The Monstrous Grand Duke’s Fake Lady

Ah.

Vivian then expressed her lament, albeit briefly. What am I even thinking? She shouldn’t be painting any single speck of emotion on her face just because she had a couple of love affairs with him.

She wasn’t Alexia—who could leisurely lay her body by his side—in the first place. Vivian tried so hard to conceal her trembling hands as she picked up the clothes that were scattered on the floor.

She could feel how Knox was boring a hole through her back, but Vivian didn’t look back even once.

Only after she had donned her hat perfectly that Vivian finally turned her body to retaliate his stare. Seeing how Knox was still staring intensely at her while leaning on the bed, had made Vivian clamped her lips even more.

When she tried to slightly move her lips, which seemed to be hesitating, Knox gave out a faint sigh.

“Don’t worry. I won’t force you if you don’t want it to begin with.”

Did he figure out that Vivian was afraid? Knox then continued his words that were wrapped with a very thoughtful tone, which seemed to be soothing her.

“I won’t ever disregard your will like I did with others. I’m serious.”

In the end, Vivian was only able to seal back her lips that had just moved slightly.

How could she bring herself to talk if he was being like that? Vivian couldn’t bear to let Knox down. She could only hope that his enraged gaze wouldn’t be directed straight to her.

At the end of the day, Vivian still couldn’t utter a single word of truth to Knox.

“Then, I’ll be taking my leave.”

Knox’s hand straight away quivered at Vivian’s simple farewell.

It was definitely an unbelievable turn of events when recalling the first time they met each other where he had turned his back and pretended to fall asleep. Nevertheless, Vivian just felt empty towards his change of attitude.

The carriage that was transporting Vivian headed to a desolate place, just like usual. As soon as she descended the carriage, she was immediately greeted by Amanda.

“What about the Young Lady?”

“I’ve already told you before. The Young Lady won’t be coming here anymore.”

Amanda was grinning from ear to ear while saying that. She was a product of pure happiness due to the fact that she could now loaf around as much as she liked without the need to worry about the gaze of her boss—her master.

“Don’t just stay like this and change your clothes now. What are you going to do if you’re late once more, on top of not getting any dinner again?”

Vivian stared endlessly at those clothes that Amanda was offering. She seemed to loathe that usual clothes of hers, today in particular. How great would it be if the clothes that were clinging onto her right now actually belonged to her, instead?

“Vivi?”

“Ah, sure. I need to change quickly. Plus, I’m starving anyway.”

As she heard Amanda’s voice that was calling out to herself, she hurriedly changed her clothes right away. Once she took off her hat and tied her hair up neatly, only then she had reverted back to being herself.

Nevertheless, Vivian was biting her own lips as she stared intently at Amanda, who was carefully sorting out Alexia’s clothes.

Pointless greed would only beget inferno. She grew up listening to every word her mother had said without fail; what lies beyond one’s means could always be noxious.

Perhaps that was why Vivian had never coveted things that belonged to other people. The thought that she had to live according to her own measure had made Vivian eventually manage to peel her gaze from that ostentatious dress.

As soon as Vivian and Amanda had arrived at the county, they immediately felt that the atmosphere of the mansion was different than usual once they descended from the carriage.

Amidst the vaguely hostile atmosphere, a maid could be seen in a rush as she found Vivian and grabbed her by the wrist.

“Vivian! What are you doing over here? Hurry and go to the Young Lady this instance!”

“What happened?”

Amanda asked on the behalf of Vivian, who couldn’t speak freely at the sudden turn of events. Still, they couldn’t even have a decent conversation as the maid’s face was utterly blue and she was completely flustered.

“Hurry!”