Chapter 43 A Beautiful Country Bumpkin
Chapter Forty Three
“Argh!”
A sharp scream tore through the air following the slap, startling the guests. The live orchestra stopped playing their instruments abruptly as all eyes turned towards where the scream had came from.
There was Aria standing before a group of young women. Nathan and Monica were also in the group, their mouths open in shock at what had just happened.
The young women had been gossiping and laughing amongst themselves, when Aria had walked up to one of them and slapped her hard.
This was Jane Lee, the daughter of a Minister in Crestmont. She had been the one who had made that disrespectful remark about Lucian earlier.
Aria’s blood had boiled with rage when she heard the silly high pitched voice insulting her husband, from across the room.
Without a moment’s hesitation, she had marched up to Jane and slapped her hard.
“You!…What do you think you’re doing?’ How dare you hit me?!” Jane screamed in rage.
She looked awful at the moment, with her eyes almost bulging out of her head, and her trembling hand against one red, swollen cheek.
She was glaring at Aria with extreme anger, like she wanted nothing more than to pull out her hair right there and then.
“Are you deaf?! Who do you think you are to hit me?!” Jane yelled again, stamping her foot as her high pitched voice drawing more and more attention in the hall.
Aria smirked, arching an eyebrow at her. Jane Lee had been in her circle when she was alive. Spoilt to the core by her Minister daddy, the bitch thought she could just say anything anywhere and get away with it.
Aria held her head high, “Keep yelling at me and you will be getting another slap!”
This time, Selena pushed forward, her face red with anger.
“Aria Beaumont! You’ve really gone far enough this time!” She yelled, pointing her finger harshly into Aria’s face, “Are you out of your mind?! Do you know who Jane is?!”
Selena could not believe Aria could have such boldness as this, to slap a lady with such high status.
She could not even believe that she was staring at Aria, until Aria had spoken earlier.
The country bumpkin stood in a striking black dress, looking absolutely stunning.
Selena recognized the design of the dress, and swallowed hard at the thought of Aria wearing a dress that costs six month’s worth of upkeep at the Beaumont household.
Jane looked from Selena, then back at Aria, “Oh, this is your stepsister?” She asked, her eyes widening all the more as she stared at Aria.
The crowd pressed closer as well, gasps and murmurs increasing as they stared at Aria.
The country bumpkin was this beautiful?!
Jane’s eyes trailed down Aria’s dress which was even more exquisite than hers, and her lips tightened with anger, “So this is the country bumpkin who married the vegetable…argh!”
Jane had barely had those words out of her mouth where Aria slapped her hard once more, to the astonishment of everyone in there.
“Aria Beaumont!” Selena gasped once more, her hands flying to her mouth in shock.
“Aria! What the hell is wrong with you?!” Monica berated, wagging her fingers at Aria, “Do you think this is the country?! What uncouth behavior is this?!”
“How dare you disgrace the Graves family right in Father’s birthday party?!” Nathan said, his deep voice booming across the room, “Must you show everyone that you’re ill bred!”
Jane was furious.
“Argh!!!” She yelled in rage as pain blossomed in her face. She went into full crazy mode and advanced on Aria, intent on grabbing her hair by the roots, when a voice broke through the melee.
“What’s going on here?” An elderly man asked as he pushed through the crowd which had gathered around the young women.
At the sight of him, Jame immediately dropped her hand and her face crumpled in tears.
“Dad!” She wailed as she ran towards him, launching herself in his arms.
“Princess! What’s the matter?!” The minister said anxiously, as he cradled his daughter’s face in his palms, “Tell me! Who did this to your face?! Who would dare?!”
Jane pointed at Aria with a shaky finger, “It’s her! The Beaumont family country bumpkin daughter! Aria Beaumont!” She wailed, pouting.
Her mascara had started trailing down her face due to her tears, leaving huge streaks of black.
She looked awful, like a panda.
At the sight of his daughter’s pitiful state, the minister became even more enraged.
He faced Aria, his face pinched with fury. But Aria only stared him down calmly.
The minister was affronted by Aria’s calm defiance, “Aria Beaumont, is it?!” He uttered in anger, “Do you know what you’ve just done?! Does the Beaumont family really dare to go against mine?!”
“No! No, No, my lord! We won’t dare to go against you!” Selena uttered in alarm just as other voices broke through from the rear of the crowd.
“Oh no! No, Minister!” The voice uttered. Soon the people pushed through the crowd and stood in front of the minister, looking contrite.
They were Clara and George Beaumont, Aria’s father and stepmother.
They glared frightfully at Aria, then turned back to the minister.
“My lord, Aria is the one that has offended the minister. Please leave our humble Beaumont family out of it,” George said, shamelessly throwing his daughter in trouble’s way
“Yes exactly!” Clara chimed in, “The Beaumont family has nothing to do with Aria now. She has brought a lot of trouble to the family for years and we want nothing to do with her.”
“Yes, my lord. She’s stayed in the countryside all her life, and lived with pigs,” Selena uttered, her nose twisted in disgust, “Because she’s married to Lucian Graves now, she think she has attain some status in society, and dares to be so rude!”
The Minister and his daughter turned to look at Aria with disdain after those words.
“Oh, is that so?” They eyed her, the corners of their lips lifted in derision, “A country bumpkin who thinks she’s somebody now? Where do you think this is to have such airs?!”