Chapter 10: I Just Made an Enemy
Meredith.
The morning of my forced wedding arrived too quickly.
I had barely slept the night before—my mind had been a storm of rage, humiliation, and helplessness.
But none of that mattered now. Because it was happening, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.
---
The sun had barely risen when a group of servants led by Madame Beatrice entered my chamber.
They moved swiftly, efficiently, wordlessly— as if I were nothing more than a doll they were dressing up for display.
A warm bath, drizzled with goat milk and scented with vanilla oil, was prepared for me. I was made to soak in it for ten minutes before the scrubbing began. Not an inch of my skin was spared. And by the time they were done, I was left with red patches.
The pain from climbing hundreds of stairs intensified, along with this fresh batch from having my body scrubbed by iron-fisted hands. The way these people washed my skin made it seem like I had some diseases that had to be scrubbed off.
I could understand yesterday's intense scrubbing because I looked like filth. But today? I still can't understand the need for it.
I felt violated once again when two pairs of hands roamed over every inch of my body, smearing coconut oil on it. No matter how many times I said that I could do it myself, it fell on deaf ears.