SHAMED ON PUBLIC

"Tell me, Madame Norwagen —"

"Call me Nanny dear. It's not like we don't have any history together." The Baroness demanded, such a sweet voice on her tone, trying to persuade her into something which made Rachelle smile at her. 

"Alright, Nanny." She agreed, shaking her head lightly. "Will this really suffice?" She asked as she looked at Olivia, signalling her to give the bag towards the Baroness who was really craving wealth at this point. 

She couldn't even stop staring at the bag with her eyes sparkling in desire, wanting to run away with the money altogether with his son who also couldn't stop looking at the heavy bag. 

These fools, greed knows no bounds. Their eyes really said it. 

"Of course, thank you so much for helping me, dearest." She said, slipping the word out of her tongue which then she flashed with alarm, laughing it off. "We will never forget this help we received from you, dearest." She added as if she was trying to change what she said earlier. 

"Don't worry, Nanny Hildegard. It's just a small matter. As long as you pay me back, I will always continue to help you." She mumbled, holding the old woman's hand tenderly while playing her character as a kind woman. 

Seems like everyone had gotten some idea about her sudden appearance. It's to help her former nanny. Everyone started to feel like they were being too judgemental towards the woman whom everyone claimed was the devil who killed her matter. 

She was kind and caring towards the Baroness and even lent them money. Somehow, without Rachelle knowing about what was happening in her surroundings, every customer who knew her started to change their views of her. 

And Olivia noticed it by how everyone kept on glancing at them with their eyes wanting to pry about this business of theirs. 

"Oh... I forgot I have to go to the bathroom. Would it be okay if I could leave you with my son?" The Baroness asked as she stood up from her seat, looking at Rachelle with the most insincere apologetic look. 

Rachelle nodded her head like the good girl that she was, pretending that it was okay. "Sure thing, Nanny." She answered, looking at the man who kept on looking like her with such eyes that disgusted her. 

"Oh goody, I'll leave the two of you." She said and left the room, carrying the bag secretly despite Rachelle already noticing it. Rachelle thinks that she will secretly find an exit to leave her alone with this guy. 

"So uh, how are you, my Lady?" Lowell asked, trying to strike up a conversation between the two of them. He had this awkward smile yet was very interested in her. 

"I am better than fine, Sir. So what made you choose your course?" She asked, looking straight into his eyes to see what antics they had prepared for her. 

"Ah, I am actually one of the top students right now at the academy. I am intelligent after all, that's why I made it to the Academy. I chose the course because..."

He was talking nonstop, boasting and taking pride in his merits in the academy. Which really sounds like some falsified information that he just made up in order to impress her. 

Even if it is true, it's failing abysmally. She's not even interested in him. Not even a little bit. 

While he was talking a lot, all Rachelle could do was nod her head, and smile like a doll in front of him while begging the Goddess to stop this nonsense because it was getting worse. She could feel her ears bleeding already because of his bullshits. 

"Ah! Are you engaged, my Lady?" He suddenly asked, making Rachelle put down her teacup. She was holding it earlier, wanting to smash it directly into his head but that would be bad, right?

"No, I am not engaged. Why?" She asked back, seemingly curious about his question. She then took a sip of her tea, handling it perfectly while she didn't break her glance towards the man who was now smiling. 

Oh this creepy dude, makes her want to smash the teacup right directly into his head. But she can't do that, can she? It's a public space after all. 

"Ah, I couldn't believe that a lady like you is not engaged with anyone yet. It's such a shame that people won't take you as their bride." He suddenly said, making her raise her eyebrow.

Was that an insult?

"But don't be mad. Who knows, there might be someone willing to accept you, my Lady. Who's willing to become your husband despite your past? I've heard it from my mother, it was quite sad knowing the Duchess had to leave early." He even added, which makes it more insulting. 

They really are a pair of mother and son. Both know how to mock and insult her using her dead mother. Can't they just let her soul rest in peace and find another insult that they could throw at her?

"I'm curious who'll be the person that you're talking about, kind sir." She answered, letting out a chuckle while trying not to intimidate the poor man. Sensing how she suddenly sounded so serious, Lowell panicked. 

"W-well... Someone who's near you and who's trying to move your heart." He replied, looking away. His cheeks are flushed with red paint, has the nerve to act all flustered and like nothing just happened. 

"Would there be such a thing? From your words sir, who would take me as their wife because of my hideous past? I could never find someone because of it. Isn't that what you said?" She asked, trying to sound as normal as possible.

She was smiling yet her smile sent a shiver down Lowell's spine. It was creepy and odd, it was as if her smile was ready to torment him. "Ah! That's not what I meant, lady! What I meant is that just because people know your past, doesn't mean they won't take you as a bride!" He exclaimed in a panicked behaviour, trying to curry her favour back after sensing her foul mood.

