Chapter 483

Athena was settled in a guest room, as Frieda feared she would run away. She even assigned two maids to attend to her. Outside the courtyard, there were guards watching, making escape impossible.

Athena once tried to leave the courtyard, but as soon as she stepped out, she was scolded and told to go back. The two maids watched her like a prisoner.

It wasn’t until the evening that Frieda summoned her.

At the door stood a senior maid. She glanced at Athena with an arrogant look, her eyes full of jealousy. She asked, “So you’re the errand boy Lady Frieda brought back?”

Athena nodded slightly. “Indeed.”

“Come with me.” The maid led Athena into the house. As soon as she entered, she changed her expression. The maid walked slowly to Frieda with a flattering look on her face. “My lady, Elijah is here.”

Frieda was sitting in front of the dressing table, doing her makeup. Hearing the maid speak, she responded with a slow tone. She waved her hand. “You can leave.”

The maid, Ruby Cantrell, looked stunned and said in disbelief, “My lady, please let me serve you.”

“No need. I’ll take Elijah myself.” As she spoke, Frieda got up.

Athena saw that Frieda had changed into plain clothes, and the hairpins on her head had also been removed. She wondered if they were going to see an elder.

“Elijah,” Frieda said, coming to stand before her. “You know medicine, don’t you? I’m taking you to see someone. Watch my signals and act accordingly.”

Athena lowered her eyes. “Yes.”

“Let’s go.” Frieda strode forward, and Athena followed her.

Before long, the two arrived in front of a courtyard. Unlike other courtyards, this one exuded elegance everywhere. When entering the door, Athena saw the bronze crane. She secretly guessed that this should be where the Blumenfeld family’s patriarch and matriarch lived.

Inside the house, there were also two men and a woman. The woman had some similarities in her eyebrows and eyes with Frieda, and her aura was more fierce than hers. She was also a little older than her. Although the two men had mild expressions, their eyes were full of shrewdness and vigilance. When they saw Athena, all three turned to look at her in unison, though only briefly before looking away.

Only the woman’s sharp eyes turned into mockery. “I heard that you abducted a man into the mansion, a lowly little plaything. How dare you bring him to Grandfather and Grandmother? Aren’t you afraid of losing your dignity?”

Faced with the barb, Frieda merely smiled coldly. “Who I bring is none of your business. Mikayla, don’t forget, you’re just a concubine’s daughter. Do you think you can climb over my head?” She added, “In the Blumenfeld family, I am the legitimate eldest daughter. I refer to you as my elder sister out of courtesy. Don’t think yourself important.”

Mikayla’s face turned pale with anger. “How dare you humiliate me in front of Grandmother? Even if I’m a concubine’s daughter, I am still your elder sister!”

Frieda sat down unhurriedly and sneered. “That’s what you think, not what I think. The day your mother climbed onto my father’s bed, you should have known you’d spend this life crawling at my feet, serving me.”

“Frieda, don’t go too far.” Mikayla’s eyes were red with anger. If not for biting her lip, she would have burst into tears.

The other two men were angry but dared not speak out. Especially when they saw Frieda’s eyes, they all lowered their heads unwillingly.

Seeing this, Athena understood that these two men and one woman must be from the Blumenfeld family’s concubine. It must be that their mother was favored, so they thought they had gained power and spoke rudely to Frieda. Unexpectedly, they were scolded by this little girl.

Frieda smiled and said, “Now you know better than to provoke me, yes? Wouldn’t it be better to behave and keep your tails tucked?” She provocatively smiled at the three of them, making them almost faint with anger.

Just then, a richly dressed elderly lady appeared, leaning on a cane. Her face was stern as she swept her gaze across them all. “Your grandfather is gravely ill, and here you are quarreling outside. Is this how your father raised you?”

All three lowered their heads, including Frieda, but her eyes were still rebellious. “Grandmother, you’re right. I know my mistake.”

The old lady sighed helplessly. “Your grandfather dotes on you the most. Why can’t you let him have some peace?”

Mikayla smirked, seizing her chance. “Grandmother, Frieda is always so unruly. She’s nearly of marriageable age, yet she brought a man back to the manor. How can she do that?”

The old lady turned to Frieda in surprise. “What? Is this true?”

“Of course not.” Frieda immediately denied it. “This young man may look ordinary, but he is skilled in medicine. I was worried about Grandfather’s illness and sought him out among the common folk. My filial heart is being slandered. Grandmother, you must defend me!”

She acted coquettish and begged for mercy, and the old lady looked at her with doting eyes. “It seems you still have a conscience.” Then, she looked at Athena. “Do you know medical skills?”

Frieda winked frantically at Athena, and she had to step forward and say, “I only know a little bit.”

Hearing her words, Mikayla chuckled and said, “Frieda, are you kidding me? Everyone knows Grandfather suffers from a heart ailment. Even Aeridon’s finest doctors are helpless against it, and you drag in some callow youth claiming he can cure it? Who would believe that?”

Mikayla had just been scolded by Frieda, but she didn’t learn her lesson and provoked Frieda again. Athena couldn’t help but shake her head secretly. Such a person really had nothing but a pretty face. A concubine’s daughter should know her place, but Mikayla seemed determined to challenge the legitimate daughter. No wonder Frieda treated her mercilessly. She was really incompetent but loved to show off.

“At least I don’t spend my days painting my face,” Frieda shot back with biting sarcasm. “Your face is almost as thick as a plastered wall.” At this point, she asked Mikayla with feigned confusion, “You don’t dare laugh too hard, do you? Otherwise, all that powder would fall off in chunks.”

Someone chuckled softly.

Mikayla’s face turned red with anger. She glared at the two of them, displeased, “Are you two making fun of me too?”

Her two brothers quickly stopped laughing, but they didn’t dare offend Frieda either.

The old lady, seeing the quarrel about to erupt again, cut them off sharply. “Enough! Is this the time for fighting? Frieda, can this young man you brought really treat the illness?”

Frieda nodded emphatically, signaling Athena to come forward.

Athena bowed respectfully. “There are many kinds of heart ailments. Without seeing the patient, I would not dare speak rashly.”