The Malevolence of a Woman Wronged (PREQUEL)

Chapter 22- Better than Her

--Nevaeh POV--

I didn't like that word, homewrecker.

And I would never admit to being one, simply because I wasn't one. But I knew that they all believed I was one. Wherever I went, they were whispering about how I seduced a married man and crawled into his bed, but they didn't know anything.

Yes, he was married. But clearly, it wasn't a happy marriage. Why else would he have fallen for me? I was what he was looking for in a woman, we were a relationship that was meant to be even before we were born.

I wasn't the third wheel, Angelina was.

She believed she was better than me just because she had more money, more friends, and more beauty, but Donovan didn't care about any of that. All he wanted was a woman that would love him passed all his looks and wealth, and that woman was me.

She was the one that wrongly seduced him first, taking advantage of her beauty to greedily take his money. She was the one that touched my man, not the other way around.

So why do they all hate me?

I'm supposed to be the main character. I'm the Cinderella that came from a poor family, and I'm the one that married a Duke, life is supposed to be perfect for me now.

They're all supposed to be drowning me in compliments, they're supposed to be voicing their jealousy, and trying to befriend me in hopes of seeing my perfect husband. But they don't care.

I dressed myself in clothes more expensive than my childhood home, bathed myself in perfumes I could only ever see advertisements about, and I had the most beautiful husband. Or so I had thought. Until she came out of nowhere with a man that looked as though he had been handcrafted by the Greek Gods.

Why? Why does she always have to be the best at everything? How is she able to pull everything off so effortlessly? From dancing to the way she sits with perfect posture. She knew what to say before questions had even been asked, she laughed at all the right moments, gave the perfect amount of compliments to make it believable, and always looked so composed.

She was tall, beautiful, and rich. Why did she get to have it all?

But I liked to believe that even then, I had something she didn't because how else would Donovan have fallen in love with me? There's got to be something about me that made him pick me over her, right?

I stared at my reflection in the mirror as we got back from the party.

I was a complete mess.

My jewellery and make-up had been matching my other dress, but I was forced to change into this one after the other one ripped, but this one doesn't go with anything in the least. I looked like a child trying to be an adult, and it was embarrassing beyond words.

I was supposed to be the perfect wife, the perfect Duchess.

But it's harder than I thought it would be.

I thought I could pull it off because she made it look so easy.

Back when I was a maid, I watched her everyday as she fulfilled her duties to the utmost care. She treated the workers as friends instead of servants, and had time for anything and everyone, and here I am? Stuck in her shadow.

I refuse to let Donovan buy me any new clothes because I wear hers. I wear her clothes, her jewellery, her perfume, and even use the same fucking shampoo as hers because I was going to prove to everyone that I could be a Duchess far greater than Angelina ever could.

She's like a ghost, haunting me in both life and dreams, and I can never rid myself of her.

At the party, I had been the star of the show until she showed up, and all heads turned to look at her like magnets. And unfortunately, Donovan was one of them. Even he couldn't look away from her, and I hated that.

He was mine now, it was too late for second thoughts, but he kept looking after her as if she was the one he wanted. But I knew better than to believe that. He loved me, and he would pick me over her any day, he was just surprised. Yes, he was just a little surprised.

"What are you doing?" Donovan asked as he walked into the room, all ready for bed.

"I'm sorry," I sighed. "I was a mess today. She came out of nowhere, and I lost my composure, it won't happen again," He was surprised by my words, and I knew he would be.

Angelina never apologised for anything when they were married, probably because she never had anything to apologise for, but that didn't excuse her actions. I knew Donovan loved being the centre of attention, and that's probably why he loved me, because I made him feel like the only man in the world, and that's something all women should be able to do for their men.

"Hey, it's alright. There's no need to apologise. I understand that we all have these days," He came forward, taking my face in his hands as I smiled up at him, and he did the same, leaning down to plant his lips on my forehead.

"I love you," I whispered.

But hearing my words, I felt him pause for a second.

What? He'd always reply straight away, what had gotten into him today?

"What is it?" I asked.

"Nothing," He was quick to snap out of it. 

"I love you too, my Angel," Giggling, I got onto my tip toes, leaning in to kiss him on the lips as my arms wrapped themselves around his neck, pulling him closer to me.

"I love that new nickname," I whispered above his lips.

"What?" He stopped, going over his words as if surprised, and I felt a frown mare my lips. 

Wait a minute... Angel? As in... Angelina...

And I pulled away, annoyed. She had managed to get into his head, how dare she? Coming out of nowhere and stealing the spotlight is one thing, but to try seducing him again, this was too much. How greedy of a person could she become?

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Nevaeh. It was as you said, I lost my composure for a bit, it won't happen again. Okay?" He picked me up into his arms, turning to go sit me down on the bed as he squatted down in front of me, taking my hand in his, but my glare was unmoving.

"Think of it like this, she said she's done with us... I know we didn't go about our relationship the right way, and that could have made her feel like she was wronged, but it's over now. She's gone, and you're my wife. Just me, and you,"

He had a way with words that couldn't let me stay angry.

So, I gave in with a huff as he leaned up on the bed, planting my face with an apologetic kiss. 

And yes, he was right. 

Angelina is gone, and once we return back to our estate in Rome, everything will go back to normal. And I'll be the perfect Duchess.

...