Chapter 85: She'll say it, she'll do it.
“I cannot sing.”
“Tch…”
Vivian truly could not take it anymore. Covering her face, she shook her head. She had finally been willing to share a bit of her inner thoughts, only to forget that this fool’s mind worked in a very peculiar way.
You could not say she understood nothing — the mont she wanted to take advantage, she beca sharp, even exploiting loopholes and using her own advantages as a safety word.
Bad news: outwardly cold.
Good news: occasionally glitches or gets overridden by instinct. Impossible to predict — one could only go with the flow, though sotis it could still be forcefully triggered.
Before long, Vivian suddenly rembered the gifts she had brought had not yet been dealt with. She raised a hand and gave an order, and the maids carried the gift boxes away.
Now only the two of them remained. The piano music gradually grew louder; according to the program, it was ti for the dance to begin in the central space.
Many young boys who had just entered adolescence invited the girls they fancied to dance a waltz. Despite the elegance and grandeur of the occasion, it strangely felt like a date.
Almost feels like…
Before Eve’s thought could finish, approaching figures interrupted her. When they reached them, she and Vivian both slightly lifted their chins.
With a single glance, Vivian lost interest and lowered her gaze, crossing her legs. There was no courtesy — only pure disdain.
“The fad Young Master Perry — instead of choosing a dance partner, have you co to my place to seek displeasure?”
Nock maintained his prepared “smile.” Without answering imdiately, he bent forward and began with a standard hand-kiss greeting.
The beauty before him had no intention of acknowledging it. He was not embarrassed — this was hardly his first ti. Persistence would eventually pay off.
Straightening up, one hand slipped into his trouser pocket while he narcissistically smoothed his carefully styled hair. “You cannot say that. The mont I heard Miss Vivian had arrived, I ca at once. How could I think of anything else?”
“Whether you did or not, you know yourself.”
Nock smiled and glanced at the maid beside her, pausing briefly before refocusing. “That may be true, but knowing it alone is not enough.”
“When I visited Morninglight Manor last ti, its beautiful mistress had fallen ill. I was deeply concerned. Fortunately, God heard my wish and allowed
to see her again.”
“I must say, I am quite fortunate. Have you been well recently?”
Hearing this, Vivian felt goosebumps rise. The oily tone paired with his self-admiring deanor made her nauseated.
“Whether I am well is none of your concern. With this ti, you should learn proper etiquette instead,” she said, frowning and giving him a disgusted look.
“Dressed like a gentleman yet unable to even wear it properly. Revolting…”
Following her gaze, one could see the unfastened zipper. Nock belatedly realized, coughed twice, turned around, and hastily fixed it.
“Ahem… I was simply too eager to see tonight’s most dazzling heroine. Please forgive .”
So that was why you pointed your weapon at people?
He must have just co from the restroom. Even his collar was ssy, lipstick marks exposed — disgusting and foolish. There was truly no redeeming feature.
He even cursed himself for being an idiot. Not only wasted money, now he had embarrassed himself before Vivian. Truly terrible.
Now ca real awkwardness. Pretending composure, he adjusted his tie and happened to see an attendant passing with a tray.
A perfect opportunity.
He beckoned imdiately.
Taking two champagne flutes from the tray, he offered one toward Vivian and said with a smile, “It was terribly rude to trouble Miss Vivian. As an apology, allow
to offer you a drink. Would you honor ?”
Seeing she did not move — not even glance — he assud the music was too loud and repeated himself.
He received only a sigh filled with mockery and impatience.
Vivian finally turned her face, her beautiful eyes containing nothing but irritation. “Being thick-skinned is one thing, but now I truly wonder whether you are genuinely stupid.”
She tilted her head slightly. “Honor you? Do not make
laugh.”
Nock’s smile finally faltered. His temper told him not to endure, yet reason forced restraint.
His mind battled itself, but he still refused to give up. “If you will not accept my apology, then as a guest, sharing a drink with your host is not excessive, is it?”
“My presence alone is generous enough. Stop your laughable moral pressure and leave. You are unpleasant to look at.”
The Hatherin Family was not inferior to the Perry Family. She had rely co for formality — coming to disgust her was his mistake.
Not insulting him in front of everyone was already rcy.
Nock’s smile vanished. His grip tightened, the liquid in the glass trembling.
“Miss Vivian, considering our families’ relationship, do not go too far.”
“Relationship? You truly have a sense of humor.” Vivian nearly laughed, as if hearing the greatest joke. “That is my old father’s concern. I do not even give him face, let alone you. If your brother ca, it might barely make sense.”
Boom.
The words struck like silent thunder in Nock’s mind.
He was already tired of being mocked in his family as useless. Even if it was the person he admired, crossing that line was intolerable.
Crash!
The glass fell and shattered, the sound drowned by music. Only scattered shards reflected light while the resentnt soaked into the carpet with the spilled wine.
After dealing with the glass, he pointed at her angrily. “You refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit, Vivian Hatherin — do you think I am soone you can bully?!”
The scene seed frozen. Without the ongoing dance behind them, it would appear ti had stopped.
Vivian slowly lifted her eyes. Her cold gaze made him stiffen, yet she did not yield. She rely pinched the thigh of the maid beside her.
To put it plainly — Eve had been waiting for this mont.
This was her specialty.
Understanding instantly, she stood up.
Nock’s pointing hand trembled as his threat lingered in the air. “Even if you are Hatherin, do you believe I would not—”
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