“Lilith’s clearly lost her mind.”
“Mom, just marry her off already.”
Aria and Melody whined from the sidelines, but Carmen hesitated. Lilith’s signet ring had disappeared without a trace, and Carmen’s pride wouldn’t allow her to admit it.
So, she made up a vague excuse.
“The Baron hasn’t said anything yet. Maybe he feels awkward moving toward marriage after only meeting her once.”
“True. Rumors of marriage after just one meeting would embarrass Baron Schulz. Especially with their age difference—he’s over twenty, right?”
In reality, the age gap was nearly thirty, like father and daughter, but Aria commented casually, her eyebrows raised.
“Anyway, we need to fix this fast. I can’t handle this mess anymore. And there’s no one to clean up after her.”
Carmen hadn’t hired help, choosing not to spoil Lilith. Now that Lilith was neglecting chores, the household was falling apart.
Weeds sprouted everywhere in the courtyard that was always tidy. Muddy footprints stained the lobby, and thick dust piled up in the hallways. Only Lilith’s room remained clean—once the messiest, it was now the only neat place.
But Melody had more than just chores to complain about. Recently, she’d suffered humiliation.
“It’d be okay if there were no maid, but she actually hit me!”
Melody exclaimed in outrage. As usual, Lilith raised her hand to pinch her—but this time it wasn’t a light pinch. Lilith knocked Melody flat and then ruthlessly kicked her in the rear.
Though she’d been kicked once before, this one was far more violent. Melody cried in pain and rage, fought back—and was beaten more. Lilith evidently had training in self-defense. Melody clung to her mother, trembling.
“I can’t stand her anymore. Tonight—kick Lilith out, Mom.”
“I—I will.”
Carmen couldn’t admit that Lilith had spent the night at a luxurious hotel, billing it to Carmen as her guardian. The invoice that arrived yesterday nearly brought Carmen to tears at the money wasted.
“Mom, you have to do something.”
“I really can’t live like this anymore. If she keeps acting up, I’m not eating!”
Already stressed, the nagging of her two daughters exhausted Carmen. At her wits’ end, she raised her voice.
“Do you even know who Lilith’s lover is?”
Instantly, Aria and Melody went silent. Carmen seized the moment to scold them.
“I told you it’s that damn boyfriend driving her crazy. You should’ve figured out who he is!”
Each time Carmen tried to pressure Lilith, Lilith shrugged off responsibilities, saying: “If I talk like that, my boyfriend would never forgive me,” and left. Carmen was at a loss—who was this boyfriend powering her?
“He’s probably nobody special anyway.”
“Or maybe she just faked the boyfriend out of thin air?”
Melody guessed casually, but Aria thoughtfully reasoned:
“Lilith doesn’t even leave the house except to buy groceries. There’s no chance she’s meeting a guy.”
Carmen nodded in agreement; she’d never seen Lilith with anyone. But Lilith had certainly acted like she had someone.
“It must be bluff,” Carmen decided.
“Why do you believe Aria over me? You always favor her!” Melody snapped.
Carmen sighed:
“How many times do I have to tell you to stop back-chatting?”
“Geez… you talk like I can’t say a word.”
“This reckless…”
Melody’s impudence crossed the line, and Carmen kicked her out.
“Get out and find this so-called lover, Lilith!”
Carmen even forced Aria out in anger, stomping in rage as dust filled the air.
“A-choo!”
This damned household was like a sty. With one person slacking, everything turned to chaos. Aria was messy; Melody even worse—she scattered things with every step. As a daughter, Melody’s behavior baffled Carmen. Yesterday, a gold coin had vanished from her room—Melody claimed innocence and bawled like a petulant child. Someone had to set her straight.
“Anyway—where is the ring?”
If the signet ring was truly gone, it was catastrophic. Without it, the Delphy Countess couldn’t handle any official duties, and the marriage pact with the Baron was at stake.
Carmen marched to Lilith’s room, suspicion burning in her eyes.
Creak
Pushing open the stiff door, the room’s sparse interior was fully visible. Carmen began the search—opened drawers, rifled through linens—but found nothing—not the ring, not a single gold item.
“What are you doing?”
Startled, Carmen crawled under the bed and crashed her head painfully. Dazed, she scrambled back up as Lilith stood over her, unimpressed.
“Are you inspecting my room? Why are you under my bed?”
Lilith’s room was spotless—dust-free, even under the bed. Carmen’s search was pointless.
“If you’ve had your fill, please leave. I’m busy.”
Now sorting shopping bags, Lilith had bought multiple dresses in a hurry—some simple, some extravagant—planning to upgrade to custom gowns later.
Carmen watched, astonished.
“Where did all these come from?”
“From the store, obviously. These are fine, don’t you think?”
Lilith handed her two nearly identical ruffled dresses—one blue, one mint—intending them as gifts for her sisters, whom she claimed had lent her clothes.
Carmen paused at the unexpected generosity.
“And I also brought something for you, Mother.”
Carmen glanced away, a blush on her cheeks.
“You’ll get the payment tomorrow.”
Lilith handed Carmen a bill. Carmen’s hopes sank—Lilith had bought all the dresses with her own money. She crumpled the invoice angrily.
Though raised as daughters, Carmen once thought her girls were appreciative—but now they flagrantly wasted money, paid for by Lilith’s resources. Truly galling.
“How dare you spend money that’s essentially mine!”
“Why does it have to be yours, Mother? It’s mine.”
Strictly speaking, the Delphy Count’s fortune belonged to Lilith—he had left a will granting all his assets to her before he was poisoned.
Carmen could have revoked the will—but the estate wasn’t tied in trusts, and Lilith had lost her signet ring. So Carmen quietly siphoned funds from the estate, without reprinting the will. But now the ring was missing, and the estate funds were inaccessible. It was no wonder Carmen was frantic.
She glared ominously at Lilith.
“You stole the signet, didn’t you?”
“It was originally mine. Saying ‘stole’ isn’t accurate, Mother.”
“Enough excuses. Hand it over.”
Carmen softened her tone slightly:
“You’re still young—you don’t understand the burden of managing the estate. You have no living expenses—give me the ring right now.”
Lilith smirked inwardly. Who’d leave such a ring just lying around?
She’d only kept it secure—away from being snatched. But seeing her mother so desperate, Lilith decided to speak honestly.
“I’m sorry. I gave it to my lover in my love-struck state.”
And so Lilith revealed the shocking truth: she’d given her signet ring to the mysterious lover!
