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Avyanna, March 17, 1863, part 2.

I walked down the staircase in my stunning gold-gown, certainly, the gown was a head-turner, for everyone stared at me like eying a prize. However, my husband has turned the opposite side, interacting with a few of our guests. the maids were chivalrous, they are working relentlessly since the morning, I recognize a few of the maids from the household, their faces dull with exhaustion, I felt pity towards them. 

Palpably, Vivienne wasn't one of the exhausted ones, when her eyes met mine, it shone with admiration. we became close over the last few days, she kept her words by keeping herself out of the sight of my husband, she came to the mansion after my lord left, accompanied me in my chamber throughout the day, we became friends. when it was time my lord arrive, she bid me good night half-heartedly, she was the one I opened my heart to, she knew what was happening to me every night.

Today, however, she was busy with the arrangements, this was the first time we are meeting today, she excused one of the guests who was groping his hands on her shoulders shamelessly, her face morphed in horror, she did a great job hiding her displeasure anyway. when she saw me, it was the perfect excuse for her to set herself free.

"You look beautiful Avy," Vivienne commented, she was holding a tray of finger food, "it would be very un lady-like if I catcall at you, isn't it?" 

"It would be very much unlady-like Viv,"

"But you look glorious," she complimented again, a small blush crept on my cheeks, I was new to compliments as this after the marriage.

"Thank you, Viv, surely the dress is a show-stopper."

"What do mean Avy?"

"Look at those men," I discreetly pointed at the group of men gawking at me, "look there, the women are staring as well Viv, do you know that this dress was a gift from my lord?"

She laughed merrily, I have always loved the noise of laughter, the lacking emotion in my life but now, I wanted to know why Viv was laughing at me, she often giggled in my direction, sighing in disbelief.

"What are you laughing at Viv?"

"You Avy, I'm laughing at you, look at them Avy," she turned me the other side by my shoulder, directing at the guests, "they are staring at you, not at the dress, those men were perving shamelessly, not at your dress my naive lady, they are all gawking at you!"

"No, it cant be."

"Hmm," she sighed, "you are too naive Avy, did you say that lord Winston gifted you the dress?"

"Yes Viv, he was so sweet today, he arranged the party to celebrate my birthday Viv, I'm ecstatic," I exclaimed happily, the men may stare at me like Viv says but I'm waiting for my husband to look at me. 

"Listen Avy, I think the lord is planning something, be vary my lady," she spoke with concern, I could imagine the wheels turning in her head.

"What do you mean? He was changing Viv," I claimed, rather displeased at her words, "I thought you'd be happy in my happiness."

"I don't want anything more than your happiness Avy, but people don't change overnight, there was something rather discreet, be vigilant Avy, for me, please?" She explained, genuine worry ceasing her beautiful pixie features, she waited for my reply.

"I will be vigilant my lovely friend, don't worry about me, enjoy the party. don't overwork yourself," I muttered, my anger fading from her love towards me.

"My lady," I heard my lord's voice from behind, we turned to see him standing a step behind me with his hands extended for me to take, the little gesture warmed my heart. Vivienne stayed by my side unlike usual, for she always left before my lord came. She had one of her hands holding a piece of my dress, I looked at her, observing the worry in her eyes, ostensibly, she didn't approve of me going out of her sight but I wasn't given much of a choice, when your lord calls, you leave. Wasn't that was what we were taught as the well-bred maidens in our childhood?

"Come meet my friends, my lady," he offered politely, I smiled at Viv and left with my husband.

We stopped by a group of men, wealthy from their attires but when have my lord interacted with someone who isn't an heir or a wealthy trader, from the appearance of them, they were royals, bulky with valuable watches round their wrist and expensive clothing. 

Many of them served their famous wealthy smirk, some displayed smiles full of secrecy, alike my husbands in the morning. their eyes traveled from my top to bottom, criticizing every inch of the body mannerlessly. there were thirteen of them and I hated them all.

"These are my friends, they acquire immense wealth and possessions," my husband introduced gesturing at them, I smiled politely, hiding my disgust in a pleasant pull of my lips. 

My lord spoke with them for a long time, I stood next to him idly, nodding and smiling at their conversation when it was required, apart from those few actions, I remained quiet. my husband's hands often traveled from my waist to my breasts, he was proud of how I looked, but I felt disgusted at his behavior.

A few guests wished me when they were passing towards the dining room, some of them were dancing to the music in the middle of the hall, others were dining, simply enjoying the wide range of food and the cake which my husband cut on behalf of me, the audience cheered for him while I stood helplessly next to him. When a piece of cake was distributed to all the guests we returned to my lord's friends. 

"Let's dance my lady," my lords spoke abruptly in my direction. 

Finally, I was happy that I could have some time with my husband together, when the musician started playing the piano again to a new tune, we started dancing. He placed his hands around my waist and his left hand holding my other hand. 

When the music shifted to a low chord, the dancers passed around their respective partners, I fell into the hands of one of my husband's friends, we moved to music slightly, I smiled at him but kept my silence, I felt his hands travel high from my waist to my breast, a quick grab at it, I saw my husbands eyes twinkle in my direction, my shocked face made him smile wider, the chords shifted to another note and they exchanged partners again, it was one of my lord's other friend this time.

I was relieved to be out of the hold of the brown-rugged-haired bastard, but peace doesn't last forever. This unknown devilishly bulk friend of my lord traveled his hands to my back, groping in a circular pattern, my husband smiled in my direction at his friend's behavior, that's when their conniving intentions drowned on me, my lord approved of his friend's behavior, I scoured the dance floor, it was only us and my lord's friends with partners, each of them looking at me with a wicked smile, waiting for their turns to paw their hands on my body.

All of this was staged, my husband is a part of it but why? At the end of the dance, I felt ashamed of my body, tears threatened to fall free but many of the guests were in the hall waiting for their turn to dance, so I suppressed my emotion and smiled through the pain. I could cause a hassle, show the world the real face of my husband, reveal the identity of his friends but the guests will brush it off as if these things were an uncommon decorum in a wealthy household.

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