Ch#78
Ch#78
Ch#78
~Chapter 78~
Adam had no intention of grabbing Viviana’s wrist. It was the honest truth. But somehow, it had happened anyway. And now that it was done, there was no taking it back.
Realizing what he had done, Adam released her hand in a hurry, as if shaking off something filthy. He straightened his posture, tensing his abdomen as though trying to force the words out, and struggled to speak with dignity.
“Th-that is… Miss Bella…!” he stammered.
“Yes?” Viviana asked in a calm, icy voice.
“Miss Bella was deeply hurt! You have to go apologize to her!”
His words tumbled out in a jumbled, awkward mess. The instant they left his mouth, he regretted them. He looked desperate and foolish, flailing about—nothing like the composed image he had wanted to project in front of her.
Viviana’s eyes narrowed, her gaze turning sharp.
“What are you suddenly talking about?” she asked, crossing her arms. “Do I have any reason to apologize to Bella?”
“Of course you do!” Adam insisted, struggling to regain his composure. “At the Cheslow family party—after you put her in an awkward spot, you cut her off completely. Don’t you remember?”
Viviana frowned.
“I recall you were there too,” she said coolly. “Yet it seems you didn’t even bother trying to find out what happened. It wasn’t me who embarrassed Bella—it was Caroline. And when friendships end, do people draw up some formal agreement? That’s not how it works.”
There was something unfamiliar in Viviana’s tone. The girl who used to blush just from talking with him now stood tall, her unwavering eyes delivering precise, straightforward words. It unsettled him.
Adam swallowed dryly.
“Everyone knows you were jealous of Bella because of me!” he blurted. “And that you spread strange rumors about us—”
“Hold on.” Viviana cut him off, her voice dropping to a cold chill. “You’re saying I spread rumors about you and Bella? What rumors?”
“Th-that… That Bella seduced me to ruin your love for me…”
Viviana burst into a dry, curt laugh at his words.
“Wow.” She shook her head in disbelief. “What exactly was Bella trying to sabotage? What was there even between us?”
Adam’s mouth fell open, but he had no response.
“Do you really think people are that stupid?” she pressed on. “If I’d spread such ridiculous rumors, do you think everyone would have believed me and turned on Bella? No. They would have blamed me instead. That’s how gossip works.”
Adam’s face fell. Her logic was sound, impossible to refute. But if she was right, it meant Bella had lied—and he wasn’t prepared to accept that. He felt trapped, unable to agree or deny.
By now, nearby onlookers were starting to glance their way. Adam could feel their curious stares. His throat parched, he licked his lips and grew more anxious by the second.
He had thought he’d hold the advantage in this conversation, but now every avenue was blocked. Not a single prepared line came to mind.
At that moment, Viviana spoke again, exhaling a soft sigh.
“Mr. Adam Hoffner.” she said. “Yes, you’re right. It’s true—I liked you once. But I knew full well you never once looked my way. Your eyes were always on Bella. Always.”
He looked away uncomfortably, then gave an awkward nod.
Viviana let out a low, mocking chuckle at his reaction.
“And that day, when you just stood by blaming only me without even checking the facts,” she continued. “That’s when I put those feelings away for good. I didn’t want to get in the way of your blind devotion.”
With that, she gracefully gathered her skirts and curtsied politely.
“I sincerely hope your love for a woman who already belongs to another bears fruit.” She added with a sardonic smile. “And don’t worry about me anymore. I won’t fall for you again. My heart belongs to someone who recognizes its true value.”
With those words, Viviana turned and walked away, her expression dignified and serene. Adam was left standing there alone, utterly speechless.
It felt like someone had smashed the back of his head with a thick book. His mind was chaos. Where to even begin? What could he possibly say?
He simply stood there, blinking stupidly, frozen in place.
While Viviana landed that satisfying blow on Adam, Harriet was wandering the party hall, pretending to sip champagne as she secretly eavesdropped on conversations.
Tuning into gossip was an essential skill in society circles. You had to know what was in vogue, what counted as scandal, who held the power.
“…So I went with just 100 grams.” One woman whispered to her small group. “It’s supposed to be a drug, not just food, so I was hesitant to dive in.”
“Oh, trust me—one taste and you’ll be addicted.” Another man winked and flashed a thumbs-up. “The effects are incredible!”