"Oh! For a moment I thought you were insulting me. I'm sorry if I misjudged you, Sir. I really don't mean it." She apologized, her face distorted into a surprised look, acting surprised as she gasped in disbelief. 

"No! It was my fault—"

"Oh, if it isn't a friend of mine." Someone suddenly cut Lowell off from speaking, making Rachelle turn towards the side and was surprised to see the young Marquis Liam at her side, smiling towards her. 

Her surprise look turned into a frown, not expecting Liam to meet in this place. "Liam! Oh I mean greetings, Marquis Liam." She greeted him as she stood up and nodded her head, acknowledging his arrival. 

Liam chuckled at how she frowned, surprised to see him inside the cafe. "I see that you're already being accompanied by someone, my Lady." He expressed, glancing at the man by his side, glaring at him. 

"It was rude for you to interrupt us, my Lord. Have you not learned any decorum or politeness? You are disturbing us." Lowell frowned, standing up while he smashed his hands on the table, causing it to shake a little bit. 

"Young lord Lowell, please refrain from acting such a brute. This is a public space after all." The young Marquis answered, smirking at the young man whose face can't even be painted at how sour it looks right now. 

"Are you seriously letting this man interrupt us, Princess? He has no shame for butting in our conversation. Send him away, my Lady." Lowell feeling defeated with Liam's title and power, turned his head towards Rachelle who was just looking at the two of them. 

"Oh, but she can't do that." The young Marquis answered as he took Rachelle's hand, bent his body down and performed a kiss on her hand while looking straight into the man's eyes as if he wanted to annoy him...

"Princess!" Lowell yelled, stomping his foot like a child. Seemingly frustrated with Liam's presence. "Please, let's all calm down. There's nothing wrong with the Marquis accompanying us. He's my friend after all." Rachelle answered as she grabbed her hand from Liam's hand, sitting back in her chair. 

"See? The Princess isn't bothered so you can stop the act now, Baron." Liam answered as he chuckled, sitting close to Rachelle who was acting cold suddenly. 

"What?! Is this the person that you really are, Princess? A single woman who likes the embrace of someone of the opposite gender?" He asked, letting out a scoff while laughing hard. 

That was an insult that Rachelle couldn't accept. She stood up, grabbed her teacup and immediately threw the tea on Lowell, in a harsh way that the tea almost reached his face, burning his skin. 

Lowell let out a loud yell, glaring at Rachelle. "What did you do?!" He yelled, in a furious state while trying to ease the pain that he was feeling right now. 

Rachelle just stared at him, in a way that he could tell that in her eyes, he was just a piece of shit and nothing more than. A despicable creature who wriggles around, a useless man with his life not having any virtue. 

"Young Lord Liam, I can't believe that the academy is taking idiots now. He doesn't even know what I did to him and how his words are the exact opposite of his claiming politeness. A stupid person who doesn't even deserve to be recognised by the prestigious academy." She coldly said, staring coldly at the man. 

Her voice was as cold as the arctic winter of the north, yet at the same time it sounded aggressive but in a calm manner, not letting her anger cloud her eyes. 

"I can't believe how the academy's standards have reached the bottom, it can't even be compared with its former glory as they are now letting dumb people who can't even distinguish the meaning behind politeness and respect. Is this how the academy will strive forward? To rely on dumb individuals?" She asked, throwing a side-eye at Liam, catching him wanting to laugh at Lowell who was now embarrassed and pissed.

"As expected of people who are egoistic and prideful. They're even trying to create a list of how excellent they are. Trying to sound so decorative despite lacking intelligence in the first place. Who do you think I'm trying to hit with my words, hm? Lord Lowell?" She asked, throwing him a glance. 

Lowell just looked down as he was garnering everyone's attention. Embarrassed with how Rachelle read him till he was crisp, openly calling him a dumbass. He was biting his lips, trembling in anger. 

"Hm, I think so too that you know whom I meant. Well then, I hope you pay for the refreshments that you ordered. Because I'm not paying for it. Just because I showed you my benevolence doesn't mean you're going to take advantage of it." She added, tapping the man's shoulder while smiling at him. 

"Let's go, Olivia. Before I could roast him further. The Goddess knows how much it hurts getting shamed in an open place." Rachelle called, turning around as she started to walk away with a satisfied smile. 

"Yes, Mistress," Olivia answered and followed her, leaving the cafe together with Liam who was silently following them from behind. 

This lady is really wild and now, he seems like his getting addicted to her, like she's some sort of a forbidden drug that he's willing to take. Everything about her fascinates him, to the point that he wants to be with her forever.