Sold to My Killer Husband: His Concubine's Dilemma
Chapter 59: Stay away.

Chapter 59: Stay away.

Liora looked at everyone’s faces. It was her first time having a meal with people. It was not that she did not know table etiquette—an old man back in her town had helped her with that knowledge. She used to go to an institution for kids, but later, her studies were discontinued. She later learned from an old person whom her father knew. That was where she learned everything she knows now.

Layla was looking for something she could use to make Liora uncomfortable in the presence of Lucien. It was not happening, so she decided to go slow.

"So, which institution are you from?" Layla asked, smiling at Liora.

Liora kept quiet but was saved by Mira, who had just entered the room with the soup Layla had mentioned before.

"Here, madam." Mira placed the soup in front of her, and Liora started eating.

Looking at Liora having her soup and not responding, Layla smirked. "Looks like Lady Liora really is hungry."

A drop of soup dripped from the corner of Liora’s lips as she looked at Layla, but thanks to Mira, who helped wipe it before it could fall on her dress, the moment passed quickly.

"How is the soup?" Layla asked while snorting in her mind.

Showing excitement on her face, Roseria leaned forward to face Liora. Rowan and Samuel shared a look, while Union glanced at Lucien, who had stopped eating.

Liora sensed the tension and hesitantly chuckled. "It is good... mm mm..."

Mira had already left after serving.

"That is good," Layla smiled, though she had secretly asked Beatrice to make the soup bitter.

"Would you like to have some?" Liora offered.

Layla hesitantly rejected it, but Samuel held out his bowl. Liora looked at him and served him some soup.

"Thank you," Samuel smiled.

"You are welcome," Liora said softly.

As soon as Samuel tasted it, he spat it out.

Whack... whack... It was almost as if he was puking all the food.

"What happened?" everyone exclaimed.

"The soup is so bitter... yuck!" Samuel rasped. "How can you call this thing good?" Scrunching his face, he turned to Liora. "Didn’t you know it was bitter?"

"Oh... I knew that, but I like bitter soups," Liora smiled.

’Who would like that...?’ Layla thought. She wanted to make fun of Liora—this was petty of her, but then again...

"Don’t worry, I’ll share my pastry with you. Would you like some dumplings?" Roseria offered her pastry to Liora.

Liora took it and smiled back at her.

"Are they good?" Roseria asked as Liora examined the flower-shaped, blue-cream pastry. Maybe it was blueberry-flavored.

"These are good," Liora said while eating.

Roseria smiled. Finding this a good chance, she fiddled with her gown.

"Lady Liora?"

Liora had been glancing at the faces around the table, especially Lucien.

"Yes?"

"Would you like to take a walk with me afterward?" Roseria asked.

"Yes, I would like to," Liora hesitated but eventually agreed. She guessed it wasn’t Roseria’s fault. Lilian had been the same during their first meeting. Even though days had passed, the memory of the midwife’s touch still lingered.

She wondered if Lucien knew about that, but then again, he was the one who had rejected her. Yet, he had still let her stay here. What was his reason for allowing her to live in the same place? Especially to eat at the same table as they were now?

Layla, trying to assert her influence, spoke up. "I would have liked to join you both, but I have some matters to discuss with Lucien, isn’t that right, Lucien?" She touched Lucien’s arm.

"Oh, it’s fine, Princess," Roseria smiled. "We understand."

Although Liora did not understand. To her, it felt like Layla was trying to send her some kind of message—at least her expression looked that way.

Lucien wanted to answer Layla. She had been tormenting him since morning, and he was trying not to be rude in front of his sister. He simply cleared his throat.

"I’m done."

Lucien left the room.

He wanted to ask Layla to leave, along with Liora, that new girl. He didn’t like Layla because he knew she was clingy, and the fact that her father was... well, that was another issue.

As for Liora, he wanted to ask how she could be useful. If she served any purpose, he could let her stay.

After leaving the dining hall, he decided to visit the patient. And so, he went to meet the doctor Cecilia, whom Samuel had mentioned.

Making use of the situation, Layla blushed, her cheeks turning crimson. "Maybe he wants to talk to me just now," she murmured, glancing at Liora.

But Liora showed no concern about the situation.

Layla chased after Lucien, who was walking briskly.

"Lucien... wait!" she called, hurrying behind him, trying to catch up.

"Why won’t you walk slower, Lucie..." Layla whined.

"What?" Lucien barked.

"Stop acting like you don’t know me," Layla pouted.

