Her Graceful War Song

Viola and Serena returned to Valor Estate in complete despair.

As soon as they entered the door, Viola raised her hand. She used every ounce of strength she had and slapped Serena hard across the face.

Ignoring any sense of decorum, Viola shouted angrily, "How could the Warren family produce such a disgraceful woman like you? You completely ruined the family's reputation tonight! Come, let's go see Mother. She'll deal with you!"

Serena had already been humiliated at Hell Monarch Estate. She hadn't gotten what she wanted, and even had her body touched by the Marquis of Ironridge. Now, she had become the laughingstock of the town. Panic and fear were already gnawing at her.

Now, as soon as she stepped through the door, Viola had slapped her.

For a moment, Serena was stunned, but then she completely snapped.

Was everyone just here to bully her now?

In a fit of rage, Serena slapped Viola right back and snarled, "Who are you calling disgraceful? You think you're any better? Weren't you disgraceful when you married my brother? Weren't you disgraceful when you went to Lady Helen's birthday banquet tonight? You went to laugh at others, but in the end, they laughed at you!"

Viola never expected that after everything Serena had done, the girl would have the audacity to strike back.

Blinded by fury, Viola ignored the searing pain on her face and grabbed Serena's wrist.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

"Come with me to see Mother, now!"

Serena forcefully shoved her away, sending Viola sprawling onto the floor. Standing tall and looking down coldly, Serena sneered, "You really think I would've dared to do what I did tonight without Mom's approval?"

Viola sat on the ground, her face filled with shock. "What? Mother knew? Are you saying Mother knew you were going to try and seduce the Hell Monarch?"

Serena's eyes were full of resentment. "You were there, and you were completely useless! You offered no help at all. Why do you think I tried to cozy up to the Hell Monarch? It was for Barrett! Because you broke the limbs of the man who threw dung at our estate, Barrett was reprimanded and demoted! Mother was worried about his future, and that's why tonight happened."

The more Serena spoke, the more aggrieved she became. She acted as if everything she had done was truly for Barrett's sake, and that she had sacrificed herself in the process.

Tears fell from her eyes.

"Do you think I wanted this? Do you

think I wanted to become a

concubine? Even if I became a secondary wife, I'd still be just a concubine. I'm a proper young lady from the Warren family, and yet you think don't feel humiliated being reduced to this? But who did I do it for? I did it for all of you! And you, ungrateful wretch, you dare to hit me!"

Viola was utterly stunned. Her whole world seemed to collapse, though she couldn't quite explain why. She had always believed that, despite her mother-in-law's sharp tongue, Rebecca was at least an upright person, and that the Warren family was a respectable family

But now...

Slowly, she got to her feet, her face pale as she stared at Serena. "Does your brother know about this?"

Serena snapped, "What difference

does it make if he knows or not? I did it for him. Even if he knew, he would have agreed to it, unless he doesn't care about his future! But if he didn't, he wouldn't have cast aside Carissa when she lost her family, or begged to marry Aurora in hopes of building a great future with her. His career and ambitions are everything to him-more important than anything else!"

Their argument had drawn the attention of the household, and some quick-witted servants immediately went to report to Barrett and Rebecca.

Soon after, everyone was gathered in Rebecca's quarters, listening to both Serena and Viola recount their sides of the story. Seeing the red and swollen marks on their faces from slapping each other, Rebecca felt as though the world was spinning.

Barrett looked at Serena and Viola in utter disbelief, waves of shame flooding his heart. "You went to Hell Monarch Estate for Lady Helen's birthday banquet?"

He pointed at Serena, his hand trembling with rage. "You tried to become the Hell Monarch's concubine? You hate Carissa the most, yet you wanted to become her... How could you be so shameless?!"

Viola's numb mind finally started to clear. Her husband hadn't known about this.

He hadn't approved of any of it.

Thank God.