"Sienna dear, I heard Lord Ezekiel came by earlier today," Lady Harriet says without lifting her gaze from her dish. She cuts a piece of the braised pork and takes a small bite. When she finally lifts her head, her eyes do not fall on her daughter. Instead, she observes how the stray her husband picked up will react.
Count Ashcroft raises his glass to his lips as he looks between his two daughters. Eris, with her level-headedness, was the best choice for marrying into the duchy. Yet, he couldn't bear to see Sienna so distraught. After all, Eris was just a child he had rescued from the streets, while Sienna was his beloved daughter.
"Ah, yes, Mama," Sienna replies, the butterflies from earlier still lingering in her stomach. "Lord Ezekiel actually proposed to me." Her gaze shifts to her adopted sister, who momentarily stops eating but does not look up.
"Lord Ezekiel had already spoken to me about the matter," the count says, his blue eyes gleaming behind his glasses as they fix on Eris. "Eris, the duke will no longer be courting you, as he has decided to marry Sienna once and for all. But fret not; I am confident you'll find a worthy match with your looks."
"Of course, Father," Eris answers curtly.
"Finally, the duke has come to his senses. How would marrying a human ever benefit him? After all, you humans are only good as playthings to ogle at while in your prime," Lady Harriet sighs, her gaze fixed on Eris.
"That is true, Mother," Rosalyn comments, her piercing gaze now settling on Sienna. "But I must say, Sienna, your theatrics with the servants were quite amusing.You even managed to convince the duke to trade a diamond for glass. Remarkable, truly. Perhaps you'll share your methods someday?"she chuckles softly.
Sienna's grip on the knife tightens as she glares at Rosalyn. "You lowly bastard! How dare you—"
She is interrupted by the screeching of a chair as Eris abruptly stands.
"Excuse me, I suddenly feel unwell," Eris mutters, her nails digging into her palms as she leaves the dining hall, her movements heavy with tension. A weighted silence falls over the room.
'How? How dare he? He can't humiliate me like this. He said he loved me—I saw it, everyone saw it', Eris thought, her footsteps echoing against the marble floor. The door to her room slammed shut, and she locked herself in, her thoughts churning in a storm of hurt and betrayal.