Scarlett observed her, finding the dynamic entirely miraculous.

Who on earth was this individual, possessing the absolute familiarity to trade barbs and openly defy Sebastian like this...

The woman removed her sunglasses completely, revealing a delicate, flawlessly structured face marked by intensely vibrant features.

These eyes, this face...

Scarlett let out a sudden gasp: "You are the eldest daughter of the elite family!"

"Bingo!" The woman snapped her fingers right before her eyes.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Beatrice."

She appeared to be exceptionally well-acquainted with Sebastian, casually ordering him from her spot on the sofa: "Fetch me a bottle of ice water."

To think that the legendary young lady of that elite powerhouse actually functioned in this manner.

The reality was a stark contrast to the standard expectations of high society...

Sebastian's expression remained completely unbothered; though his brows were tightly knit, he failed to unleash a shred of genuine fury, replying with an irritated flat tone: "Secure it yourself."

Beatrice pouted slightly, reaching for a glass on the table to pour herself a serving of plain water.

"The hospitality inside your establishment is truly tragic..." she commented with utter disdain.

Once she finished the water, Beatrice finally shifted her focus squarely onto Scarlett: "What exactly are you doing down there?"

She craned her neck to peer over, and just as Scarlett prepared to vocalize a refusal out of fear of horrifying her, Beatrice merely gave a quiet nod of approval: "The trauma across your back is exceptionally severe; staring at it alone inflicts a phantom ache."

"You aren't terrified?" Scarlett asked. Wasn't she meant to be a delicate heiress of high society? How on earth was she capable of maintaining an absolute, unbothered calm when staring at a raw, bloody mess?

Beatrice shook her head slightly, "There is absolutely nothing to fear."

Sebastian gently tapped Scarlett's shoulder, signaling that she was free to prop herself up.

"She operates within the medical trade. A trauma surgeon."

Ah! The revelation instantly filled Scarlett with a profound professional respect.

"I don't fit the standard profile, do I?" Beatrice ran a hand through her cascading hair, locking her eyes onto her as she teased: "I wager you've never crossed paths with a surgeon possessing this level of allure before."

Beatrice directed a bedroom gaze toward her, her long lashes fluttering as she purred, "I am exceptionally stunning, am I not?"

Scarlett found herself automatically nodding in agreement.

Beatrice truly differed from the typical high-society heiresses she had previously mapped out; she was devastatingly beautiful, yet carried herself with a refreshing, open charisma.

She hadn't anticipated that the exact second she offered her nod of agreement, Beatrice would smoothly slide onto the cushion right beside her, wrapping a slender arm securely around her waist as she declared:

"In that case, why don't you dump this man and come enjoy the world with me instead? I can escort you over to the Star Kingdom and give you a full tour of my alma mater. What do you say?"

Sebastian's movements ground to a violent halt as he prepared to rise, pinning Beatrice with a dark, predatory glare.

"Beatrice, we have already finalized our marriage registration!"

Beatrice resting her chin casually against Scarlett's shoulder, purposefully teasing him, "A marriage can easily be dissolved after it is secured! Besides, this gorgeous creature clearly didn't surrender her consent willingly to bind herself to you..."

An absolute, suffocating tension froze the air between them, leaving Scarlett entirely rigid, not daring to shift a single fraction of an inch.

Sebastian was the first to break the silence, his tone dropping lower: "Sister, cease this foolishness."

Sister?

The revelation left Scarlett completely stunned.

The third young master had explicitly stated that Sebastian harbored an active marriage alliance with Beatrice; why on earth was he addressing her as "Sister" now?

What on earth was the underlying truth here?

Beatrice appeared exceptionally satisfied by the title, generously releasing her grip on Scarlett as she muttered under her breath:

"You truly possess absolutely no tolerance for playfulness; you were far more entertaining during our childhood..."

Catching the absolute bewilderment written across Scarlett's features, Sebastian levelly explained: "Beatrice happens to be my aunt's daughter. We were reared together from our childhood."

Beatrice gave a firm nod of confirmation: "To define it with absolute precision, we function as maternal cousins."

Chapter 31

Maternal cousins?

