I ACCIDENTALLY MARRIED A DUNGEON

A month passed away in the blink of an eye as Sabrina started getting used to routine life in the Aldric family. Edwardo often left town for work purposes. Helen goes to etiquette classes every morning, taking Joshua with her. Sabrina has to spend most of her reading.

I still feel like a stranger here.

She hadn’t had any good conversation with the kids yet. She tried giving them some presents she brought back from the festival – candies, carved toys and ribbon for Helen’s hair. Joshua apparently liked those things, but only a little bit. He smiles briefly, whereas Helen would look at her present, mock her, and then leave.

I don’t know what I’m doing wrong?

One day, while she was rummaging through the wardrobe for clothes, she came across a portrait hidden behind piles of folded shawls. A woman she immediately recognized despite not seeing her ever in her life before.

Georgia.

There was something about the brushwork, something in those eyes that she was able to recognize without the least bit of doubt. Sabrina studied the picture of Georgia intently for some time, then took it to the mirror and placed it by her reflection.

Maybe they want someone familiar.

She headed straight for Yona to inquire about Georgia, and Yona did not hold back anything, giving her all the details that she could about Georgia who had managed to maintain the family together, being always so collected even in the worst of times, a true nobility. The kids had loved her. She was loving but disciplined if necessary, always giving Edwardo advice and suggestions on work whenever it was required from her side.

Noble. Loving. I see it now.

Ever since then, Sabrina began assisting in the workings of the household, taking care of the money and knowing the ingredients of each dish that is made, the type of clothing that is appropriate for any event. She noticed how much Edwardo was having problems ever since the loss of Georgia, and when she questioned him about it, he said that she should not be worried about such matters. Sabrina stood her ground, reminded him that she is now his wife and deserves to know everything that is happening around him. He finally relented, offered her a little insight into his business, told her that things were getting better and the loan was being whittled down little by little. Most of it went over her head. She only really understood the part that mattered, that things were getting better.

I have to learn more.

She started helping in the kitchen, planning dinners herself, and her standing with the staff shifted as the weeks went on, real respect now instead of polite distance, servants coming to her first before making even small decisions. By the time a few months had passed, the whole household had come to see her as the true lady of the house.

One day, when Edwardo was coming back from his month-long absence, Sabrina cooked a whole meal to celebrate the occasion. But to her disappointment, Helen and Joshua refused to eat with her. Despite all her efforts to persuade them to eat, nothing helped. Even when Edwardo invited her, Helen found an excuse not to join them at the table. It hurt more than she showed.

Later in the night, after Edwardo went to sleep, she heard some quarreling voices through the corridor leading to the dining room downstairs.

Rebecca stopped Sabrina before she reached the dining room.

"What is happening there?"

"I... I..." Rebecca began fidgeting her fingers, sweat appeared at her hairline.

"Rebecca! Do you know it or not?"

"I’m so sorry! I’m sorry," Rebecca knelt down, hands folded before her. "Please forgive me, Lady Aldric. I did not wish to do that!"

Sabrina lowered herself and helped her stand up with her hands. "What didn’t you want to do, Rebecca? Speak!"

"I put nails in young master Joshua’s meal."

Sabrina’s heart skipped a beat. The face of Joshua appeared before her eyes even before she could think of something else. "You did what? He is fine, isn’t he? Please tell me he didn’t eat any of it."

She was already moving toward the dining hall, stumbling in her haste, and Rebecca caught her arm. "Lady Aldric, please, I didn’t want to. They’re fine. Helen found it before he touched a bite."

"That is no excuse," Sabrina spoke through the cracks in her voice. "You tried to kill my son. And now that it failed, you come crawling to me for forgiveness?"

"They are not," whispered Rebecca.

"What?" asked Sabrina, her voice low.

"They are not your children, Lady Sabrina." Rebecca’s voice came ragged. "They never once thought of you as their mother. I’ve heard the whispers behind your back, all of them, how badly they speak of you. I know how hard you’ve worked to make them happy. I know how much of yourself you’ve swallowed down just to keep smiling at them. Tonight you cooked for everyone, poured everything into it, and those children just chose to ignore you like always. I couldn’t stand watching that happen again. I know you couldn’t either. I wanted them to regret it."

Sabrina took a slow breath and leaned forward into Rebecca’s ear. "You see, Rebecca, the very first time I saw them, I decided that I would protect them no matter what, that I would make sure they were happy. That I would keep them from ever feeling alone again."

Her tone was steady and even as she spoke. "I accepted being their mother from the first day I walked through that door."

"Do you truly believe that I have no idea what they think of me?" She pulled back slowly, her face calm. "Get out of my house before I do something about it myself. I hope you find somewhere better than here."

"Y-yes, Lady Sabrina."

Sabrina turned without another word and made her way to the dining room. Helen stood there with her arms crossed, Joshua half-hidden behind her, and a few maids hovering uselessly nearby trying to settle them both. Plates and scattered food littered the floor between them.

"Yona." Sabrina’s voice broke through the commotion and every face turned towards her. "Leave the children and go back to your room."

"Yes, Lady Aldric." Yona bowed and gestured to the other people behind her to leave.

Sabrina sighed and started walking towards Helen. The glare aimed back at her was sharp enough to make her choose her next words with care.

"I—"

"Have you finally stopped playing pretend?" Helen interrupted.

"Pretend?" Sabrina kneeled down on the floor, her brow furrowing from the confusion. "I don’t understand, dear. I know you’re angry, but—"

"I don’t want to hear excuses. Not after what you tried to do to Joshua." Helen’s tone became louder. "Do you have any sense of decency left? To even try to do such a thing while calling yourself our mother."

"I did not do it, Helen." Sabrina forced a smile that wavered. "I would never dream of such an act."

Helen closed her eyes, frustration clearly gathering in her chest. "Apologize. Apologize right now and get out of this house. I’ve had enough of you."

"I..." Sabrina’s voice stuck in her throat, unable to say any more. Her chest felt hollow and heavy all at once.

You’re not even going to apologise for that?" The corner of Helen’s mouth curled into a sneer. "Fine, I’ll just go talk to Father myself then." She yanked Joshua by the arm, pushing past Sabrina forcefully.