Three weeks had gone by fast.
Much faster than in her previous life. Stella had been spending her valuable time bickering with Ophelia daily, teaching the two siblings horse riding in private, and spending a plentiful amount of time getting to know them. As she remembered correctly, there should be no crucial events leading up to Ophelia’s 22nd birthday.
Then, all of a sudden, she was surprised when Ophelia told her that the Marquis wanted to speak to her in person. Without knowing what to expect, she was called over to his office, where both the Marquis and Marchioness of Chevalier were expecting her arrival. She didn’t have any recollection of this kind of situation, and what he brought up left her bewildered in disbelief.
“Huh?” Stella was stunned for a second. “I’ll be attending the Northland Academy in two months?”
This middle-aged man, who orchestrated her father’s assassination, offered to cover the tuition fees and send Stella to the academy. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing, feeling as though she wasn’t talking to the same Marquis Hugh she knew in the previous time.
“My daughter told me that you’re 20, which is the rightful age to enroll.” The Marquis continued. “As you are currently under Chevalier’s care and soon to become my daughter-in-law, I would like to fully support your education on Cedric’s behalf.”
Stella’s mind had gone through mental gymnastics. She wasn’t expecting this to happen so soon. What could’ve suddenly got him to act so differently this time, and pretentiously embrace the role as a good father-in-law? There were too many unanswered questions running through her mind, and perhaps her actions throughout the past three weeks had begun to have a major impact.
“I’m extremely grateful for your kindness, Marquis.” Stella lowered his head. Despite the confusion, she intended to seize this golden opportunity.
He was awfully kind and offered to handle all the application processes and tuition fees on her behalf. As the Marchioness noticed her confusion, she walked up to pat Stella’s shoulder to reassure her that it was out of their goodwill.
“Especially since you will soon become part of our family,” The Marchioness smiled. “We both wish to support and provide the best things for you after your tragic loss.”
“I’m very…touched by both of your generosity,” Stella said, playing along with them so they wouldn’t suspect her unusual reaction.
Once she returned to the garden, both Chevalier siblings were already waiting for her. At this moment, her mind was in a muddle. This perhaps was the first major anomaly of the timeline, and she came out of it with more unanswered questions. Nevertheless, this change ultimately gave her the chance that she did not have in her previous life.
Stella would need to make quick adjustments to her plans later tonight.
“So, what did father speak with you about?” Ophelia asked, while casually sipping her tea.
Stella couldn’t shake away the feeling that her fiancée most likely knew what her father called her for already, but she still asked anyway.
“It is about my enrolment in the academy in two months,” Stella answered. Her eyes fixed on Ophelia to take note of any subtle change in her expression. “Lord Chevalier offered to help with the process and the tuition fees.”
“I see,” Ophelia said, bringing the rim of the cup to her lips. “Good to hear.”
“…??”
That was quite an abrupt end to their conversation, leaving Stella even more confused by Ophelia’s nonchalant response. She was still quite baffled by the entire situation, and shortly after, the omega took note of her unusual silence.
“What is with that confused look you’re wearing?” Ophelia asked. “I thought you would be delighted that father was merciful enough to allow you to attend the academy.”
“Well, you can say I’m slightly baffled,” Stella said, exhaling quietly. “I wasn’t expecting Lord Chevalier to be so generous with me, which is quite out of character...”
“You’re speaking quite strangely,” Ophelia said, glancing at her from the corner of her eye. “You are at the appropriate age to attend the academy, so what is so odd about that?”
Cold chills ran down her spine before her heart dropped for a second. Stella was behaving too suspiciously toward the Marquis, and her observant fiancée was quick to notice that. Ophelia was right about Stella being at the right age to enroll, but the point was that this never happened in the previous timeline. She was imprisoned in the manor with the Chevaliers treating her like an animal in an attempt to break her spirit entirely through absolute oppression. The more she became broken, the easier it would be for them to manipulate her.
“What I meant is that he didn’t have to offer to pay everything,” Stella replied at once, correcting herself before Ophelia would find her actions even more suspicious. “He could’ve easily demanded that Albrecht pay for my education instead, but he offered to pay instead…”
Stella knew that the Marquis only saw her as a tool and had little to no care for her mental well-being. All he needed was her functional, fertile body to produce a legitimate heir for him, but that was the truth that she shouldn’t be aware of yet. The true nature of the family was yet to be revealed, so she needed to be extra careful with how she was behaving around Ophelia. She must still pretend to be the oblivious alpha, unaware of the truth of her family’s downfall.
“…Hmm, not bad. You are not that oblivious after all.” Ophelia kept her eyes on her as she was quite amused by Stella’s perceptive mind beyond her age. “Allow me to enlighten you then. The only reason my father is utterly generous with you is that you are my property.”
