Chapter 37

"Y-You…" Melissa glared at Richard, yet found herself speechless for a time. Finally, in a fit of rage, she huffed loudly, turning away to lie flat against the cart, displaying a demeanor that suggested she wished to ignore everyone.

Richard, however, chose to address the caravan. He spoke softly, "Is there anyone else who harbors objections? If not, let us continue our journey."

"This…." The members of the caravan looked at each other, unsure of whether to respond or remain still.

Ultimately, it was Mular, the caravan manager, who stepped forward. He first cast a cautious glance at Melissa, still sprawled on the cart, and then signaled the others with a few silent gestures, prompting the caravan to set off once more.

As the cart jolted back into motion, Melissa uttered no protest, merely pursing her lips in dissatisfaction and letting out an irritated huff. Yet deep down, she knew she couldn't halt the proceedings.

Damn it… Richard!

At that moment, Melissa felt a fierce resentment toward Richard.

Unbothered, Richard turned his horse around and resumed his position as the guardian escorting them forward.

Everything fell back into its previous rhythm; the caravan ambled along, the First Guard leading the way, while Melissa's eyes began to mist. Suddenly, a flurry of footsteps approached; someone dashed over to her cart, repeatedly calling out, "Miss Melissa! Miss Melissa!"

Upon hearing the voice, Melissa recognized it as Alex, but she had no intention of responding. Not only had Alex failed to catch a rabbit yesterday, but the recent events had left her mood sour beyond measure. In this moment, she wished to disregard everyone.

Yet Alex displayed remarkable patience this time, her voice tinged with excitement as she incessantly urged, "Miss Melissa! Miss Melissa! Wake up! You must see this!"

"This foolish girl must have been off somewhere, completely unaware of what transpired, and now thinks I am merely sleeping!" Melissa thought, her anger intensifying. The next instant, she decided to feign sleep, ignoring Alex's calls in an attempt to make her suffer the consequences.

If she couldn't vent her frustration on Richard, then someone else would do just fine. Melissa remained still, sprawled across the cart.

However, she did not anticipate that Alex would climb onto the cart, gently patting her back a few times. "Miss Melissa! Miss Melissa! You must awaken! Look at what I have!"

"I care not what you possess!" Melissa fumed inwardly, her anger surging. It was bad enough that Richard bullied her; now Alex, that little imp, dared to disturb her 'slumber' as well?

In the next moment, driven by her furious frustration, Melissa abruptly raised her head and turned, swinging her hand in a slap, intending to teach that meddlesome Alex a lesson.

To her surprise, her hand met not Alex's cheek, but rather "smack"—the sound echoed as she struck something in Alex's grip.

At that instant, Alex appeared taken aback, her hand loosening its grasp. The creature she had held—a lively, squirming rabbit—immediately broke free, jumping down from the cart. It scampered across the road, bounding into the nearby fields.

Alex was clearly stunned.

Melissa, too, was momentarily speechless. She turned to look toward the wilds and finally realized that the fleeing creature was none other than a plump gray rabbit, its short tail tucked beneath its body like a tuft of fluff, its long ears resembling the blades of a sword lily. Its eyes sparkled a vivid red, like two rubies glimmering in the light, as though it were expressing gratitude toward Melissa for its unexpected freedom.

In that instant, Melissa realized she had inadvertently committed a grave mistake. Slowly, she turned to glance at Alex, whose face was frozen in an expression of bewildered joy. Yet, within moments, the joy morphed rapidly into disappointment and frustration, with hints of anger mixed in.

Understanding the sequence of events, Melissa pieced it together: the reason Alex had not appeared earlier was likely that she had gone to catch rabbits in the adjoining fields, managing to snag one after much effort. Consequently, her absence meant she was unaware of the recent developments.

Now, as she brandished the rabbit's ear in triumph, she found Melissa lying on the cart, intent on ignoring her. Under normal circumstances, Alex might have chosen to withdraw quietly. However, her excitement from catching the rabbit had spurred her to take a risk in waking Melissa.

And then, the result was Melissa's angry slap, sending the rabbit leaping away...

As these thoughts coursed through her mind, Melissa felt no remorse. Instead, a sense of irritation welled within her: why must all troubles inevitably find their way to her?

Damn it! Why did Alex have to catch a rabbit now, of all times, and rush to find her? It was utterly absurd!

The next moment, Melissa widened her eyes, fixing a glare on Alex as she exclaimed, "What do you intend to do!"

Noting the expression on Melissa's face, Alex jolted, the crestfallen and angry look on her visage instantly replaced by anxiety. She hurriedly explained, "Miss Melissa, I—I'm so sorry! I just wanted to show you the rabbit I caught…"

"The rabbit, the rabbit! All you think of is rabbits!" Melissa barked, shouting at Alex, "Do you even know what just happened?"

"What happened…?" Alex asked, her voice weak and tentative.

"That wretched Richard came over…" Melissa promptly recounted the events that had transpired, adding embellishments for effect.

Upon hearing, Alex's expression turned blank, unsure of what to say. "This… this…" After a considerable pause, she finally spat out, "That guy, Richard! How dare he bully Miss Melissa!"

"Humph! I'm glad you understand!" Melissa said, and then her expression shifted suddenly as she eyed Alex with intrigue.

Alex felt a shiver run down her spine.

"Alex!" Melissa called out, "I know why you have been trying so hard to please me all this time. It's to get me or Uncle Mular, or even my father, to speak well of you and promote you, isn't it?"

"Uh, well…" Alex's expression grew uncomfortable.

"No need to fret." Melissa's eyes sparkled mischievously, her demeanor akin to a small imp luring her prey. "I could certainly have my father promote you. He is the owner of the entire Bauhinia, and with but a word, he could elevate you to the position of the new caravan manager."

"Th-this…" Alex rubbed her hands together nervously, seeming quite embarrassed.

"However, there is a condition." Melissa finally stated her purpose, regarding Alex with an earnestness that demanded attention. "That is… you must help me devise a way to take revenge on that scoundrel, Richard! At the very least, let's ensure he cannot regain his composure!"

"Uh…" Alex halted her fidgeting, her brows furrowing in deep contemplation. She was no fool; she comprehended the situation far better than Melissa. This was Prue, not Myron—the influence of the Bauhinia was negligible here. If she dared provoke a nobleman, even the second heir of a baron, she risked dire repercussions.

Whereas charming Melissa and catching rabbits seemed a trivial labor, now she found herself in a perilous predicament that could impact her very survival.

This…