Chapter 91
91
91. The Still Strange Guest (5)
After that, a simple conversation followed, centered around Joelly asking how everyone was doing. Most of the time, Joelly spoke, and Vincent and Ethan answered. It was a boring time for me, waiting in the back. Alicia must have been bored too, as she secretly yawned.
Robert, who was eating dessert, whined for Nanny to hold him, saying he was full. As soon as she held him, he fiddled with a horse figurine in Nanny's arms and fell asleep. Joelly, who was looking at Robert affectionately, asked Ethan.
"Are you still very busy these days? But haven't things settled down to some extent?"
"More or less. But work is still busy."
"You're working hard too."
"Violet is working harder than I am."
I perked up my ears at the familiar name.
"How is she? Does she still seem to be having a hard time?"
"She's still a bit overwhelmed, but she's working hard. Come to think of it, does Robert still look for Violet a lot these days?"
"He's been looking for her less recently. I heard they've been exchanging letters."
"Letters? Didn't you say it was hard to get a reply?"
Ethan looked puzzled, and Joelly laughed. Nanny, who was next to her, laughed along. Vincent quietly sipped his tea. Ethan looked back and forth between the three of them and asked what was going on.
"Vincent went and got a reply himself."
"He's been helping us ever since."
Nanny added an explanation. I was surprised and looked at Vincent.
I didn't know. I thought it was over after he delivered one reply. I thought it was over because Robert hadn't written a reply back then, but the letters had continued. I didn't know that Vincent had been working hard all along. I was a little impressed.
But it seemed that I wasn't the only one who was impressed. Although his expression was still stiff, Ethan's face was filled with surprise as he looked at Vincent. Vincent must have felt Ethan's gaze, but he just sipped his tea.
"You don't know how much Robert likes it."
Joelly smiled happily. But soon, a bitter light appeared in her eyes.
"It would be even better if Violet could make time for him..."
She hid her expression as she drank her tea, but she couldn't erase the worry from her face. Ethan and Vincent also drank their tea in silence. I wondered why I felt a strange tension, but soon Joelly began to ramble about her worries about Violet.
"What did that kind, lovely, and pretty child do to deserve such hardship? Uncle is too much. She grew up without ever lifting a finger."
"It's good for her to lift a finger once in a while."
Joelly glared at Ethan when he retorted. Ethan subtly avoided her gaze and bit into a cookie.
"Couldn't you have made a choice for her sake?"
This time, the blame was directed at Vincent.
"It was Violet's choice."
"That's when you should have stepped in and protected her! Not just stood by and watched! Don't you feel sorry for her!"
"Yes. It's all my fault."
"What am I supposed to do if you admit it so easily!"
Vincent looked like he was asking what he should do then. Ethan sighed and shook his head next to him. Judging from their attitudes, it seemed to be a topic that came up often.
"It's all useless. I should have stopped her when she said she was going to take that difficult path. I should have stopped her no matter what. It's my fault that I couldn't stop her because she was so firm."
"As Vincent said, it was Violet's choice. We have no right to stop her. And Violet has to bear the consequences of her choice."
"I know. I know... but what can I do if I'm still upset?"
Looking at Joelly's tearful face, it seemed that she had a lot of affection for Violet. Well, she was the kind of person who would be loved by anyone. Violet in my memory remained a kind person who was kind enough to treat me, a subordinate, with kindness. It weighed heavily on my heart to hear that she had been forced into marriage and had also lost her husband.
"Vincent. You've incurred my displeasure. Do you know that?"
"How scary."
"That attitude of yours! The reason I'm doing this here is all because you!"
At that moment, a clanging sound rang out.
In the blink of an eye, the teacup that Vincent was holding fell to the floor. The tea that spilled as the cup fell soaked his hand. Water dripped from his fingertips. The teacup was shattered into pieces at his feet.
"Sorry. I guess I lost my grip."
Vincent tilted his head crookedly. Unlike his words, there was no sign of apology on his face. Everyone here knew that he had thrown it on the floor, not dropped it.
A heavy silence fell in the reception room. Joelly looked at the broken teacup with a surprised face, and Ethan clicked his tongue and gestured to Audrey.
Just as Audrey, who had soaked a clean towel in cold water, was about to take a step, someone quickly approached Vincent.
"Are you okay?"
Alicia carefully covered Vincent's hand with the wet towel. She was faster than anyone else here. Her face, filled with worry, examined Vincent's hand. Then, she subtly touched his hand.
I was also flustered and checked Vincent's condition. I was worried that he might have been burned by the tea. Fortunately, other than his pants being wet, he didn't seem to be injured anywhere.
"Didn't you get burned?"
"I'm fine."
Vincent, who had received everyone's attention, replied calmly. Then, he turned his head. When his eyes met mine, who had been watching him, he quickly turned his head away.
