Chapter 339: Tea Ceremony Counterplay: You Smell Like Her Perfume! (2)
Shia might be Lilith's fiancé in name, but to the branch family, he was just a lowly mutt.
Every time they bullied him, Lilith would say a few words, but then reward them afterward.
That was how Brenda and Lilith maintained their relationship.
As a skilled socialite, Brenda understood all the underlying games.
Use outsiders to bully the one you want to bully.
Then offer some comfort.
It kept the dog loyal and earned favors for them.
Now, reunited again, Brenda knew exactly how to win Lilith over—a traditional round of humiliation.
She adjusted her wide hat and walked into the castle with graceful steps.
A strong, floral scent suddenly filled Shia's nose. It smelled nice... but was a bit overpowering.
He frowned slightly.
Before he could react, a soft grunt came from the girl brushing past him.
The tender voice wasn't loud, but the courtyard was quiet.
So everyone nearby looked over immediately.
Brenda took a step back, one hand covering her chest (though it didn't do much).
Her pale hand rested atop her full chest, the pressure only making it more eye-catching.
Her hat tilted upward, revealing eyes lined with exquisite makeup.
But those eyes now blazed with shame and anger.
"Did you just cop a feel!?"
Her lovely voice trembled with rage and embarrassment.
She was so upset, her voice rose.
More people started gathering around.
And when they saw who it was, their eyes filled with mockery.
Oh, that guy.
The worthless orphan.
Of course he'd grope a girl at his future mother-in-law's birthday party!
Hit by such insane good fortune, and instead of being grateful, he acted all arrogant?
Whispers spread like wildfire.
Every gaze turned toward Shia was full of disdain and scorn.
Some just came to watch the drama.
The crowd kept growing.
All eyes were now on Shia.
Those stares had no weight, but they felt like mountains on his shoulders.
This kind of suspicion, this kind of hostility—Shia had lived under it for years.
He hadn't done a damn thing.
And yet... here came the slander.
Because of his background, he was always looked down on.
In the eyes of these born nobles, commoners were never considered human.
With smug arrogance and a twisted sense of superiority, they scorned and belittled others.
If they treated commoners like that, then someone like him—an orphan—was beneath contempt.
In the beginning, Shia couldn't understand this irrational malice.
Like now. He hadn't done a damn thing, yet he was slandered, made into a joke.
Not everyone liked Brenda.
Not everyone even believed her accusation.
But in the face of family and class, they all still chose to stand by her, pinning a false crime on him.
The old Shia wouldn't have understood.
But now he saw it clearly.
If someone wants to accuse you, they'll find a reason.
But unlike the original Shia, he wasn't desperate to clear his name.
He understood where all this noble hostility came from.
It was all thanks to his dear "fiancée" and her indulgence.
Going from orphan to the main-line Guen heiress's fiancé?
That was a leap straight into the heavens.
Plenty were jealous and bitter about it.
And with Lilith letting it all slide, they had no reason to hide their contempt.
They poured it all on him.
"I didn't do it."
Shia's voice was calm.
Just three simple words.
Unbothered. Composed.
Even surrounded by mocking stares, he remained tranquil.
"You think just saying that makes it true?"
Brenda raised her voice, drawing even more attention.
Everything was going just as she planned.
The more embarrassing this got for Shia, the happier Lilith would be.
"You think a noble lady like me would tarnish her own reputation just to falsely accuse you?"
Shia gave her a slow once-over, then looked away.
Disdain crept onto his face.
He didn't say a word, but that expression said plenty.
Brenda burned with anger.
What kind of look was that?
What gave this lowborn orphan the right to look at her like that!?
She kept barking at Shia.
"Molesting a noble girl and still won't admit it. Just a classless orphan! I don't know what the head of the family was thinking, letting Lilith be engaged to someone like you!"
This wasn't the first time she spat venom like that.
She said it to provoke him.
To make him snap, make a scene.
A lowly orphan throwing a tantrum—that was the kind of drama they loved.
But this Shia? He didn't even flinch.
He stayed calm, simply turning his gaze toward a certain spot.
Brenda followed his line of sight and felt a surge of joy.
Cousin Lilith!
This whole act was meant to please her.
Seeing Lilith watching made her even smugger.
Shia kept looking at Lilith. His face held no emotion.
He didn't say a word.
