Chapter 23: Anger
When Vivian Lowell returned to the dance studio, Shelly Lowell was just coming out with the two little princesses from the Grant Family.
In the short time she was gone, Shelly Lowell’s social skills had clearly been quite effective. The two little princesses were already gathered closely around her, saying, "I like that ruby necklace!"
"Shelly, please buy that for me!"
One princess spoke up first, and the other chimed in right after, telling Shelly Lowell what she wanted.
Vivian Lowell watched from the side, the corners of her mouth turning up in a slight smile.
’Shelly Lowell’s method for winning people over is certainly direct,’ she thought. ’Just buy them gifts.’
"Miss Lowell."
Just then, Mr. Zane walked out of the dance studio, carrying his bag. It looked as if he was about to leave.
Vivian Lowell was a little surprised.
"Mr. Zane, what’s going on?"
’Why is he leaving already?’
Mr. Zane’s expression was grim. He glanced at Shelly Lowell out of the corner of his eye and said to Vivian Lowell, "This Miss Lowell is dissatisfied with me, and I have no desire to impose by staying where I’m not wanted."
"Please, have the Lowell Family find someone more suitable! However, with Miss Lowell’s level of talent, I’m afraid even another teacher won’t be able to produce any significant results!"
Mr. Zane was incredibly blunt. He turned to leave.
At the top of the stairs.
Sharon Galahad was just returning from outside. Seeing so many people in the hallway, she was surprised to spot Mr. Zane and asked, "Mr. Zane, hello."
Mr. Zane gave Sharon Galahad a polite nod but said nothing, descending to the first floor with a stony expression.
Watching Mr. Zane leave, Sharon Galahad found it strange. She turned to look at Vivian Lowell and Shelly Lowell and asked, "What happened? Weren’t you supposed to be practicing etiquette and dancing? Why is Mr. Zane leaving? Is the lesson over?"
Vivian Lowell shook her head, indicating she knew nothing about it.
With that, Sharon Galahad turned a questioning gaze on Shelly Lowell.
’Don’t tell me Shelly was the one who angered Mr. Zane?’
Sharon Galahad instantly sucked in a sharp breath!
Mr. Zane was Vivian Lowell’s former tutor. Not only that, but the women of some of Aethelburg’s most prominent families had all taken his classes.
It could be said that if you earned Mr. Zane’s approval, you would never have any issues with etiquette in Aethelburg’s aristocratic circles.
Conversely,
if Mr. Zane found you too vulgar and happened to mention it to anyone, the damage to your reputation would be immense!
People would think you were a bumpkin, completely uncultured!
"Mom."
Being stared at by Sharon Galahad like that, Shelly Lowell was still a bit confused about what was happening. She asked, "That Mr. Zane was no good."
"I told him to leave, so what?"
SLAP!
Vivian Lowell had been ready to enjoy the show.
But she never expected that Sharon Galahad, who had always doted on Shelly Lowell, would suddenly slap her and even start screaming, "You idiot!"
"Do you have any idea what Mr. Zane’s standing is in the world of social etiquette? You told him to leave? With just one word from him, no other good teacher will ever agree to tutor you!"
"You, you..."
Sharon Galahad was trembling with rage.
Vivian Lowell sighed and chimed in, "That’s right, Shelly. Wasn’t everything fine just a moment ago? How is it that I step away for a second, and suddenly Mr. Zane is leaving?"
"It wasn’t easy for me to get Mr. Zane to come here for you. Why can’t you appreciate the effort I went through?"
After speaking, Vivian Lowell turned to Sharon Galahad and said, "Mrs. Lowell, Mr. Zane is gone now. There’s nothing I can do. As for Shelly’s etiquette and dance lessons—"
"I suppose you’ll just have to figure something else out. My design drafts aren’t finished yet, and I have to get back to work. I’ll be in my room."
Vivian Lowell turned and left.
Behind her, she heard Shelly Lowell’s sobs, Mason Grant’s comforting words, the two little Grant princesses adding fuel to the fire with gleeful remarks, and Sharon Galahad’s heavy sighs.
’What a chaotic mess,’ Vivian thought.
But as she thought this, she reminded herself that none of it had anything to do with her anymore.
「Soon, Vivian Lowell returned to her room in the Lowell Family’s house.」
She had mentioned the design drafts only as an excuse to come back and get a few things.
She had a few small dolls, gifts from someone who had adopted a cat she’d rescued. One of them, a felt doll, was particularly beautiful.
The adopter had made it to look just like the kitten, and it was so remarkably lifelike that Vivian Lowell adored it.
She had left so abruptly that day, with no time to take anything with her. Today, she—
Returning to her room, Vivian Lowell stared at the empty shelves and froze.
’Where did all my things go?’
’Hadn’t I locked the glass cabinet? This...!’
In that instant, Vivian Lowell saw shards of broken glass scattered on the floor beneath her locked cabinet.
The lock on her glass cabinet was still intact, but the surface of the cabinet—the parts decorated with glass—had been shattered.
The figurines and dolls she kept inside were all gone.
Of course.
These weren’t the only things missing from Vivian Lowell’s room. Shelly Lowell had taken nearly all of her jewelry as well.
But she didn’t care about those material possessions.
What she hadn’t expected was this.
That on top of the jewelry, Shelly Lowell would also take these things.
A surge of anger rushed through Vivian Lowell.
She clenched her fists and stormed out of her room, heading straight for Shelly Lowell.
"Shelly Lowell!"
Vivian Lowell didn’t hold back, making no attempt to conceal her anger. Seeing Sharon Galahad on the phone apologizing to Mr. Zane and begging him to come back and teach Shelly Lowell, she snatched the phone away.
"Mr. Zane!"
The moment Vivian Lowell spoke, Mr. Zane paused on the other end of the line. "What is it?" he asked.
"I’m so sorry for the trouble of having you come all this way. But as you said, Shelly Lowell is rotten wood that cannot be carved. She is utterly unworthy of your instruction."
Vivian Lowell continued, "I will pay you the full fee we agreed upon. Again, I apologize for all the trouble! In the future, I will never introduce such an imbecile to you again!"
"Very well."
Mr. Zane said no more, but he seemed to have perceived Vivian Lowell’s delicate position within the Lowell Family. He added, "You... take care of yourself."
"I will."
Vivian Lowell agreed and hung up the phone.
In an instant.
Sharon Galahad, Shelly Lowell, even Mason Grant and the two little Grant princesses all stared at Vivian Lowell with looks of utter disbelief.
Especially Shelly Lowell.
After Vivian Lowell had left earlier, Sharon Galahad had explained to Shelly Lowell about Mr. Zane’s international standing and the benefits of studying under him.
Shelly Lowell was filled with regret.
She had initially assumed Vivian Lowell wouldn’t put any real effort into helping her, that the teacher she found would just be some worthless hack to fill a spot.
Naturally, she hadn’t taken it seriously.
Who knew that wasn’t the case at all!