The shocks today were truly unfolding in relentless waves. Scarlett stared blankly at the two of them, the confusion in her mind near-palpable:

"Then what about the active marriage alliance?"

Sebastian's eyes glinted with a dark, unshakeable fury, falling into a tense silence: "The external world remains entirely oblivious to the fact that I carry the blood of her family."

"The corporation requires access to my family's mining assets to expand its market share, and those exact mining properties happen to be registered as my designated dowry," Beatrice added smoothly.

Within three brief sentences, the underlying narrative laid bare to her.

Scarlett's heart skipped a beat as she looked toward Sebastian, fully grasping the absolute helplessness he must have mastered.

"The external world remains oblivious, yet the elders within your household are fully aware of the bloodline, yet they still attempt to force you into a marriage alliance with your own maternal cousin..." she murmured under her breath, only finding the family estate to be a terrifying den of wolves.

Staring at the glittering facade, the reality was a deep, bottomless void that devoured individuals without leaving a single bone.

Beatrice vocalized the exact thought harboring in her mind: "They truly are absolute monsters!"

She sat relaxed against the cushions, twirling a strand of her hair between her fingers, her gaze turning dark as she addressed Sebastian: "How exactly are your operations regarding the household progressing?"

Sebastian fell silent for a brief beat, his brows tightly knitting into a heavy frown before replying: "They are approaching the absolute final stage; I merely require a single catalyst."

Tracking the heavy exchange between the cousins, Scarlett instinctively made a move to slip away, fully aware that these secrets were far beyond what she possessed the authority to hear.

She hadn't anticipated that the second she made a move to rise, Beatrice's hand would firmly clamp around her wrist: "Scarlett, where are you going?"

She pressed her lips together, fabricating a casual excuse on the spot: "Um... do you care for some fruit? I'll go prepare a platter for you."

Beatrice folded her into a tight hug, "Do you harbor a craving for fruit? Simply order Sebastian to handle it; remain right here and accompany me for a little while."

Sebastian?

Scarlett frantically waved her hands in refusal; Beatrice might possess the standing to casually order Sebastian around, but what authority did she have to command this formidable figure?

Furthermore, her sole purpose was to escape this hazardous crossfire; the secrets they were unravelling were best left entirely unknown to her.

Sebastian, however, rose to his feet and headed toward the kitchen, stating flatly: "Remain seated."

Beatrice pouted slightly: "Securing a wife truly makes a man entirely forget his sister..."

Before the final syllable could fully fade, Sebastian let out a sharp, low warning hum from the kitchen, signaling Beatrice to firmly shut her mouth.

She offered no further arguments, instead pulling Scarlett close to murmur directly against her ear:

"Grant me a favor. Today, no matter what transpires, you must remain firmly by his side. Do not leave him entirely alone."

Today?

An intense curiosity tightened Scarlett's chest, and she questioned quietly: "What exactly is special about today?"

"Today marks the anniversary of his mother's passing, and it also happens to be his birthday."

She gave a quiet nod of comprehension; she had already unearthed that specific reality last night.

Tracking her unbothered, calm reaction, a subtle calculation flashed through Beatrice's eyes: "He went to the length of sharing those details with you personally?"

"We paid respects before her resting place last night," Scarlett answered honestly.

Beatrice arched an elegant eyebrow, her expression firmly settling into an absolute calm as if a heavy burden had finally lifted from her mind, speaking with complete sincerity:

"Sebastian operates with an absolute, unshakeable composure, capable of locking every scrap of his emotions beneath an iron mask; yet today functions as his single exception."

"Today, no matter what extremities arise, you cannot allow him to face the world entirely alone," Beatrice emphasized with absolute gravity. "Particularly, you cannot allow him to face the members of the household entirely unaided."

Scarlett could fully comprehend the underlying logic of her statement.

Sebastian's mother had perished beneath the blades of the Shadow Master; though the contract appeared as an underworld execution, a fool could easily deduce that the true puppet master pull the strings behind the scenes was someone within the household.

For Sebastian to harbor an unshakeable hatred toward that family was entirely natural.

No matter how impenetrable a man appeared, he would still possess a fragile threshold, his own absolute vulnerability.