The sweet venom Chapter 41: 40

Read chapter 41 of The sweet venom by aspa201 on NovelPedia.

It was the morning of the imperial ball. Helia was getting ready, her heart tightly clenched by a nervousness she struggled to contain. It was her first public appearance since her last humiliation, and the recent rumours circulating about her did nothing to ease her anxiety. For several days now, her thoughts had collided endlessly, leaving her unable to reach a decision. More than once, she had nearly renounced attending the evening’s event: a part of her wished to flee from the attention, to avoid the stares, to avoid the sight of the Prince and the likely presence of Elysia and Adrian. That part of her reasoned that none of it was worth the trouble, that her research, her laboratory, her ordinary life mattered far more, and that, in any case, she had long grown accustomed to missing the grand social events. But another part of her, prouder and more impulsive, refused to allow herself to be intimidated. She wished to convince everyone that she was unaffected, to rise above the gossip, to see her friends again, and to enjoy a pleasant evening, like any young woman of her age. That part of her also seethed with anger, anger at having to make herself small and hide to avoid discomfort, anger at being unsettled by ridiculous rumours, anger at feeling that no decision could ever fully satisfy her. In the end, she allowed herself to be carried along by the course of events. The servants and Lucille continued their preparations without her having the heart to stop them. Her gown was adjusted, a hairdresser came to style her hair, and Lucille was fastening her jewelry upon her. Her father and brother were waiting for her in the sitting room, and her friends were expecting her arrival, as she had confirmed it to them. She stood now before the main mirror of her dressing room, clad in the violet gown she had tried on during her first outing with her friends. She scarcely recognised herself, a sensation that now seized her every morning when she faced that same mirror since her transformation. Her long waves fell freely over her shoulders, her face was left uncovered, her figure was clearly outlined by the fitted cut of the dress, and its sheer sleeves revealed her arms, parts of herself she had never exposed since childhood. She felt different from the last time she had worn this gown, taller, somehow. Behind her, several servants and Lucille were watching her, their eyes filled with pride. "You are sublime, Miss," Lucille declared, a radiant smile lighting up her face. The others nodded enthusiastically. Helia, though still unsettled by her thoughts, returned a warm smile, touched by their evident happiness. She thanked them for their work, then made her way to the sitting room where her father and brother awaited her. Upon entering, she found the marquis seated, leafing through a newspaper, a glass of tea resting on the low table. Lucian, for his part, stood before a mirror, making a final adjustment to his tie. His right arm was finally freed from its cast, and the bandage upon his forehead, the sole remaining trace of what he had endured, was partly concealed by a lock of his long silver hair. Both were dressed with heightened elegance, their jackets adorned with the family aiguillettes. "I am ready," Helia declared with a confidence she hardly felt within herself. The marquis and Lucian turned toward her at the same time. The marquis’s eyes widened for a fraction of a second, before he lowered his gaze and coughed lightly to conceal his surprise. Lucian, for his part, wore a tense expression. "Hum, Helia… is that gown not a little too… revealing?" the marquis asked in a measured voice. Lucille stepped gently forward behind her Lady. "My lord, if I may, this gown is one of the latest fashionable silhouettes for young ladies. It is perfectly proper." Lucian looked her up and down. "At least, you can be certain you won’t go unnoticed," he remarked in a sarcastic tone, failing to conceal his disapproval. After a short silence, the m