Chapter 5
When my mom heard the news, she was so anxious she nearly passed out.
"What are we going to do? That old hag is the most unreasonable person ever."
My brother grabbed a long spear from the wall.
"She dares to come here? I'll throw her out."
I held him back.
"Don't do anything rash, George.
"She brought her own guards. If we make a move, it'll give her something to use against us.
"This whole thing is aimed at me. Let me go deal with her."
My mom held my hand, her eyes full of worry.
"Shirley, you..."
I patted the back of her hand and gave her a reassuring look.
I said, "Don't worry, Mom.
"I'm not the same Shirley Bernard I used to be."
I straightened my clothes, lifted my chin with confidence, and strode toward the front gate.
If she wanted an answer, I'd make sure it was one she'd remember for the rest of her life.
I'd give her a response she'd never forget.
As soon as I stepped into the front yard, I heard Karen's shrill, abusive curses coming from outside the gate.
"Where's that little bitch Shirley? Tell her to get out here and face me.
"Backing out of the engagement? Who does she think she is? The Adolph family marrying her is a blessing she should be grateful for.
"If she doesn't kneel and beg for forgiveness today, I'll tear down the Bernard family's front gate myself."
I stood behind the partition, listening with a cold expression.
How domineering she was.
I took a deep breath and composed myself.
Then, I put on a tearful, panicked look, as if I was about to burst into tears.
With graceful steps, I walked out.
As soon as I stepped outside, I was greeted by Karen's well-preserved but razor-sharp face, every line twisted with spite.
Behind her, two rows of her personal guards stood at attention, weapons gleaming and looking ready to start trouble at a moment's notice.
The place was already packed with nosy neighbors, all craning their necks for a better view of the spectacle.
As soon as Karen spotted me, she shot me a glare, jabbing her finger in my direction, clearly about to start hurling insults again.
I made the first move.
With a dramatic thud, I knelt right in front of her.
My knees instantly ached from the cold stone beneath me.
Everyone was stunned.
Even Karen was left speechless for a moment.
The barrage of insults Karen had prepared got completely stuck in her throat.
I looked up at her, my eyes tear-streaked and pitiful.
With a trembling voice, aggrieved to the extreme yet too scared to resist, I spoke.
"Mrs. Adolph, what... what are you trying to do?
"Do you really want to push me to the edge, force me to end it all?"
I knelt on the cold, hard stone.
Tears threatened to spill from my eyes, but never actually fell.
That delicate balance of almost-crying, perfectly controlled, was all part of my act.
Karen's face darkened, then turned purple with fury.
She clearly hadn't expected me to kneel right in front of her without warning.
In her mind, the Bernard family's proud heiress should have been standing tall and defiant.
She expected me to hold my chin high and argue back, ready for a showdown.
That way, she'd have the perfect excuse to dish out her own brand of punishment.
The murmurs and whispers from the crowd were growing louder.
"Is that really Mrs. Adolph from the Adolph Mansion?
"She looks more like some fierce debt collector than a grand matriarch.
"After what happened to Shirley, Karen still won't let her go.
"Tsk tsk, so much for the Adolph family's famous discipline."
Karen listened to the gossip swirling around her, then thumped her cane hard against the ground.
She snapped, "Shirley! Cut the theatrics.
"You broke off the engagement in front of everyone yesterday and humiliated my son. Now you still dare act innocent?"
I looked up, revealing the vicious whip mark slashed across my forehead for all to see.
Deliberately left untreated, the wound was still seeping thin lines of blood.
Set against my snow-white skin, it looked especially ghastly.
My voice trembled, with just the right touch of a sob.
"Mrs. Adolph, I wouldn't dare argue.
"I'm just scared.
"During the wedding ceremony, my coronet was ruined, and I was whipped right there.
"General said it was just a thing, and told me to be generous and let it go.
"But that coronet was a mark of honor from the Emperor, and I couldn't protect it.
"I'm useless... I don't dare go back to the Adolph family and bring shame to their name."
I deliberately raised my voice so everyone could hear every word.
I put extra weight on the words "from the Emperor," making sure nobody missed it.
Karen's face went ghostly pale for a split second.
She'd been so focused on venting her anger that she'd completely forgotten where that coronet came from.
Even if the Emperor didn't give it to me himself, it was still made by the Imperial Household, following all the proper rules.
Smashing that coronet was like slapping the royal family right across the face.
"Stop trying to scare me with the Emperor."
Karen was all bluster, but deep down, she was scared.
She stepped forward, raising her hand to slap me.
"I think you're just asking for a beating."
I closed my eyes, bracing myself, refusing to flinch.
Her hand hovered in the air, ready to strike.