Phantom Beauty

"After all that, I didn't even finish my shopping." With a soured mood, Eliza was headed back to meet with her siblings at a café before they would head home. Unfortunately for her butler, he'd have to finish up the shopping early the next morning.

"Sister!" Georgia waved at Eliza from where the three girls were seated at an outdoor patio.

She sat down and couldn't help but ask right away, "So, what sort of monetary damage am I taking on today?"

"Hehe… umm." Georgia twiddled her thumbs while Josephine was unbothered and focused on her pastry.

Turning to the one who couldn't lie to her face, Eliza faced Susan who softly smiled, "Well, the girls insisted that they shouldn't be the only ones to get a new gown for tomorrow evening. Therefore, I helped them choose a new dress for you. Is that alright?"

Eliza was pleasantly surprised, and it lifted her spirits, "How sweet of you all."

She could tell that Susan was proud of herself, but a touch of melancholy was still hidden in her round eyes. Eliza took that into consideration before clearing her throat.

"Ahem. Susan, how long have you worked for my family?"

"Ah, three years tomorrow madam."

"How diligent of you to remember."

Susan blushed, "Well I write in my journal every night before prayer. Especially since each day is filled with exciting events."

"I see. Well, considering it's your anniversary, you usually request these days off but refrained from doing so due to the event. I apologize for the inconvenience."

"Not at all my Lady! I am happy to serve."

"Well unfortunately you are unneeded tomorrow since I have already hired extra help." Eliza reached over to wipe away the crumbs from Josephine's cheeks.

Susan looked panicked and stuttered, "I-I beg your pardon. But... but won't you need my assistance to help dress the girls?"

"Nonsense! That's what the tailor and stylist are for. After all, you as well will need help getting ready tomorrow." Eliza smiled at Susan whose face slowly showed a realization about the meanings of her words.

"My Lady, you don't mean that I will be attending the party, do you?"

Eliza tried to hide her amusement at Susan's reactions. "Well, it would be rather unfair for you to be left out of the festivities while everyone to Solaris is invited. I also prepared you a dress."

"A d-dress!" Susan paled and she vehemently shook her head while waving her hands, "I could never accept such an extravagant gift.

"There's no need to be so reserved. I suspected you wouldn't accept a new dress, so I hope you are comfortable with one of my old dresses from when I was younger. Ah and don't worry, I had it sent to the tailor to adapt it to today's fashion. It will look splendid on you."

"I-… thank you, my Lady!"

They ate their food and sipped their tea while chatting until they finished and finally met with their coachman who had all their items packed away. Susan's demeanor suddenly shifted to being demure and shy around the coachman whose eyes flickered towards her every now and then.

…

That afternoon remained full of preparations for the event the next day and things didn't slow down until the evening. Marnie paid Eliza a visit that night to deliver her spare teacups and platters.

"I really appreciate your help with this. Our family has never been the sort to throw large events like these."

"Oh, not a problem dearie. I'm sure it will be lovely." Marnie gave her friend a reassuring smile.

Their friendship had surpassed longer than a decade and Marnie was well-aware of Eliza's stressful position as the heiress to her family businesses. It wouldn't be surprising if she lived on to be an old spinster considering her lack of interest, nor time for men.

"May I look over the list of attendees?"

"Of course." Eliza handed over the long list and already felt stressed again from glancing over the length once more. "I don't know how so many people heard of this. There are even some names of people I have never met before!"

"Hoho just enjoy it." Marnie looked over the names, but her gaze stopped abruptly over one specific name. "Oh my, you never mentioned Elliot Holland would be attending!"

Eliza raised a brow in confusion because she had no recollection of writing down that name. "I wasn't aware either. Perhaps Georgia wrote in down recently…"

"So, you don't know who the Elliot Holland is?"

"Can't say I do." Although Eliza never often attended social gatherings, she still had knowledge of those living in her town, as well as the major names from the city.