Just waited silently, eyes steady.
As if expecting her to step in.
Brenda almost laughed.
Did this filthy orphan really think Lilith would stand up for him?
Did he not realize who allowed all this humiliation to happen?
An orphan thinking he could reach the top? Pathetic.
She swayed her hips as she stepped in front of him, blocking his view.
Her face full of mockery.
When Shia looked at her again, she gave him a slow, condescending once-over.
Arrogant and dismissive.
What a joke.
In this situation, he should be kneeling and begging for forgiveness.
Looking to Lilith?
Did he really think he mattered that much?
"No way... you don't actually think she—"
Her words cut off suddenly.
Brenda stumbled, nearly falling.
Her already low-cut dress shifted, revealing even more.
Her wide, fancy hat tilted, loose strands of hair falling.
Her towering heels nearly sent her crashing down.
Only years of etiquette training saved her from full-on faceplanting.
She snapped her head up, ready to explode.
But froze.
Standing in front of Shia was Lilith!
The golden-haired heiress was dignified and noble. Just her presence pulled all the attention.
Graceful. Radiant.
Unlike Brenda's flashy style, Lilith radiated true aristocratic elegance.
She stepped forward slightly, half-shielding Shia.
Their hands were clasped together, looking quite intimate.
Brenda stared at their intertwined fingers, stunned.
But that wasn't the end.
Lilith's voice rang out, loud and clear.
"Cousin, this is my man. How can you accuse him so casually?"
Like a slap across the face.
Brenda felt the sting like her cheeks were swelling.
She couldn't believe Lilith actually said that.
Wasn't she supposed to scold Shia and side with her?
What was this?
Brenda was in complete disbelief.
She stared at Lilith, shocked.
You weren't like this before!
"You weren't like this before!"
She realized she'd just blurted it out.
She stepped back, hurriedly covering her mouth.
But nobody was looking at her anymore.
All eyes were on Lilith and Shia's linked hands.
What the hell?
This wasn't how it usually went.
Normally, Lilith would scold Shia and that would be the end of it.
Why was she defending him this time?
Did this dog finally get the reward for licking long enough?
The shock was like thunder.
To the outsiders, it looked like Lilith had fallen for him.
And that made them sick.
The mocking in their eyes vanished, replaced by fear and awe.
Before, even if Shia was engaged to Lilith, with her constantly putting him down, he was nothing more than a worm.
But with Lilith's open support? Everything changed.
But how?
What did this orphan do to pull it off?
They thought Lilith had been swept up in some romantic assault.
They had no idea it was all for the sake of resisting her wicked mother.
Of course Lilith knew how the relatives treated Shia.
She always knew.
She just pretended not to. Even helped it along.
Scold him in public, whimper in private, say how hard things were.
She got sympathy and her kicks.
Even when she got back home this time, she had the same idea.
But this time felt different.
She had learned a lot from her mother over the years.
But now, her mother went after her man.
And Lilith couldn't do a thing.
Only the bond built over years let her barely fight back.
She saw the whole scene clearly from up high.
There hadn't even been any physical contact.
Besides, she knew exactly how much she meant to Shia.
If it were someone like her mother, maybe she couldn't compete.
But Brenda?
She wasn't losing to that.
Shia had seen plenty of pretty girls. Brenda was nothing to him.
Even if he had touched her, Lilith would just call it fake.
Only by standing firmly at his side would she earn his loyalty.
Thanks to Mom's "teachings," she now understood how to properly raise a dog!
He must be moved right now, right?
Probably tearing up already.
Lilith wanted to look back so badly, but she held back.
If she looked now, it would seem too forced.
She had to stand tall in front of him, shield him from the clan's malice.
Leave him with the image of her heroic back!
Let Shia know—his true home was here, with her.
Her mother was just a temporary distraction.
Lilith didn't realize this was all in her head.
Still basking in the brilliance of her own genius~
There was a sweet silliness to it.
Shia stepped forward, standing beside her.
He turned and gave her a gentle smile.
Lilith saw it as a smile of gratitude, a sign that her plan had worked.
She even imagined tears sparkling in his eyes (maybe?).
She responded with a soft, beautiful smile.
An unspoken understanding passed between them, like they were destined to be together.
The gathered relatives watching felt something strange in their hearts.
This Shia... wasn't the same as before.