Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Mrs. Thomas was buzzing with excitement, a rare sight since Silver seldom joined such gatherings, and even when he did, it was usually just for show.

After brewing a pot of tea with such care, naturally, she wanted to savor it properly.

Roseanne approached the duo, and as she glanced up, her gaze met Silver's head-on.

Silver was taken aback at first, perhaps a tad embarrassed, then let out a snort through his nose, tinged with a hint of arrogance.

However, to Roseanne, this superficial haughtiness likely served to mask that flicker of discomfort.

Mrs. Thomas chimed in, "Ms. Cole, how do you find the tea?"

Roseanne rinsed her mouth before taking a sip.

After a pause, she honestly critiqued, "The tea leaves are overbearing, not enough water, resulting in a brew that's too dark and bitter. Plus, it seems the pot wasn't pre-warmed, or the temperature wasn't quite right, so the full aroma of the tea isn't coming through." Mrs. Thomas burst into laughter, "I told you skipping steps would change the taste, and you insisted it'd go unnoticed. Well, Ms. Cole noticed, didn't he?"

Silver's face darkened.

Even though Roseanne spoke the truth without malice, was there a need to be so blunt?

Couldn't she have been a bit more tactful?

Mrs. Thomas laughed even harder and said, "I guess I should've lowered my expectations of you."

Silver was speechless.

Roseanne, oblivious to having offended anyone, had already moved on to taste another lady's tea.

...

Beverley sat there, watching Roseanne being fawned over by the elite ladies, genuinely praised, feeling a mix of envy and complexity.

She had longed for the approval of these high-society ladies, striving for years to be able to sit and chat with them.

And Roseanne? She did nothing but conduct a tea ceremony class and received star treatment.

Why?

What irked her most was

Roseanne's apparent indifference to the adulation and attention. She calmly answered questions and

gave fair assessments without net

pandering or flattering, even when her feedback wasn't always positive. This belongs to NôvelDrama.Org - ©.

Yet, the usually picky and harsh ladies didn't seem to mind, instead thanking her profusely.

Beverley was baffled. The world had turned into something beyond her wildest imagination!

Then there was Millie, shrunken like a quail, who after apologizing, dared not speak. Her tea was a disaster, adding to Beverley's frustration.

For the first time, she thought having Roseanne as a daughter-in-law might not be so bad, certainly better than this quail!

At five o'clock, the tea ceremony class concluded, and everyone left satisfied.

As Beverley stepped out of the hotel, she pointed at Millie's forehead, snapping, "Didn't I tell you to prepare properly? Is this your idea of preparation? Look at you, so unruly, as if you want the world to know you're from a lower class! I've never seen anyone as brainless as you. Can't you use that dumb brain of yours to think, how could anyone come unprepared? You're beyond hope!"

Millie's lips quivered, wanting to defend herself, but Beverley quickly stepped back as if avoiding a virus.

"Back off. Freally can't handle dumb

stuff! If I see you around in the next

few days, it might just make me

queasy. What bad luck, I wonder how my grandson ended up with a mother like you..."

She coldly continued, "You think you can enter the Sherwood family with that attitude? Dream on!" Meanwhile, Nola's driver arrived.

As Silver was about to leave, Nola offered, "Silver, shall we go together?"