Replaced, Betrayed, Reborn

While I was going over the design, I kept catching shadows flickering past the window.

I knew they were Jennifer's people. I didn't bother with them.

Until the day Scott stormed into my courtyard, his face dark as iron.

Behind him, a trembling maid followed, holding a filthy cloth doll stuffed with silver needles. A slip of paper with Jennifer's birth details was pinned to it.

"General Holden… This was dug up from under the linden tree in Lady Holden's courtyard…"

Her voice shook.

Scott's gaze swept the room, then landed in the corner.

The newly made bathtub sat there, long and deep. To anyone in this world, it probably looked super strange.

"What is that?"

His voice was cold enough to freeze over.

I hadn't even opened my mouth when Jennifer was helped inside, looking frail, as if she might collapse at any second.

She glanced at the tub, then covered her mouth, her eyes filling with tears.

"That shape… I've seen it in old texts. It looks like something used for blood rituals… Lillian, do you hate me and my unborn child that much?"

The veins at Scott's temple bulged.

"That's not it," I tried to explain. "I was going to use it to…"

"To perform some kind of curse on Jennifer and her child. Isn't that right?" Scott cut me off, his eyes filled with complete disappointment. "Lillian, I thought you were just jealous. I never expected you to be this vicious."

"I'm not…"

I wanted to explain, but there was no way to make any of this sound normal.

"Search the place," Scott ordered.

More "evidence" turned up.

A few sharp knives, some half-finished anatomical sketches I had drawn, showing blood vessels in a modern style, and the small stash of anesthetic herbs I had secretly saved.

All of it was laid out.

"What else do you have to say?"

Scott looked at me like I was something filthy.

"Lock her up."

He turned away, not even willing to look at me again.

"Put all this garbage in there with her. No one opens that door without my permission."

I was shoved roughly inside.

The door slammed shut. The lock clicked into place.

The bathtub, the doll, the knives, the drawings, and the herbs all stayed in that dim room with me.

[I can't believe this. Does this villainess not have a mouth? Why isn't she explaining herself?]

[This is so frustrating! That trash man can go to hell, and honestly, so can that woman who won't even speak up for herself!]

[Our girl is so much better. She's smart and capable. Way out of the villainess's league!]

Reading those comments, the curve of my lips slowly grew wider until I was grinning from ear to ear.

I was finally going home.

Reward money, here I come!

-

A day later.

Scott's irritated voice came from outside.

"Open the door. I want to see if she's learned anything after being locked up this long."

The lock rattled, and the door was kicked open.

Light poured in.

What greeted him wasn't his stubborn, vicious wife.

It was a tub filled with bright red blood and a pale, lifeless body.

In my hand, I was still clutching a letter with only a few simple lines written on it.

[Use my blood for Jennifer. It will completely cure her Aphrodisiac Curse. My love, I wish you and Jennifer a lifetime of happiness.]