The Villianess story: A 100 ways to kill your husband
Chapter 265: Darkhaven secret

Chapter 265: Darkhaven secret

The soft chime of bells rang as Abrielle, her mother, and Aunt Ava stepped past the grand glass doors of The Gilded Rose Club. The moment they entered, they were greeted by the delicate aroma of jasmine and honey, mingling with the rich scent of freshly brewed tea.

The interior of the club was a testament to luxury. The floors were polished marble, gleaming under the warm glow of golden chandeliers. Plush velvet drapes in deep rose and cream cascaded from the tall windows, allowing just enough sunlight to bathe the room in a soft, golden hue. Ornate floral arrangements sat on every table, fresh lilies and peonies carefully placed in porcelain vases.

The restaurant was grand yet intimate, designed for noblewomen to indulge in whispers of gossip and carefully crafted alliances over trays of delicate pastries. The air buzzed with quiet laughter, the gentle clinking of porcelain teacups against saucers, and the faint rustle of silk as finely dressed ladies shifted in their seats.

The Nightshades ladies were busy with their little topic hanging close to the entrance. Abrielle was very curious to know about this piece of information the author had no idea of. The Danbury couple were side characters that later had relevance in the story when Fiona became friends with Callista and helped a lot in the battle for the throne.

Much was not written about Rudeus’s back story, and a few lines were written about how Fiona was actually from a fallen noble family that had a lot of issues fitting into society despite that fact she was pretty active in the plot.

Seeing Abrielle was into the story, Rebecca went on whispering what she knew, not from gossip but because she knew when Rudeus was born and how much Ivana tried to cover up the incident.

"While Ivana was busy flaunting, her husband was having an affair with his accountant. Although she wasn’t a noble she came from a low family with a good amount of wealth they could afford to properly educate their daughter. It was a merchant family, and his mother ran some of the stores; the Duchess was impressed by her skills and gave her an offer she could not refuse to help in managing the household unknown to her: she was bringing a mistress home...."

"Rudeus’s birth was a slap to Ivana. Unfortunately, his mother died a few months after his death when her family were killed in a fire, and only a baby miraculously survived the flames. Some say his mother sacrificed her life to save her son from the flames that night. The cause is still unknown till now but rumours say Ivana was behind it." Rebecca reduced her voice towards the end, her eyes darting around. Luckily the coast was clear since they were still lurking close to the entrance.

"The fire was an unforgettable incident that year. The rich commoner family met their end with only a baby left behind but there was so little a baby could do. He could not stop the greedy business partners that took what wasn’t theirs or the loan sharks that took what was left. No one cares because it wasn’t a noble family and just a baby was left without a caretaker..."

"One of the loan sharks felt pity for the baby. Fortunately, he had heard from the lata family that Rudeus had ties with the Darkhaven family, so Ivana woke up one day with the baby she tried to take care of at her doorstep. Long story short, Rudeus’s child was far from bliss growing up as an illegitimate son. Once he was 15, he cut ties with the Darkhaven family, taking his mother’s name, Danbury, and joined the military."

"In the military, he fought against the odds, yet Ivana didn’t let him be as she tried her best to get rid of the thorn in her eyes. Rudeus won in the end, at least so far; he slowly climbed up in ranks performed many great deeds and was eventually recognized as a country hero. He was awarded a low title as a baron with a small land. No one thought much about it but Rudeus had merchant blood in his veins. He amassed wealth and more lands so quickly that he caught the royal family’s attention. After the last war he fought in the king promoted him from a baron not to a count but a duke based purely on hard work."

Abrielle was more than impressed at Rudeus’s character development; it fitted perfectly the gaps in the plot about how he was very knowledgeable. "That’s impressive." She admitted.

"I also admire the young man but not all so especially Ivana. She wanted Rudeus to accept the family to increase their influence, but he rejected it, and the Worst Rudeus is always compared with Ivana’s son, who was a bit above average. Rudeus even rejected when Ivana tried to play the role of a matchmaker and chose a fallen noble daughter. I am sure you can imagine the rest." Rebecca chimed, the rest was crystal clear.

"Unfortunately Fiona is trying to mend the relationship. Poor girl has no idea how messed up that family is." Ava chirped in, pity evident in her tone.

"Well enough of the depressed topic, there are more important matters at hand like introducing Abrielle to those worth knowing and not to forget to interview Sebastian’s potential bride." Rebecca changed the topic hinting they should head in.

As soon as they left the entrance, they were approached by a hostess. "Sebastian’s bride comes first. That boy is already 23 and still single. I am glad he finally left the temple but now Mikhail wants to make our second son a priest. It’s inescapable."

"Second son, Are you pregnant Ava?" Rebecca gushed her eyes wide like saucers. Ava’s youngest child, Adeline, was 21 and already a mother of two.

The hostess in an elegant lilac gown approached with a practised smile, her posture flawless. Her presence interrupted Ava from announcing another fact Abrielle had no idea of. "Lady Rebecca, Lady Ava, Princess Abrielle, what an honour to welcome you today. Your private table has been prepared."