𝗔 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗺 ⟡ Espresso CRK [Book 2]

Chapter 45

No'ones Pov

The party almost would return to normal after the spectacle of Custard, but the whole mood had been ruined. Therefore, a minor issue could appear more dramatic, causing the container to explode again...

Such as a drink falling.

The drink tray a maid was holding tipped sideways, causing one of the drinks to fall. The glass shattered and exploded, this time skidding close to a particular aristocrat's heels, the floor becoming sticky with the golden bubbly liquid.

"Jeez... Mary... that's the second glass that fell tonight," a second worker scolded the maid, who tried to pick up the glass shards with her bare hands.

"Sorry..." Mary mumbled, face flushed with embarrassment.

"Good lord..." That aristocrat sneered, glaring down at the trembling girl with disgust. The aristocrat, Pyrite Viscount, crossed his arms, looking at Tulip expectantly, "What kind of incompetent workers do you hire?"

"Everyone makes mistakes, Pyrite Viscount!" Tulip defended, hurrying over to Mary, who was helped by the other worker.

Mary, a young blue-haired girl and the other, a brown-haired boy, looked at Tulip, somewhat relieved. Unfortunately, that relief didn't last long when two more aristocrats stepped up.

"Mistake? You should be punishing them!" Garcia, the eldest daughter of House Canela, scoffed.

"Your parents should have had a son. It's a shame they could only have produced a daughter," her brother, Jasper, chimed.

Tulip gasped, and the aristocrats murmuring among themselves and watching the scene decided to join in, one after another. Sheila and Pierre, husband and wife of House Silk, were the next house after House Canela.

"Tulip is a wonderful person, and since she took the position of the head of her house, there has been more beauty spread everywhere," Sheila defended her friend, linking her arms with Tulip.

"On the other hand, I've heard that ever since you two started helping Elder Canela, the business hasn't been the same as before," Pierre said, and Jasper clenched his fists, his face turning red.

As more nobles joined the argument, the aristocrats subconsciously separated themselves into 3 main factors. The conversation wasn't even about Tulip or the workers anymore -who stood in the middle, terrified. It was all the pent-up feelings hidden under their guises that they paraded around with, which now could no longer be contained.

The two conflicting groups had separate opinions on how things should function and work and whose fault it was that Custard committed crimes under their noses. Some still chose to defend Custard, causing the opposite group to be completely bewildered. The third group acted neutral, either observing from afar, trying to de-escalate things, or gossiping or attempting to sneak off.

"EVERYONE! Please calm down!" Clotted Cream demanded over the climbing volume of the argument but was quickly shut down with hurls of insults.

"Fuck...this is getting out of hand. Call a few paladins," Clotted Cream commanded, turning to Financier, who nodded.

Everybody was too focused on the new drama to notice Espresso and Doppio....and the foul mood and dark energy emitting from him.

Espresso's Pov

My heart felt like it had been squeezed and compressed until it ached, my body trembling with emotions.

"Well, at least Madeleine has good taste, choosing coffee cookies. Although there are cookies better than you. Oh well, I suppose he isn't that great either," Doppio sneered, her voice ringing in my ear. "You may be the closest thing, but you'll never be the real thing."