A/n: This Chapter is now fixed. Thank you for waiting.
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On a cold morning, tranquility enveloped the guest rooms’ hallway until an unsettling shriek shattered the silence.
Sophia ruthlessly threw away the food tray that the maid put on her bedside table. The contents spilled on the floor.
"I want my grandpa! Where’s grandpa!"
Startled by her outburst, the maid stammered, "M-Mr. Simon is on a trip with the headmaster..."
Sophia, seething with frustration, seized a pillow and hurled it in the maid’s direction. "I don’t care! Call him for me!"
The maid did not know what to do. She had only been assigned to deliver breakfast to the injured guest, never expecting to endure such a morning scolding.
"What’s happening?" Richard entered the room, clearly having just roused from sleep. "I could hear your scream all the way from my room."
Sophia, her eyes filled with hatred, demanded, "Where’s that bitch?"
Richard promptly instructed the maid to leave. Once they were alone, he cautioned his sister, "Watch your words. Don’t be reckless in front of outsiders."
"I have no need to be cautious in front of a mere maid. What harm is there in calling that person a bitch?" Sophia retorted. "I have no recollection of events after we escaped from that damn mountain. I’ve endured so much and ended up injured, all because of that wretched woman!"
Richard rubbed his temples, struggling to recollect the events of the previous day. His last memory was of drifting into slumber after filling up his stomach with that unappealing food.
"We were simply too exhausted..." Richard muttered.
The driver must have carried them to the car. But he was a robust man, and moving him would have been a considerable challenge. He would surely wake up midway. Was he really just too tired?
"Whose fault is it that I passed out due to exhaustion? That woman dared to pull this scheme on us. I won’t let her get away with it!"
Richard also harbored suspicions about the entire ordeal. "I will look for her. She needs to provide an explanation for this."
He would be able to determine if this was intentional or not through a conversation.
At that moment, a knock resounded on the door.
Butler Xin arrived to offer his apologies on behalf of his master, Bei Sangyun.
"My deep apologies, dear guests. We sincerely apologize for what happened. The Third Young Miss expresses her sincere apologies."
"Why did she not come herself and instead sent you? Is she looking down on us?" Sophia fumed, on the verge of venting her anger on Butler Xin. She made no attempt to conceal her bitterness and resentment toward a mere butler. "I’m injured. Does she not comprehend the consequences of harming me?"
Richard shot his sister a warning glance, signaling for her to choose her words more carefully. However, Sophia had no intention of masking her raging anger.
"I’m injured because of her! How will she answer for that?!"
Butler Xin bowed his head, saying, "I deeply apologize. The third Young Miss also felt remorseful when she learned that you had been injured. Honestly, she wanted to come here and personally apologize. However, she, too, couldn’t walk and suffered some injuries. She needs some time to recover. But rest assured, once she’s well enough, she has promised to visit you and offer a personal apology."
Sophia, who had been ready to unleash another scolding, stopped in her tracks. Bei Sangyun was injured?
Richard furrowed his brow. Based on the butler’s words, Bei Sangyun’s injuries appeared to be more severe than Sophia’s. Come to think of it, they hadn’t seen Bei Sangyun when they arrived at the inn yesterday.
"...How did she get injured?" Richard inquired.
"The third Young Miss was lost in the mountains the entire day. She stumbled on a rocky path and fell. Then, she encountered wild animals on the wrong side of the forest. Due to the darkness, it took a while for the locals to locate her. Fortunately, they found you two sooner. The third Young Miss was relieved to hear that you were safe and sound. As for Miss Sophia’s injuries, the third Young Miss is deeply apologetic."
Sophia and Richard exchanged glances. It seemed their scheme was successful. Had they not become lost in the process, their plan might have proceeded smoothly.
The fiery anger in Sophia’s chest abated slightly.
The knowledge that Bei Sangyun had spent more time lost in the forest and had suffered more injuries than her did brought some consolation. Nevertheless, she had still been injured in the end.
Sophia huffed at Butler Xin, "It’s her fault she got lost. She proposed the activity herself and led everyone off course. Everything that transpired is her responsibility."
Sophia vented her frustration through Butler Xin and presented a list of demands to Bei Sangyun. Butler Xin responded vaguely, as he was uncertain if his master would be willing to accommodate these demands.
After offering apologies once again and assuring compensation, Butler Xin finally departed.
The guest room fell into silence.
Sophia leaned against the headboard, a smirk on her face. "She got a taste of her own medicine," she muttered.
"Don’t stir up more trouble and keep your mouth shut. Don’t let Grandpa find out about this," Richard cautioned. "Bei Sangyun is injured, and her condition is worse than yours. If you make a scene and draw too much attention, everyone will start investigating. They might uncover the truth of what happened."
Sophia rolled her eyes at her brother. "I know. That’s why I only made demands of her. According to Lin Sunji, she’s not the type to show weakness. So she might keep this a secret too. After all, she failed in her role as a host and put me in harm’s way. She wouldn’t want anyone to find out, especially her competitors. So, for now, we’re in the clear."
Sophia’s eyes gleamed with determination. "But that doesn’t mean I’ll stay quiet forever. Once her wounds have healed, I’ll let everyone know what she did."
Richard stroked his chin, contemplating Sophia’s words. "Didn’t Lin Sunji mention that Bei Sangyun’s significant achievement is in school? The Lin headmaster favors Bei Sangyun because of her excellent academic record."