Saving The Villainous Monster From The Male Lead-Chapter 44 - 43: The Dumb Daughter Of A Viscount

Anger boiled into Stella’s eyes, when she heard that, "Lady Verbena!" She almost yelled.

A foolish woman like Verbena could never understand Eleanore. She is the kind of woman whom anyone could manipulate yet speaks trash about Lady Eleanore. Lady Eleanore in the sheer contrast only listens to her mind.

Stella knew who was pulling the strings. Her eyes immediately shifted to the person who was sitting beside Verbena.

It is the woman who was enjoying the show, as she sipped on her cup of fragrant tea. Her mint hair tied together in a loose bun and her light grey eyes remained fixed on the cherry blossom tea, near the table.

Adena Velarose, the daughter of Marquise Velarose, belongs to the maternal side of Grand Duke Caelestis Lancaster. His only cousin and probably the one who hates Stella the most. She could feel Stella’s fierce gaze on her but chose to ignore it, as she smiled through her teeth.

"That’s enough, you all." Daphne Chevalier, daughter of Earl Chevalier, spoke up. "Let’s not fight."

"Yes, Lady Flora will be here soon. Let’s all settle down by then." Laurial added.

Everyone took their seats. Stella moved forward to pick a seat for herself out of the two. When she tried to sit in the chair on the left of the table, beside the head chair, Verbena stopped her.

"That’s Lady Eleanore’s chair." She said,

Stella hesitated before moving forward to the head chair of the table. She was not intending to sit there as she knew that it might be for the host.

’Then perhaps is there no seat for me?’ She wondered

"That chair belongs to the host of today’s tea party. Do you not know even that much?!" Verbena started to spill her ill words again, ruining the atmosphere of the party for everyone. "Just by getting a title you cannot become a noble."

"Verbena." Adena finally spoke up. "You are ruining the atmosphere. Can’t you shut up?" Saying this she shot a smile at Stella, as if she were some hero who had saved her from evil.

Just then, Flora and Eleanore arrived and heard almost everything from the part where Verbena started to insult the title Stella had earned with only hard work. Verbena had no idea they were already standing behind her, so she continued to rant around.

"She is illiterate, Lady Adena. What worth does she have to be standing here amongst us. A lowly woman from an unknown background. That’s all she is."

"Lady Verbena." Eleanore shouted as she shoved away Flora’s hand and quickly made her way to stand beside Stella. To support her.

"How dare you insult my guest?!" She questioned her audacity. As the daughter of a mere Viscount, she dared to mistreat the guest of a Duke’s house?!

"Lady Eleanore, I—" Before Verbena could defend herself, Eleanore spoke up again, interrupting her baseless excuses.

"Besides, unlike any of us, Stel received a title from his majesty the king. She has more worth than any of us, who got it as inheritance. Stel has earned it." Eleanore declared her close friendship with Stella by using her pet name, that even Caelestis has never used.

"She is just a dressmaker. His majesty was only pleased by the dresses she made for the queen, that’s all. This title has no worth." Verbena argued.

"Lady Verbena. Are you even aware of what you are saying?"

"Pretty much." She hesitated.

"You are questioning the King’s authority by saying that his gift holds no value." At that Verbena gulped, releasing her slip of tongue. "You could be punished for that."

Adena choked on her hot tea on hearing that. Soon her coughing sound filled the place, and everyone’s attention turned to her for a while. Until Flora spoke up from behind.

"I think we should end the tea party here." Flora said, as she stood beside Eleanore. Half upset, half proud.

Eleanore’s gesture of leaving her there and going forward to Stella to defend her, had saddened Flora. Her only best friend didn’t value her even a little now. However, at the same time she felt proud on hearing such strong words coming from her. Normally, she would join the tormentors, but today she chose the right side. So she was happy.

Happy

She continued to suppress her pain under this heavy word.

Happy

Deep inside, however, she was not happy at all. She liked the weak Eleanore. One who always needed her support. But wouldn’t that mean that she is a bad friend. For she wishes pain in her best friend’s life. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

"Lady Flora—" Verbena began, bringing her back from her racing controversial thoughts. She glared at Verbena and didn’t let her speak.

"I have lost my appetite and am not interested in gossiping with people holding such lowly ideologies. Thus, we should stop this tea party for today and hold it again some other time." Flora taunted. "My maids will escort you all out."

Five maid’s came forward, and each started escorting all out.

When no one was left in the garden, Flora turned to Stella and bowed down. "I apologize for the taunts and atrocities you had to go through today. If it’s possible, please forgive me, Baroness Stella."

Eleanore quickly made her rise back up by her shoulders, "It was not your fault."

"Yes, Lady Flora. It was not your fault." Stella supported Eleanore’s statement.

"I think we should go home as well." Eleanore said, "Let’s meet up again, someday." She smiled.

Flora smiled back, and nodded. It was a mask to cover up her disappointment and sadness. Her best friend, for whom she did everything she could, now has a new friend.

Eleanore left without batting a single glance to her once best friend. She just didn’t know how important this person was to the original Eleanore and she couldn’t feel that deep friendship towards her.

When they reached near the carriage, Adena was waiting for them near the Lancaster Family official carriage that she assumed belonged to the two. She came forward when she saw them approaching the carriage.