Ash's expression was distorted as he looked, but this was clearly his mistake.
In front of the entire family, he throws wine on Violet, the legitimate daughter of the late King, which is an insult to the entire family.
Ash glanced at his side once, then turned away with a stern expression. As soon as he disappeared, groans were heard from all around, and Angela hurriedly pulled a handkerchief out of Benjamin's pocket and ran towards her.
"Violet!"
"Oh, thank you, Angela."
Violet couldn't open her eyes because of the wine dripping down and looked towards the sound. Aaron shouted while Angela wiped her face with a handkerchief.
"Butler! Serve the mistress!"
As soon as she heard his words, Lulu came running. She was horrified by the wine soaking Violet's hair and clothes, so she asked one of the servants to prepare the bath water and then checked on Violet.
"Oh, you should hurry up and wash up. Oh my, how can you like this..."
"It's okay. It's just wine."
"Just wine! This is a big problem. Jen would cry if she found out. Oh! If the CEO found out, the whole house would turn upside down!"
"Ah... I guess I'll have to keep this a secret from my husband."
As they spoke, Violet followed Lulu to the bathroom. Jen's eyes widened as she brought boiled water to adjust the temperature of the bathtub, thanks to Lulu sending someone right away.
"What is this, my lady?"
"It's nothing."
"What the heck! Oh my God, who the hell is doing this to our precious little lady!"
Jen was on the verge of crying, so Lulu was busy pulling out the pins holding Violet's hair with her hands, and trying to calm Jen down with her eyes.
"I just saw that Lord Ash has already been kicked out."
"He's really bad. He's just too bad! How could he be my little lady's sibling? I feel bad! If he had a conscience, he should have been careful not to even look alike!"
When Jen spoke sobbing, Violet looked embarrassed and patted her.
"Yeah, yeah. That's really bad. I'm going to be really angry later."
"Really? It really is..."
"Yes, I'm going to be really angry. Really angry."
Thanks to Violet's assurance, Jen barely nodded. Lulu looked sad, put down the pin, and said.
"Then I'll go and report on the situation."
"Yeah. Thanks, Lulu."
After Lulu left and Violet got into the bathtub, Jen, still teary-eyed, began to comb her blonde hair.
"But there is one good thing about it."
"So?"
When Violet asked with relief, Jen said.
"That dress is nice, but I wanted you to wear something different for the ball. That deep crimson."
"Oh, that's really pretty. But isn't it too flashy?"
"Not even one. Everyone is dressed up so extravagantly, you know. And when the party starts at night, a few more guests from the families will come. Since it's the first garden party of the rumored mansion, I'm sure everyone will be dressed up extravagantly."
"Should I expect too much? It's a small party, so I'm worried."
Violet looked worried.
She was the kind of person who would chew over the things she led many times, so she pretended to be calm, but her hands and feet were cold with nervousness. She repeatedly questioned whether the people gathered and the meeting she was leading were doing the right thing.
So maybe it wasn't such a bad thing that she was lucky enough to be lying in the bathtub like this. And since Ash had been kicked out, she could at least have some wine.
After wiping off the wine and drying her hair, she put on the crimson dress that Jen had been hoping for. Her hair, which flowed down the gorgeous multi-layered dress, was braided into a single braid and hung over one shoulder, and decorated with several jewels, interspersed between them.
After a while, Jen, who had been focusing on her makeup rather than sniffling, finally took her hands off Violet. Jen said with giggles.
"I really like it, even though it was done in a hurry."
"Really. Jen is really good at it. Thank you."
Violet spoke with a cheerful face while looking at the mirror and stood on the balcony to go out into the garden again. Aaron, who was waiting to escort her, came up only five steps and spoke.
"Sister Violet, the meeting is over."
"Was that so? Sorry for getting up in the middle of the night."
"You should be the one receiving the apology. All my life... I think I've only tried to see the good side of Brother Ash."
Violet smiled involuntarily at his words. She knew best that trusting the heir to the throne, born in the Lawrence family, was almost a duty.
"I'm seventeen now, and it's funny how you say that while you're alive."
"How old is your older sister?"
Aaron accepted and held out his hand to escort her. Violet smiled and walked down the stairs, placing her hand in his. As Violet went down the stairs, Ella spoke with a cold, almost chilling expression on her face.
"It looks like things went your way, Violet."
"Would you conduct the meeting for me?"
"Because it was my husband's will."
"That's what I meant too."
Violet added softly.
After Aaron said goodbye and left first, Ella, who had been speechless, opened her mouth again.
"I've been thinking a lot since the succession ceremony."
"What are you thinking?"
"How on earth could Ash be violent to you? There's no such man in Lawrence."
Violet smiled silently at her words. Ella continued.
"Come to think of it, that's all I could think about. Why did that kid do that?"
"..."
"I wonder how you felt. I wondered about that later, and it made me realize that that's how I raised you."
"... I see."
"Now that I know, I'll worry about you first. Why don't we meet more often and talk? Maybe we should go on a trip together."
At Ella's words, Violet looked at her mother. One day, she told her mother what she had told Winter several times.
"I think it's too late, Mother. There is such a thing as timing in this world."
"I'm late. Compared to you, I may not have much time left, but I still have a lot of life left."
"That's true, but I think it's too late. If it weren't for my husband's blood... my mother would probably have thought I couldn't stand the mere Southern life and gave up. I would have been sad, but... still."
