Chapter 22: Unwavering confidence

A week later, Lucille had just finished her usual afternoon tasks and was heading to her room when she spotted Georgina approaching her. So, Georgina was still living in the house?

"Master calls for you," she said, her tone calm now, much softer than the harshness she usually displayed.

"Master?" The word annoyed Lucille. It reminded her of how low and powerless her wolf was. How less important her kind was in this world.

"Okay," Lucille replied, her voice steady, and followed Georgina to the sitting room where Edward was supposed to be.

The moment Lucille stepped into the room, her mood darkened. Edward wasn’t alone. Two people were there. People she could hardly stand.

Mabel Fletcher, the girl who humiliated her at that dreadful class party, and Mark Anderson, Edward's best friend, and her personal nightmare.

"You sent for me?" Lucille asked, her gaze cold and sharp as it fixed on Edward.

Mabel sneered. "She still has guts!" Her eyes burned with hostility as she looked Lucille up and down.

Lucille ignored her completely, her attention never wavering from Edward.

"You sent for me," she repeated, her voice even colder than before.

Mark raised an eyebrow, his gaze shifting to Edward. "What’s with her attitude?"

"Is that how she speaks to her master?" Mark's question was filled with disbelief, his stare still fixed on Edward.

Edward finally spoke, his voice firm. "You will prepare lunch in less than an hour."

"It’s not my duty to cook," Lucille snapped, her face showing no sign of fear or weakness.

Mabel and Mark were both taken aback. Shouldn’t she be apologizing or show repentance?

Edward’s eyes darkened with authority. "I’m your master. I can change the rules whenever I want."

Lucille’s gaze hardened, her words coming out like a challenge. "You’re not my master, Edward Jones!"

Her words hung in the air, a shock to everyone in the room. Edward’s fury flared as he stood abruptly, storming toward her.

"How dare you speak to me like that?" Edward barked, fury flashing in his eyes.

"I'm your..." he began, but Lucille cut him off sharply, stepping closer to him.

"What will you do?" she interrupted, her eyes unflinching, locking onto his.

A rush of memories hit him. That same look. The same fire in her eyes from the night she broke their mate bond.

The rage built up in him, deep and intense.

"How dare you get so close to me, you stinking thing!" he roared, his eyes hardening in anger.

Lucille met his fury with equal defiance. "And you want this filth to cook for you? Doesn’t that make you filth too?" she shot back, her voice steady and bold.

She already suspected why he had called her here. To humiliate her in front of their old classmates, to expose her helplessness. But if he thought it would be that easy, he was wrong. She wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction.

Fortunately, part of the servitude agreement worked in her favor.

"This filth is close to you, Edward! Push me away!" she dared him, a mocking smile curling on her lips.

She knew he wouldn’t physically assault her. The law would stop him, though he would always found ways to slip away.

Mabel couldn’t take it any longer. She shot up from the sofa, her anger boiling over. "Who does she think she is?" she muttered, disgust written all over her face.

"Servant!" Mabel spat, her voice dripping with hatred.

But Lucille didn’t even glance at her. Her gaze remained locked on Edward, unwavering.

"Just an Omega! Nothing else! So much pride!" Mabel hissed fiercely, but Lucille didn’t acknowledge her, her focus was entirely on Edward.

"You called me Edward Jones," Lucille said coolly, her tone making it clear that Mabel was nothing more than air to her.

Seeing she wasn’t getting a reaction, Mabel's fists clenched in fury.

"With your 5.0 GPA and first-class honors, you're just a mere servant, earning no pay and with no say," Mabel snapped, her voice carried sharp blades.

Lucille gave Edward a piercing glare, then finally took a step back, moving slowly toward Mabel, who was fuming with rage.

Since Mabel was so desperate for her attention, Lucille was more than happy to oblige.

Edward, unable to control his anger, clenched his fists tightly. He sank back onto the sofa, defeated by his own emotions.

Mark, who had been watching in stunned silence, was too shocked to respond. He had thought the servitude would humble Lucille, but instead, it seemed to have made her even fiercer. 

He marveled at the transformation. During their four years at university, she had quietly endured every bit of mistreatment they threw at her, but now, after graduation, she had turned into a lioness.

Lucille stood before Mabel and repeated the words with biting mockery, "With my 5.0 GPA and first-class honors, I’m just a mere servant, earning no pay and with no say."

"Are you so stupid that you don't know why it is so?" Lucille's voice rang with sarcasm, her eyes flashing with contempt.

Mabel’s anger was almost suffocating. How dare she insult her like this?

"You called me stupid?" Mabel barked, her voice rising in fury.

Lucille shook her head with clear scorn. "Aside from the mud covering your face in the name of makeup, your brain is also covered in mud, that you can no longer think properly," she sneered, her words cutting deep.

Both Edward and Mark were completely shocked by her boldness.

"Perhaps it was a mistake to have called for her," Edward thought to himself, his irritation growing.

Lucille continued, her voice slow. "I asked if you are stupid, but because your head is empty, you can’t even tell the difference between a question and a statement." Each word she spoke seemed to cut deeper into Mabel’s skin.

"You!" Mabel stammered, pointing a trembling finger at Lucille as her body shook with rage.

Seeing her shake, Lucille felt a surge of satisfaction flow through her.

"I'm a mere servant despite my good grades because your kind will always oppress my kind," Lucille said, her eyes sweeping over all of them in disgust.

Then, she fixed her gaze back on Mabel. "But let's talk about you, Mabel Fletcher," she said with a cool, but piercing voice. "With your 2.52 GPA, what have you achieved?"

Without waiting for a reply, she returned to her previous position, now facing Edward again. "Did you say I should cook?" A smug grin spread across her face.

Edward’s fury boiled over, but he remained silent, his eyes glaring at her.

He had called her filth, and she had pointed out that cooking for him would make him filth too. He couldn’t take back his words now.

Seeing his silence, Lucille chuckled lightly. "Afraid of becoming filth?" she asked mockingly, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Edward flinched, his mind spinning. How did she know exactly what he was thinking?

"You don’t have to worry. You’re already filthy," Lucille shrugged indifferently, her words like a slap to his face.

Edward parted his lips to speak, but no words came out.

Lucille smirked. "I’ve cleaned your bedroom, your pool, this sitting room, and all the places you touch most frequently," she winked mischievously at him.

The room fell silent. Mabel slowly made her way back to her seat, still struggling to process the insults Lucille had just thrown her way.

Edward rubbed his creased forehead, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. It was clear that Lucille wouldn’t be the only one suffering these five years. Her sharp tongue and unshakable confidence would make sure he suffered too.

"Can she just get out?" Mark finally snapped, unable to stand another moment in Lucille's presence. Her confidence was infuriating.

"Just get out!" Mark waved his hand dismissively.

"You have no right to order me, Mark Anderson!" Lucille’s voice was firm, her stance unshaken.

Mark quickly retreated into himself. He turned to Edward, silently hoping he would just dismiss her. He couldn’t bear the thought of letting an omega insult him like that, just as she had insulted Edward and Mabel.

"Go," Edward muttered quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Am I still cooking?" Lucille asked, her tone dripping with mockery.

"Forget it," Edward waved his hand dismissively.

Lucille shrugged, turning on her heel and walking out of the room, leaving a heavy silence behind.

A victorious smile played on her lips. She had won this round, but she knew that her body, would bear the pain.