"Why aren’t you talking to me?" Tears formed at the rim of her eyes.

"Because I don’t understand your presence here," Lucien questioned coldly.

"I’m here to say sorry."

"For what?" Lucien cocked an eyebrow.

"For my father’s behavior years ago..."

Lucien chuckled. "That time... yes, I remember."

"See? I know you’re angry, but that wasn’t my fault," Layla tried to make him believe her words.

"You better leave," Lucien ordered.

"I’m not leaving. If I go, Roseria has to leave too. Your mother left her under my care."

"Why would she need care from her own brother?" Lucien’s jaw tightened.

Layla took a step forward. "Because... you know why."

Lucien clenched his fists. His mother wouldn’t have left Roseria with Layla just because she thought he would hurt her. It was to ensure Roseria’s reputation remained intact—so potential suitors wouldn’t abandon her for being close to the man accused of murdering his wife.

"What do you want?" Lucien asked, getting straight to the point.

"Time with you," Layla demanded boldly. She was fierce when it came to her happiness.

"Not happening," Lucien scoffed.

"Why?" Layla’s lips twisted before curling into a knowing smile. "Is it because of that woman?"

Lucien smirked, taking a step closer. His blue eyes darkened. By ’that woman,’ Layla didn’t mean Liora—she meant Scarlet.

In a warning tone, he told her, "Stay away from that."

Layla liked how he looked dangerously handsome up close. She smacked her lips, trying to push away the reckless thought of kissing him. After all, as they say, women go crazy when it comes to love.

Lucien pushed Layla, making her step back, and then strode off to where he wanted to go. This time, Layla did not follow him, but she thought, I need to stay for more than a week, I guess. She smiled while looking at Lucien’s back.

"Lady Liora?" Samuel called. Every time he called her name, Liora’s mind struggled with the questions he might ask her.

"By any chance, have you ever worked as a maid here?"

Liora froze for a moment. He knows... he knows...

"Umm... yes, I used to help around the house," Liora answered.

"You know how to do household work?" Roseria was surprised.

"Yes, I do."

While the ladies were talking, Rowan and Samuel had finished their work and preferred to leave.

"Lady Liora," Samuel called her again. "There are mice around the house. Please be cautious."

"Yikes!" Roseria flinched. "Mice?"

Rowan chuckled. "It’s okay, Rosei. Call for me if you’re afraid of them." He patted Roseria’s head twice before leaving the room.

A blush crept onto Roseria’s cheeks, and she turned her face away from Liora.

"Are you really that afraid?" Liora’s question brought Roseria’s attention back.

But instead of answering, Roseria wanted to talk about something else.

"Lady Liora," she began in a soft voice, "I am sorry about my mother’s behavior yesterday." Her voice wavered as if she were about to cry.

"Why would you say sorry?" Liora asked, looking at her. Roseria’s rosy face turned gloomy, and Liora reached out, gently grabbing her hand.

"B-because it was me who complained about you to my mother..." Roseria confessed, feeling guilty. "I... I didn’t mean to make things hard for you..."

Liora kept looking at her.

"Oh... don’t look at me like that!" Roseria covered her face with her hands. "I just wanted you to be by my brother’s side. He was injured... so..."

Liora now understood Roseria’s perspective. Though she seemed timid, her actions showed that her brother was the most important person to her.

Liora tapped her head lightly. "It’s okay."

Shocked, Roseria looked up. "Really?" Fascinatingly, her eyes had turned swollen in an instant. "Do you not hate me for this?"

Liora smiled. "If your intention wasn’t to hurt me, then it’s okay." Her cotton-soft cheeks lifted as she smiled.

"Thank you for forgiving me," Roseria smiled back.

Looking at her face, Liora asked, "Would you like to go for a walk?"

Roseria’s expression brightened, and she nodded, following Liora with a smile.

After some time, a carriage arrived at the house. The number of visitors had increased significantly compared to past years. The carriage belonged to Layla’s maids—Edgar had sent them as promised.

"Madam!" Tessa ran toward Layla as soon as they entered the house, searching for their mistress.

"Do not overstep," Layla glared.

Tessa was Layla’s closest maid.

"Madam, we have brought many things with us, and Sir Edgar also sent something. A soldier gave it to Beatrice."

Tessa was always the secret gatherer of information for Layla.

"What was it? Do you know?"

"No, but it looked like a potion bottle or something." This answer from Tessa made Layla wonder, ’what is that Lilian is to now?’

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