“Alright,” I said simply. “Thank you for going to the house. Did you fix the leak on the roof?”
“Yes,” he said. “Ella seemed very grateful. It was in her room. Took her stepmother three months to mention it.”
“Good,” I replied. “That will be all, thank you, Jennings.”
The butler left my study and I was left alone with the envelope. I could practically smell her sweetness from it, even though I hadn’t even opened it yet. But now that I was alone, I was desperate to see what Jennings had found for me.
I knew he was discreet, and he wouldn’t tell anyone about my wishes. He was also married to his partner of twenty-seven years, so I had no worries about him having indecent thoughts about my girl.
My fingers tore into the envelope, and I let the contents fall into my lap.
A pair of pale pink cotton panties, trimmed with lace and ribbon. They were fresh out of the wash, the scent of laundry detergent making them smell like fresh, warm linen. But still, under that scent, I could detect a note that could only belong to my princess Ella. A sweetness that was so very her it couldn’t have come from anything else.
I lifted the lacy cotton fabric to my nose, breathing in her scent, filling my head with a concoction that was uniquely Ella Monroe and nobody else.
She was addictive, the fabric permeated with her scent, making me lose my fucking mind knowing she wasn’t in my arms, but instead at her stepmother’s mercy. I hated it. I wanted her with me, where she belonged. But for now, it was too soon. I’d have to learn to be patient and bide my time before I laid my hands on her.
I knew the moment was coming, and the idea of a Christmas ball was now firmly planted in my head.
I would make her mine there. Propose to her, collar her, and make her mine officially.
I couldn’t fucking wait for her to say yes .
T HE DAYS PASSED QUICKLY UNTIL it was only a week before Christmas.
Usually, it would be a family occasion for my dad and me. We always spent the holidays together, decorating the tree with ornaments we’d had since I was a little girl. But this year, I was painfully aware that it would be my first year without my father. And without the ornaments too, since Martha had tossed them all when we moved, despite my protesting. She’d said we had no use for clutter.
A week before Christmas, I found an envelope on the doormat in front of the cottage.
It was a midnight-blue envelope with a silver wax seal, just like I’d seen in the movies. My fingers shook as I picked it up.
I’d been working at Mr. Goldwyn’s house for the past few weeks, but Martha was mostly keeping me in the kitchen. I wasn’t too upset about it—I liked cooking, and since their regular chef was on maternity leave, I was happy to pick up the work. At least I could be alone when I did it since my stepmother was busy in the other parts of the house. It gave me time to think.
And worryingly, most of my thoughts still revolved around a certain man who’d captured my interest.
Rafe had seemed so interested in me, yet suddenly there was no sign of him. He wanted nothing to do with me anymore, or so it seemed. There were no more occasions where we bumped into one another, no more chance meetings. He was never around, and it was a bitter pill to swallow. I was only thankful I hadn’t mentioned him to Edna. She kept asking about my friend, but I acted shy and avoided the topic like the plague.
But now, standing there with the envelope between my fingers, I felt all those feelings I’d been trying to push away rushing back inside my body. My heart filled with hope as I held the envelope close and walked back inside.
I sat down in front of the fire in the living room, carefully breaking the seal. The silver seal held a family crest I’d seen in the Goldwyn house before. But even if I hadn’t, it was the symbol of their jewelers business, and anyone who knew anything about fashion had seen the symbol before.
The wax came away easily, lifting off the paper and letting me take out the contents. It was a simple card on thick paper, an invitation written in calligraphy on the front, and the family name embossed on the paper.
We cordially invite you to join us for a Christmas masquerade ball.
I kept reading, my eyes growing wider and the words dancing before my eyes. This couldn’t be… A ball at the mansion, in less than a week, and I was only now hearing about it? It should have been the talk of the help at the house. And never mind that, but what was an invitation even doing here at the cottage? I would have been sure it was a mistake, but my name was written right there, at the top… Miss Monroe.
“What have you got there?”
A hand with long, talon-like red nails snatched the invite from my hand.
I make one sad little grab for it before blushing and looking at my feet.
“Nothing,” I muttered as Martha straightened out the card and started reading. “It’s nothing, it must be a mistake.”
“A mistake?” she screeched, and I risked a look at her face. “This is no mistake, Ella! These are my dreams coming true!”
“Huh?” I felt about as confused as earlier. “What do you mean?”
She clung to the card and spun around the cottage.
“Can’t you see, you stupid girl?” she laughed out loud. “I’ve been invited to the Christmas ball… Everyone knows it’s the event of the season!”
“But I didn’t even k-know about it,” I stuttered. “Why did nobody tell me?”
“There was no need for you to know,” she chirped happily. “So, I didn’t think it was important enough to bring it up with you.”
“Right,” I said, boiling with anger. “What about my invitation? Can I have it back, please?”
“Back?” she gave me a bewildered look, then burst out laughing, her look patronizing. “Oh, you poor girl. You actually thought this was for you, didn’t you?”
She laughed as if it was the funniest thing in the world.
“Oh, Ella,” she giggled. “You’re hilarious. Obviously, the invitation is for me .”
