Chapter 78
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 78
He hadn’t intended to grab Viviana’s wrist, yet somehow, he found himself doing exactly that.
But what was done was done; it couldn’t be undone. He abruptly let go of her arm as if shaking something filthy off his hand, then braced himself and spoke.
“Um… M-Miss Bella…!”
“Yes?”
“Miss Bella was deeply hurt. You must apologize to her!”
He blurted the words out haphazardly and immediately regretted it. He shouldn't have stammered like a fool.
Viviana’s gaze turned icy.
“What on earth are you talking about? Why would I owe Bella an apology?”
“Of course you do! At the Cheslow family’s party, you put her in a humiliating position and then unilaterally declared your friendship over, didn’t you?”
Viviana frowned.
“I believe you were present at the time, yet it seems you never bothered to learn the full details. It wasn’t me who caused the trouble; it was Caroline. And isn’t it rare for people to amicably agree to end a friendship?”
It was jarring to see her like this. Usually, she couldn't even speak properly to him, doing nothing but blushing in his presence. Now, she was arguing with cold, sharp precision.
Adam swallowed hard.
“Everyone knows you were jealous of Miss Bella because of me! And that you’ve been spreading ridiculous rumors about us…!”
“Wait a minute. What is this now? I spread rumors about you and Bella? What rumors?”
“Th-that Miss Bella seduced me to interfere with your love…”
“Ha!”
At first, Viviana scoffed in disbelief, then burst into an incredulous laugh.
“I mean, really—there would have to be something to interfere with for Bella to have done anything. What exactly was there between you and me?”
“That’s…”
“Are people fools? Do you think if I spread ridiculous rumors, they would just nod and point fingers at Bella? They’d blame me instead!”
Adam was speechless.
It rang true, so he couldn't deny it. Yet, if Viviana was right, it meant Bella had lied to him, and he couldn't bring himself to accept that easily either.
Worse still, the people around them were starting to stare. His insides were burning, and he nervously moistened his dry lips with his tongue. He felt like there should be a way to put Viviana in her place, but he couldn't think of a single retort.
“Young Master Adam Hofner.”
Viviana called his name with a heavy sigh.
“It’s true that I once liked you. But I also know very well that you never looked at me for a single moment. You only ever had eyes for Bella, didn’t you?”
He nodded reluctantly.
Viviana let out a small, hollow laugh at his expression.
“The day you blamed me without even bothering to find out the truth—that was the day I completely gave up on you. I didn’t want to interfere with your blind love, you see.”
Then, she took hold of her skirt and performed a slight, graceful curtsy.
“Your fervent love for a woman who is already taken? I’ll cheer you on. You don’t have to worry about me liking you again. My heart will be given to someone who actually knows its worth.”
Adam couldn't utter another word. He stood frozen as Viviana, wearing a smile that bordered on a sneer, walked away.
It felt as if he’d been struck hard on the back of the head. He didn’t even know where to begin his argument, so he just stood there, blinking like an idiot.
*
While Viviana was putting Adam in his place, Harriet moved through the crowd. She pretended to fetch drinks and sample the hors d'oeuvres, all while keeping her ears open.
It was vital to stay informed on the latest trends in high society.
“…so I bought about a hundred grams myself. It’s not just food, it’s medicine, so I’m a bit nervous to try it…”
“If you try it, you won’t be able to stop. It’s incredibly effective!”
The man winked and gave a thumbs-up.
As soon as he started to say, “My wife, too, becomes quite… active when she takes that medicine…!” the woman beside him—presumably his wife—slapped his arm. Though she glared at him, the crinkle at the corners of her eyes suggested she didn't truly mind the boast.
Harriet pretended to sip her champagne and moved on. From behind a pillar, she caught another snippet of conversation.
“They say the Second Prince’s condition improved greatly after taking that medicine.”
“Is a young man’s depression the same as an older woman’s, like ours?”
“They say age and gender don’t matter. It simply makes you feel much better. I’ve already asked a contact to secure some for me.”
It was that medicine again.
