CHAPTER 136: WHAT YOU DID...

Jenna’s palm turned cold when she heard someone cough from inside the room. She froze in her steps. Someone had seen her with Rhane.

"Jenna!" It was the thick voice of Lady Rachel.

Jenna reached for the door and opened it. She stood with her hair flying over her face, her lipstick smeared, a ripped dress, and shifted underwear. Jenna’s little heart thumped with fear. She was ready to face whatever it was that came with being caught with Rhane. Even if her father didn’t agree, she would tell him where her heart was. Jenna prepared herself for the worst.

"Jenna, why are you dressed like that?!" Lady Rachel gasped, her face looking horrified.

Jenna nodded, "Yes... I know and I—" she stopped talking when she realized the woman wasn’t screaming and alerting the council members but was only worried about her dressing.

"I—" Jenna turned. Rhane wasn’t in the room.

"What is it, Jenna?" Lady Rachel asked, with a frown. "Explain yourself while I’m still willing to listen."

As the woman waited for Jenna’s response, two members of the council rushed towards them.

"Have you seen Rhane?"

Blood rushed up to Jenna’s face. She reached for her falling sleeves and pulled them up to her shoulder. "I— no..." she replied. Her heart racing with fear of what if they asked her to move aside so they could search.

Lady Rachel searched Jenna’s face, then looked inside the room. "Why did you leave the gathering with Lois?"

Jenna quickly followed the woman inside, her heart drummed noisily. "I... Lois?" Jenna asked.

"Yes, someone said she is here in the dressing room. Where is she?" Lady Rachel continued, checking the dresses littered in the room.

A lot was going on in Jenna’s mind at the moment. She had heard someone cough. Could it be Lois? Did she hear everything between her and Rhane? If she did, why wasn’t she stepping forward to say anything? Also, had she hidden so she could hear them...

Jenna licked her lips, confused about the entire situation, especially with the fact that she wasn’t seeing Rhane.

"What are you so keenly searching for?" Lady Rachel snapped her fingers in front of Jenna.

Jenna blinked, "Nothing... um... Lois," she repeated. Jenna decided to play along. "She was umm...."

"Here," Lois stepped inside the room, with her hand over her mouth. She coughed.

Jenna’s ears perked. It was the same voice she heard earlier. She turned to look at the woman.

"I was in the dressing room next to this place," Lois began, still looking at Jenna. "It was stuffy and I was going to leave... that was when I heard Jenna’s voice."

Jenna didn’t believe that. The cough had sounded like it came from inside the room. She heard it clearly.

And where was Rhane!

The two members of the council still lurked around outside the room, as if waiting to catch someone. Jenna exhaled softly, trying her best to remain calm in the situation.

Lady Rachel’s eyes moved from Lois to Jenna and she hummed. "You left the gathering for too long and the council were beginning to worry." She pointed at the dresses piled on the floor.

"You ladies have made a mess here and should get it cleaned..." Picking up one from the floor, she handed it to Jenna. "And get changed, you look like you’ve been attacked by a wild animal."

When the woman put it that way... Jenna thought, taking the dress from her and pressing it to her chest.

"I heard you were looking for me."

Jenna snapped her head towards the door when she saw Rhane now speaking to the council members. She wasn’t the only person who had turned at the sound of Rhane’s relaxed voice.

"Yes... it is time to leave."

They had a brief conversation before they quietly left the place. Jenna finally let go of the breath she was holding. She didn’t know how Rhane had escaped or when, but it was perfect they didn’t get caught. Jenna felt relief wash over her. She didn’t need Rhane to turn and look at her. She was just glad things had worked out in their favor.

However it worked. So long as Rhane wasn’t seen with her in this state. Then everything was fine. Jenna became even more confident.

"You two shouldn’t retire to bed until you clean this mess," Lady Rachel ordered. "That is for leaving when you still had guests. You should learn to..." the woman yawned tiredly,

"...entertain your guests no matter how exhausted you feel."

Looking at her now, Jenna noticed how tired the woman looked, her eyes heavy with sleep. "We will get it cleaned, right Lois?" she called the young woman’s attention.

"Ah... y-es," Lois stammered, shifting her eyes away from the door to Jenna. "Yes... leave it to us."

Lady Rachel hummed, tapping her fingers on her lips before she turned and left the room.

Once the door closed, Jenna slumped on the dresses, using one to cover her face. The mixed feeling of sneaking around with Rhane, hiding, getting scared of being found out— it pumped her blood, made her feel really young. As dangerous as it was, she loved it.

Jenna stood up properly. She got rid of the heavy dress, which was already ripped and rumpled thanks to Rhane. She got herself out of it, discarding the dress. Jenna put on the simpler one that had been handed over to her.

"I’ll gather up the dresses and send them to be washed," Jenna said. Finished with dressing, she packed her hair in a messy bun. "You clean up the vanity," she instructed Lois, who hadn’t moved ever since she entered the room.

Though Jenna found it suspicious that she had heard the cough from inside the room, Lois wasn’t one to keep a secret as huge as seeing Jenna with a man. So Jenna decided to let it go. Maybe the young woman had really heard or seen nothing.

Grabbing a handful of dresses, Jenna padded her feet out of the room. When one of the gowns slipped from her hold, Jenna bent down to pick it, but Lois reached for it first.

"Oh, thank you." Jenna rasped, standing straight to take the dress, but Lois didn’t let go. Jenna pulled the dress, "Lois?"

Lois raised her eyes, now looking at Jenna straight in the eyes.

"I know what you did, Jenna..."