Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Translator: Eonnicorn / Editor: Scarlet

“Lady Massies. You knew that Sir Ruth was the Crown Prince, didn’t you?”

Count Holland interrogated Eva again, seeming to make a final confirmation. His voice was calm, but his eyes brimmed with disdain.

“That…”

Her words trailed off with a stunned face. It was true that she knew his identity, but that was because she guessed it after listening to Cecil’s story. It had nothing to do with anyone else.

“There’s nothing I can do if you don’t want to admit it. Come here, Rossy.”

An unexpected name escaped Count Holland’s lips. All the eyes followed his gaze to the corner of the room.

‘Rossy?’ As an inquiry aroused in Eva’s mind, the maid in question, Rossy, emerged from under a dimmed light with a hunched posture.

At that moment, a scene flickered through Eva’s head. The moment when she went outside to find Ruth and Count Holland after dinner but encountered Rossy. That time, her face was deadly pale and her behavior was weird.

‘Don’t tell me…’

“You came to call us for tea time, didn’t you?”

“Yes, I did…” Rossy cowered when Count Holland asked as she answered carefully.

“What did you hear?”

“I heard that Count Holland called Sir Ruth, n-no, I mean, His Highness, the Crown Prince.”

When she put the Knight’s title before Ruth’s name, Rossy was astounded and quickly corrected it.

“Then you met Lady Massies on your way back, didn’t you?”

“…Yes. She was there when I turned around.”

“Then she also must have heard our conversation. I’m sure she knew the Crown Prince’s identity.”

“I… I suppose.”

Rossy took a glance at Eva, fidgeting with her fingernails. There was a deep sense of guilt in her eyes as her pupils quivered, ready to cry.

“Lady Eva, forgive me. I was just so surprised to hear that Sir Ruth was the Crown Prince. I swear, I never imagined this would cause you harm-hicc.”

Rossy bursted into tears while begging forgiveness from Eva. It was painful for her to see Eva, who always treated her well, being accused of being an evil woman.

Eva stared into space with a feigned smile. ‘It’s not Rossy’s fault, so don’t blame her.’ Rossy must have been very surprised and concerned, especially after she informed her master after having an intense inner conflict.

“Earlier, you said you didn’t hear anything when we ran into each other. If Lady Pamela hadn’t confessed her guilt, you would have almost fooled us.”

Count Holland’s gentle rebuke kept chiding in. Having been wary of Eva since the first time they met, he now had an openly snide look on his face.

Eva didn’t answer. Everything was against her anyway and they wouldn’t believe her regardless of what she said. And Count Holland wasn’t the one to be blamed. He would never think that this was all set up. As someone who had been keeping an eye on Ruth’s surroundings and protecting him from the danger, Eva would have been branded as a cunning woman by Count Holland. A woman who needed to be rid of because she seemed harmful.

‘So, this is what you always wanted, Pamela.’

Now all the fog was lifted and the cause of the mess was clearly visible. The reason why this malicious and ridiculous thing happened was because of Pamela’s envy.

Rossy’s words must have been a great shock to Pamela. She, despite falling in love with Ruth at first sight, pushed him away because of his status. However, now she learned that he was the Crown Prince, and his status was incomparable to the Count’s title.

Pamela must have gotten agitated due to the fact that he showed interest in Eva and took care of her in the first place. Because perhaps he recognized Eva, his former fiance. To top it off, she left Eva under his care without knowing it, which frustrated Pamela more. She was restless that the Crown Prince might have sympathy or interest in his ex-fiance. Worst case, they would fall for each other, the scenario Pamela was afraid of.

So she took a risky route. Even if she had to lose Count Holland, she couldn’t stand Eva and the Crown Prince to be together. Pamela’s desire of keeping Eva lower than her was far greater than her desire of wanting to climb the social ladder.

Eva closed her eyes tightly. Still, she had no idea Pamela would be this low, it sent Eva an enormous shock.

What should she do now? It was obvious how exhausting the days went by if she didn’t abide Pamela’s words. She could endure that, but she worried that Pamela would neglect and mistreat Cecil. Should she shoot back Pamela using her own words?

‘No. I don’t like it.’

She didn’t want to be taken away as she had nothing and was in a disadvantageous position. Pamela, who thought she could control Eva at any time, wouldn’t stand still.

Then should she ask Ruth for help?

If she asked for help with a shameless expression, he would do it. Because he said it himself that he’d give her what she wanted, be it money or house. Even if it turned into this situation, wouldn’t there still be a line of sympathy left for the ex-fiance?

Right, he definitely would help Eva. The problem was that she didn’t like that idea either. They met by chance and had a good time, however, how deep did his feelings have to be to willingly help Eva?

She hated the sympathetic favor he offered before. She didn’t want to hang on to him when he retreated a second away from the kiss because he was afraid that he couldn’t keep his oath. So Ruth was also the hand she had to brush aside.

Then what should she do? Eva wanted to prove her innocence while responding with the answer they wanted. To disrupt Pamela’s fear, she wanted to hit the back of Pamela’s head really hard. She wanted to calm things down and at the same time completely turn the tables.

But how…

“Lady Massies…”

“Enough.”

Ruth, no, the Crown Prince Edward who had been listening to the whole commotion in quietness, silenced Count Holland with a single word.