"Miss Maya?" Blair murmured softly, looking up from her notebook in confusion.
"Miss Maya is the masters’ cousin," Thomas explained, turning to her with a polite bow. "She grew up alongside them. As for Miss Vivian Hartfield..." Thomas paused slightly, a subtle, unreadable flick of his eye betraying his caution. "The Hartfield family holds a prominent position in high business circles. Miss Vivian is a high-tier fox beastwoman who has... long maintained close social ties with Miss Maya."
What Thomas left unsaid was obvious: Maya was determined to play matchmaker, putting in endless good words for Vivian in hopes of securing her a spot as the Derunos’ wife. Neither of them had any idea that a human had already signed the legal papers.
Oh no! Blair thought, panic suddenly spiking in her chest. I forgot to change my clothes!
Remembering her husbands’ stern warnings from that morning about ruining their reputation, Blair gasped. "I’m so sorry, Thomas! I’ll go change right now so I can greet them properly!"
Sensing her rush, Thomas offered to handle the greeting himself, but Blair insisted. She wanted to be a good, dutiful wife. She wanted to build a good relationship with her new in-laws and show that she could handle hosting guests.
Hurrying up to her suite, Blair rushed into the massive walk-in closet. The array of high-grade silk and velvet dresses overwhelmed her. But despite all of that, she ended up picking out a elegant, yet simple day dress with delicate side ribbons, she shed her rags and tried to put it on as fast as her trembling fingers would allow.
However, in her panic and complete unfamiliarity with the tailoring and dress structure, everything went wrong.
She pulled the neckline too tight, misaligned the front buttons, and tied the delicate waist ribbons into a tangled, messy lump at her hip. Instead of looking like a refined lady of the house, the hurried, awkward fit made her look like a country bumpkin playing dress-up in clothes three sizes too complex for her.
Blair didn’t even have time to look in the mirror. Gathering her courage, she rushed down to the kitchen, carefully arranging a tray of premium tea and fresh pastries.
"Mrs. Deruno, you really do not need to handle small tasks like serving," Thomas cautioned, stepping into the hallway as she picked up the silver tray.
"It’s fine, Thomas," Blair offered him a small, earnest smile, her knuckles pale as she held the tray steady. "I want to do this. I want to create a good impression."
With careful, timid steps, Blair carried the refreshment tray into the grand parlor.
Sitting on the plush velvet sofas were three women, their presence radiating immense wealth, status, and predator power.
On the left sat Maya—a tiger beastwoman whose golden eyes gleamed with sharp, effortless arrogance. Beside her was Vivian Hartfield, a pureblood fox beastwoman of striking, dangerous allure. Her glossy fur-trimmed coat draped over her shoulders, her amber eyes shimmering with a sultry, predatory charm designed to enthrall high-society men. Beside them sat their quiet socialite friend, sipping water with an air of absolute superiority.
Blair took a quiet breath, stepped forward, and placed the silver tray gently onto the glass coffee table.
"It is... very nice to meet you," Blair said softly, bowing her head modestly. "Welcome to the Deruno estate."
The lively chatter in the room cut off instantly.
Maya’s golden tiger eyes narrowed into sharp slits. Vivian lowered her teacup, her glamorous, perfectly painted lips twisting into a look of absolute disgust as her eyes swept down Blair’s awkward, improperly tied dress.
"What is a lowly human doing serving tea in this house?" Maya asked, her voice dripping with cold disdain. "Since when does the Deruno household employ human servants?"
"Oh, no, actually I’m not a serv—" Blair began gently, trying to explain her presence.
"And what gave a human the right to think she can speak to us?" Vivian interrupted, her fox eyes flashing with venomous condescension. Her voice carried the sharp, unnatural weight of a high-tier predator, crushing the air in the room. "Know your place. You don’t speak unless spoken to."
Blair’s words caught in her throat. Her hands froze near her lap, her throat tightening with a familiar, suffocating ache.
She went completely silent, lowering her head until her fringe hid her eyes.
Vivian was right, wasn’t she? This wasn’t even about whether she was the brothers’ legal wife anymore. This was the brutal reality of the world: they were pureblood beastmen, high-ranking, untouchable, and lightyears above her in status. She was just a weak, sickly human who couldn’t even tie her own dress ribbons correctly.
I shouldn’t have spoken first, Blair thought bitterly to herself, her fingers clutching the misaligned fabric of her skirt. I should have been more mindful. I should have minded my manners...
Swallowing the lump of shame in her throat, Blair bowed her head, her timid voice barely audible. "I am sorry... I didn’t mean to offend you—"
"Save your pathetic excuses," Vivian sneered, lifting her delicate glass of chilled water.
With a deliberate, slow flick of her wrist, Vivian tilted the glass. A sharp stream of ice-cold water splashed directly onto the front of Blair’s dress and spilled across the polished tile at her feet.
"Oops," Vivian purred without a hint of regret, her amber eyes glittering with cruel amusement. "My hand slipped. But really, it’s your fault for standing right there like a clumsy distraction. Clean it up."
Thomas’s face hardened. Stepping forward with quick, protective strides, he began, "Miss Vivian, please allow me to clarify. This lady is not a servant in this household, so she should not—"
Before Thomas could finish speaking for Blair, Vivian let out a melodramatic, musical laugh and turned to Maya, completely cutting him off.
"Maya, I didn’t know the servants in your cousins’ house were so daring," Vivian mockingly sighed, waving her manicured hand in the air. "Even the butler thinks he can just speak back to a high-society lady."
Maya crossed her legs, her tiger tail lashing lazily against the sofa as she sneered. "It’s fine, Vivian. They must just want to talk to a high-society lady that badly."
Maya’s gaze snapped toward Thomas, her forehead creasing into a sharp, threatening frown. "What do you think you’re doing, Thomas? You’re throwing my cousins’ reputation in the mud in front of my friends!"
"But, Miss Maya—" Thomas tried to explain again.
"It’s fine, Thomas," Blair cut in hastily, looking up at him with wide, pleading eyes as she forced a small, reassuring smile. "It’s just water. I’ll clean it."
Vivian watched Blair with deep disdain. Who does she think she is? Trying to act soft and play the victim in front of me?