Chapter 461

Viola and Serena returned to Valor Estate in complete despair. As soon as they entered, Viola slapped Serena hard across the face. Ignoring all decorum, she shouted angrily, “How could the Warren family produce such a disgraceful woman as you? You completely ruined the family’s reputation tonight! Come, let’s go see Mother. She’ll deal with you!”

Serena, already humiliated at Hell Monarch Estate—having failed to achieve her goals and even been touched by the Marquis of Ironridge—was now the town's laughingstock. Panic and fear gnawed at her. Viola's slap was the final blow.

Stunned at first, Serena snapped. Was everyone just bullying her? In a fit of rage, she slapped Viola back, snarling, “Who are you calling disgraceful? You think you’re any better? Weren’t you disgraceful when you married my brother? Weren’t you disgraceful at Lady Helen’s birthday banquet tonight? You went to laugh at others, but in the end, they laughed at you!”

Viola, taken aback by Serena's audacity, grabbed her wrist, fury blinding her to the pain on her own face. “Come with me to see Mother, now!”

Serena forcefully shoved Viola to the floor. Looking down coldly, she sneered, “You really think I would have dared to do what I did tonight without Mother’s approval?”

Viola, shocked, sat on the ground. “What? Mother knew? Are you saying Mother knew you were going to try and seduce the Hell Monarch?”

Resentment filled Serena’s eyes. “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, portraying her actions as sacrifices for Barrett. Tears streamed down her face.

“Do you think I wanted this? Do you think I wanted to become a concubine? Even as a secondary wife, I’d still be just a concubine. I’m a proper young lady from the Warren family, and yet you think I 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 stunned. Her world seemed to collapse, though she couldn’t explain why. She’d always believed Rebecca, despite her sharp tongue, was upright, and the Warren family respectable. But now…

Slowly rising, her face pale, 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, 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 hoping to build a great future with her. His career and ambitions are everything to him—more important than anything else!”

Their argument drew the household’s attention; quick-witted servants immediately reported to Barrett and Rebecca. Soon, everyone gathered in Rebecca’s quarters, listening to Serena and Viola recount their sides of the story. Seeing the red, swollen marks on their faces, Rebecca felt the world spin.

Barrett looked at Serena and Viola in utter disbelief, 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 cleared. Her husband hadn’t known. He hadn’t approved. Thank God.