding her gaze. "I apologize, but I cannot accompany you further. I have other matters to attend to."
Seraphina waved a dismissive hand. "Go. I'm not concerned with your business, though your manner is hardly polite, leaving my luggage here."
Albert's face tightened unpleasantly. He felt he had misstepped by slighting his boss's wife, but what choice did he have? Mr. Gabriel's order had been explicit: "Ignore her. Treat her like a servant or a mistress. I don't care." Disobeying meant his ruin.
With her chin held high, Seraphina grabbed the handle of her suitcase—the same one she had discreetly packed while requesting extra preparation time at the Walker residence. She dragged it across the threshold.
No line of servants stood in greeting at the grand double doors, a common display in wealthy households like the Walkers'. In that moment, Seraphina understood that Marsha—and now she—was truly not welcome here. And she believed she knew why.
Her sharp, almond-shaped eyes swept across the expansive main floor of the opulent mansion. Several servants were visible, dusting art or adjusting vases, yet they all deliberately ignored her, not one offering a welcoming smile.
Ah, so this is their chosen method of welcome? Seraphina thought, a cold smirk touching her lips. Very well. I'll gladly play along.
With a calculated motion, she pushed her suitcase hard into an expensive, delicate-looking porcelain jar sitting in a corner alcove.
CRASH!!!
The loud, shattering sound successfully seized the attention of everyone in the vicinity, servants included. The suitcase, outwardly ordinary, held within it several sharp implements and firearms, making it deceptively sturdy. The ancient vase lay in pieces on the polished floor.
"My goodness! My heart nearly jumped out!"
"Good heavens! That vase was a priceless artifact from the Qing dynasty, a gift to Mr. Jack! How dare she!"
"Indeed, the Master's new wife is barbaric. So different from the elegant Mrs. Evelyn."
"Absolutely right."
Seraphina's gaze coolly rolled over each pair of eyes now daring to look at her with insulting, scornful expressions.
Ah, well. Perhaps I should be grateful my sister Marsha isn't in this demeaning position? The thought was fleeting.
"Excellent," Seraphina said, her voice clear and cutting in the sudden silence. "I thought you were all blind and deaf. It seems you merely prefer to be rude. Let's establish something."
One servant, a woman with a pinched face, looked stunned but didn't alter her condescending expression. The audacity of this crazy woman, staring at us so boldly? Does she wish to be thrown out by our hands? The servants all knew the woman in the wedding dress was their master's legal wife, but if the master himself disregarded her existence, why should they bother with respect?
"You may indeed be Mr. Gabriel's wife," the pinched-face servant said haughtily, "but you are not the mistress of this house. Why should we concern ourselves with you?"
"You are correct to say I am not yet the mistress of this house," Seraphina replied, her piercing flat stare unwavering.
The servant swallowed, her palms growing damp. Why did confronting this seemingly foolish woman feel like facing down an angry Gabriel? Their auras held a similar, chilling intensity that made the servants' hairs stand on end.
"B-but you are merely the young wife! The true lady here is Madam Evelyn, whom the Master has always loved! You—"
"I am not discussing that nauseating concept of love," Seraphina interrupted, her tone glacial. "I am stating a fact. I am your master's lawful wife. That intrinsically makes me the lady of this house. Do you understand?"
Seraphina had never tolerated being belittled or humiliated. She would not be faulted for taking an unyielding stance against these insolent servants.
"What are you implying? It is clear the Master's lawful wife is Madam Eve, the first wife he married before God and the registrar! Not you, who—"
"Hey, you imbecile," Seraphina cut in, her gaze flat but with a dangerous glint. "I am not debating who is the first or the hundredth wife. Gabriel and I were married before God, witnessed by a pastor and invited guests. Must I produce our marriage certificate for you to comprehend what is legal and what is not?"
"So you accuse the Master of cheating on Madam Eve?!" the servant gasped, glaring.
In their devout beliefs, especially in a city like Berlin, polygamy was forbidden. If practiced, one of the marriages was inherently illegal in the eyes of both faith and state.
Seraphina gave a casual, elegant shrug. "I made no accusation. You drew that conclusion yourself."
The servant had initially thought that perhaps Gabriel had deceived Seraphina with a sham marriage to preserve the dignity of his union with Evelyn. However, witnessing Seraphina's unwavering courage as she challenged the staff to prove the legitimacy of that day's ceremony planted a seed of doubt about Gabriel and Evelyn's own marital status.
"A-ah, whatever. I'm too lazy to argue with you. It's a waste of my energy," the servant stammered, attempting to regain composure. "Besides, I truly can't fathom why you would want to be the mistress of this house."
"K-you—"
"Are you deaf? I said I'm done," Seraphina's voice was a silken threat.
"You are so arrogant, even though it's abundantly clear Mr. Gabriel wants nothing to do with you! Have you forgotten how he discarded you in front of everyone? Even after knowing you are worthless in this house, you still dare to act haughty with us. Do you wish for your life to end by Mr. Gabriel's own hand?"
Seraphina let out a low, amused chuckle. She took a slow, deliberate step forward. The closer she got, the more apparent their height difference became, causing the servant to shrink back involuntarily.
"And why would your master end my life simply because an insolent servant like you provoked me, hmm?" Seraphina tilted her head, a predator studying its prey.
The servant's face paled, her knees trembling visibly. "B-because I am a loyal servant of this household!"