‘They said the pharmaceutical business was booming lately, and it seems they were right. Everyone is talking about medicine.’
She wished she could hear talk of effective painkillers, but the guests were only chattering about these ‘mood-enhancing drugs.’ Sometimes the atmosphere was lewd; other times, it sounded like people were genuinely seeking a cure for their malaise.
After eavesdropping on a few more business-related conversations, Harriet stepped out onto the balcony to clear her head with some fresh air.
But before she could even take a breath, a sound reached her that made her doubt her ears.
“Oh… ah!”
“Doesn’t it feel completely different when you do it after taking Angelic?”
Boldly, a man and a woman were enjoying an intimate tryst on the balcony directly above.
Harriet gasped and clapped a hand over her mouth. Eavesdropping on such a scandalous scene wasn’t her hobby, so she began to back away slowly, but the pair continued their conversation, oblivious to her presence.
“Haa… b-but if I feel like this throughout the whole party, it’ll be a bit awkward…”
“Later, just drink plenty of water and go to the restroom. The effects wear off quickly after that.”
“It’s over after one trip to the restroom? Isn’t that a bit much for such an expensive medicine?”
“It’s a shame, but if you drink alcohol, the effects intensify significantly. Want another glass?”
They seemed to drink more of the alcohol they had brought with them. They continued to make embarrassing noises, lost in their passion, until Harriet had completely retreated from the balcony.
‘They must be insane! How can they do such a thing on someone else’s balcony!’
Harriet, her face flushed crimson, hurried away. If she could have, she would have scrubbed the sounds from her ears.
Had she been any more flustered, she might have missed Annabelle’s approaching glance. Annabelle gave her a quick wink, then walked past her to join a group of acquaintances.
‘It seems Annabelle is going to keep her promise.’
Harriet lingered nearby, pretending to be preoccupied. Annabelle’s dramatic whispering soon drifted over her shoulder.
“Everyone, everyone! Do you know what just happened over there?”
At her words, curiosity sparked in the eyes of the surrounding nobles.
“Why? What happened?”
“Young Master Adam Hofner was rude to Miss Viviana Delus and got thoroughly humiliated, that’s what!”
“What? Really? I heard Miss Viviana was infatuated with Adam…”
“Not anymore, she says. She was disappointed to see him chasing after a woman who’s already taken.”
“You mean Miss Bella? I didn’t think that looked very good either.”
The group nodded, murmuring in agreement. Bella was undeniably beautiful and kind, but for a woman on the verge of an engagement to be parading around with other men was frowned upon.
Annabelle shook her head and continued.
“The story about Miss Viviana being jealous of Miss Bella because of Adam seems to have been an exaggeration. From what I saw, she gave up on him a long time ago.”
“Then what exactly happened at the Cheslow party?”
“Ah, well, from what I heard…”
Annabelle began correcting the rumor that Viviana had disparaged Bella’s gift and ruined the atmosphere. She explained that Viviana had merely given her friend Labonaz cream, hoping such a precious gift would be used meaningfully, but Caroline had unnecessarily picked a fight and blown the whole thing out of proportion.
“If Miss Bella had been a bit wiser, she would have led the two of them to a private room to hear the full story. But because she just blindly admitted fault, it made Miss Viviana look like the villain.”
“Oh dear, Miss Bella was at fault there too. Unconditionally apologizing isn’t always the right thing to do, is it? It probably wasn’t even a sincere apology.”
“She likely did it to smooth things over quickly, but because of that, innocent Miss Viviana ended up being misunderstood.”
A man who had been listening silently scoffed at the mention of Adam.
“Adam really doesn’t know his place. He only managed to maintain his popularity thanks to Miss Viviana’s favor, yet he acts so arrogantly toward a lady who was practically his benefactor.”
“Exactly. Honestly, I never understood why Miss Viviana liked him in the first place.”
“In any case, Adam is now just another ‘unpopular’ man chasing after Miss Bella. Hahahaha!”
Harriet, listening to the shifting tide of the conversation, felt a wave of relief.