Chapter 4

The crowd paused for a moment, then burst into laughter. Talking about manners with people like them was quite something. Of course, their remarks only got nastier. "These days, women are getting more and more shameless. Are you so desperate to sleep with Mr. Wentworth that you'd even pretend to be a maid just to get inside Oakread?" "Take a good look at yourself. Do you honestly think you deserve to be anywhere near Mr. Wentworth?" "Seriously? Linda's only been away for a few days, and you're already after Mr. Wentworth. Someone like you doesn't measure up to Linda's level." "Hurry up and get out of here. Stop being such an eyesore." These young heirs were pros when it came to picking on someone. The main reason was that Andrew didn't stop them. With the way Melina was dressed, nobody would think that she was connected to him. Everyone assumed she was a new maid trying to stand out to catch his eye. When the group was hurling insults, John walked over and shoved Melina. With all the luggage she was carrying, she couldn't dodge and ended up stumbling. Meline took a deep breath and swallowed her anger. She could feel the disrespect, disdain, and contempt in their actions and words, but she didn't see any reason why she should be looked down upon. She put up with Andrew because of what Wallace had done for her. Meanwhile, she didn't know any of these people. What made them think they could push her around? Seeing the attitude in Melina's eyes, John tried to throw the drink in his hand right at her. The next moment, Melina dropped her pink bucket and grabbed John's wrist. The liquid splashed a bit, and a few drops trickled down her hand. Melina looked John straight in the eye and said, "If you lay a hand on me again, I'll fight back." She might be sweet and kind, but she wasn't afraid to stand up for herself. If they tried to mess with her, she'd stand her ground. Melina once went up the mountain to find herbs and ran into a wild boar. The boar tried to attack her, but she fought back and killed it, even if it cost her two broken ribs. If she could face down a boar, would these people really intimidate her? They all had no idea what was going through Melina's mind. If they knew she thought of them as less than boars, they'd probably lose it. John wanted to withdraw his hand, but he realized he couldn't. Her hand had a surprisingly strong grip. Melina noticed John was trying to pull away. She didn't want to start a fight in front of Andrew the second time they met. She would come across as not very ladylike. With that in mind, Melina let go, but John was yanking his hand away so hard that he lost his balance and fell to the floor, spilling his drink all over himself. He ended up being a total mess. Things got quiet for a moment. Melina looked so innocent, especially since she didn't mean to do it. Just then, Andrew snapped, "Cut it out. Meli or whatever your name is, apologize now." Andrew didn't seem to remember Melina's name. He wasn't loud or aggressive, as he just spoke casually. But he exuded an air of authority that allowed no disagreement. Melina retorted, "Why should I say sorry if I didn't do anything wrong?" The tension in the room escalated. Everyone seemed shocked when Melina talked back to Andrew. Was this country bumpkin asking for trouble? Most of the time, Andrew came across as someone who could joke about anything and not take things seriously, but everyone knew he wasn't a carefree person. Beneath his laid-back demeanor, he had a cold-blooded character. People didn't call him the Demon Lord for nothing. Anyone who messed with him usually ended in a pretty bad way. Everyone watched to see how Andrew would react, but he remained emotionless. With a drowsy look, he impatiently stated, "Either apologize or leave." Melina fixed her bright eyes on Andrew, but the light in them gradually dimmed into disappointment. Right then, it dawned on her that Andrew would not stand up for her. They would never be like the couples in her village, who treat each other with love and respect. But she couldn't just walk away. She still hadn't repaid the favor of the support she received for over ten years, and she had promised Wallace to look after Andrew. As Melina slowly lowered her gaze, she clenched her fists and softly said, "I'm sorry."