Waiting for me?

While Ethan was silently mulling over things and calculating risks versus the guilt he could live with, his sister had already made her way to the new character standing beside him.

"Don't tell me… this is the reason why you have been missing in action…" Marella stared at a now red-faced Lia and was giving the poor woman a thorough once-over. 

Lia, for her part, shifted awkwardly under the scrutiny, her hands fidgeting at her sides like a child caught stealing cookies.

Ethan sighed, his shoulders tensing as he anticipated the storm brewing in his sister's head. "It's not what it looks like," he began, but Marella shot him a pointed look that froze the words on his tongue.

"Sure, its not. Where are you from and how dare you bewitch my brother like this? Did you use a skill? Are you an enchantress? You look very beautiful. You cannot be trusted. Why are you here and what are you doing with my brother?"

"Marella…" Ethan tried again, completely helpless.

"Don't lie to me, bro. You are sleeping with her, aren't you? Is that why you have been ignoring us?" She turned to Lia and pointed her finger at her. "Tell me, how did you bed my brother? What potion did you use?"

Lia's face became completely red. "I… I… I want to… but master…" She started trembling.

Huh? She wants to? What is she saying? Ethan's eyes widened. "Ok, that's enough. She is a contract servant alright. I employed her for helping me out here and there."

Marella did not look convinced and she was about to open her mouth when Ethan quickly interrupted her again. "Do you want me to go see the Lord or not? Why are we wasting time here?"

Marella's sharp gaze lingered on Lia for a long moment before she finally huffed and turned back to Ethan, her expression a mix of disbelief and exasperation. "Fine. We'll drop this for now. But don't think for one second that I'm letting this slide, Ethan." 

She jabbed a finger in his direction, her tone stern. "We're having a long, detailed talk about what's really going on here as soon as we're done. Got it? You can't go dipping your toes everywhere when you already have a girl waiting for you!"

Huh? Ethan who had already started to walk suddenly stopped in his tracks, almost tripping and falling. What the hell was this woman talking about now? A girl waiting for me? 

He had half a mind to demand an elaborate explanation but his gut feeling told him to maybe leave this can of worms unopened. There was no need to make things more complicated than they already were.

Ethan pretended not to hear the last part and resumed his stride. He then stopped and turned back. "Maybe you should lead the way." He awkwardly smiled.

Marella smirked, clearly savoring Ethan's flustered reaction. "Oh, now you want me to lead? Convenient." 

She stepped forward, her movements brisk and efficient, as though she were more than ready to take charge of the situation. "Fine, I'll lead. But don't think this changes anything, Ethan. That 'detailed talk' is still happening."

Ethan exhaled through his nose, forcing himself to remain calm. He shot a glance at Lia, who looked as though she might faint from sheer embarrassment. 

She kept her gaze down, her cheeks still glowing crimson, and her hands nervously twisted the fabric of her tunic. Ethan leaned slightly toward her as they followed Marella's determined stride. 

"Don't worry about her," he murmured quietly. "She's… intense, but she is harmless." Ethan assured her, though a part of him wasn't entirely convinced.

Lia risked a quick glance at him, her wide eyes full of concern. "I didn't mean to make things worse for you, master. I promise I'll stay out of your sister's way."

"You didn't make anything worse. Just keep your head down, and we'll get through this."

Up ahead, Marella suddenly stopped and turned back to face them, her arms crossed. "Are you two done whispering sweet nothings back there?" she called, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Because if you are, maybe we can focus on the fact that we're about to meet the Lord. You know, the one who could decide all our fates?"

Ethan groaned inwardly, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Yes, Marella. Thank you for the reminder," he said, his tone dry. "Lead on, fearless one."

Marella shot him a smug look before turning back around and continuing down the path. Ethan exchanged a glance with Lia, who gave him a hesitant, apologetic smile.

As the imposing gates of the Lord's estate loomed closer, Ethan focused on the task ahead, forcing himself to push aside the chaos Marella had stirred up. 

One crisis at a time, he thought grimly. He could only hope that this meeting wouldn't add yet another layer of complications to an already volatile situation.