93 Humiliation
Reaching the ballroom, Eve smoothened the front of her dress which was already perfect. She wondered what would happen if she were to leave the ball right now by saying she was unwell, but she doubted it would go well with Lady Annalise. But she was no coward to run away from here.
Stepping back into the room, which was filled with creatures apart from humans, her eyes quickly looked for Noah. Unable to find him in the room, she wondered if he had perhaps already left the mansion.
“Milady,” a man came to stand in front of Eve. Bowing his head, he courteously asked, “I am Henry, the Earl’s son. May I be graced to have a dance with you?”
The man was polite, and Eve didn’t find a reason to refuse as she was still busily looking for Noah. She gave him a nod, and together they walked to the dance floor.Â
As time passed, the glass piece that Eve had stepped on didn’t leave her side and continued to stick at the bottom of her shoe. Though the shoes she wore were in better condition than the pair Marceline had handed down to Eve, it was still a shoe and not a metal to prevent the glass from making its way through the base with every step.
A couple of times, Eve lost her balance on the dance floor, and her dancing partner quickly supported her by her waist. He said,Â
“It seems like your legs have turned weak, milady. Is it because of me?” the man asked unabashedly.Â
Eve wondered if her shoes had turned tight, which is why she felt discomfort in one of them. She wanted to check her shoes, but it was challenging when she was at the centre of everyone’s gaze.Â
“I must be tired from dancing before. Forgive me, if you don’t mind I would like to rest my feet now,” Eve was polite with her words, and the man was quick to comply.Â
“Of course, milady. Let me arrange a chair for you to sit, so that you can have some rest,” offered the man, wanting to woo Eve, as she was the most beautiful woman in this room and having her next by his side was nothing less than winning against other men in the room.Â
“You do not have to worry about it. I will be just fine and have the servant bring me a chair to sit on,” Eve said to the man, who was reluctant to leave her side. She wanted to keep a distance when it came to the vampires in this room. She didn’t want to draw any more attention than she already had this evening.Â
The man then picked up Eve’s hand, kissing the back of her hand, he said, “As short as it was, I had a wonderful time dancing with you, milady. May I know your name?”Â
“Gen Barlow,” Eve replied, and the man nodded.Â
“I will see you later, Lady Gen. If you don’t have a carriage to—”
“I have my personal carriage that is waiting outside for me. But thank you for your concern,” added Eve, and noticing the young woman smile, the vampire smiled back. She offered him a slight bow and started to walk away from there until she reached one of the walls in the ballroom.Â
The music continued to play, and Eve subtly tried to remove her shoe. But the gown she wore didn’t make it easy as it had many layers, and she had to pull it up.Â
Noticing no one looking at her, Eve clutched the side of her dress while she had taken a corner to stand. Ready to raise her feet, she only ended up being interrupted. And this time, it was the man at whom she had mistakenly thrown her lunchbox.Â
“I went away from Skellington on some business and came to see that my nephew has increased your wage,” remarked Charles, who walked towards her with an empty glass in his hand.Â
Eve quickly straightened her back and offered a polite bow to Lady Annalise’s younger brother.Â
“What was your name again?” He questioned with a look of unrefined intentions appearing in his eyes as he continued staring at her.Â
“Barlow…” replied Eve.Â
“Just Barlow?” Charles questioned, smiling at her.Â
“Genevieve Barlow,” replied Eve, and she heard the man hum.Â
Charles raised his glass to his lips to take a sip and realised there was no more wine in it. Watching his behaviour, Eve guessed that this vampire was drunk. He turned to a servant, waving his hand.Â
When the servant came to stand next to them, Charles questioned the male servant, “What is this?”Â
The servant looked confused and cautiously replied, “W-wine glass, sire?”Â
SLAP!
Charles’s action left Eve as well as the servant shocked. Charles said,Â
“I know this is a wine glass, do you take me to be stupid? Why is it that you haven’t bothered to fill the glass in my hand and had me carry the empty glass?”Â
“I-I am s-sorry, Sire,” stuttered the servant, whose right cheek turned red after being slapped by the vampire and Eve’s eyebrows furrowed. The servant quickly took the empty glass and handed a glass of wine to the vampire.Â
Charles, who was intoxicated, unsteadily went to take the glass. Though the servant offered the glass with utmost care while making sure his hand didn’t touch the vampire’s hand, it was considered a sin for a lower-class person to touch a person who belonged to the higher society. The vampire didn’t take the glass, leading to the glass falling on the floor and breaking.
The wine splattered on the ground, and the glass broke into pieces, one of which slipped near Eve’s feet.Â
SLAP!!
This time the sound of the slap resonated louder and clearer than before. The servant covered his hand over his burning cheek.Â
“How hard is it for you just to give me a glass? Did you want me to catch it? Are you trying to humiliate me?” Questioned a drunk Charles, who glared at the servant now.Â
The servant quickly shook his head in fear. He bowed and apologised, “I didn’t mean to do it. Please, forgive my mistake!”Â
The nearby guests stared at the little scene, clicking their tongues in disdain at the servant’s lack of discipline in work.Â
Eve said, “It was a mistake.”Â
Charles turned to look at the human governess. He said to her, “You should feel lucky for looking pretty today. He tried to better me, it is only right that I show him where he belongs.”
Eve didn’t like the way the servant was being treated. She said, “Please let him go. He won’t repeat it.”
The vampire stared at Eve and agreed, “I will let him go.” The servant and Eve turned relieved, but then Charles ordered the servant, “Lick it.”
“S-sire?” The servant asked.Â
“Lick the wine from the floor and I will consider forgiving you,” Charles said with a smirk.Â
The servant looked back and forth before slowly getting down on his knees in fear. He lowered his head, while his hands shook and his lips trembled.Â