I am a lady’s maid in a world obsessed with perfect pairings. In my last life, my mistress, Lady Arabella, forced me into a marriage with her fiancé's valet, all "for my own good." She’d said it with a bashful smile. "My horse is a match for the Viscount's horse, my dog for his dog... so it’s only right that my maid should be paired with his valet. It will show the world how perfectly matched the Viscount and I are." The man was a philandering brute who beat me when he was drunk. I was trapped in a living hell. But when I pleaded with my mistress for help, she turned a blind eye. When I finally escaped, she personally dragged me back to that monster’s side. "You are such an embarrassment to me," she said, her voice like ice. "If you weren't so defiant, a good man like Sterling would never have laid a hand on you." In the end, six months pregnant, I was beaten to death. ... When I opened my eyes again, I was back in that same moment. Lady Arabella was holding my hand, her face beaming with warmth. "Aurora," she said, "I have found you the most wonderful match. When you marry Sterling, you can continue to serve me for the rest of our lives." "You've been with me since we were children. I've always thought of you as a sister. I am to marry Viscount Langley, so it is only fitting that my handmaidens marry his retainers. It’s a match made in heaven, isn't it?" My heart seized. A dull ache spread through my chest, and I had to fight to keep my body from trembling. I was reborn. It was the exact same scene as before. Last time, seeing her so delighted, I couldn't bear to disappoint her and agreed. But my marriage was hell on earth. Sterling was indeed a loyal valet to his master, but he was a degenerate in his private life. Though he kept no mistresses openly, he had a legion of "confidantes" scattered across the city. When he drank, his personality twisted, and he would beat me until I was black and blue. I suffered two miscarriages at his hands. And my mistress, the one who had sworn to be my champion if I ever faced any trouble, ignored my desperate cries for help. "Aurora, you are too headstrong," she would lecture. "How can a man like Sterling ever love a woman like that? What man doesn't have a few dalliances? You must learn to be soft, gentle, and submissive if you want to keep his heart." She had found her perfect match. She and the Viscount were a picture of marital bliss, their love the talk of the town. Meanwhile, I was drowning, tormented daily. With her tacit approval, Sterling grew ever more brazen. The beatings became more frequent, and he would often withhold food as punishment. Through it all, she demanded I plaster on a smile and listen to her tales of domestic happiness. I finally escaped, only to be hunted down by her and her men. She personally returned me to Sterling's clutches. And so, six months pregnant with my third child, I died under a torrent of his enraged blows. This time, I will not be her pawn. I will not repeat the mistakes of my past. Lady Arabella was still chattering excitedly, pulling me down to sit beside her. She dangled a jade pendant from her waist for me to see, her cheeks flushed. "Look, the Viscount and I have a matching everything. The other day, he gave me a parrot and kept one for himself—a perfect male and female pair." "And this pendant, it's a set of a dragon and a phoenix. He has one, I have the other. I was just thinking, perhaps I should buy a male dog to send to the Viscount. It would be a perfect match for my little Snowball, and they could have puppies." Snowball was a tiny female terrier. My mistress had owned her for three years. Ever since she had met her future husband, every mosquito that flew past had to be paired with one from the Viscount's estate. She once had four personal maids. Chessie was already married off. Two months ago, she dispatched both Artemis and Calliope to marry two of the Viscount's other men. One was sent to a desolate border post, never to be seen again. The other’s new husband died in battle a month later. She cared nothing for our wishes, obsessed only with creating these "perfect pairs" with the Viscount's household. Now, the other maids in the manor were terrified at the prospect of being assigned to her service. Though I already knew the answer, I had to try. "My lady," I began tentatively, "I am already betrothed. My fiancé, Thomas, and I have been promised to each other since childhood." "My lady... must I marry Sterling?" The blush on her face faded. She frowned at me, her expression one of utter bewilderment. "That Thomas is just the son of the head butler. What future does he have? How could he possibly compare to the personal valet of a Viscount?" "Besides," she continued, her tone firming, "I have four maids, and the Viscount has four valets. It's a perfect set. It is fate. In two weeks, when I am married, you will be married alongside me." I pleaded with her for three days. At first, she tried to persuade me gently, extolling Sterling's virtues. By the end, her face was a mask of cold resolve. "Aurora, do not be ungrateful. I am offering you this wonderful match because I am fond of you. As for that