In public eyes, everyone knew Stella as Ophelia’s fiancée, who currently lived with the Chevalier. If rumors spread that she did not attend the school despite being under their care, it would reflect on their family’s name poorly. It would be in Marquis’s best interest to present himself as a good father-in-law figure to the public by supporting her academics on behalf of Stella’s biological father, who recently passed away. This would inevitably boost his reputation and fame within a noble society.
“The fact we were kindly enough to feed you well and give you a roof to sleep under is because you are substantially useful to us in many ways, your Albrecht bloodline, in particular.”
Stella had embraced that truth for many years already, which made it hard to pretend to be in pain upon hearing that from Ophelia for the first time. She was aware of how many people tried to approach her with various ulterior motives that she couldn’t be bothered to list out. Marquis Chevalier was one of those people but was just far crueler than anyone else. He murdered his old friend to seize House Albrecht.
Everything that Ophelia said was justifiable, but if that was the case, then what made it different this time, though?
In the previous life, Marquis could’ve done that to let her guard down and further boost his reputation from this situation, but he didn’t. Was it just because she was well-behaved this time? What was different this time? She wasn’t convinced that could be the only reason, but as of right now, she would accept this priceless offer and make the best out of it.
A couple of days later, the Marquis called her in again to meet with one of the professors from the Northland Academy regarding her enrolment application. A man of his fame and power could easily call one of the senior professors to authorize her student application by today. Stella triple-checked every single paper before she signed them to make sure they were for the school application before the professor checked through all the documents. This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
Once completed, Stella did not forget to turn to Marquis Hugh and thank him for his extraordinary generosity. Even though she despised him to the core, Stella had to play into her character as a harmless, oblivious child to keep his guard down with her.
“Thank you so much for your generosity once again, Lord Chevalier.” Stella lowered her head.
“I’m glad to support my daughter-in-law’s future,” The Marquis smiled as he patted her shoulder. “I should do what I can to fill in your father’s shoes.”
He was putting on a good father-in-law act in front of the professor. Stella could feel her blood boiling, but she had to force herself to smile. It was a long meeting since she had to go through many documents, but at least her application to the academy was officially approved and sorted. The alpha would be attending the academy with Ophelia, but before that happened, she had to remind herself that her fiancée’s birthday party would be next week. This meant that Stella needed to head into town to pick up the special orders she made last week. As her mind drifted elsewhere, a familiar scent reached her nose, rekindling the raging flame of hatred that had never truly died.
“Oh my, so the rumors are true!” A female voice came from behind.
Stella looked over her shoulder to meet a group of young Chevaliers who had just returned from their long summer vacation. The moment her eyes met them, the alpha felt her nerves twitch with great displeasure. Stella could never forget them that easily: Ophelia’s obnoxious cousins, obnoxious and foul-tempered, just like Theo and Eleanor. Then there was this woman in the middle, wrapped in that thick, disgusting vanilla-scented pheromone. Even the faintest trace of it was enough to twist her gut with anger and disgust.
“You must be Ophelia’s pet, hey?” She smiled, approaching her. “You’re quite cute now that I have a better look at you…”
That omega was none other than Mabel Chevalier. That face, that voice, that scent, and that presence. Just the sight of her dragged Stella back to that hideous night, when she was drugged and nearly assaulted by her. If she were being honest, setting aside any pretense of alpha chivalry, Stella would love nothing more than to plant her fist in that woman’s face, right here, right now. But that wouldn’t be the wisest decision to make. Her pheromones leaked out, intimidating, as she shot daggers at them. It was more than enough to send a cold sweat crawling down their spines. Stella had no reason to fear these spineless cowards with nonexistent dignity.
“You dare to threaten us?” one of the boys said. “Do you even know who you are looking at?”
“Of course, I do know you guys quite well,” Stella said, her tone cold and indifferent. “You were all from the branch families.”
Years spent living among the Chevaliers had taught her a thing or two about the disparities and tension running between the main family line and lesser branches. Not known to outsiders, as the family was far too meticulous about protecting its public image. To the public, every Chevalier member appeared equal. Behind closed doors, there was a hierarchy within the family itself. In every generation, whoever led the current Marquis's household became the main line, sitting at the very top. Everyone else, born outside that line, automatically became second-class status, or worse, third.
“Even if I am Ophelia’s pet, I am still an Albrecht noble and Duke of Northland’s daughter.” Stella shrugged, brimming with quiet confidence. “How about all of you here?”
Her overbearing presence silenced them at once, and their earlier grins vanished in an instant. They had meant to have some fun ridiculing the alpha, but the roles had reversed. Now it was they who found themselves on the receiving end of her contemptuous stare.
