Chapter 8 What Did You Give Me, Willow?

• “Arielle is home? What’s the meaning of this? Call her down at once!” Mike, who’d just come home, was so infuriated that he almost burst a blood vessel upon hearing that Arielle was upstairs. I thought something might have happened to her, or she was with Young Master Ziven, but she actually came back alone? Is she breaking off the engagement? What a juvenile brat! She’s unsightly, yet she still dares act out when Young Master Ziven is willing to get engaged to her? How is the Grace Family going to survive in Baylin now that she has offended Young Master Ziven? She has truly doomed us all!
• His wife, Scarlett Yule, shot the maid a glare. “Go and call Arielle Grace down right this instance,” she snarled furiously.
• “Understood, Madam!” The maid instantly scampered up the stairs to get Arielle down.
• Willow quickly strode into the living room after hearing that Arielle was home, throwing Scarlett a look when she was walking. Only when Scarlett nodded did she walk over briskly and support Mike, who was foaming at the mouth. “Dad, you’ve got high blood pressure, so don’t get worked up. Otherwise, it’ll be bad for your health.”
• But how could Mike possibly calm down? “Arielle left Young Master Ziven at the altar and came home! How are we supposed to explain this to him?”
• “Dad, the matriarch of the Meyer Family—Natasha Porter—wants our families to be joined by marriage, but after such an incident tonight, I’m afraid… I’m afraid that Young Master Ziven won’t possibly want Arielle anymore.” After a brief pause, Willow continued softly, “If the marriage falls through, she’ll definitely be incensed. Dad, we can’t allow the engagement to be called off for real.”
• Despair was written all over Mike’s face. “As you said, Young Master Ziven won’t possibly want that brat, Arielle, anymore. So, how can the engagement be salvaged?”
• “Perhaps…” A faint blush stained Willow’s face. Some remarks seemed rather inappropriate to come from her; she was the top socialite in Baylin after all.
• Naturally, Scarlett understood her daughter’s meaning, so she immediately blurted, “It’s probably Mrs. Natasha who wished for a marriage between the Meyer and Grace Families, so I don’t think Young Master Ziven really likes Arielle all that much.”
• “What do you mean?” Mike seemed to have perceived an underlying meaning.
• At once, Scarlett suggested, “If you replace her with another daughter who’s even more beautiful and elegant, Young Master Ziven might even prefer that—”
• “Exactly. In that case, Willow can become Young Master Ziven’s fiancée in my stead.” Arielle, who’d just come down, leaned against the banister as she stared at Willow with a half-smile on her face. “But Willow, aren’t you dating Young Master Zeke?”
• “S-Stop that nonsense. It’s Young Master Zeke who’s wooing me, but I didn’t say yes.” Willow lifted her head. The moment she glimpsed Arielle’s face, her heart abruptly jolted as panic swamped her. “Arielle, w-why are you bare-faced? You…”
• Scarlett was likewise taken aback by Arielle’s fair and rosy face without any makeup. How dare this wretched girl reveal her true countenance?
• “Why would I put on makeup when it’s late at night, and when I’m about to go to bed?” The smile on Arielle’s lips faded away, and she gazed intently at Willow with an expression of naivety as well as bafflement. “Willow, you used to tell me to put on makeup at all times, saying that a girl isn’t presentable without makeup, but I now realized that I look even better without makeup!”
• Mike was truly stunned. How could this daughter of mine who loved caking her face with makeup look… look so beautiful without makeup?
• Meanwhile, Willow’s heart lurched. In the face of the suspicious look her father threw her way, she could only force a smile. “W-Wasn’t it you who insisted on putting on makeup? When have I… ever said such a thing?” After saying that, she swiftly changed the subject. “Arielle, what exactly happened tonight? Where did you go? And why didn’t you attend the engagement party?” In front of Arielle, she was still the gentle and amicable sister, her concerned look underscoring her sisterly role.
• Inwardly, Arielle sneered. In my previous life, it was this hypocritical Willow Grace who not only ruined my life, but also killed Felix Meyer. Now that God has given me an opportunity to start over, I’ll be letting down my new lease on life if I don’t repay this sister of mine. As she stared at Willow, she blinked her innocent eyes. “Willow, for some inexplicable reason, my mind started turning hazy, and I felt as though I was burning up after drinking the beverage you gave me.”
• At this, she massaged her temples, looking as though she was still a touch weak at this moment. “I was afraid that I’d embarrass myself during the engagement party, so I hurried home and took a cold shower. In fact, I’m still a tad unwell now.” As she dipped her eyes and gazed at Willow, there was a smirk in her eyes, but her lovely face was a mask of confusion. “What exactly did you give me, Willow? Why did I feel so out of sorts?”