Seraphina's smile turned razor-thin. "Is that so? But you should know this: I don't need Gabriel on my side. However," she paused, her voice dropping to a chilling whisper, "do you know that Father Jack will defend his decisions, no matter the outcome?" Her hand lifted, and she pinched a loose thread on the servant's uniform between her index finger and thumb, as if handling something vile. "As a loyal servant, are you so confident you would be safe from Father Jack's temper?"
She emphasized the words "loyal servant" with mocking precision, stripping the woman of her false confidence and highlighting the unbridgeable gap in their stations. The implication was clear: Seraphina was asserting Gabriel's ultimate subservience to Jack Kingsley, meaning her position, backed by Jack, remained secure.
The servant's stunned silence was a victory Seraphina claimed without ceremony. From behind a marble pillar where they had been observing, Giel and Calina exchanged heavy glances, swallowing hard. They had just witnessed the terrifying temperament simmering beneath the new Madam's calm exterior.
"Giel, this is serious! I wouldn't dare cross the new Madam," Calina whispered, her face etched with anxiety. "She appears composed, but you know it's the quiet ones who are often the most frightening."
Giel bit his lower lip, steeling himself. Finally, he gathered his courage, stepped out from the shadows, and approached Seraphina with a respectful bow.
---
"Miss Marsha, this will be your room."
Giel opened the door to a spacious, lavishly appointed chamber. It wasn't the finest suite in the mansion, but in Giel's estimation, it was opulent enough to ensure some comfort. Seraphina swept inside, the sharp click of her heels echoing ominously on the parquet floor, sending a shiver down Giel's spine.
Calina arrived moments later, slightly breathless from hauling Seraphina's surprisingly heavy suitcase from the first floor to the third. "M-Miss… your suitcase," she panted, her exhaustion mingled with palpable tension. Honestly, Calina was burning with curiosity about the suitcase's contents. What could be inside that made it so weighty? It felt like it was packed with stones.
Seraphina glanced at Calina briefly. "Set it over there," she instructed, pointing to a corner near a large, draped window.
"Of course, Miss. Would you like assistance unpacking your—"
"Unnecessary," Seraphina cut her off.
Calina obeyed without another word, eager to leave the room. It wasn't just her favorite TV show calling; the oppressive, commanding aura Seraphina emanated made the air feel thick and tense.
"Now, what were your names again?" Seraphina asked, though her tone suggested she hadn't forgotten.
"I am Giel, and this is Calina. We—"
"I am aware. You were never assigned to attend to me. It's fine. I am perfectly capable of managing on my own."
"Th-that's not it, Miss Marsha," Giel interjected, surprising even Calina with his firmness. "First, please allow Calina and me to be of service to you in this house. Whatever you require, we will see it done."
Seraphina arched a single, elegant eyebrow, noting Calina's startled expression at Giel's declaration.
"Is that so? And you're not afraid Mr. Gabriel might have your head for disobeying his implicit orders?"
Giel met her gaze, his resolve solidifying. "Miss Marsha, Mr. Gabriel did not order us to serve you, but he also never expressly forbade us from doing so." He couldn't explain the instinct, but a strong intuition told him aligning with Seraphina might prove to be the safer position in the long run. His hunches had rarely led him astray. "Therefore, I have decided to be at your service."
"So, you will truly serve me?" Seraphina pressed.
Giel gave a steady nod. "Yes, Miss." He then looked meaningfully at Calina.
Caught in his determined gaze, Calina stammered, "A-and I will dedicate my service to you as well, Miss. I promise."
One corner of Seraphina's mouth lifted in a faint, almost imperceptible grin. "You understand, this means I will place a measure of trust in you. Should you disappoint me, my own hands will deal with you. Is that clear?"
"Perfectly clear, Miss," they answered in near unison.
Seraphina then let herself fall gracefully onto a plush velvet sofa positioned by the window, the evening light casting long shadows across the room. "First, help me out of this damned dress. Then, draw a warm bath. I wish to soak."
"At once, Miss."
Ah, so this is what it feels like to be served? Seraphina mused inwardly. Being accustomed to self-reliance since Aunt Sonia's death from dengue fever made this sudden attentiveness a novel, if not entirely unwelcome, experience. So this was the life meant for Marsha Walker.
Later, Seraphina closed her eyes, sinking into the fragrant, steaming water of the golden Jacuzzi. Giel, with surprisingly deft hands, massaged her temples, while Calina had been dispatched to purchase a wardrobe for Seraphina, as the bride had arrived with not a single change of clothes—another detail Gabriel had neglected.
"Tell me, which members of the Kingsley family currently reside in this mansion?" Seraphina asked, her voice relaxed but intent.
"There is Madam Evelyn, who resides in the north wing, Miss. And Mr. Gabriel's primary quarters are in the southern wing," Giel answered carefully.
"So they do not share a room?"
"No, Miss. Mr. Gabriel's work is… never-ending, and often involves dealings with dangerous individuals. It is thought that placing Madam Evelyn at a distance is for her comfort and safety."
"Ah, I see. And you've placed me here, in the eastern wing. Is that to ensure my discomfort in this house?" Seraphina noted that the eastern wing was, in fact, the closest to Gabriel's southern residence.
Giel's hands paused for a fraction of a second. "Miss, no. I apologize, but it was not my decision. Mr. Gabriel himself designated this room for you."
For what possible reason would Gabriel place me near his own quarters? Seraphina pondered, her strategic mind already turning over this new piece of information in the soothing silence of the bath. The game within the mansion walls was becoming more intricate by the minute.