Hazel's Redemption

YOU NEVER BELIEVE ME

Finally, Mr. Edgard was gone and Ivy didn't waste time to bring her things to live with them. Emily was so anxious to help her pack in, just like a sister in-law helping her sister in-law pack in. She wasn't that anxious when Hazel packed in, but kept glaring at her. It was clear that she had already chosen who should be the Madam of the house.

However, Hazel couldn't do anything about it, but when she sat in her room and looked at the window, her heart was heavy.

"One month, huh?"

Exactly one month before her father could come back, but in just that whole month, many things could happen, but she wondered if she could do anything against it. Her sister was extremely cunning and it was sure that she wouldn't just let her live in peace.

Perharps she could just sit in her room like now and read more medical books.

"Young Mrs....", Hazel was interrupted by a knock at her door.

"Come in." , A servant came in.

"Mrs., the young Master and his sister are waiting for you to have dinner."

In just a few hours it was already dinner time, but Hazel didn't have any appetite.

"What about, my sister?"

"Mrs. Ivy is setting the table, she also hopes that you join."

Ivy inviting her didn't mean anything good, but she seemed even more free in her home than she was. But Ethan had let her do it, helping her shape a path towards his life even more.

"Mrs...."

"Tell them, I'm not hungry, they can continue without me..."

"How brazen!", Emily showed up and she looked angry, while Ivy stood there with a pitiful face.

"You're so useless, as the wife of this house, you should have cooked for brother and I, but you'll rather lay in here and read useless books while sister Ivy works hard to take care of your chores, don't you feel ashamed?"

"T....that's enough Emily, sister is probably tired. You know she's always been in bad health, so dad doesn't let her work. I'm used to it, so I really don't mind doing some little work to help."

As expected, Ivy still slandered her and played the pitiful one. With her words and was clearly telling Emily how badly she had been treated as an illegitimate daughter.

"I just wanted to help, so please don't blame my big sis, she tried her best to accept me. After all, I'm just an illegitimate daughter."

"Don't be sad sis Ivy, it's not your fault. Though you're an illegitimate daughter, one can't really tell from both of you."

Emily said, obviously pointing hands at Hazel, by she didn't see the mischievous smile on the one she was protecting.

"By saying this, are you saying dad never treated you well."

"What...!", Ivy exclaimed and Hazel was about to continue, but she saw Ethan from behind, which made her stop. A month was really long and if she wasn't careful, then she would always fall into Ivy's trap.

"What's happening here, I've been waiting for you guys, but you delayed so I came over."

"It's nothing Ethan, I just came to invite my sister for dinner."

"Why do you need to bother yourself, they're many servants who can do so."

"But I...", Ivy was cut off by Hazel.

"Ethan is right, there's no need for you to inform me, servants here are well behaved and they know their work, afterall, three years was more than enough to make rules here."

Hazel knew that she couldn't beat Ivy in other ways, as long as she had Ethan's support, but reminding her of their various positions was good enough to annoy her. But, was annoying her going to be a relief for Hazel.

At the end they all went to the table for dinner, Ivy served Ethan, as if she was his wife, but what did it change, Ethan never dissagreed with her.

"Sister why ain't you eating, don't you like the meal I made for you?"

Ivy asked, as if she was concerned about her, but Hazel knew that there was nothing of such. She only wanted to give a good impression to Ethan, using her as a stepping stone, as she had always done.

But at this moment, Hazel didn't have the strength to bicker with her.

"I hope you like it sis, I made you nutritious meal because you've become so skinny. You need to nourish your body even more."

"You're so considerate, but she doesn't even appreciate your kindness, hmph." ,Emily harrumphed.

"Don't talk like that, sister probably doesn't have much appetite or maybe the food isn't to her taste. Sister, how about I make something else for you?"

"No, this is fine.", Hazel said, not ready to draw the discussion even longer or giving Ivy the opportunity to keep using her as a stepping stone.

Hazel picked up the spoon that had been kept by her plate and dipped it in her soup, but when she stuffed her mouth with the soup, she almost spat out the food.

"Hazel!", Ethan said in pannick, he would have fed Hazel some water if Ivy didn't react fast.

"Sis what's wrong, have some water."

Ivy extended a glass of water to Hazel, unexpectedly Hazel slapped away the glass which went crashing on the floor.

"Don't pretend to be kind, you obviously know that I don't eat anything spicy, yet you made my soup spicy, are you planning to kill me?"

