A gift, huh.
Ariella let out a hollow laugh. At that moment, Lizzy’s gaze turned toward Ariella.
‘What? I thought she would just wear some dusty old hat.’
Lizzy’s lips twisted in annoyance.
She had assumed Ariella would show up in a ridiculous outfit, adorned with old accessories that had been rotting away in the dressing room.
She thought there would be many comparisons to be made between herself, who was beautifully and extravagantly dressed, and Ariella.
However, contrary to her expectations, Ariella was dressed quite elegantly. The soft beige shawl and golden accessories complemented her dress well.
Even the hat hanging on the hat rack looked surprisingly decent, though I couldn’t tell where it came from. The quality of the hat itself wasn’t great, but the bright marigold decoration made it look quite beautiful.
Thinking back to how Aaron had stood there dumbfounded when he first saw Ariella made my anger rise. My eyes, filled with irritation, soon caught sight of the earrings dangling from Ariella’s earlobe.
‘Those…!’
At that moment, Catalina, who had seen the same thing, let out a laugh.
“There’s someone else here who has an old-fashioned taste. My goodness, Arrie. When did you buy those earrings? You can’t find designs like that these days.”
Even though it was a clean design that didn’t follow trends, Catalina clicked her tongue as if it were the worst accessory ever.
Ariella stared at her and replied.
“My father gave them to me as a birthday gift. I heard they were earrings that the late empress cherished very much.”
“Ah, that explains why they are so beautiful. It’s hard to find something so classic and lovely these days.”
Catalina desperately searched for a way to save herself. She had almost insulted both the Duke of Bedford and the royal family at the same time.
A chuckle escaped Ariella’s lips this time. It goes without saying that Catalina’s face turned red with anger.
But Catalina wasn’t the only one feeling frustrated. Lizzy also clenched her teeth in irritation.
‘She must have worn those earrings on purpose to show off to me.’
The foolish Ariella probably had no idea she would be making an appearance today. So she couldn’t have worn those earrings intentionally. Yet, it still annoyed me.
“By the way, Arrie. That hat hanging over there, it’s yours, right? Where did you buy it? It’s quite unique.”
There was no way she had just bought a new hat. Since I had pressured all the famous dressmakers through Aaron and David, she couldn’t have gotten anything good, no matter where it came from.
As Lizzy began to stir the pot with that judgment, the other nobles joined in.
“Right? Looking closely, it gives off a… cheap vibe?”
“To wear such a cheap hat with such nice earrings. Haha. Doesn’t the Duke of Bedford buy you new hats anymore?”
Ariella’s shame couldn’t be provoked by mere criticisms of her attire. If that were possible, she wouldn’t have been confidently wearing an ill-fitting dress all this time.
However, strangely enough, this time I felt very uncomfortable. The image of Amira carefully attaching pretty flowers to her hat came to mind, igniting a fire in my chest.
Today, I had intended to simply assess the situation and leave. But my thoughts had just changed.
Using my mouth to bury someone I didn’t like was something they enjoyed doing. It was also the reason Ariella could never truly be friends with them.
But regardless of whether I enjoyed it or not, using my head and mouth to bring someone down was, in fact, one of Ariella’s greatest skills.
Understanding each person’s position and situation, and with just a little more thought, it was surprisingly easy to ruin someone’s life.
Ariella’s lips curved softly, forming a beautiful arc.
However, unfortunately, it seemed today was not the right time, as someone else made the first move.
“Miss Catalina, a guest has arrived at the door.”
The servant from the Earl of Lancashire announced the arrival of a new guest, his pale face betraying his shock.
“What do you mean? There can’t be more guests…”
Catalina’s eyebrows twisted in annoyance before suddenly shooting up.
Thinking back, there was one empty seat left. I had intentionally assigned Ariella to that spot, thinking she wouldn’t come.
Her reddish-brown eyes, like her hair, quickly turned to Aaron. Aaron raised an eyebrow, wondering why Catalina was suddenly looking at him.
“I-I only sent an invitation as a formality. I really didn’t expect them to come. I heard they weren’t in Edinburgh…! Your Highness, I truly didn’t mean for this to happen.”
“Who has arrived?”
Catalina, who had been rambling excuses, couldn’t bring herself to answer and merely moved her lips.
The flustered servant, forgetting the proper order, announced the entrance on behalf of his master.
“His Grace, the Duke of Ashbon, is here!”
Everyone’s movements froze.
Even Lord Wrexham, who had been glancing at Lizzy while downing champagne, and Loveth, who had been smiling at Ariella, as well as Catalina, the host of this gathering, and Lizzy, the guest of honor, all held their breath as they watched the door open.
