Chapter 265: Darkhaven secret
The soft chime of bells rang as Abrielle, her mother, and Aunt Ava stepped past the grand glass doors of The Gilded Rose Club. The moment they entered, they were greeted by the delicate aroma of jasmine and honey, mingling with the rich scent of freshly brewed tea.
The interior of the club was a testament to luxury. The floors were polished marble, gleaming under the warm glow of golden chandeliers. Plush velvet drapes in deep rose and cream cascaded from the tall windows, allowing just enough sunlight to bathe the room in a soft, golden hue. Ornate floral arrangements sat on every table, fresh lilies and peonies carefully placed in porcelain vases.
The restaurant was grand yet intimate, designed for noblewomen to indulge in whispers of gossip and carefully crafted alliances over trays of delicate pastries. The air buzzed with quiet laughter, the gentle clinking of porcelain teacups against saucers, and the faint rustle of silk as finely dressed ladies shifted in their seats.
The Nightshades ladies were busy with their little topic hanging close to the entrance. Abrielle was very curious to know about this piece of information the author had no idea of. The Danbury couple were side characters that later had relevance in the story when Fiona became friends with Callista and helped a lot in the battle for the throne.
Much was not written about Rudeus’s back story, and a few lines were written about how Fiona was actually from a fallen noble family that had a lot of issues fitting into society despite that fact she was pretty active in the plot.
Seeing Abrielle was into the story, Rebecca went on whispering what she knew, not from gossip but because she knew when Rudeus was born and how much Ivana tried to cover up the incident.
"While Ivana was busy flaunting, her husband was having an affair with his accountant. Although she wasn’t a noble she came from a low family with a good amount of wealth they could afford to properly educate their daughter. It was a merchant family, and his mother ran some of the stores; the Duchess was impressed by her skills and gave her an offer she could not refuse to help in managing the household unknown to her: she was bringing a mistress home...."
"Rudeus’s birth was a slap to Ivana. Unfortunately, his mother died a few months after his death when her family were killed in a fire, and only a baby miraculously survived the flames. Some say his mother sacrificed her life to save her son from the flames that night. The cause is still unknown till now but rumours say Ivana was behind it." Rebecca reduced her voice towards the end, her eyes darting around. Luckily the coast was clear since they were still lurking close to the entrance.