Her voice was thick with sorrow, as though it were suffocating her.

"I can stop it this once, but I can’t control people’s hearts."

She gave Tia a heart-wrenching look.

"You’ve betrayed me. You’ve done this with my fiancé."

"From now on, things will never go back to the way they were."

"I'm just a weak woman who deeply loves him. What else can I do?"

Lilith's perfect acting and sorrowful gaze pierced Tia's heart like a blade.

Tia's expression softened with guilt, and her eyes filled with tears.

"Miss..." 'Please don't do this!'

But Lilith cut her off decisively, her voice resolute.

"Don't call me Miss!"

Tia's spirit shattered in that moment, and her world turned gray. It was as though she had truly betrayed her mistress.

'Was it really not betrayal?'

Memories flooded Tia's mind, one after another, replaying everything she had experienced.

Beside her, Shia's presence was overwhelming, enveloping her entirely.

He was a villain, playing the role to perfection.

Tia’s guilt surged, enveloped in a storm of shame and regret. She could already envision Lilith discovering her supposed "betrayal" and condemning her, just as she was doing now.

Lilith turned her face away in anger, refusing to look at them, her expression filled with indignation. Tia felt the despair set in.

And then there was the hand on her waist—still taking liberties.

Under the pretense of their close proximity and the cover of their surroundings, Shia’s hand roamed freely, shamelessly taking advantage of her right in front of Lilith.

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Tears welled up in Tia's eyes.

'Miss, he’s doing this right in front of you—do you even realize?'

'If you knew, would you regret this so-called practice? Would you stand up for me again?'

'Or... would you cast me aside?'

Tia didn’t know what the outcome would be, but she couldn’t bring herself to hope for the best.

One lone tear fell inwardly into her heart, leaving a bitter ache.

Lilith, oblivious to her maid’s thoughts, showed no remorse for her decision. She turned back to Shia, lifting her chin slightly, a proud expression on her face.

"My performance just now was amazing, wasn’t it?"

Shia’s eyes glimmered with approval as he gave her a thumbs-up.

"Excellent acting. For a moment, I almost believed I’d been caught red-handed."

"Look, even Tia got so immersed in your performance that she’s crying."

Lilith turned her gaze toward Tia.

The maid’s face was tinged with redness, her pearly teeth biting down on her lip as her eyes brimmed with unshed tears. Her expression carried overwhelming guilt and sorrow.

Lilith, encouraged by Shia’s praise, puffed up with pride.

'As expected, I’m amazing! My acting is as flawless as ever!'

Tia forced a pained smile.

"Miss, your performance was so real... I couldn’t hold back."

Lilith looked back at Shia expectantly.

"So, can we move on to the next stage now?"

But Shia remained calm, unhurried.

"While your handling of the earlier scene was excellent and completed the planned rehearsal, we should conduct an impromptu drill to test your authenticity as a fiancée."

His tone was serious, leaving Lilith momentarily stunned.

"Another drill?"

"Yes. Only by fooling yourself can you fool others."

"Is that so?"

"Of course. Everything I do is for your sake!"

Lilith, watching the confidence in Shia’s expression, suddenly understood.

"That makes sense!"

'Only if I can fool even myself will my acting convince everyone else.'

'I need to make it even more believable this time!'

Beside them, Tia trembled, her slender hands balling into fists, her complexion pale.

'The earlier rehearsal was already over the line. What else does this scoundrel intend to do?'

'Miss, wake up! He’s manipulating you!'

'He’s openly bullying me and making you complicit in it!'

But under the combined gaze of Shia and Lilith, Tia, accustomed to obeying commands, found herself unable to resist.

She was soon led by Shia into a private room.

Lilith stood outside the door, and before long, she began hearing chaotic noises from within.

There were sounds of movement—bumps, arguments, and dissatisfied mutters.

'What’s that sound? Is it... rustling?'

Lilith crouched near the door, her golden hair cascading over her shoulders as she strained to listen.

She felt a mix of frustration and confusion.

'This is called a test?'

'As a fiancée, why is my role in this scenario to eavesdrop outside the room?'

The noises were too chaotic for her to make sense of what was happening inside.

Shia's earlier words echoed in her mind:

'"How should you react to catching your fiancé in the act?"'

Lilith rubbed her chin thoughtfully.

'What if it weren’t Tia in there but the soft, innocent elf princess instead?'

Her imagination began to run wild.

The vision of a delicate, wide-eyed elf, her soft, shapely figure trembling as her sweet voice filled the room, played vividly in her mind.

Lilith couldn’t help but grin foolishly.

'If that’s what was happening, I wouldn’t even be able to hold back. I’d rush in myself!'

But then she shivered, quickly shaking the thought away.

'Absolutely not!'

Remembering her previous encounters with Nia, the princess, Lilith winced, shoving the idea aside.

'No way, no how. I’d just end up getting beaten to a pulp again.'

'Even though I’d gladly take the hits if it meant being near her...'

But her lack of stamina made her think twice. The princess was unquestionably one of the academy’s top students, and her strength was beyond doubt.

Lilith resolved to find a safer way to approach her instead.

'Shia really is looking out for me.'

'Without these rehearsals, I might expose myself in a real situation, making things even worse.'

Now confident in her decision, Lilith straightened her clothes and prepared to dive back into character.

The golden-haired noblewoman strode gracefully to the door, knocking with an air of elegance.

"Shia? Tia? Are you two in there?"

"Why do I hear such strange noises?"

Her voice was as clear as a tinkling brook but carried a hint of suspicion.

But in truth, Lilith still treated it all as a game.

Why wasn’t she worried about Shia being alone with Tia?

'What a joke!'

Shia wouldn’t dare cross the line.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by lotustale.com