“Y-You—!!” One of the young men stepped forward.
Caleb Chevalier. He was one of the boys among the crowd. Stella knew her words must’ve pierced them, like a sharp blade, reminding them of their inferiority complex, which was her goal from the start. She had no reason to be nice to them. The only people she needed to be on good terms with would be the Marquis and Marchioness of Chevalier.
“I must take my leave,” Stella said, smiling. “You better hope Ophelia will forgive all of you for wasting my time since she’s expecting me right now.”
She bowed and took her leave with a satisfied smirk after she exacted an act of sweet revenge against those annoying brats. Walking down the corridor, she arrived at the gazebo where Matteo and Ophelia were waiting for her. Encountering those people earlier had soured her mood, but the moment she saw those two siblings, that feeling disappeared at once
“Stella, we’re over here.” A pink-haired man waved at her energetically.
“She could see us just fine, Matteo,” Ophelia said, bringing the rim of the cup to her lips.
These two made the corner of Stella’s lips lift unconsciously. She joined them for the afternoon picnic and discussed heading into town sometime this week. Stella then remembered that the bookstore they had gone to last time said they would have a large batch of newly released books. The moment the alpha finished her sentence, a spark of joy ignited behind Matteo’s eyes.
“Ophelia, could we?” Matteo turned to Ophelia with pleading eyes. “Please?”
It worked. Ophelia took them to the city the following day. Even though Stella felt partly guilty for using Matteo, this was the most efficient and effortless approach to get Ophelia to do things for them. If Stella were to ask, she would certainly shoot down her request in the blink of an eye.
They headed into the town the next morning, to the bookstore Matteo requested. Now that they were in the city, Stella managed to get some alone time after successfully convincing Ophelia that she needed to drop by the stationery store to purchase writing materials. With that short time window, Stella slipped into the quiet alley in the downtown district where only a handful of people knew about this hidden jewelry shop.
This place was one of the hidden gems within the alleys of the city, owned by commoners, an artisan couple. Despite their finesse and craftsmanship, their origin as commoners hindered them from marketing within the aristocratic society. However, thanks to Viscount Lemaire’s investment in their business over the next 3 years, they would forge their name among the aristocrats and even the royal family for their unique custom design and finest craftsmanship.
“Good afternoon,” Stella said, pushing through the door. “I came to pick up my custom order that I requested a week ago.”
“Ah yes! Please wait here, Lady Stella.” The artisan lady greeted her customer with a smile and lowered her head. “Your custom orders are ready for pickup.”
The artisan lady, one of the owners of this shop, asked Stella to sit down before she brought over the bracelets she ordered. The first one was the same exact bracelet that she once gave to Ophelia for her birthday in the past, a bracelet made of lavender-colored crystals, but with some minor adjustments. She specifically requested a cheap imitation of the original bracelet since it would be destroyed by Ophelia on the night of the birthday banquet. It would be a waste of her money to purchase the original one, which wasn’t exactly that cheap either.
“I’m very pleased with this. It’s perfect.” Stella said, admiring its details. “Please tell the artisan that this is a replica of what I described.”
“We’re grateful to meet your expectations, Lady Stella.” The middle-aged lady beamed. “I will make sure to pass your feedback to my husband.”
Stella didn’t make just one order, but two bracelets in total. One was meant to be a fake gift, and another one was meant to be her real birthday present. She ordered a beautiful white gold bracelet with a simple yet sophisticated design, just the way the omega actually liked. Stella could tell that the artisan couple meticulously crafted the designs and incorporated the finest grade of amethyst as well. Enjoying the story? Read on at novelping . com.
“I’m very pleased with both orders.” A soft smile touched Stella’s lips. “Please wrap them up for me.”
Just as Stella was about to pay for her order, the generous artisan lady had a special offer for her. She brought out a selection of handcrafted charms that she could choose and add to the white gold bracelet free of charge.
“Unfortunately, we would have more selections for you to choose from, but these are the only two designs we have left in our stock. We will add the charm to the bracelet for you before I wrap the box.”
The alpha stared at the two charms and noticed that one of them was a heart shape. Without a second thought, she chose the other one since it would be awkward to choose a heart-shaped charm for someone she had no special feelings for. After paying for the custom orders, she bought several writing materials along the way before returning to join the siblings at the bookstore. Thanks to Matteo, he kept Ophelia occupied this entire time, so she didn’t notice how long Stella was gone. Once the brother was done with his shopping spree, they returned to the manor and rested before dinner time.
Tonight, there was a large dinner at the nearby hall instead. From what Matteo had told her, it was a gathering between the main line and the lesser branches, a minor dinner not worth remembering. All of Ophelia's cousins were there as well, and every one of them shot daggers at her, though none dared to approach Stella.