"Sis, what are you saying?", Ivy asked, taking a step back in fear, but her startled expression made Hazel even more annoyed.

"Hazel, what are you saying ?",Ethan repeated the question

"Exactly what you heard, everyone knows that I don't take anything spicy, but as my sister you couldn't have forgotten that."

"Ivy, did you....?",

Indeed, everyone in the house knew that single detail, even servants were aware of it, so no one made the mistake of making Hazel's meals spicy. As her sister, Ivy shouldn't be ignorant of that detail.

"Ethan, I assure you that I was very careful with my sister's meal, I really don't dare do that to her."

"Then why does my food have that much..."

"Ethan, believe me, I really didn't..."., Ivy started tearing up, which made others doubt the authencity of Hazel's words.

"Don't cry sis Ivy, I believe you, I don't believe you could do such a thing. Some jealous person is obviously slandering you."

'Slander?', It was true that watching it this way, everyone might only conclude it as slander, but she knew what she tasted in her plate, the hot chili was still burning in her mouth. She surely couldn't have mistaken, but watching how calm Ivy was, made her to be nervous, perhaps it was another scheme and she fell in it.

"Let me taste the male to confirm.", Ethan stepped forward and tasted the meal, but noticed nothing.

"The food is normal, nothing is wrong with it, why did you say that Ivy Intentionally made it spicy?"

"What...how come!", Hazel exclaimed.

"I knew it, you're such a vixen, Sis Ivy made so much effort to please you, but you're being so arrogant, I hate you !"

How was that even possible, Hazel couldn't tell but when she tasted the food, everything was indeed normal. But how could she explain the hot sensation in her mouth and chest.

"Sis, if you don't like me cooking for you, you can just tell me, why do you have to accuse me like that...it really hurts...."

Ivy said and cried even more bitterly, obtaining both Emily and Ethan's comfort. She was considered the innocent while Hazel was like the villain.

But she still couldn't understand anything until she saw Ivy smiling with a spoon in her hand, which rang a bell in her mind. Of course the food had no problem, but the food did. Hazel could denounce her at that moment, but who would believe her now? Ivy had gotten everyone's trust, using her as a stepping stone once again.

"Good Ivy, you're indeed good at this.", Hazel said, then she turned to leave, but Ethan quickly grabbed her hand.

"Where do you think you're heading to, don't you think you owe Ivy an apology."

'An apology ?', Hazel laughed at herself, wasn't it just so ironical to tell her to apologize to her husband's mistress.

"As my husband don't you think that's quite ironical, you cheat on me with her in front of me and I have to bear with it. And now you want me to apologize,but for what reason."

"...."

"Should I apologize for not letting her marry you or not giving her the freedom to sleep with you."

"You...", Ethan forcefully grabbed Hazel's hand, but her legs suddenly became weak, which made her to almost fall, but Ethan caught her.

"Hazel, what's wrong with you?"

"If I tell you that I'm affected by the food I ate, would you believe me?"

Hazel watched Ethan's frowning face and it was obvious that he won't believe her. The food he ate showed that the food had no problem, but the spoon she used did have a problem, but he would obviously not believe her.

Even if she passed out in front of him, Ivy would make it look like she was feigning it. So instead of waiting for her state to worsen, she'll rather hurry to her room and take drugs, lay down and let it pass.

"Ethan, I think we shouldn't blame sister, afterall she was already tired and reluctant when I invited her here.", Ivy said pulling Ethan away, but it was obvious that she didn't want Ethan to notice Hazel's discomfort. She only smired her sister's spoon with enough hot chili, but it wasn't enough to make her body react that fast.

What went wrong she couldn't tell, because she didn't know that Hazel's health had become even more fragile. But best for Hazel, She would rather prefer Ivy never knew, so she won't use it to harm her.

"As expected, you never believe me.", Hazel said with disappointment, which actually pricked Ethan's heart. He obviously didn't feel anything for Hazel, but he didn't understand why he was hurt when she seemed to be hurt, even though he knew she was pretending to gain his attention.

"Ethan...."

"You guys go ahead and eat, I still have work to do.", Ethan replied and soon he was gone to.his study room. Leaving only Emily and Ivy.

"What a vixen, this Hazel, she spoiled a happy family meal."

"What an eyesore !", Ivy said, which was almost heard by Emily.

"Did you say anything ?"

"N...no, I just think we should eat before the good gets cold.", Ivy immediately denied, she still had to maintain the impression of the pure girl, so she couldn't make a single mistake and let her emotions slip out.