Reborn: The Duke's Obsession-Chapter 34 - Thirty Four

It was a new day, and Delia found herself standing before a building so grand and imposing it seemed more like a government ministry than a social club.

The hired carriage she had taken clattered away, leaving her in the sudden, intimidating silence. She looked up at the polished marble facade of "The Gilded Cage," a name that seemed both luxurious and ominous.

"What am I supposed to do that will impress her?" Delia thought to herself, her heart thrumming with a nervous rhythm. Owen’s advice was sound, but putting it into practice felt like preparing to walk into a den of lions. She took a deep, steadying breath, smoothed the front of her simple but elegant day dress, and walked in.

The interior was magnificent. A breathtaking crystal chandelier hung from a high, vaulted ceiling, casting a warm, golden light over everything. The air was filled with the refined scent of oil paints and expensive perfume. Elegant ladies, dressed in the height of fashion, were scattered around the grand drawing room, each standing before an easel. It seemed today’s club activity was painting. The atmosphere was one of quiet, graceful leisure, but Delia could feel the undercurrent of sharp, competitive tension.

"What do you think?" one of the women, a famously wealthy duchess named Adeline, asked her neighbor, flashing a large, glittering ring on her finger. "My dear husband procured it for me from a merchant just returned from the East."

The other woman leaned in, her eyes wide. "Oh, it’s beautiful, Your Grace. Truly exquisite."

Duchess Lyra, seated a short distance away, glanced briefly at the women and the flashy ring before returning her full attention to the landscape she was painting on her canvas. Her strokes were calm and measured.

The founder of the club, a socially accomplished woman named Lady Isla, glided over to Adeline’s side. "Oh my, Duchess Adeline! You have a new ring! This must be your most beautiful collection yet."

Adeline beamed, soaking in the attention. "I’m so happy you noticed, Lady Isla," she said, turning her hand so the gem caught the light. "You definitely have a keen and discerning sight."

Lady Isla smiled, a practiced gesture of a successful hostess. "It is a magnificent piece."

"I have you to thank for it, in a way," Adeline continued, her voice growing louder, clearly intended to carry across the room. "I want to thank you for setting up my son with such a nice girl. My husband was so happy with the engagement that he simply had to buy me this ring as a celebration gift."

Other women murmured in appreciation, their eyes darting between Adeline’s ring and Duchess Lyra’s seemingly oblivious back. Lyra continued her painting, her hand as steady as ever.

Lady Isla let out a nervous, fluttering smile. "You don’t have to thank me, Your Grace. I didn’t do anything, really. I just brought them together to meet each other, that’s all."

"It still deserves thanks," Adeline insisted.

She then turned her gaze directly towards Lyra’s back. "And I also have to thank Duchess Lyra. Truly. Thanks to her son, Eric, rejecting the Prime Minister’s lovely daughter, she has now become my future daughter-in-law. My husband and her father are so pleased with the match, they keep showering me with gifts."

The taunt was as sharp as a shard of glass, but Lyra gave no reaction. The only sound was the soft scratch of her brush on the canvas.

Adeline smirked, undeterred. "That picky boy of hers," she went on, her voice dripping with false sympathy. "I do wonder who he will end up with." She paused, then smiled brightly. "Oh, but I heard he’s getting married after all, is that right?"

This time, Lyra responded, though she did not turn around. Her voice was cool and clipped. "You must have heard wrong."

"Did I?" Adeline replied, her voice full of feigned innocence. "Or do you just not want to believe it?"

"What?" Lyra asked turning to face Adeline, her tone dangerously low.

"I get it," Adeline said, shaking her head sadly. "I am also a mother. I know it must be difficult. You wouldn’t want to believe it, because the boy who you thought was too good to marry the Prime Minister’s daughter suddenly falls for an illegitimate child with no standing and a ruined reputation. I’m sure it is all too much for you to believe."

The stroke of Lyra’s paintbrush halted in the air. She slowly placed the brush down on her palette. The silence in the room was now thick and heavy. When she finally spoke, her voice was like ice. "Did you just insult my son?"

Adeline feigned shock. "Insult? No, no, my dear Lyra. Why would I ever do that? I just felt bad for you, that’s all."

"Do you want to feel bad about your wrinkled face?" Lyra retorted, her soft composure finally cracking. She began to pull off her painting gloves with slow, deliberate movements. "Because I am about to rearrange it for you."

The room erupted into quiet chaos. Some of the women gasped, their hands flying to their mouths. Others rushed to Adeline’s side, as if to protect her. A few, including Lady Isla, hurried to Lyra’s side, trying to calm her down.

"Let me go!" Lyra shouted, trying to shake off the restraining hands of her friends. "I need to teach this old bat a lesson in respect!"

"Who are you calling a bat?" Adeline shrieked from across the room, her own face now red with anger.

"Ladies, please!" Lady Isla pleaded, her face pale with distress. "We must maintain decorum in the club! Please, think of your positions!"

Just then, a new voice cut through the chaos. It was calm, clear, and laced with a surprising amount of amusement.

"I know I’m popular, but I never knew I was this popular."

The entire room fell silent. Every head turned towards the entrance. Standing there, framed by the grand doorway, was a young woman they had never seen before. Lady Isla, trying to regain control, stepped forward.

"Who are you?" she asked, her voice still a little shaky. "Are you the new member that signed in yesterday?"

Delia smiled, a small, confident expression that seemed to absorb all the tension in the room and render it powerless. She dipped into a perfect, graceful curtsy.

" Yes I am. It is a pleasure to meet you all," she said, her voice ringing with confidence. "I am Delia Ellington."

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