Turned out my stepmother had already started working. Rumors of me having several lovers and always not returning home spread throughout the capital. 

"That's ridiculous. What's the point of this?" I rolled my eyes. "Isobel, come." 

Isobel stopped playing with Blake near the furnace and ran towards me. Isobel sat in front of me and tilted its tiny head. I patted Isobel on its head. 

"Help me give this to Sarah. I will treat you to another huge meal after this." I placed a bottle of potion and a note in front of Isobel. After a sound of 'meow', Isobel disappeared with the bottle and note. 

Yves, who was lying on the sofa with a book covering his face throughout all these, took off the book on his face after Isobel disappeared. 

"You're going to leave her off just like that?" he asked. "That's boring." 

"Sorry, it doesn't satisfy your twisted heart for entertainment." I shrugged nonchalantly. "It's just not worth my time. The truth potion should do the job."

"Which truth potion did you make?" An evil glimmer in his eyes. 

"I made the truth potion from your spell book. I knew there's something evil about this truth potion in the spell book of a high priest of darkness!" I cried and clapped excitedly. 

Was I influenced by the twisted Yves? Why was I so excited? I said it's not worth my time to confront my stepmother, but giving her a lesson was another thing altogether. 

I had already asked Sarah to add that potion in my stepmother's breakfast. I had instructed Sarah to mention the bad rumors about me circulating lately during breakfast, acting as a concerned maid, to my Father. This will probably trigger the truth potion.

"Oh, it's nothing special. People taking this truth potion won't stop talking until they have revealed every single lie they have said and every single bad thing they have done in their lives." An evil smile occupied his face. "I wonder how many lies your stepmother have concocted to grasp your Father's heart." 

"Maybe she is as innocent as snow as my dear stepsister." I did not believe that sentence one bit. Now I was getting excited about this huge drama, a normal truth potion certainly could not achieve this. 

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"My stepmother has been sent to the countryside to recover from her illness. Next week is Rachelle's birthday party. Please return to the estate." I read out the note Sarah sent me through Isobel. 

"What a dull punishment for your stepmother," Yves said. "What a boring Father you have." He shook his head in disappointment and walked away, dragging his long robe with him. 

As expected, in order to safeguard the family's reputation, Father just sent my stepmother to the countryside. Adding to the fact that Father needed Rachelle to continue on the marriage between my family and Henri's, now that I had declared I would not take back Henri. Father couldn't simply divorce my stepmother. So our great act continued. I had to attend Rachelle's birthday party. I even had to find a present for her. It's alright I'd just buy something from the town near the temple of darkness. 

"You are going back?" Yves asked with an arched brow. He was still lying leisurely on his sofa reading a book. 

I responded by raising my eyebrow, "Sad entertainment is leaving you and you're going to rot in boredom?"

He chuckled and shook his head "I want a box of macaroons. As rent. Made by you of course." He smiled. 

I glared at him as I threw a cushion at him. Rent. I humphed. Never seen someone this thick skinned. 

"I am going to town to shop," I said as I put on my cloak. 

"Let me show you around." He finally left the sofa and walked over. He helped me with the hood of my cloak. "It's my town after all." He smiled graciously. 

I eyed him suspiciously. This seemed like a trap. 

"Don't you need someone to hold your bags and baggage during your shopping spree?" he said with a fake doting smile on his smile. 

"You're planning something." I was still eyeing him with suspicion. I was not falling for that. "Won't you be punished by those priests for setting foot outside of your temple." 

"Those fools are probably drunk. They were quite angry when they left the temple that day. Now let's go. Blake, prepare our carriage." 

He grasped my hand and dragged me out of the temple. I was still deep in thoughts when his carriage brought us down the hill to the town closest to the temple. 

He must be planning something. I had never seen him that enthusiastic. Or had I? 

In a confused state of mind, the afternoon passed by with Yves shopping with me. He really helped with the baggage and bags like a gentlemanly shopping partner. To my horror, he even gave opinions on which dress to buy. 

"Can you stop giving me this side-eye glance? You made me feel like I am some kind of bad guy about to harm you."

"And can you say confidently you're not?"

"I am the high priest of darkness, Odette." He helped tucked a strand of my hair back. "But I can say pretty confidently I won't harm you," he said with a smile. 

"Uh-huh." I looked out of the carriage window. I hope he didn't catch the blush over my cheeks. I nearly believed him. Odette, be careful, he's the high priest of darkness!

"So you bought this necklace for your dear sister?" I turned my head to find him taking an amethyst necklace out from the box. His fingers brushed over the huge amethyst pendant. 

"Yeah, where did you go when I'm buying this necklace?" I asked as I grabbed the necklace back and placed it back into the soft padded box. 

"Why should I be present when you're picking a gift for your stepsister?" He shrugged. "That's a waste of my time." 

"What..." I closed my mouth just in time. Then did that mean it's not a waste of his time when he's shopping with me? I shook my head to clear my head. 

"Stop shaking." He placed his hand over my head. "I fear you injure the remaining brain you have." 

I rolled my eyes as I threw my purse at him. 

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