"What is that ominous sound?"
Although she said it was late, Violet's face became childish for a moment and she spoke in a whiny tone.
"It was really hard back then."
Ella sighed.
"Yes. Where in the world can you find a life that is not difficult?"
Violet laughed at her words, then bowed her head slightly and returned to her table. Ella stopped and thought for a moment, then found Flip, who had told her the story about the closet last time and grabbed his arm.
"You."
"Yes."
Ella asked as Flip immediately lowered his head.
"Could it be that Violet... has she ever had any bad intentions?"
"What are you talking about..."
"Because she said it was so hard. Of course, the closet work must have been embarrassing and painful, but she's a strong kid."
Flip nodded, taking in her words.
"Yes."
"What kind of answer is that brief? The question was long."
"There was a time when the bullets went missing from the villa where the young lady was staying. I heard from the young lady that she had harmed herself that day."
At those words, Ella laughed without realizing it. It was a laugh that came from a psychology of completely denying the situation.
"Are you dreaming something? How can you say something like that to a child who is running around just fine?"
"It seems that among the Kanik clan bloodline, there are cases where spouses and bodies are switched. That day, I felt that the little lady's behavior was somehow different, so I think her bodies may have been switched."
"..."
"It was the day she was locked in the closet"
Ella's face turned pale, then quickly returned to her noble expression and said.
"Don't talk nonsense. She tried to die, but instead of dying, her body switched? Even though I don't know much about strangers, would you believe anything they say?"
Then Flip lowered his head.
"Sorry."
There were no other excuses or further explanations. When Ella stumbled, Flip immediately supported her and asked,
"The CEO has prepared a room for you. Would you like to rest for a moment?"
"Okay...I should rest and go first. Tell Violet that I'm leaving first."
"Yes."
Flip answered politely and gestured to a nearby maid.
"Would you please take Madam to the bedroom?"
"Yeah, I will, Flip."
The maid answered and helped Ella up. Ella's face turned pale and she was so absent-minded that she didn't even realize she was walking her to the bedroom. She lay down on the bed in the magnificent bedroom that Winter had left empty, hoping that her wife might one day bring her mother over.
She chewed over Flip's unbelievable words over and over again. Then she covered her face with both hands, breathing heavily and losing her mind.
She loved her daughter.
There has never been a moment when that wasn't the case.
However, the one who was considered more important was Ash, the heir to the throne. She gave all the love she couldn't give her eldest son when he was young to that child. Whenever she thought of her eldest son, she felt a desire not to lose her second son.
Ella always thought her daughter was a good kid who could do anything on her own. While she was looking at Ash knowing that, Violet was standing on the cliff and waving her hand.
If her mother had looked back even once, would the child still be there?
Ella remembered the day Violet came down south to see her.
There was no way. Even though they were all crowded together, there was no way she, the mother, didn't know. Really, she thought there was no way she didn't know.
No matter how much Ella thought about it, the look on Violet's face when she said that being isolated was difficult did not come to mind, she didn't worry about Violet because that day, she was worried about her son.
"I'm late."
Ella covered her face with both hands and burst into tears.
She felt terribly sorry for her daughter.
***
When Violet reached the table, it was surrounded by reporters who had come in after hearing the news that the meeting was over. She heard from Flip that her mother was taking a break and would leave first. She nodded and stood in front of the table.
"I heard the meeting is over."
"Yes, it's over."
Mary replied with a displeased expression. Violet smiled.
"I apologize for inviting you to such a difficult place and thank you. As soon as the decision is made, the party will start. As you heard, I am still inexperienced in hosting parties, so there may be some shortcomings. If you tell me without hesitation, I will... No, my husband will try to find a way to help you. He is a man who can help you."
Fortunately, people laughed heartily at her light-hearted joke.
Violet said, raising her right hand, which she had been holding together quietly.
"Then, those who are in favor of putting the Lawrence family's seat up for election, please raise your hand."
As she finished speaking, one by one, people began to raise their hands. And then, all of them, including Lawrence, raised their hands, including Jeff.
Violet stared at the sight for a moment, and in the meantime, a few reporters who had hastily written articles ran out at full speed, creating a slight commotion.
"It has been decided that the Lawrence family will give up three seats. Then, we will leave the remaining decisions to the council, and from now on... you can enjoy the party in peace. Thank you for coming to the meeting so late."
As soon as Violet finished speaking as if they had been waiting, all the lights in the dark night garden and the light bulbs wrapped around the trees turned on.
"Oh my goodness!"
The reporters and guests, who had been left in a light that was much brighter than they had expected, were all wide-eyed. Before they could even finish being surprised by the light, fireworks were flying into the sky. It was a clear signal to everyone that the party had begun.
Soon the table was filled with exquisite party food, and servants served glasses of champagne.
Violet looked back with surprised eyes at the fireworks she had not prepared. At that moment, an arm was gently wrapped around her waist.
"There was a riot going on outside because people liked it. I didn't know, but I guess they were really looking forward to it. Seat."
The moment Violet heard Winter's voice, she felt the strength leave her body. Winter scolded Violet, who was even trembling, as he supported her.
"Anyway, this is the problem with our Princess. She should have some energy left over."
"You really are the kind of person who hates greetings."
"No one nags as earnestly as you do. Usually, I would just give up."
"Do you consider even such a simple greeting, a courtesy?"
"You meant that only you can fix someone like me?"
Winter said teasingly.
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