“But…” I started, but she waved me off with her hand.
“I’m Miss Monroe,” she stated.
And I really couldn’t argue with her logic. We both were—and it made more sense for her to be invited to the ball. Why me? Why would anyone want me there, anyway?
I looked down at the floor, feeling the color draining from my cheeks. While I was blushing a few moments ago, I felt pale and colorless now, the subject of Martha’s amused laughter.
“You really thought Rafael Goldwyn would invite you to his Christmas ball?” she asked me. “To find his wife, no less…”
“What?” I repeated softly.
“Yes, you stupid girl,” she grinned at me triumphantly. “Everybody knows about it, I can’t believe you’ve been so blind.”
“Because you didn’t tell me!” I exploded, feeling hot tears prickling my eyes. “Because you kept everything from me!”
“It doesn’t matter,” Martha shrugged. “You’re not going, either way, you’re not invited.”
Now the tears really started to fall. Just thinking about Rafe trying to find someone to marry, someone to spend his life with, made my chest hurt. I knew I was being naive for the past two weeks, thinking he actually saw something in me, but… I always believed in fairytales. Even when I was just a little girl. But now, my world had fallen apart, and there was no hope anymore. No crown for the peasant girl, and no prince for the pauper. All gone, a house of cards fallen down.
“You will not come to the house today,” Martha said. “You may stay at home and work on my dress. You are a proficient seamstress.”
“But I…” I started, one look from Martha cutting me off. I blinked away the tears. “Yes, Martha. Anything you need.”
She gave me a self-satisfied smile and waltzed out of the room, the invitation held to her chest.
She might have won the battle, but I was going to win the war. Because once this ball was over and done with, I’d be on my way out of town, heading for th
e big city. I wasn’t going to be Martha’s slave forever. And even if it meant leaving Rafe behind… I was ready to do whatever it took to get away from her.
“Come on, Ella,” Edna told me, rolling her eyes. “You’re not telling me you’ll listen to her.”
“What else am I supposed to do?” I asked her in exasperation. “I need to be on my best behavior, so she doesn’t suspect I’m running away on that night.”
“I know,” she said. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a little bit of fun since it will be the last day you spend in this town.”
“Edna,” I giggled. “What did you have in mind?”
She nudged me and winked at me.
“I think you should go to the ball,” she said with determination. “I really do. You said the ball is a masquerade?”
“Yes,” I nodded. “A Christmas masquerade ball, whatever that means.”
“It means it will be magical,” she whispered, whistling. “I’ve been to a few balls the Goldwyns have thrown, and they were always unforgettable. Trust me, sweetheart. You are going to love it.”
“But how am I supposed to go?” I asked her miserably. “I don’t have an invitation…”
“So what’s a little gatecrashing?” she asked with a smile playing on her face. “I’ve done it before.”
“Really?” I asked doubtfully. “Won’t I get in trouble for that?”
“I don’t think so,” she winked.
“But what about my dress?” I remembered. “I have nothing appropriate to wear… Nothing that would look good.”
“Well, that’s where I come in,” she said, taking my hand and leading me towards her legendary wardrobe.
My eyes lit up as she turned on the lights in the room, illuminating row after row of incredible clothes that hadn’t been worn in decades.
“Oh Edna,” I whispered. “Your dresses… I couldn’t take one of them.”
“You could,” she said. “And you will. Actually, I insist. We’ll find the perfect one for you, now come along, we don’t have all day.”
I giggled and let her drag me between the racks of beautiful fabrics, my fingertips touching the sequined material, the sheer tulle, the beautiful feathers. Her walk-in closet was what dreams were made of, and standing amidst the luxury of the beautiful clothes, I imagined, just for a second, that I could actually do this…
We spent hours upon hours going through Edna’s clothes, and I tried on dress after dress until we were both so tired from giggling and the sheer excitement, we settled down for a cup of tea. The fire in her small fireplace was burning bright, and the sound of the crackling embers was calming my frayed nerves.
“Edna,” I finally spoke up. “I’m sorry I’m leaving you behind.”
“What?” She raised her head to look at me. “Oh darling, nonsense. I understand. You need to get away from this place.”
The whole time, a small knowing smile was playing on her lips that I didn’t quite understand. I didn’t question it, figuring she was trying not to let me see how upset she was about me leaving.
“I’ll write and call all the time,” I promised her. “And you know I really will… I will miss you so much, Edna. I feel like you’re all I have in this horrible town.”
“Darling,” she said calmly. “I think you’re looking at it a little too negatively. I promise you the town isn’t so bad… It could be beautiful with the right person.”
Once again, her eyes sparkled with mischief, and I gave her a curious look as she drank her tea. But she wouldn’t meet my eye, playing innocent and like she didn’t know what I was getting into.
I set down my empty cup and got up from my chair sighing.
“I guess it’s time I headed back,” I said with regret. “Martha will be looking for me.”
“If you need anything, you know where to find me,” Edna said, hugging me tightly. “Don’t leave without saying goodbye, Ella.”
“I would never,” I smiled, blinking away the tears in my eyes. “You know I would never do that. You are my family.”
