The atmosphere became a little tense.
The fragrance of tea filled the air, which also became moist.
Si Yiyan fiddled with the glazed teacup which was glossy and made of porcelain. It looked beautiful and realistic.
The mask covered the expression on his face and the crisp and hard lines highlighted his pronounced features. The more nonchalant he behaved, the harder it was for anyone to guess what was on his mind. He looked rather mysterious and unpredictable.
Wen Xinya remained seated beside him, her rosy lips curling into a tender smile that seemed a little cold. She was quiet and refined, yet still well-mannered and poised.
The two of them were exceptionally compatible with each other.
Duke Moville’s eyes lit up and he gently stroked the eyes of the serpent on his cane, wondering how he should break the tension of the ambiance.
Meanwhile, a look of resentment and jealousy formed on the face of Avrora, who was seated beside Duke Moville. She subconsciously stared at Wen Xinya menacingly.
This is the woman who caused me to fall from Heaven to Hell.
I detest her to the core and wish I could devour her and rip her bones and tendons apart.
At this moment, Avrora sensed an icy cold gaze being fixed on her face and she instinctively raised her head to meet the glassy, gray eyes belonging to her grandfather.
She subconsciously shivered and glanced at Wen Xinya. “Miss Bella, please forgive me for my ignorance when provoking and challenging you to a horseback riding contest. I even challenged Rex’s authority by forcing you to use the Lucifer matriarchal token as a stake.”
After beating around the bush all day, they finally revealed their true purpose of visit. Wen Xinya picked up her teacup and sipped on some tea quietly instead of answering her.
Si Yiyan did the same.
Their reactions made Avrora’s body stiffen gradually.
Duke Moville laughed and said, “Avrora has always been competitive because of the way I taught her ever since she was young. Hence, she acted insensibly this time. I usually let her, but I didn’t expect her to end up hurting Miss Bella and she was even so brazen as to steal the Moville Family’s stamp to inappropriately seal a document that she shouldn’t have.”
Avrora’s apology led them to the main topic in a non-abrupt manner. Feeling a little awkward, Wen Xinya had no choice but to say, “Pardon my ignorance, but I don’t understand what you mean, Duke Moville.”
Although she knew that Avrora was the one who stamped the document and forged Duke Moville’s signature, she obviously wouldn’t express it openly. She had to pretend that she assumed the document was sealed by Duke Moville himself.
Since Duke Moville had already brought it up, he had to continue explaining it. “Since Avrora forced you to compete with her and even used the Moville Family’s privilege transferral document as a stake, this is all Avrora’s fault for taking matters into her own hands. She was the one who stole the stamp and stamped it onto the document. I only found out about it at a later time.”
It was not Duke Moville’s first time communicating with Si Yiyan and Wen Xinya and he knew that the both of them were scheming and sly, respectively. He was not confident of getting the document back from him at all.
However, he had to get that document back.
There were plenty of power struggles between aristocratic families, who often went toe-to-toe against each other. As one of the most renowned aristocrats, he held power, pride and authority. However, he had already lost most of the power handed down by his ancestors.
Hence, for several years, he had been stepping on eggshells around the upper-class society. Yet… the silly Avrora actually used their prized possession and proof of power as a stake for the bet between her and Wen Xinya. If word about it were to spread to others, they would suffer a huge blow.
“Ah!” Wen Xinya shrieked in horror, as if she was in utter disbelief. “Miss Avrora actually committed such an outrageous thing. Oh my god… it’s unbelievable.”
She refused to say anything else.
Avrora shivered uncomfortably as if she was being pricked by a million needles. Hanging her head low, she swallowed her pride and said, “I acted inappropriately previously and became a great sinner.” She clenched her jaw and knelt in front of Wen Xinya before pleading. “Miss Bella, please return that document to the Moville Family. We’ll be very grateful to you.”
At this juncture, she was prepared to go all out just to get the document back, regardless of what it took. Reason being… the only way to fall back in favor with Duke Moville was by getting the document back. That was the only way she could avoid the fate of becoming a pathetic and filthy woman.
Greatly taken aback, Wen Xinya stood up immediately and avoided Avrora. She then leaped into Si Yiyan’s arms and said, “Miss Avrora, you’re putting me in a spot. Get up, quickly!”
Si Yiyan glanced at Avrora and frowned without saying a word.
Duke Moville glanced at her casually, not expressing any opinion about Avrora’s actions. To him, kneeling down was no big deal so long as they could get the document back.
However…
He shifted his gaze onto Si Yiyan. He could tell from their attitudes that they obviously didn’t buy it.
Avrora pleaded. “Miss Bella, I know I was wrong, but I’m willing to pay any price as long as you agree to return the document.”
Yes, any price!
Avrora gripped her skirt tightly, overwhelmed with feelings of misery and humiliation. She was Avrora, Duke Moville’s favorite granddaughter and the subject of everyone’s envy. She had never expected that she would one day kneel shamelessly before the Chinese woman she despised.
Everything seemed to be just like a nightmare. However, she had no choice but to do so. It was the only way she could get the document back. Hence, she couldn’t let it go.
