The Monstrous Grand Duke's Fake Lady

“Vivian!”

Her head turned at that piercing voice.

Due to the medicinal effects that still persisted slightly in her voice, she couldn’t answer her immediately. She wanted to know how much longer the remaining time was, but alas, it was utterly impossible for any clocks to exist in the warehouse where only servants were working.

“Why are your movements so sluggish? Are you bragging right now since you just came back from your vacation?”

She could only bow her head down at the words thrown haphazardly by someone who was never aware of Vivian’s own circumstances. The people who knew that Vivian had only been executing Alexia’s order were extremely few.

In the first place, it was a task that was done behind the knowledge of the Count’s family couple. Alexia had already known beforehand that if too many people were to be informed about this, it would prove harder to supervise it. Therefore, the majority of the servants were unaware of the real fact behind Vivian’s case where she suddenly disappeared from the mornings right to the evenings.

And eventually, it resulted in an absurd rumor that said Vivian had received Alexia’s favor.

Whenever it circulated, Amanda actively tried to deny them, but with her power alone, it was never enough.

The others who knew about the real situation, on the other hand, had already sealed off their mouths. Since they were the ones who would’ve gotten undeniably punished and not Vivian herself, in case they said something wrong, which was why they didn’t wish to get involved at all.

Nevertheless, the rumors had grown even bigger and now, the one who was scolding Vivian, was one of those who had really believed in such rumors. For her, Vivian who acted away with the grace of their Master’s backing appeared unseemly, which was why she found this to be a really good chance.

“You won’t answer my question anymore? Do you hate talking with me?”

Vivian shook her head strongly. She wanted to release her voice at least a little, but Vivian just couldn’t move her lips in front of her at all. She could only touch her own neck in frustration.

“Vivian!”

Her roar immediately made Vivian bow her head down even further. The reaction of bowing her head yet still giving no answer was actually enough to anger that person even more.

“Look at you acting so high and might just because the Young Lady keeps on calling for you lately. This just cannot be. You should be locked in your room all day long for today. Only by starving you will you realize what you did wrong.”

The rough hand suddenly grabbed a hold of Vivian’s slender arm. She then blindly dragged Vivian to her own room before opening the door roughly—even before Vivian could utter anything.

“What is this?”

The thing that had welcomed the maid who opened the door suddenly, was none other than that fancy hat. When she stared upon the hat, which was deliberately left on the bed just in case it ever got wrinkled in the wardrobe, her face was filled with surprise.

“And now you’re turning into a kleptomaniac…… How dare you steal one of the Young Lady’s possessions!”

“I didn’t steal that!”

Vivian fell into shock before she quickly touched her neck as she shouted at that instant. And fortunately, since the effect of the medicine had faded completely, her voice was no longer that of Alexia’s. While thinking that she had finally obtained her voice back, she immediately defended herself at the same time.

“That is not the Young Lady’s. It is mine.”

“Yours, you say?”

She gave a snort before snatching the hat. That delicately crafted hat was glistening breathlessly in her hands.

“Are you saying that this precious item is yours? Is that even possible with your meager wage?”

“But that is mine. I just got it as a present.”

“Ha.”

The more she heard about it, the more absurd it had become.

“Are you saying that someone had willingly gifted this expensive thing to a girl like you?”

“That’s the truth!”

“Tell me the real truth. You stole it from the Young Lady, right? If you can just admit it was your fault, then I can just say that I found this by chance.”

“I’m only telling you the truth. This hat isn’t one of those that Lady Alexia has owned.”

She then simply turned her body since she thought that it was no use in listening to Vivian, who just kept on repeating the same thing all over.

As the maid strode off somewhere while still holding onto the hat, Vivian immediately flustered before running after her.

“Where are you going?!”

The place that she headed to was none other than Alexia’s own room.

After ascertaining the location, Vivian tried very hard to stop her, but it was just impossible with her current condition for today. At the precise moment when the maid had knocked on the door after pushing Vivian away, Vivian immediately took the hat back.