Chapter 109: Blood

Ian was disappointed in Lisa. He knew she was trying to pick on Mina by ordering blood stew. Most lower-class families did not eat such meals. After years of people becoming sick from bacteria linked to the dish, the government imposed a ban on all preparation of blood stew without first taking an expensive class on its safe preparation. Eventually, the ban also extended to common citizens who wanted to prepare the meal in their personal homes. Regardless if they had the skill, most people could not afford the license. As a result, blood stew became synonymous with wealth.

While the others at the table had been taught to enjoy this meal from childhood, no one expected Mina to have even been able to stomach one bite. She finished her bowl before anyone else and when Zane playfully offered her one of his blood sausages, she gratefully accepted. The unintentional display of intimacy caused Ian to feel jealous. He looked over at Lisa who was obviously just as surprised as anyone else that Mina could even recognize what she had been served. Ian attempted to break the awkward atmosphere with a question.

"Did you eat this a lot while growing up?" Ian asked Mina, and she nodded before speaking.

"My mother used to make it for my sister and I," she said.

"How can that be? Was your mother licensed?" Lisa asked, clearly trying to put Mina's family down.

"She was," Mina replied dryly.

"Your mother must have been prepping you to marry into a wealthy family," Lisa stated bitterly, but Mina just shrugged off her insinuation.

"No, she used to tell my sister and I that it would help us live longer."

"and where is your sister now?" Lisa asked coldly. Mina ignored the question. She didn't know if Lisa was intentionally being rude or not. Unless she had already investigated her background there was no way Lisa knew anything about her family.

Zane tactfully changed the topic and ordered a bottle of wine for the table. Mina refused to drink. She told Zane that she had never had a sip of alcohol and didn't know how she would react to it.

"Don't worry, Ian will take care of you," Zane said while laughing, but Lisa did not find his statement funny.

"What is that supposed to mean? Shouldn't you care for your own date?" Lisa asked.

"I should, but I don't live with her." Ian almost choked on his drink and Mina looked at Zane like a Judas. Lisa had to pretend to be surprised. In reality, she already knew Mina was staying in the Lee mansion, and she was currently working on a plan to force the girl out.

"Sweetheart, what is Zane talking about?" she asked and Zane nearly gagged. Turning to Lisa, Ian said in a whisper.

"Please call me Ian." His words were like a slap to the face. Lisa scanned Mina's expression expecting the girl to be rejoicing. Ian may have whispered but it was loud enough for Mina, who was sitting across from him, to hear, but either the girl was a good actress, or she genuinely did not care. Her facial expression never changed as she stared at the wine in her glass.

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Mina was thinking about the wine in front of her, it smelled good and she wanted to try it. Mentally composing a list of all the possible outcomes, she settled on taking a small sip. However, before her lips could touch the glass, she caught Lisa's hateful gaze and opted against drinking anything. She doubted that her drink had been tampered with, but her heart began to race as she thought about the possibility that her blood stew could have been poisoned. She had been drugged once before and she refused to let it happen again. Mina felt as though she would throw up, but a deep voice called her name and startled her back into the moment.

Coming to her senses, Mina found the source of the voice. A handsome middle-aged man was standing on a small stage at the front of the room. There were couples seated all around him. Since there were four of them, the restaurant staff had placed them near the back, where people who came for a friendly outing usually sat. When they were first shown to their seats, Lisa tried to make a fuss and insisted on couples seating, but Ian and Zane refused under the pretext that it was Lisa who invited Mina. She had clearly said she wanted to get to know the girl. What better way to get to know someone than over a meal together? Obviously, Lisa lost that battle.

When they arrived at Faryta it was still early in the evening and there were not many people around. According to Lisa, the environment would completely change once the couples' section was full. The table they occupied was placed just a few feet away from the last of the couples seating in order to appease Lisa who claimed she wanted to see the live performances. As they had ordered an extremely high-priced main course, the staff accommodated them. Mina should have known that when Lisa left the table, she was up to more than just asking for a new seating arrangement.

"Miss Mina, hello," the man said as he waved in her direction.

"You've been selected to join us for tonight's entertainment." Mina was about to refuse when Lisa spoke up. "I hope you don't mind. Wayvair is so well known for its strict music requirement for female students. I just wanted to hear you play a little." Mina could tell right away that Lisa was doubting her education.

It was true that Wayvair University was not just famous for its standard of education, but it was well known for one of the most chauvinistic requirements out of any other university in modern times. In addition to their regular curriculum, all female students absolutely had to pick an instrument or train their vocals by joining the choir. Wayvair originally only catered to upper class families, and when the practice was implemented, it was during a time where women were not expected to further their education beyond family planning and budgeting. However, the university produced several well-known female musicians, and it became a symbol of status to have been trained at the institution. Mina was no exception to this rule; besides her regular studies, she had spent countless hours in the rehearsal room with several other women, many of whom, had no interest in developing instrument or vocal skills at all.