Living as the Villainess Stepmother

Chapter 120 - Uninvited Guest (2)

Is he upset that I'm not giving him attention? Lila grinned and walked away, leaving the two alone so that they could talk with more comfort. She approached Edith, who stood listening to a noble's conversation as she swung her elegant fan made of black swan feathers. Edith occasionally nodded to show agreement and empathy, although Lila couldn't tell if she was just going through the motions.

"Ah, Ms. Lila, you've arrived. Come, over here." Edith waved to her. The call drew everyone's attention to Lila as she crossed the floor.

"Lila?"

"The name sounds familiar..."

"You know, it's the woman, with the Wiperes..."

The audible whispering and piercing glares followed Lila, and she could almost feel pain on her skin. She ignored the attention, as best she could, and walked up to Edith with even a wider grin.

"Miss Edith, you look fantastic today." Lila complemented.

"I always am." Edith joked, with no hint of modesty. Her flash of a smile immediately went back to a poker face.

"Having a fun conversation? I noticed you from far away."

"Did I capture your attention, Lila?" Edith certainly had a hint of vanity.

Lila was about to reply when she felt a hostile gaze directed towards her that caused the hair on the back of her neck to stand on end. Glancing to the side, she spotted an unfamiliar face. A plain man with freckles covering his cheeks was watching her. He didn't appear to be any older than Hizette.

Lila meticulously went through the list, in her mind, of VIPs invited by Senior. Lila could recognize everyone's faces and had memorized all of their names, but this stranger was not amongst those she had studied.

The man didn't concentrate his gaze only on Lila, but his belligerent glare focused on everyone at the party. He looked them over with fierce eyes, while rubbing his lips in disdain. He stood alone and was ignored by the other guests, who were too distracted by drunken socializing.

I should warn Senior, she thought. The timing was horrible. She had just come from Senior, and now that everyone was watching her it would look strange if she suddenly turned and ran back to the host. Despite how it would look, she needed to know who this stranger was.

"Miss Edith, please excuse me." She was about to turn when a hand touched her shoulder. Lila jumped, like an anxious rabbit.

"Why are you so surprised?" The familiar voice of Lacias whispered to her. "Is everything all right? What were you staring at?" Because Lacias was taller, he had bent over to whisper the words in her ear. His lips gently brushed her earlobes as he spoke. Lila could feel her ears turning as scarlet as her lips, and turned to face him before her embarrassment became too obvious.

"It was nothing major. I was just confused because I thought I noticed an uninvited guest."

"A guest who's not invited?" Lacias seemed to take notice of her sudden and awkward turn.

"Yes. I meticulously went over the list of guests, and there was someone here I couldn't recognize. He was standing over there a second ago." Lila's eyes widened in disbelief. Where she motioned too, no one stood. It was as if the man had vanished into thin air.

"Where did he go? Didn't you see the ordinary-looking man with brown hair? He had freckles and dark brown eyes..." Lila searched the faces of the crowd, frantically.

"I don't believe so. I looked in the same direction as you were, but I didn't notice any such person." Lacias looked confused.

Lila bit her lip. Was she so tired she was hallucinating? She could still see him clearly in her mind; there was no way he was just an imagination. Yet a stranger, with such a sinister glare, would not be able to wander around the party without gaining any suspicion.

"I must have made a mistake." Lila sighed.

"Mistake?" Lacias asked, bewildered.

"Yes. I swear I saw something, but I guess I was wrong."

"Try to think. If you really did witness someone suspicious, we should notify Lugar immediately." Lacias looked concerned now.

"It's fine. I must just be tired. Besides, you told Lugar to go relax."

Lacias laughed and shrugged. "He's probably searching around the party hall with Roxanna, despite what I said. He always does."

"Is that so?" Lila decided to ask Lugar, anyways, just to be sure. "Do you know where he is?"

"For sure. Shall we go together this time?"

"Yes." Lila was grateful for the support. Lacias beamed and extended his hand to Lila. Lila accepted the courtesy and took his arm.

The nobles nearby had been chattering ever since Lacias had approached Lila and whispered in her ear. Rumours of the obvious connection between them would spread and ultimately reach the Emperor's ears.

Lila giggled as a thought hit her. "Roxanna better not annoy Lugar without any reason."

"What do you mean by annoy?" Lacias asked.

"As if interrupting someone who's having a pleasant time." Lila answered, cryptically.

"A pleasant time?" Lacias tilted his head in confusion.