“What’s wrong with you, Leilani?” Florence Bamford asks, “What do you mean by this disrespect? I graciously invited you to tea and you respond with such terrible manners!”
“Grandma,” Leonie soothes, “Leilani must have only just awoken. She probably didn’t have time to get dressed.”
Florence Bamford makes a disapproving sound and sips her tea. Leilani enters the room and sits casually on one of the upholstered chairs. Florence opens her mouth to speak, but Leilani interrupts her.
“Grandma, I didn’t come to listen to you talk nonsense,” she says, “Please just say what you want to say so I can leave.”
“Nonsense!” Florence thinks, outraged, “The nerve of this upstart young woman to speak to me that way!”
The wrinkles on her face deepened with anger. Gently, Leonie strokes her back.
“Grandma, she might not be fully awake yet,” she murmurs.
Grandma sips her tea and her expression calms.
“Very well,” she says, “I asked you to come to inform you that Leonie and Waylen had s.e.x last night. From now on, I consider both of you as my granddaughters-in-law. Though you are Waylen’s legal wife, you have failed to perform your marital duties. I want you to understand that Leonie now takes precedence over you.”
Leilani straightens in her chair and looks at Leonie. The woman is wearing an off-the-shoulder dress today, flaunting the bluish-purple spots on her neck. She has not attempted to cover them with makeup. Realizing that Leilani is looking at her neck, Leonie pretends to rearrange her hair, giving Leilani a better view. The hickeys extend up to her ear and down to her clavicle.
“Oh, is that all?” Leilani leans back with a lazy yawn, “I thought there was some emergency. Did you wake me up for this? Grandma, you may be old and have difficulty sleeping, but we are young and shouldn’t be bothered so early in the morning.”
Florence Bamford has never been treated with so much contempt in her life. She can feel her blood pressure rising with anger.
“What is wrong with your attitude?”
“Would you like to teach me what attitude I should have?” Leilani asks
“Why, you little—”
“Grandma, don’t be angry,” Leonie soothes, “Maybe we’ve been too hasty. Waylen hasn’t given me any special status yet. It was just one night, and he may never want to see me again.”
“Stupid child,” Florence says, “Waylen has already given you that status. He chose you over Leilani; he had s.e.x with you instead of Leilani. For all we know, you could be carrying his child right now. If you have his baby, you will be far more important and special than Leilani even though she’s his legal wife.”
Florence Bamford pauses and gives Leilani a quick, cold glance, “Besides, if you have Waylen’s child, I’ll arrange things so you can become his legal wife.”
“Grandma, this should be Waylen’s choice,” Leonie says shyly. She blushes up to her ears, “Besides, last night, we had some help—”
Florence Bamford turns to look at Leonie, “Child, you were already on his mind.”
In a colder voice, she questions Leilani “I heard you sent Leonie and Waylen a candle with a special fragrance last night?”
“Yes, I did,” Leilani admits, “What’s wrong with that?”
“Do you remember the law?” Florence asks, “Possession of any kind of mind-altering drug is forbidden. Anyone who violates the law will be punished severely.”
When Waylen was fourteen years old a maid drugged him and attempted to seduce him. The Bamford family was furious, and they exerted their political power to pass a harsh ban on all drugs. The family is still especially sensitive about aphrodisiacs.
Florence Bamford slaps the carved armrest of her sofa, “Come on, grab the young mistress,” she orders the maids, “Hit, her and see if she dares to use drugs again!”
The maids rush toward Leilani. Leilani grabs a teacup from the coffee table and slams it to the ground. The delicate cup shatters, and small pieces of porcelain scatter across the floor. The maids are frightened and they back away. Leilani steps away, too.
“I sent a specially scented candle,” she repeats calmly, “What’s wrong with that?”
“It’s alright to send a candle, but it’s illegal to add anything that might harm Waylen.”
“What kind of illegal thing do you think I added?” Leilani asks, “I just sent a nicely scented candle. Why are you so worked up? Grandma, as an elderly woman, you should show some concern for your blood pressure.”
“Do you want to deny your guilt?”
“Was there some sort of drug in the candle?” Leilani asks, “Do you have any evidence?”
She knows she sent a fragrant candle to Waylen, but it was a normal candle. She just wanted to set the mood for seduction, to help ensure that Waylen would sleep with Leonie. If there was a drug in the candle, someone else must have added it.
“Anyway,” Leilani thinks, “This isn’t the first time something suspicious has happened here.”
“Evidence?” Florence is outraged, “Leonie’s words are the evidence! Do you insist on denying your guilt? Shame on you!”
She gestures to the maids, “Tie her up!”
“Which one of you dares to touch me?” Leilani asks.
She glares at the maids. Her expression is so cruel and threatening that the maids don’t dare to move even half a step.
“Grandma, forget it,” Leonie says, “I don’t think Leilani meant to hurt anyone. I believe she’s kind.”
“Is she? Don’t be stupid, child. She just wanted to seduce Waylen herself. She didn’t suspect that Waylen would seek you out. Besides, anyone who uses a disgusting drug like that should be punished, no matter their intentions.”
Leilani smiles as if the whole conversation is a joke.
“Look at me, do you think I need drugs to seduce my husband?” Leilani gestured to herself, even in pajamas she’s beautiful, “You must be confused, Grandma. Let me explain, I don’t need to seduce him because we’ve already had s.e.x.”
“S.e.x?” Florence Bamford looks shocked.
“Leilani, how can you lie to your grandma this way? You’ve been Waylen’s wife for three years, and everyone knows you tried every possible method to seduce him. But Waylen wouldn’t even touch you!” Leonie shouts, “You don’t honestly expect us to believe that Waylen would make love with you if he wasn’t drugged! If you play with fire, you always get burnt, Leilani, and I sure hope you get torched!”
By the end of her speech, Leonie is so angry her entire body shakes. Even though she’s lost her temper, she knows Mrs. Florence Bamford will take her side and defend her against Leilani.
Leilani tries to stifle her laughter, but she can’t hold it in.
“Don’t misunderstand me,” Leilani says, laughing, “I did seduce Waylen, and it wasn’t easy, but I didn’t resort to drugs. Maybe it was easier for you to get my husband into bed, Leonie because you drugged him yourself. Regardless, I warn you not to take your time with him for granted. I’m still his wife, after all.”
“I…I didn’t…you sent the candle last night,” Leonie stutters.
“She will be his legal wife sooner or later,” Florence says, “Don’t think you can remain his wife much longer.”
Leilani is tired of the conversation. Distractedly, she plays with her ring.
“Do you think I want to be Waylen’s wife?” she asks, “Everyone thinks Waylen Bamford is some sort of treasure, but honestly, he’s not even worth the paper it takes to divorce him. Whoever wants him, can have him. It’s none of my business anymore.”
The maids gasp. Though they may find Waylen Bamford overly demanding, Leilani is far too bold to speak so flippantly about him. Suddenly, there’s a shout from the doorway, and the doors fly open. A tall, imposing figure stands on the threshold, listening.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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