"Ann. Please clean up the broken pieces."
"Yes, I will."
I gathered my dazed mind and took a new towel and approached him. I knelt down in front of him and wiped the tea that was all over the floor with a towel. Then, I picked up the broken pieces and put them in my apron. Audrey came over with a broom and helped me.
In the meantime, Ethan sorted out the situation.
"Joelly, I understand your feelings enough, so let's stop talking about this. It doesn't look good to other people. I'll make time to meet Violet separately."
"......Okay."
Joelly picked up her teacup with a dissatisfied face. She gulped down the tea as if she was thirsty. I heard a quiet voice saying "coward," but Vincent didn't care and picked up a cookie. Ethan looked back and forth between the two of them and let out a small sigh. The tense atmosphere finally eased a bit.
"By the way, Vincent. I was thinking of staying here for a few days to relax."
As the atmosphere calmed down, Ethan changed the subject. I subtly raised my head and looked at them. Vincent, who had been looking down, raised his eyes.
"Here? There are other mansions."
"I think this place would be nice. It's quiet, and Robert is here."
"......"
"Is that okay?"
Ethan's voice sounded playful for some reason. Vincent didn't answer right away. Silence lingered in the room again. Just as the silence felt a little long and heavy, Vincent's answer came back.
"Then I'll assign someone to serve you."
Vincent gave Audrey a look. She nodded as if she would choose a suitable person. But Ethan said something unexpected.
"I'd like to ask that person."
Then he pointed somewhere. People's eyes gathered following his fingertip.
That is, towards me.
I, who was carefully getting up while holding the apron that wrapped the broken pieces, stopped awkwardly. Who? Me? I looked at Ethan in confusion as I received everyone's attention. Ethan, who was pointing at me exactly, relaxed his stiff expression and smiled kindly.
"Please take care of me."
Why had I overlooked this situation?
He was still a strange guest.
"Why did you do that!"
As soon as I was alone with Ethan, I cornered him and propped one hand against the wall next to his face. I couldn't hide my anger.
"Paula. You're making me too nervous like this."
"Don't joke around!"
I was dumbfounded by Ethan's attitude, who was still joking around in this situation.
"Oh, dear. I made a mistake. I forgot that Paula is shy. I should have told you secretly instead of asking you outright."
"That's not why!"
"Then what's the problem?"
I was at a loss for words at his brazen behavior.
Going back to the situation a little while ago, everyone looked at me at Ethan's sudden remark. The questions contained in their eyes were directed at me. Why? Do they know each other?
Audrey was the first to calmly open her mouth.
'Excuse me, but Ann's probationary period is not long.'
'Then we can extend the probationary period. Or hire her as a regular employee.'
Audrey looked embarrassed when Ethan calmly retorted. Ah, I was supposed to leave this place when my probationary period ended. I was worried that the period might be extended, but I was worried for nothing. Then, I shook off my wandering thoughts and gave Ethan a look to stop. Ethan smiled calmly without paying attention to my gaze.
Joelly frowned slightly and looked back and forth between Ethan and me. Nanny also cast a curious gaze, and Alicia also glanced at me. In the uncomfortable silence, only Robert's snoring breaths echoed.
Eventually, Vincent, who couldn't stand it any longer, asked.
'Do you two know each other?'
'We know each other very well. I owe her a big favor from before.'
"Why did you do that! Why did you say that!"
Vincent's permission was granted at his brazen lie. He said that since they were close, she would serve him well. Thanks to that, my probationary period was also extended. I belatedly protested that 'I wasn't confident,' but it didn't work.
"I thought it would be easier if Paula served me."
"Ethan!"
"Well, that's an excuse. I just wanted to be with you a little longer?"
"Pardon?"
I scratched my arms at the creepy words. As I took a step back and became wary, Ethan smiled as if he was embarrassed.
"Don't look at me like that. It's not like that."
"I know that too. I just feel a little... Anyway, what were you thinking when you did that?"
"Because I was frustrated?"
"......"
"I also thought this might be fate."
Did he want to talk about fate because we met again now? Then are all the villagers he meets by chance on the street also fate?
"Aren't you curious either, Paula?"
"About what."
In the end, I realized that I couldn't reverse this situation and made a tearful face. I remembered Alicia's terrifying face when my probationary period was extended. I wasn't scared, but it was obvious that it would be annoying. When I went to Audrey a little while ago and protested that I would work for the original period, she thought it was because of my sister and said that she would extend Alicia's period as well. It was a bad result in many ways.
It's all because of this man.
"What are you talking about!"
"Whether Vincent has forgotten Paula or remembers her."
"......"
"Aren't you curious?"
"......I'm not curious."
My head turned first, and the answer came a beat later. I wasn't curious. I didn't want to be curious.