Thomas, forget him. I have already asked my mother to arrange a marriage for him with one of her second-tier maids. They will be wed quietly and quickly." Staring at the woman I had served for more than a decade, a chilling numbness spread through my heart. If she could be so cruel, then I would be ruthless. I had already sacrificed myself for her once in my past life, fulfilling my duty as a servant. This life was for me and me alone. I went to her elder sister, Lady Cordelia. Viscount Langley had originally been Cordelia's fiancé. But after Cordelia's mother died, her stepmother—Arabella's mother—had schemed to swap the betrothals, leaving Cordelia engaged to the Viscount's younger brother, a notorious rake. While the Viscount was brilliant and respected, his brother was a wastrel. In my last life, Cordelia’s marriage had been miserable. She died in childbirth after delivering a frail baby girl. "My lady," I said to Cordelia, "I can help you marry the Viscount. On the wedding day, with the help of your maids, we can switch the bridal carriages. Once the deed is done, no one can say a thing. Besides, you were the one who was supposed to marry the Viscount in the first place. This is simply setting things right." Now that Arabella had married off her other maids, I was the only one she trusted. I knew I could arrange the switch. Cordelia had been living under her stepmother's thumb for years, simmering with resentment over the stolen betrothal. She considered my proposal for only a day before agreeing. In exchange, she promised to grant me my freedom. We began our preparations for the double wedding in two weeks. On the surface, I continued to serve Arabella as diligently as ever. One day, she sent me to a remote courtyard to pick peach blossoms. "My lady," I said, confused, "we have peach trees in our own garden. Why must I go to that deserted courtyard?" Her eyes darted away for a second. "Just do as you're told. The blossoms in this garden are for viewing. No one sees the ones in the old yard, so go pick them for me." I went as ordered. The courtyard was overgrown and desolate. "Aurora." A man in a fine green livery stepped out from behind a crumbling wall. It was Sterling. A sly smile played on his lips as his eyes raked over my body. My blood ran cold. My hand clenched into a fist as the horrific memories of my past life flooded back. "Sterling," I said, my voice sharp. "What are you doing here? Who allowed you into the private courtyards of the manor?" "Why, your future mistress, of course," he said, his voice smooth as oil. He lunged forward and grabbed my wrist, his smile turning lecherous. "Aurora, we're to be married soon. Surely you won't deny me a kiss..." He pulled me into a forceful embrace. Panic seized me. I dropped my basket and struggled wildly. "Let go of me! Get off!" Picking flowers was just a pretense. Arabella had arranged a private meeting for us. A chill shot up from the soles of my feet, freezing me to the core. She was so cruel. Though I was just a maid, I came from a respectable family. I would not endure such humiliation. In my struggle, I bit his arm, hard. Sterling yelped in pain and released me. Then, his face twisted in anger, and he slapped me across the face. "You bitch! How dare you bite me!" Crack. The blow stunned me for a moment. I stumbled back, nearly falling. My cheek was already swelling, hot and painful. I didn't hesitate. I turned and fled. When Arabella saw me return with a bright red handprint on my face, she frowned, setting down her teacup with a clatter. "What happened? Sterling told me you bit him for no reason. Do you have any idea what a wonderful opportunity I created for you? Why are you so unappreciative?" The questions I wanted to scream died in my throat. All that remained was a profound, icy coldness. The answer was perfectly clear. She had never truly respected me. She didn't see this as a humiliation, as an assault on my dignity. "My lady," I said, my voice eerily calm, "Sterling tried to force himself on me. That is why I bit him. And I must ask you not to do such things again. It is improper for a man to be allowed into the inner courtyards. If word got out, my reputation would be ruined, but more importantly, it could damage yours." Her face flushed with anger and embarrassment. "When two people are in love, isn't it normal to get carried away? Why must you be so difficult?" She flicked her sleeve in frustration and stormed out. "Fine! I wash my hands of this! No good deed goes unpunished." The entire manor was abuzz with festive preparations for the two weddings. I was busier than anyone. The wedding gown, the handkerchiefs, the slippers for the in-laws—all the things the bride was supposed to make herself were handed to me. "We are like sisters," she'd said sweetly. "It doesn't matter who does it. I trust you more than anyone." With so little time, I was serving her during the day and sewing late into the night, getting less than an hour of sleep. My eyes were raw and sore. She checked my progress daily, allowing no rest. One day, to my surprise, Thomas came to find me.
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