The Archduke's Songbird-Chapter 156: Repayment In Kind
Jessamyn could only chuckle dryly at Emily’s outburst. There was nothing she could say in retort; Emily was right in her accusations. However, Jessamyn didn’t need to endure Emily’s venomous words. This was her home, the sanctuary her dearest Joar had left for her.
"Yeah, you can have your son-in-law provide for you. You will leave my house after you return everything you stole from me. Otherwise, I will seek help from the authorities," Jessamyn declared, her back straight and unwavering.
Emily’s eyes widened in shock. She tried to speak but only managed a scoff. What made her so shocked, Jessamyn couldn’t fathom.
"Go, return everything you stole from me. If you’ve forgotten already, I shall make a list to aid you."
Jessamyn immediately found a paper and a quill and began listing the items missing from her house. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖
"Are you..." Emily’s voice shook with rage as she clenched her fists. "After everything you put me through, after turning my son against me, this is how you’re going to talk to me?"
Jessamyn didn’t even lift her head from the paper. "By the way, pick up that broom and start cleaning..." She pointed at the debris on the floor.
"Wh-what?" Emily’s jaw dropped in disbelief.
"Bring back the furniture thrown outside. Hurry up, it’s not going to clean itself," Jessamyn said, not bothering to look at Emily.
She folded the paper and looked directly at Emily. "Why are you still standing?"
"You—you—You dare to—" Emily stammered, unable to finish her sentence as she saw the grim expression Jessamyn wore. It was fear-inducing, and Emily didn’t want to provoke her further.
Jessamyn had once been a girl easily controlled by Emily’s strength and unfading wisdom. Surely, she couldn’t have grown out of that grip.
"Oh, shush, Emily!" Jessamyn tapped the table impatiently. "I don’t care what you’re going to say. You had fun throwing it away, now have fun bringing it back."
"I am not a servant, certainly not your servant, the last time I checked!" Emily raised her voice, expecting Jessamyn to cower as she had in the past. Raising her voice had always pushed Jessamyn to retreat.
"Oh," Jessamyn smirked, stepping closer. "Then who are you?"
Emily held her ground, but the sight of Jessamyn’s pure courage and defiance unnerved her. She knew she couldn’t give Jessamyn an inch.
"The Dowager Countess of Ravensworth? What will happen once Ethan knows what you did to my belongings? Have you thought about it? And your daughter is dead. Your son-in-law is marrying again. It’s me! He is marrying me. Whoever he has in his heart matters not, as I will be the lady of his house. Do you honestly think I will allow your stay in Theodulf Castle?"
Emily ground her teeth and fisted her hands. Jessamyn had a point.
Jessamyn picked up the leg of a broken chair from the floor. "I am not a widow anymore. I am the future Archduchess of Ayberia. Who do you think the guards will listen to?"
With a lopsided smile, Jessamyn stood in front of Emily.
"Nothing is finalized yet. Don’t you think you’re counting your chickens before they hatch?" Emily raised her brows.
Jessamyn gently patted down the leg of the chair to see how sturdy it was. It was heavy, and she shifted it from one hand to the other to get used to its weight.
"Anything can change anytime. You could be abandoned back to the corner at any moment. All it takes is—"
Before she could finish, Jessamyn brought the wooden stick down on Emily’s knees with a hard swing.
Emily screamed in pain, collapsing to the ground. Jessamyn stood over her, the remnants of her past weakness shattered along with the chair leg. She tossed the stick aside, her eyes burning with fierce determination.
"Get up," Jessamyn said coldly. "Start cleaning, naughty woman. You’re lacking discipline and that’s why you’re acting brazen!"
Emily, clutching her knees, looked up in terror. Her face twitched in pain and perspiration formed on her forehead. The realization that Jessamyn was no longer the scared girl she could manipulate dawned on her.
She was even using the same words she used to say to her and now she was saying that back to her while she could gather up the courage to hit her. Even she never hit that girl.
"Get up!" Jessamyn shouted again.
Emily couldn’t sit anymore. She tried to stand up but her knees hurt so badly, she couldn’t even move an inch.
"What? Does your knees hurt, mother?" Jessamyn asked gritting her teeth. "It’s all in your head..." Jessamyn said leaning closer to Emily’s face and pinched her chin harshly. Emily’s face twisted in pain.
"It’s all in your head. You’re not even hurting much... Isn’t that what you always say to me when I complain to my father about my pain, mother?" Jessamyn scoffed. "You shouldn’t have blocked me with your knees when I was playing with a stick. Don’t you agree, mother?"
Emily furrowed her brows. "You will pay for~"
Before she finished, Jessamyn used all the strength she had to hit Emily’s cheek. Emily fell on the floor, disoriented and bleeding from the corners of her lips.
"Get up, I say!"
Her screeching voice echoed in the house and Emily somehow found the strength to get up. She picked up the broom and started cleaning.
"At least, ask the servants to help. I cannot clean everything by myself..."
After working for one hour, with no end in sight, Emily pleaded. She couldn’t even move her legs freely and limped.
"Did you have the servants’ help to break it all? Did you have their help to push the furniture outside? Why should you need it now?"
Emily’s nose flared and even in that situation her first reaction was to get angry. Jessamyn pressed her lips and watched Emily clean little by little.
"You will pay for th~"
*Slap*
Jessamyn didn’t let Emily finish her word and slapped her once more. From then on, every time Emily tried to speak, she slapped her. She had slapped her enough times for her own hands to become red and swollen.
-----
The green eyes watching Jessamyn’s acts from outside the window clouded with tears as she slapped Emily with all her might.
Jerrick didn’t know what to do to see the hatred in Jessamyn’s eyes.
