Lucien personally organized this party. The guest list included classmates and members of the basketball club, around a dozen teenagers in total.
Elowen pressed her lips together, holding a tray of fruit juice and wine as she stepped into the middle of the crowd. Lucien had never intended for her to attend as a guest. In truth, he had forced her into the role of a menial server. Elowen bit down hard to keep the tears from spilling over, telling herself that if she just endured a little longer, it would pass.
The moment Elowen appeared, the students' attention snapped toward her. Their prying gazes clung to her body, making her feel as though she had been stripped bare. The humiliation left her trembling uncontrollably.
She hurried to set the drinks on the table and tried to leave at once, but a boy grabbed her arm. With a mocking sneer, he said, "So even the school belle Elowen showed up? Tsk, a phoenix with broken wings really does turn back into a wild chicken. Just to cling to the upper class, you are willing to work as a waitress. You really have a thick skin. How about being my girlfriend instead? I will give you money."
"Cough cough!"
"Cough cough cough!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a chorus of dry coughs rang out, as if warning him. The friend beside him hurriedly tugged his sleeve and whispered in his ear. At once, the boy's face drained of color. He stole a glance toward Lucien, his whole body shaking as if he had just brushed against something truly terrifying.
After quickly scanning the room and before Lucien could lose his temper, he shoved Elowen to the ground and abruptly changed his tone. "A greedy, filthy woman like you? Even if you were free, I would not touch you. Just look at yourself. You make me sick."
With that, he poured the glass of red wine straight over Elowen's head. The drops splashed down onto her hair and shoulders, mingling with the jeering laughter of the crowd around them.
Feeling the bone chilling cold seep in, Elowen lifted her eyes to Lucien, who stood not far away with his arms crossed. Her lips curved into a bitter smile, as if silently asking, "Are you satisfied now?"
The boy also sneaked another look at Lucien. Seeing that the chill in Lucien's expression had eased, he finally dared to breathe again. The rumors were true after all. The youngest son of the Rothschild family enjoyed toying with and humiliating Elowen. He liked watching others torment her, but he would never allow anyone to claim her as a girlfriend or a personal plaything. Anyone who dared harbor such thoughts would be made to suffer a fate worse than death.
Nathan, the student council president, was the clearest example. It was said he had gone mad and taken his own life in prison. Though there was no evidence that Lucien had been involved, everyone understood that it was the first warning Lucien had sent to those who wanted to get their hands on Elowen. The boy swallowed hard, thinking that he was lucky to have changed course in time. Otherwise, Nathan's ending would have become his own.
Elowen forced herself to stand up, her hand clutching the hem of her clothes as it trembled. "If there is nothing else, I will leave now."
Watching her struggle, the girls looked on with malicious delight, while the boys felt a quiet sense of pity. Yet not a single person dared to step in.
Only Vanessa showed no fear at all. She stepped forward to block Elowen's path, arms crossed and chin lifted. "This is not your house, is it? You cannot just come and go as you please. An uninvited guest has to be punished. Am I right, Lucien?"
Vanessa still had not gotten over the humiliation of that day when Elowen had yanked out a handful of her hair in the hall, forcing her to wear a wig for days afterward. The truth was, she had been too afraid of Lucien to go after Elowen sooner. Otherwise, she would never have waited until today.
Elowen looked at Vanessa, her voice icy. "Move."
Not only did Vanessa refuse to step aside, she grabbed Elowen tightly by both wrists. A look of smug delight spread across her face. "You really think you are still some noble young lady who gets to order us around? You are nothing but a cheap whore, shamelessly clinging to Rothschild like a bloodsucking mosquito."
Whispers rippled through the crowd, followed by mocking laughter, as if they were watching a farce. The noise grated on Elowen's ears, filling her with anger. Vanessa's grip hurt badly, but Elowen did not frown or cry. She stared straight at Vanessa, then suddenly twisted her arms and squeezed back.
Elowen was far stronger than she looked. Vanessa screamed in agony. "You crazy bitch, let go of me. You filthy bastard. I will not let you get away with this. I will gouge out your eyes, carve you up, and sell you to a brothel so men can trample you until you are ruined. Ahhh."
Vanessa screamed like a madwoman, completely unaware that her friends were staring at her in shock. None of them had expected someone as well bred as Vanessa to spew such filthy words.
"Shut up."
Elowen could not take it anymore. She raised her hand to slap Vanessa, but someone suddenly shoved her hard, sending her crashing to the ground. Immediately after, a plate of cake was slammed straight onto her head. Cream smeared her hair and clothes, leaving her in a miserable state.
"Hmph, who do you think you are trying to hit? Know your place, bitch. Everyone, throw cake at her and remind her who she really is."
At once, the students poured juice and wine over Elowen and hurled all kinds of pastries at her. They laughed as she suffered. In their eyes, she was no longer a person, just a punching bag for their anger.