Chapter 17
Having heard what the marquis and Rupert had to say, Lilian would turn and leave if she could.
However, she had no money or friends, and she had no idea where she could go
Moreover, her grandmother was still here–how could she bear to worry her?
That was why she just had to bear with it just then, no matter how mean the men were.
Glancing at the plate at the center of the table, she realized the issue.
She fought back her tears, picking up the fish and eating it, while Rupert smirked right then, Now you’re eating it? I guess it’s appealing to stay as a daughter of the marquis‘ household, huh?!”
Lilian shot him a cool look, ignoring his diss and instead bowed her head at the marquis before speaking, “Marquis Lestrade, if I may have your permission to speak, I wasn’t deliberately spurning your son.”
“But over the last two years, my health has been poor, and consuming any seafood would leave me with hives. That was why it’s not just the fish–you won’t see anything like shrimps or crabs on my plate.”
Everyone was taken aback, and took a closer look at Lilian’s plate just then.
But it was just as Lilian had said, there was no seafood on it at all!
Rupert’s heart skipped a beat too, and snapped, “I could believe you if you claim that you’re just sick and couldn’t eat more, but you loved fish! And I’ve never seen you getting hives from eating fish!”
Just as he finished, he was left watching as Lilian raised her hand, rolling up her sleeves and revealing the field of hives already growing over the lash marks covering her hands.
“No! Get the doctor!” The marquise cried.
However, even before she could rush to Lilian’s side, Evelyn started hacking violently as if choking.
The marquise promptly ignored Lilian right then, rushing to Evelyn’s side while shouting for the servants to help.
On the other hand, Rupert was left staring at Lilian’s hand, panicking.
He didn’t mean it he just thought that Lilian was disrespecting their father too and riding her high horse too much, which was why he lashed out.
He had no idea that the same sister who loved fish would get hives from it now.
And it was not that big too, but the hives were growing visibly over Lilian’s face too!
+25 BONUS
Chapter 17
In fact, even the marquis was flustered.
The marquise had told him about Lilian’s injuries, but hearing about it was really different from seeing it with his own eyes.
The lives only left his heart thumping in frustration and confusion, and he suddenly couldn’t look Lilian in the eye either.
Instead, seeing that Evelyn was hacking violently, he took it out on the servants, “What do we pay you for?! Get Eve to her room already!”
With that, the marquis and the marquise all left with Evelyn–even the family doctor who rushed to the scene presumed he was called for Evelyn, and followed.
And with that, it was just Lilian and Rupert left in the vast parlor.
“I…” Rupert tried to speak, but didn’t know what to say.
just
Lilian thought she would have trouble handling Rupert if he suddenly cared, so she shrugged, “It’s late. I’m leaving.”
As she turned to leave, Rupert was left standing there, spacing out for a long while until a thought came to his mind.
Again!
Ever since Lilian returned three days ago, he felt like he kept messing up in her presence.
The misunderstandings never seemed to stop, and when she cleared the air, it would always look as if he was bullying her!
She could have said everything from the start–she could have just told him she couldn’t eat fish when he got it for her! He wouldn’t have lashed out if she had just done that much!
Rupert’s chest heaved, and he could knock everything on the table to the floor just then.
But in the end, he simply stormed off.
Meanwhile, as soon as Lilian returned to Floret Garden, she promptly told Winter, “Fetch me a bucket of cold water.”
Winter had no idea why she would want that, but did as she was told anyway, only to watch as Lilian took it and splashed it all over herself!
“What are you doing, milady?!”
She exclaimed in shock, while rushing to get a towel and quickly rubbed Lilian dry, “You just dove in the pond yesterday. Why would you try to catch a cold again!”
That was when Lilian caught her hands and smiled, shaking her head. “This is the only way to
Chapter 17
clear the hives.”
Lilian herself had discovered that by chance when hives were growing all over her body, the maids at the washhouse happened to push her into the laundry pool.
When she got out, she realized that all the hives were gone.
Since then whenever she got hives and really couldn’t stand it, she would pour cold water over herself
Winter’s tears were welling up in her eyes, but she was relieved as she saw the hives on Lilian’s face fading by the dozen.
She fetched some clean clothes and helped Lillan get changed when she thought the hives were gone, and cooked another bowl of ginger broth for her.
Lilian sat by the window, enveloped in a thick coat while holding the bowl of broth.
She still felt chills in her heart as she remembered what the marquis and Rupert had said.
Even if she had been ready to leave as she had long since understood there was no love for her to be found here, her heart still ached to hear her former father and former brother say it out
loud.
But what could she do?
Right now, everything she had belonged to the marquis‘ household. Where could she go even if she wanted to leave?
What can she do so that her grandmother could have ease of mind, and not get sick with worry
over her?
Meanwhile, Rupert had finished several bottles of alcohol by the time Henry arrived at Andone
Tower.
Henry could smell the pungent scent of alcohol as soon as he entered the room, and noticed Rupert sitting on a rocking chair, chugging yet another bottle.
He frowned, his eyes darting elsewhere!
Seemingly noticing that, Ruper chuckled coolly. “Don’t bother. It’s just me.”
The furrow on Henry’s brow deepened.
That certainly felt unpleasant–he clearly had told Lilian about this, but she had ghosted him?!
“That said, who are you looking for?”
Rupert asked just then, his gaze mocking as he smiled drunkenly. “Eve, or Lilian Kerr?”
Lilian Kerr?
+25 BONUS
Reading his friend’s mind just from that name, Henry asked, “Another argument?”
Rupert laughed coldly, taking two sips from his bottle, wiping his mouth as he smirked, “I’d never dare. Not when she crushes me every time
Seeing that Rupert was drunk, Henry didn’t answer. Instead, he sat down by the table and poured himself a drink.
Rupert was suddenly on his feet, walking behind Henry and throwing an arm over his shoulder, asking drunkenly, “My friend, why don’t you marry both?”
