Seeing Mia's face turn deathly pale, Jenny couldn't hold back any longer. She pulled the speechless, furious Tina along, holding the bewildered Little Bit, and calmly walked up to Anna Ivan. "Madam, do you know what this little thing in my arms is?"
Anna Ivan looked skeptical but didn't answer. She merely glanced at the small creature enjoying Jenny's gentle strokes.
Its eyes were half-closed lazily, occasionally scratching its round, chubby cheeks with its front paws. Its snow-white fur, fluffy and slightly disheveled, covered its entire body, making it utterly adorable. It was the kind of cute that could make anyone fall in love at first sight.
Silently observing the little creature, Anna couldn't help but wonder if she should get one herself. After all, it was fashionable among the wealthy to keep such pets, and Anna was no exception.
Noticing the softening in Anna's eyes, Jenny continued, "This is a snow fox, found only in the snowy mountain ranges around here. There was a time when they were hunted relentlessly, and now they're extremely rare, nearly extinct. The mountain folk under the peaks have stopped hunting them. But many rich people want a snow fox as a pet—probably because of their stunning, pristine fur—but they rarely succeed. You know how hard it is to catch one, and with the mountain folk banning the hunt, even the wealthiest people might never see one in their lifetime. So, do you want to know how this snow fox ended up here?"
Jenny paused, her eyes glinting coldly as she saw Anna's curiosity piqued. "This snow fox was something Master Henry Mole went to great lengths to find, hoping to give Miss Mia a gift that would make her happy. Finding it was incredibly difficult, and to ensure it would listen to Miss Mia, he sought out a young snow fox, one still fiercely protected by its parents. That made it even harder. But to make Miss Mia happy, he spared no effort!"
Anna's expression shifted with every word Jenny spoke, until her face was dark with rage, seething with anger.
Jenny smirked, satisfied that she had successfully wounded Anna.
From what she knew, Master Henry had always been distant with Anna Ivan, never even initiating a conversation, let alone giving her gifts. It was always Anna trying to please him. And now, using this to hurt her worked like a charm.
Jenny's satisfaction didn't last long. In a fit of rage, Anna lunged forward and slapped Mia across the face, her long nails leaving several bloody scratches on Mia's cheek. "You filthy harlot, how dare you seduce him!"
Mia instinctively clutched her stinging face, the slap instantly pulling her back to her days in the Ivan household.
Back then, the masters would strike them on a whim, treating them as less than human—mere machines without thoughts or feelings.
The ringing in her ears, the burning pain on her cheek, and the stinging from the scratches seemed to scream that those days were never far behind, leaving her numb and disheartened.
"Anna Ivan, you're done for!" Jenny shouted, immediately letting go of Little Bit and rushing to support Mia. She was determined to report this to the Leader.
If Arthur found out, Anna wouldn't just be kicked out of the house—it would be much worse.
"Done for? You think I'm scared? Hmph! If I'm going down, I'm taking her with me!" Anna, unrepentant, charged forward, ready to land more slaps.
Tina grabbed her tightly, refusing to let her near Mia again. "Anna Ivan, if you want to make things worse for yourself, I won't stop you! But you're not touching Miss Mia again!"
Jim, realizing the gravity of the situation, helped hold Anna back. The three of them began a chaotic tug-of-war.
Mia stood there, dazed, until a stern voice boomed, "What are you all doing?"
At the sound of that voice, Anna froze, as if someone had hit a pause button.
Jim immediately let go, turning to bow respectfully. "Master."
Tina realized that the person approaching was Henry Moore. Filled with awe, she let go of her hand and stepped back to Mia's side.
"What were you all doing just now?" No one answered. Henry Moore, striding closer with a stern expression, demanded an explanation.
Seeing Mia standing there with a blank expression, he turned to Jenny and Tina nearby. "What's wrong with Mia?"
Jenny bowed slightly, glanced at Anna Ivan standing silently behind Henry, and replied, "Young Master, the Young Mistress slapped Miss Mia."
"What?!" Henry exclaimed in shock. He quickly stepped forward and gently pulled away Mia's hand, which had been covering her cheek.
Seeing the red, swollen marks and shocking scratches on Mia's face, he released her hand in horror.
Overwhelmed with emotion, he rushed to his wife, Anna, and scolded her loudly, "How could you hit someone? Where's your decorum? Your refined demeanor? Your gentle grace? Can't things be resolved with words?"
Anna Ivan stared at Henry Moore's handsome face for a moment, her expression layered with resentment. "Those things are gone, gone, long gone!" she cried out, tears streaming down her face. "When you ignored me, when you rejected me, when you abandoned me…! If those things couldn't keep you, what's the point of them? I'm your wife, yet I've never received even a shred of your affection! And yet, her? In the Ivan household, she's nothing more than a lowly servant, a despicable nobody, and you gave her a snow fox! You've never even given me a single smile!"
Her words left Henry speechless, his eyes betraying a hidden pain. After a long silence, he finally said, "But you shouldn't have hit her. Don't you know? This slap could cost you your life."
Anna Ivan let out a bitter laugh, tears welling in her eyes. "I love you! I fell in love with you the moment I saw you. But you've never once looked back at me. On our wedding night, I waited for you, hoping, until my heart turned cold. I couldn't have you, and in that waiting, my hope slowly drained away. Now, I'm nothing but a walking corpse. Whether I live or die doesn't matter anymore!"
Henry opened his mouth but couldn't utter a single word. He could only gaze at her tear-streaked face in silence…
"If…?"
Mia, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke. Her voice was calm and steady, reaching everyone's ears. "If you're worried that Arthur will find out about this, don't be. I won't mention it to him, and he won't know."
"Miss Mia!" Tina stared at her in disbelief. Even after being treated like this, she was still trying to help!
Jenny, too, looked utterly stunned.
"I don't need your help! I don't need your pity! I'd rather die than accept it!" Anna Ivan spat, refusing Mia's kindness with a haughty glare.
Perhaps fearing that Anna's words would provoke someone further, or to prevent her from doing something shocking again, Henry Moore quickly instructed Jim to take Anna away.