Guidelines for the Perfect Goodbye - Chapter 220

“A lady who can’t even control herself? How utterly vulgar…”

Thanks to her mask, the woman had managed to keep her identity hidden from the witnesses. With any luck, if rumors spread about Nigel’s indiscretion, her identity would remain unknown.

However, Count Heens had no intention of letting such rudeness slide, not even for a moment.

He strode briskly toward them, bypassing Nigel, aiming straight for the woman’s mask. But before he could reach it, his wrist was caught.

“Hands off. After all, her face is all she’s got.”

The woman sneered coldly from behind him, but the Count was too distracted to register her smile.

“How dare you! And you, Sir, keep your filthy hands to yourself!”

Count Heens yanked his hand away, but his resistance was almost embarrassingly weak. He couldn’t free himself from Nigel’s grip and glared at the woman, panting with frustration.

Even with her mask on, it was clear that she was beautiful—her rare violet hair and elegant features gave her an exotic allure that was hard to miss.

In that instant, Count Heens understood why Nigel had been captivated by this mysterious woman. If he were younger, he might have been tempted by her as well.

But now, she was nothing more than a woman who had insulted his daughter and was trying to flee disgracefully.

“Let me see your face properly. Just who is this remarkable lady for whom Sir Nigel would stoop so low…”

As Nigel moved to stop him, the woman interjected.

“It’s fine. I’ll do it myself.”

She removed her mask, letting the string slide down her lush violet hair. As the mask came off, her silvery-blue eyes became visible.

Count Heens squinted, taking in her face for a long moment before sighing in disbelief.

“You’re a noblewoman?”

Cecilia lowered her head quietly.

“A woman of a noble family, and yet you engage in such behavior… how shameful.”

Though she could have been his daughter’s age, the Count’s expression softened as he gazed at her.

Watching silently, Countess Heens couldn’t contain her anger and lashed out.

“A noblewoman, you say! Do you not know who this girl’s mother is?”

She clutched her head, shaking it with disdain.

“My daughter… manipulated by a woman of gypsy blood…”

Count Heens blinked, dumbfounded.

“Lasphilla and Rosencrantz…”

Both families, a county and a marquisate respectively, were difficult to openly criticize. Causing a scandal would only complicate matters. It would be better to use this disgrace to extract some leverage from the two houses.

Realizing this, Count Heens spoke to Nigel in a newly serious tone.

“Sir Nigel, my family will not take this lightly. I can’t just send my daughter off to a scoundrel…”

“So, you’re calling off the engagement?”

“…If you demonstrate true remorse, I might reconsider.”

Nigel scoffed. Ignoring his cold laugh, the Count turned to Cecilia, making it clear that the House of Lasphilla wouldn’t escape consequences either.

“If the Lasphilla family were to hear of this…”

His words were abruptly cut off. The atmosphere inside the mansion had changed so dramatically that even those outside could feel it.

The music had stopped, replaced by the hum of hushed conversations. The Count urged Nigel and Cecilia to stay put and then hastily returned indoors.

“What’s this commotion now?”

“W-Well, sir…”

The butler, panting, hurried up to the Count and Countess. His face was pale as he struggled to speak.

“You don’t intend to keep your master waiting, do you?”

Pressed by their impatience, the butler finally spoke.

“A pair of guests were… caught in a tryst in one of the upstairs rooms…”

“A tryst! Another tryst!”

The Countess muttered irritably, looking ready to collapse at the mere mention of the word.

Count Heens, trying to calm her, pressed for more details.

“And? Is it really worth all this fuss?”

It wasn’t uncommon for guests at such parties to slip away into empty rooms for secret rendezvous. The ones who stumbled upon the couple were likely looking for a private spot themselves.

Why was such an ordinary event causing so much of an uproar? And why was the butler so visibly shaken?

“The person involved…”

The butler continued heavily, revealing the cause of the chaos.

“Is Lady Casey.”