“And you are mine,” she smiled at me with a hint of sadness in her eyes. “Now go on, Ella. I don’t want you walking home in the darkness all alone. Go on. Go.”
She walked me outside and waved me off into the cold afternoon. It was already dark outside, and the scent of snow in the air was heavier than ever. It was bound to snow any day now, and I couldn’t wait for it, even though it could potentially mean trouble on my way out of the city.
I loved the wintertime.
And now, I had another reason to look forward to Christmas… Even though I was well aware that there was no future for me and Rafael Goldwyn.
But that didn’t mean I couldn’t have a little bit of fun for once.
I WATCHED HER RETURN, HER shoulders hunched and her arms wrapped around her tiny body to protect her from the cold. And before I could stop myself, I stepped out of the car and rushed towards her, wrapping her in my arms that were so much bigger, so much stronger than hers.
She flinched when I touched her, but when her eyes met mine she slowly relaxed, her tight body sagging against mine. I helped her get to the door, her fingers shaking badly as she took the keys out of her purse, trying to unlock the door. She sneezed in the cutest possible way, and the keys dropped on the ground between us. We both bent down at the same time, nearly bumping heads.
“I’m s-sorry,” she stuttered, and I picked the keys up before pulling her up with me.
“That’s alright, princess,” I told her, dangling the keys in front of her eyes. “I think you dropped these.”
She looked right into my eyes as she took them from me, unlocking the door for me. So, she was alone. Fucking perfect.
I followed behind her into the cottage. It hadn’t changed much since I’d last been in it—there were barely any personal belongings in there, and the interior seemed sterile and boring. Not like my Ella at all. I bet if it was up to her, she wouldn’t have the house the way Martha liked to keep it.
“Are you going to come–” she started, turning around and bumping against my chest.
She let out a small panicked gasp and took a step back. My eyes were fixated on her lips, barely open and looking up at me like she was awaiting further instructions. Fuck, she really knew how to get me hard in seconds. I’d only come over to make sure she’d gotten my invitation. It had barely been a minute and she already had me thinking about putting her on her knees and teaching her how to fucking treat a cock properly.
“I’m already here,” I muttered, and she swallowed thickly when she looked up at me. “Are you going to offer me a cup of tea?”
“Of c-course,” she stammered, motioning for me to follow her.
I walked to the kitchen, bending down so I could get under the low support beams on the ceiling. She turned around and stifled a giggle at the sight of me standing there like a giant in a dollhouse.
“What is it?” I asked her, a hint of a smile playing on my lips. “Are you surprised to see me?”
She shrugged, starting to prepare the cup of tea she’d promised me.
“A little,” she said softly, her sweet little voice making the hairs on my arms stand up. “I was hoping I would see you before…”
I took a step closer, my words a breath against the shell of her ear.
“Before the ball?” I asked her gently, and she shivered, the cup she was holding dancing in her fingers. I caught it and held it with her own hand, saying, “You better be careful with that, little princess.”
“T-thanks,” she said, letting go of me and filling the cup with boiling water. “Why did you think you’d get to see me at the ball?”
I furrowed my brows in confusion. “Did you not get my invitation? I told them specifically to deliver it here while you were home.”
She turned around, offering me the cup of steaming tea and looking up at me with those sinful fucking eyes. She made me want to rip both our clothes off, take her right there on the fucking floor. I c
ould barely resist the urge, letting out a growl at the sight of her hopeful eyes, those pillowy lips parting slightly for me.
“I did get it,” she said slowly. “But Martha said it was for her.”
“Martha?” It took me a second to realize what she meant, and then I burst out laughing. “Oh, God no. I… How could she think that? Of course, she’s welcome to come, but… Not like that.”
“You sure she knows that?” Ella asked me with a little smile that made me laugh out loud again.
I took the cup of tea from her and she led me into the living room. This was the room where I could see Ella the most. There was a chunky blanket folded neatly at the end of the sofa, and a small frame with an older man and a younger Ella in the photo. I stared at it for a long time, and she must have seen me noticing because she reached for it and put it face down.
“This is the only photo she lets you keep out?” I asked her gently, the tea warming my hands through the porcelain.
She averted her eyes, obviously not wanting to answer me.
“She lets me have some things in this room,” she finally admitted. “Since I sleep here.”
“You… sleep here?” I gave her a confused look. “What, on the fucking couch?”
“You don’t have to growl,” she said. “It’s not so bad. It’s warm in front of the fire.”
“Ella, this is a two-bedroom house,” I said harshly. “Why aren’t you in the other bedroom upstairs?”
She swallowed, refusing to look at me.
“Ella,” I said with a warning tone to my voice. “Tell me right now.”
“She turned it into a walk-in closet,” Ella whispered, and I cursed out loud. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you–”
I got out of the chair and slammed my cup down, spilling tea all over the nice coffee table.
“Please,” Ella said in a panic. “Don’t, you’ll leave a stain…”
I swept the cup off with one hand, and we both watched as the porcelain broke and its milky contents spilled all over the rug. There was a horrible silence in the room before Ella let out a choked sob, and fell to her knees, gathering the broken pieces of the mug.
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