Panic clawed at her chest. She had to fix this. Now.
"I—I am not a maid!" she shouted, her voice rising shrilly. "I am not a maid! I am a princess!"
A sharp scoff cut through the air.
"Then conduct yourself like one," one of Carl's guards spat, his voice dripping with disgust.
The humiliation doubled, suffocating her. Her nails dug into her palms as her eyes darted around, looking for someone, anyone, to blame.
She couldn't blame Carl. That would be suicide.
She couldn't blame the laughing crowd. That would only make things worse.
So her eyes locked onto the one person standing silently beside Carl.
Nnenna.
Her rage boiled over.
"You!" Bora shrieked, pointing at her with trembling hands. "It's you! You're the one who made him say this! You really are an adopted daughter, acting like some common gossip, whispering lies about people like a filthy street girl!"
Gasps filled the air.
Bora didn't care.