Marnie knew she shouldn't have expected Eliza to know of such an outstanding man but it's still baffling, nonetheless. "He's an aristocrat from the capital. A bit of a recent upstart but the crown prince himself bestowed him with power and the title of Marquess!"

"Oh my, so he's that important? What on earth is he doing wanting to attend a lowly commoner's tea party?" She didn't know why, but the situation did not sit well with her. "Do you think he's coming to mock me?"

Marnie looked appalled at such a statement coming from her usually self-assured friend, "I heard he is an outstanding gentleman. He is self-made himself so perhaps he's interested in reminiscing?... Or, he has other intentions." Marnie looked over at her friend with a suggestive smile. Although Eliza was none the wiser and waited for her to continue.

"I am saying that maybe he's interested in searching for a potential partner… The Capital's most eligible bachelor paying a visit to the home of Millbrooke's Phantom Beauty."

Still no response from the girl herself.

"Good grief Elizabeth! I am talking about you!"

Eliza choked on air and was nearly speechless. "I… you mean me?"

Marnie huffed and should have also known that Eliza was never aware of her own charms. Her light brown hair glowed gold in the backlit sun while her emerald eyes shined with youth. Her slender waist and plump bosom were something the city girls tried to replicate by tightening their corsets until they cracked their ribs. She had a natural beauty that bewitched men wherever she went but was still ignorant to their longing.

"Pardon? Why am I a phantom beauty?"

"Well, aside from the obvious, you are hardly present for balls and other tea parties. What do the men say again? 'Even Aphrodite cannot hold a candle to the beautiful treasure of the Girard family. Never seen but always adored, she remains.'"

Eliza couldn't help but feel eerily disturbed by that statement and rubbed away the bumps on her arm. "I- I am unsure how to respond to that."

"How absurd that you haven't figured this out after so long?"

"Well, that explains those letters over there." Eliza tilted her head towards the stacks of courting letters piled on the hallway credenza. Marnie covered her mouth and gasped, but her eyes glowed with excitement.

"Silly girl! And you tried acting so ignorant."

"Those arrived shortly after I attended that ball in Solaris. I assumed my portrait was being passed around like many others, surely that rumor couldn't have made it to the Northern Kingdom, yes?"

"Holy-! The Northern?" Marnie flushed and fanned her face with her hand. She seemed even more surprised than the Phantom Beauty herself.

Eliza waved her wand dismissively, "I wouldn't take them too seriously. Surely, the Duke of Crois sends letters to far more beautiful women."

Marnie had to end the conversation for her own sanity.

…

That night, Eliza didn't sleep soundly this before. It felt as though she was reverting to that uncomfortable feeling from a fortnight ago. She tried adjusting her sleeping positions, but her gown had started to stick to her skin from the perspiration. Shortly after changing into something lighter, the same thing happened again so she took it off and snuggled tight into her covers.

"Ah damnit…" That itchiness between her thighs returned ruthlessly and she looked at her watch to find that it was already midnight.

With a frustrated growl, she reached down and softly touched her sensitive skin and her fingers pulled away coated with slick moisture. Biting her lip, she squeezed her breasts and pinched her nipple that hardened at her touch. "Mmph." Her fingers drew circles around her puckered bud and her whole body twitched once she rubbed against it. "Ahhn." She continued her routine to make herself finally come but there was still a frustration remaining.

'I need more.' Even though she had a better understanding of what felt good with her body, it didn't quite leave her as satisfied when she did it herself. Despite her resentment, she knew that monster was the only thing that could make her feel so good she'd be satisfied for many nights.

"It's not worth it." She told herself. "I'll just do another round, yes maybe that's all I need…"

Following that talk with herself, she tried to create that finishing feeling until she couldn't even react to it anymore. At this point, her clit was swollen, and her pussy clenched around nothing. The overstimulation was drowning her but she couldn't feel satisfied. Her brain was unable to process thoughts at this point and without meaning to, she softly moaned, "Leo…"

There was a moment of stuffy silence in her room, and she was about to chastise herself when a figure entered her field of vision...