Once dinner was over, Stella left the hall with only Matteo. Ophelia had excused herself earlier, since she still had a lot of birthday planning to do. Unfortunately, a woman who had been following them interrupted them.
“Lady Stella, do you have a minute?”
A woman’s voice made both Stella and Matteo stop. She didn’t even need to turn around to figure out that it was Mabel. Her nauseating vanilla-scented pheromones stuck out like a sore thumb. Even though she wished she could just ignore her completely, this woman wouldn’t stop pestering until Stella spoke to her.
“…State your business,” Stella said, her tone sharp like a warning. “I do not have time to waste since Ophelia is expecting me to return to my room.”
“I would like to apologize to you for yesterday,” Mabel said. “What others and I said to you was uncalled for.”
Wearing a friendly façade, she had followed Stella just to apologize for her own and her cousins’ disrespectful attitude, but Stella wasn’t buying it in the slightest. The Mabel she knew so well was the embodiment of selfishness, narcissism, and arrogance. Seeing how pretentious she was being now made Stella sick to the stomach. It was obvious this was just an act. She wasn’t the least bit sorry for what she had done.
“Allow me to be clear: I couldn't care less what any of you, members of the lesser branches, think of me,” Stella said, her voice carrying commanding authority. “Whether you apologize or not has no value to me. I'd appreciate it if you directed that inferiority complex toward the main family instead, and stopped wasting my time. I have far more important matters to attend to.”
Stella glared at her, watching Mabel's face twist with bewilderment and anger. Even Matteo, who wasn't part of the conversation at all, was shocked by how brutal she could be. He was used to her gentle presence whenever she was with him and Ophelia, but for the first time, those blue eyes were cold. He sensed something close to a bottomless pit of contempt in them, enough to send a chill down his spine.
“Let’s not waste our time any longer,” Stella said, turning around. “Let’s go, Matteo.”
“R-Right.” He nodded.
Stella reverted to her usual self, patting his back gently as they walked away. Just before they could go any further, Mabel’s attitude shifted at once. She began to realize that being friendly to this Albrecht alpha wasn’t working in her favor.
“I’m being nice to you here since you are the most pitiful one here,” Mabel said, her voice laced with frustration. “Are you so stupid that you’re not aware that you’re just a plaything for that bitch?”
“The only bitch I see around here is you.” Stella kept her eyes forward on the corridor. Her voice was like a weapon, cutting deep into Mabel.
Stella continued to push Matteo forward, wordlessly telling him not to stop or look back. He already knew that his elder sister and Mabel had bad blood between them, but what terrified him more was how Stella remained unfazed. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that something about Stella’s presence and demeanor somewhat resembled his sister. They were both mature, intelligent, composed, and pragmatic.
“Mark my words,” Mabel said, almost hissing. “You’ll regret not listening to my warning once you learn how cruel that bitch is.”
Stella could agree with her that Ophelia was a cruel person, though not in the way others saw her. Ophelia treated everyone, her own family included, as pieces on her chessboard, sacrificing them and even herself, and deciding everyone's fate, Stella's among them, whether the alpha consented to it or not.
The two of them kept walking until they arrived at Matteo’s room. Stella looked around to double-check that no one was following them before she let out a long exhale. She turned to him and noticed the discomfort across the young man’s face. Their encounter with Mabel must’ve made him uneasy.
“Don’t listen to that witch,” Stella said, trying to cheer him up. “They just envy how superior and successful Ophelia was compared to them.”
“I know.” Matteo nodded. “Lady Mabel never did like sister ever since I could remember.”
“Why am I not surprised,” Stella said, her arms crossed.
Matteo may be quiet and an introvert, but he was not naïve. He saw and heard everything that happened within the Chevalier estate, but chose to lay low. It was no surprise to Stella why Ophelia was protective of him. The young man was too gentle for a cruel place like this. How unfortunate he was born into the Chevalier family.
“Matteo,” Stella said, turning to him. “Could you keep what happened earlier a secret from Ophelia?”
The young boy made eye contact with those gentle blue eyes before nodding firmly. Despite Stella’s intimidating presence earlier, she was always kind and gentle with them. Despite seeing how scary she could become, he wasn’t scared of her.
“Okay,” Matteo said. “I won’t tell her about what happened earlier.”
She smiled before saying her goodnight to the younger brother, before returning to her room to rest for the night. Now that she was lying in bed and staring at the ceiling of her bedroom, many thoughts and emotions started to resurface. Honestly, Stella was nervous about the upcoming birthday banquet, as Ophelia’s 22nd birthday marked the start of Chevalier’s cruelty and the revelation of their true nature. Uncertain what the outcome might be after next week, she hoped that her efforts since day one would be enough to prevent history from repeating itself.