Chapter 60: Enough Lies
"Loraine, dear," Margret started, walking out among the crowd of maids as they parted to reveal her, a cruel and amused smirk on her face as she glanced at Loraine’s furious expression. Sensing the rage boiling in their depths, the sight was utterly amusing.
"Like the surprise? It’s been a while coming." She said, glancing at Sarah who struggled to break free from Beatrice and Alice’s hold, the two maids holding her back as she couldn’t do anything to escape, only being able to cry from the sheer amount of terror she felt.
"What is the meaning of this..." Loraine asked, looking all around her as every single maid present glared at her with killing intent, moving around her to form a circle that prevented her escape, holstering their weapons in their hands.
Sarah continued to struggle to break free, desperately trying to run to her best friend but to no avail. "Loraine!" She called once more, "I tried to come and tell you, but they stopped me from doing that and threatened to kill me if I did!"
Loraine’s eyes widened in shock, her anger intensifying as she glared at Margret who only chuckled at her anger, Loraine’s aura bursting forth from her body as her fists clenched at her sides.
A few hours earlier....
Sarah was busy cleaning around the mansion, her movements light and delicate as she arranged expensive pottery and placed them the tables throughout the mansion, clearing them of any signs of dust with her feather duster, a light smile stretched on her lips.
"Hey did you hear? Alice managed to get wind of the Ashbournes leaving tonight!" A voice of gossip caught her attention, Sarah stopping dead in her tracks as she proceeded to listen, hiding behind a corner as she saw two maids talking to each other.
"Wait really? So we finally have an opening! A grand chance to strike!"
"Tonight’s the night all maids unite and kill Loraine once and for all!"
"We’ll make her pay for what she’s done and remind her of her place!"
"We’ll bury her and make it seem like she ran away from home!"
The sounds of a maiden centered revolution hit Sarah as she listened to it all, her heart dropping in her chest as she realized that the maids were planning on killing Loraine once the family had left.
’Loraine...’ Sarah whispered her best friend’s name inwardly her heart racing as she realized that she was in grave danger, turning around to run towards Loraine when she bumped into a red haired woman, her gaze riding up to see it was Beatrice.
"Nuh-uh-uh! Where do you think you’re going?" Beatrice asked, blocking her path as she placed a hand on her hip, an evil chuckle escaping her lips. She pulled out a knife from her pocket, placing it near her neck as she whispered in a threatening, and yet amused tone.
"You’re not going to ruin this for us, so stay quiet and don’t try anything stupid, or I’ll kill you!" Beatrice said, a startled gasp escaping Sarah’s throat as she felt the cool blade on her skin, gulping nervously.
’The day has finally come, everyone’s been waiting for this moment to get our revenge on that good-for-nothing trash.’ Beatrice thought to herself, as all the maids were busy preparing for when the family would leave and they would isolate Loraine and finish her off once and for all.
"Let’s go, don’t make this harder than it needs to be." Beatrice commanded, grabbing Sarah’s hand as she forcefully dragged the maid with her. Sarah felt a surge of panic as she followed behind Sarah, feeling terrible as she knew she was the only one that could warn Loraine of the imminent danger, and yet she couldn’t do anything.
’Loraine...forgive me...’ Sarah thought, fearing for her best friend’s life as a tear rolled down her cheek.
Back at the confrontation.....
"I wanted to protect you, but I couldn’t!"
"I was forced to stay quiet, and I couldn’t do anything! I’ve failed you, and you’re doing to die because of my incompetence..." Sarah apologized, tears streaming from her eyes, Loraine’s heart shattering at her best friend’s words, tears threatening to spill from her own eyes.
"I’m so sorry, Loraine..." Sarah sobbed, looking utterly defeated as she closed her eyes, not wanting to see how this scene would unfold.
"Sarah..." Loraine whispered her friend’s name, her fist clenching as her expression turned serious, wiping a tear that threatened to spill from the corner of her eye.
’She still believed she was meant to be protecting me,’ Loraine thought with a small smile on her lips, a strange feeling blooming in her chest. ’You idiot, that is my role now.’
"Enough of the sob story, time is ticking!" Margret interrupted the moment, her expression turning more serious as she stared at Loraine with fury in her eyes. "Your journey, for all that it’s worth end’s here!" Margret said.
"Why...." Loraine questioned, staring directly into Margret’s eyes. "Why are you doing this? What could I have possibly done to deserve to die?" Loraine asked, pissed off at everything that was happening.
’I need to keep it together...’ Loraine thought to herself, exhaling calmly to calm herself down.
"Don’t act like a fool!" Margret berated her, "You know damn well about what you did!" Margret said, pointing at Loraine to accuse her of her crimes.
"Ever since that fateful day, you dared to confront young master Master Valmont, everyone in the mansion had feared for their lives!" Margret began, Loraine’s eyes widening in confusion as she continued.
"The young master was utterly furious! Not only did he almost kill you, but he would’ve finished the rest of us off if Sarah kept on talking!" She said. "I was summoned to his office that day, the transgression was so severe that he threatened to take the lives of every single maid with his own hands if they had dared try something like that again, as I was forced to take the brunt of his anger-!"
"Bullshit!" Loraine yelled at the top of her lungs, her fury spilling out of her body as she interrupted her, teeth grit as rage coursed through her entire being, her aura bursting out from her and sending her magical energy spiraling out of control, a strong burst of wind slamming into everyone and knocking them back.
"Bullshit! All of it!" Loraine said, shaking her head vehemently as she pointed a finger at Margret. "You taking the brunt of his anger!? Don’t try to make yourself sound justified you old bitch! He literally almost killed me!" Loraine said.
"Do you know why I did it? Do you know why I was so damn pissed that day and wanted to confront that asshole sitting on his high horse!?" Loraine asked, the fury radiating off of her palpable as everyone took a step back instinctually.
"Fine, I’ll tell you! I’ll tell you everything and expose all of what is wrong with this bullshit hierarchy, with you sitting at the top of it all!"