Chapter 62: The Gift
Eve ignored the other’s anger, rely morizing the task. She took two barefoot steps, then turned back. “Young Miss, should I bring stockings as well?”
“……”
“Should I?”
“Yes!” Vivian closed her eyes and took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to strangle her.
“Oh, right. Young Miss, do you want white or black, or—”
WHOOSH!
A pillow flew over. Eve calmly tilted her head aside; the faintly fragrant pillow brushed past her shoulder, smacked into the wardrobe with a thud, and slid down.
“…or fishnet suspenders?”
“Whichever you like! Stop talking nonsense!”
Ignoring the furious sounds of pounding pillows and blankets behind her, Eve soon returned with a sleeveless dress. A pair of white thick tights hung over her elbow, and two small leather shoes dangled from her fingers.
“Young Miss, please.”
Vivian snatched the dress and tights. Just as she grabbed the hem of her nightdress, she froze, then raised her head and asked through clenched teeth, “Why are you still standing there? I’m changing. Do you want to watch?! Or do you want to help
put them on?”
Eve considered seriously for a mont and replied calmly with three words: “May I?”
“OUT!!!”
Even though everything except the final step had already been seen, her reaction was still explosive.
Thus Eve was driven out just like that—forced out by Vivian’s sudden triple attack with a pillow. She did not even have ti to put on her shoes and had to carry them along.
Standing beside the door, she waited while putting on her black boots, her brisk and heroic bearing returning. She then planned to gaze out the window to pass the ti.
Report: two maids detected secretly kissing in the back garden. Eve was greatly shocked. Had they not mutated yet? They were practically pressed together…
A few minutes later, as soon as Vivian stepped out of the room, she spotted the white-haired maid leaning by the window, seemingly looking toward so distant corner.
She walked closer and snorted.
Eve heard the sound and turned sharply. “Young Miss.”
Seeing her reaction, Vivian’s mood improved unexpectedly; even her tone grew lighter. “Here. A reward for you. Put it on. Without my permission, you are not allowed to remove it.”
“Mm…” Eve looked at the object in her hand. “Hm?”
Resting in her palm was, unmistakably, a very exquisite… collar?
About two fingers wide, its black exterior looked luxurious. Complex dark-gold patterns were embossed upon it, giving an imdiate impression of opulence.
There were also delicate lace trimmings. Hanging at the center was a hexagonal gold base bearing the emblem of the Hatherin Family.
A blooming red rose, crystal clear, refracted dazzling light under illumination. Beneath it was a small line of letters.
[Vivian]
Eve fell silent, hesitating whether to accept it.
Vivian gave her no chance to refuse. With a firm attitude, she said coldly, “Put it on now. This is the first gift I’ve ever given. If it were anyone else, they would be kneeling in gratitude already. You would not dare refuse, would you?”
The first?
Eve caught the key point. With her hands folded before her abdon, she still did not reach out, attempting a detour. “Young Miss, it is too valuable. I cannot accept it.”
“Do not give
that nonsense. Do you want it or not?”
“No.”
“Say that again?!”
“N—”
(rapid approach)
Vivian grabbed Eve’s sleeve and forcefully stuffed the collar toward her. Eve reacted swiftly and stepped back.
“Stop! You stop right there!” Vivian’s face reddened with anger. She stomped twice, then struck Eve’s stomach with two small punches.
Each hit was accompanied by a sharp “Hmph! Hmph!” You might think she was weak like an ordinary girl throwing a tantrum—
Not at all. Those two punches would have made a normal person spit out breakfast. No one knew where the strength ca from. Yet they still failed to break Eve’s defenses.
Seeing this, Vivian truly ran out of options. Hands on hips, she held her forehead and sighed at the sky. Then, abandoning restraint entirely, she directly threw the collar at her.
She angrily accused, “I’ve already let you touch
so many tis! Even in the future, if you want, I’ve gone this far already! Can’t you just listen to
once, you blockhead?!”
“Huh?! Will it kill you just once?! You clueless idiot! Wooden block! Jerk!”
After shouting, her face flushed red. She panted heavily, swallowed, and glared fiercely at the white-haired maid who caught the collar without reaction.
“……”
Why did she suddenly seem a little pitiful?
That blunt, embarrassed confession echoed in the corridor. At the sa ti, Eve keenly detected hurried footsteps leaving the stairwell—
—and giggling female voices.
She looked again at the Hatherin emblem on the collar, still hesitant, wondering whether accepting it ant being branded by the Organization…
But when she saw the line of letters, the burden strangely lessened.
Fine, fine.
She sighed silently. After all, she had done so excessive things to this willful Young Miss. You win, child.
Under Vivian’s gaze, shifting from anger to anticipation, Eve silently traced the lace trim, found the clasp, opened it, and wrapped it around her neck…
Click…
In an instant, the stark contrast of black and white perfectly highlighted the beauty of her neck and collarbone, like a flower beneath a cold moon—cool yet vivid.
The red-and-gold rose emblem rested precisely atop the original black ribbon bow: refined, elegant, and austere.
—If one ignored that it was fundantally a collar.
But setting aside its nature, Eve felt it was rely an ornant. It was even comfortable to wear—cool against the skin.
And it was a gift from Vivian… her first gift, given to her. Even so, she could not help suspecting so ulterior motive. Sothing felt slightly off.
While Eve was still adjusting to it and quietly admiring it, the red-haired young girl on the other side had already disconnected from reality the mont the collar was fastened.
Vivian: [No response] [Attempting to reconnect……]
Her mouth hung slightly open, making no sound. She did not even blink, staring fixedly at the ornant around Eve’s neck.
She had put it on… the mark that belonged to her.
Vivian murmured unconsciously, “Beautiful…”
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