After Rubiella resolutely expressed her open protest to her mother, a tense silence hung in the room. Magrit stared at her daughter with a look of frenzied anger. All her life, the girl had been submissive, quiet, and humble. She never allowed herself to contradict her mother, always obeying her orders without a word. And suddenly — this unexpected rebellion.
The duchess's word, once weighty and indisputable, seemed to have lost its power over the child. It took only a few months for Ruby to stop obeying without question. For Magrit, this was tantamount to betrayal, and the thought flashed through her mind: the girl was completely out of control.
"You...!" she blurted out, her voice trembling with anger. "How dare you talk to adults like that?!"
Her gaze was a mixture of rage and incomprehension. Without hesitation, Magrit stepped forward, intending to grab her daughter by the arm and drag her away by force. But I stood in her way.