As he began, “Even my wife gets so proactive after taking it…”, the woman beside him—who appeared to be his wife—playfully swatted his arm in feigned outrage. Her eyes narrowed, but her curved lips betrayed that she wasn’t displeased by the praise.
Harriet stifled a laugh, pretending to take another sip as she shifted positions. She slipped behind a marble pillar to catch more whispers.
“I hear the Second Prince uses it too.” A woman said in a hushed tone.
“Well, he’s young.” Another replied. “But low moods hit men and women alike.”
“They say it lifts your spirits instantly. I’ve already sent someone to fetch some.”
The talk of the mysterious ‘mood-boosting drug’ went on. Harriet arched a brow.
‘It’s real—the pharmaceutical trade is booming.’ she thought. ‘Everyone’s obsessed with these new miracle pills.’
She wanted details on effective painkillers for practical purposes, but the rumors mostly swirled around ‘mood enhancers.’ Some spoke in secretive, almost salacious tones; others hailed them as life-altering cures.
Mulling over what she’d heard, Harriet decided to step onto the balcony for some fresh air. She needed time to sort through the mountain of gossip.
But before she could draw a deep breath, an entirely different sound snagged her attention.
“Ahh… Yes…!”
Harriet froze on the spot. Had someone just… moaned?
Glancing up at the balcony above, she spotted shadows shifting behind the slender railing. A man and woman—bold and brazen—were locked in an intimate act.
“Taking it really makes a difference, doesn’t it?” the man asked with a low chuckle.
Harriet’s eyes flew wide in shock; she clapped a hand over her mouth. This was someone else’s home! Have they lost their minds?
She hadn’t meant to spy, but shouting at them wasn’t an option either.
Hoping to escape undetected, she began easing backward.
“No, if I feel like this the whole party, it’ll be a problem…” the woman gasped.
“Just drink plenty of water and hit the bathroom. The effects fade fast that way.”
“That’s all? One bathroom break and it’s over? Those pills aren’t cheap!”
“I know, but pair it with alcohol and the effects go wild. Another round?”
Oblivious to the horrified girl below, they clinked glasses and laughed. Harriet’s face burned as she retreated as silently as she could.
‘Good heavens, who does that at a party?!’
Harriet was mortified. She desperately tried to erase what she’d heard, hurrying off with her flaming cheeks. She wanted to scrub her ears with soap.
Heart racing and face still flushed, she rushed back inside.
Luckily, that mortification led her to spot something crucial. Annabelle was passing right by, giving Harriet a subtle wink before vanishing into the crowd.
‘She’s keeping her word.’ Harriet thought. ‘Thank goodness.’
She lingered nearby, scanning the scene. Soon Annabelle launched into her tale in a low, excited voice, naturally drawing all eyes.
“Everyone, everyone! You won’t believe what just went down!”
“What? What happened?”
“Adam Hoffner made a fuss with Miss Viviana Delus and got utterly humiliated.”
“What? Didn’t Miss Viviana used to like him?”
“Not anymore.” Annabelle grinned triumphantly. “She said she realized his eyes were only for Bella and gave up on him.”
“Miss Bella’s gorgeous, sure… but flaunting other men’s attention while engaged? Not a pretty sight.” Someone chimed in.
Everyone nodded as if in full agreement. Bella’s allure was undeniable, but her flashy antics had always earned her sidelong glares.
“And that rumor about Miss Viviana being jealous of Miss Bella? Totally wrong.” Annabelle said. “From what I saw, she’s had her feelings sorted for ages.”
“So what really happened at the Cheslow party?” Another asked.
“Oh, word is,” Annabelle leaned in closer, “Miss Viviana kindly recommended some luxury cream to another guest, but Miss Caroline twisted her words to paint her badly. Then Miss Bella overreacted and blew it up.”
“Miss Bella was pretty shortsighted.” Someone muttered. “Apologizing for the sake of peace isn’t always the right call.”
“She probably just wanted it over with.” Annabelle shrugged. “In the end, Miss Viviana was the only one who got the short end.”
A man listening quietly snorted.
“Adam’s got no clue.” he said. “He owed whatever popularity he had to Miss Viviana—now he just looks like a fool.”
“Honestly, I never saw the appeal in that guy.” A woman added.
“Either way, now he’s just some unpopular loser chasing a taken woman. Pathetic!”
Harriet, eavesdropping from nearby, finally breathed a sigh of relief. The tide had turned. The truth was emerging at last—and Viviana’s reputation was restored.
