IELNDMH - Chapter 26 < Show Window Couple >
I Ended Up Living Up Next Door With My Ex-Husband
Inside the carriage with Cedric alone.
As soon as the door closed, I glanced at Cedric.
"You didn't have to say that."
But Cedric just asked back with a sly look on his face.
"What?"
"..."
"Huh? What do you mean, Rebecca?"
Even urging me on in a slow tone. The corners of his mouth soon curved up leisurely.
'Wow, that's really annoying. Who knows who will lose?'
But it was also true that I was embarrassed to actually say those words out of my mouth.
"It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen... You said something similar to that."
Cedric asked, slightly curling his lips like a person holding back laughter. Then he turned his head towards the window, raising his long, arched eyebrows.
"Ah, who was it that said we should play window display couple?"
Cedric's unique laid-back attitude was usually charming, but there were times when it felt obnoxious. Like right now.
I pursed my lips and then spoke again.
"The idea was to do it just enough to avoid getting caught, but now it's too much. also... It could also instill some unnecessary expectations in Bianca."
"Needless expectations?"
When he asked again, I nodded slowly.
"Yes, she has expectations that we will be together as a happy couple for a long time."
"..."
"It's been a long time since we were able to grant that wish."
Cedric was silent for a while. It was sometime later that his gaze, which had been staring out the window, turned towards me again.
"... I didn't force these words out to pretend to be a show window couple."
"... "
"I meant that."
A languid bass sound rang pleasantly in my ears. How long did I make eye contact with the blue eyes that were staring at me?
I opened the carriage window as a strange heat rose up the back of my neck.
'Because today is indeed the most beautiful thing I have ever seen is you.'
Those seemingly insignificant words, and those blue eyes that continue to look at me.
All of that kept confusing my mind.
***
Around the same time, Count Dmitry's mansion.
Count Dmitry was standing at the entrance to the banquet hall with his wife Camilla, preparing to welcome the guests.
'I guess she's still in a low mood.'
The Count continued to look at Camilla as she looked at her hand mirror. After returning from her long trip, Camilla suddenly quit her job as lady-in-waiting to the Grand Duchess. Camilla kept the reason secret to the end, but the Count secretly sensed that she was out of favor with the Grand Duchess.
That was something she could fully infer from the fact that Camilla's hysteria was getting worse from that day on.
"Ma'am, you don't have to attend if it's inconvenient. I will tell the guests that you were unable to attend because you were unwell."
Count Dmitry spoke in a soft tone as if admonishing. Then Camilla suddenly opened her eyes and threw away her mirror hysterically.
Clink!
"I know that! That's not the point! You still don't know?"
Workers hurriedly gathered around her to clean up the remains of the broken mirror. But Camilla just stood there and glared at her husband as if he were going to kill him.
'I'm living with such a frustrating man!'
Count Dmitry was a kind, practical, and truly 100% husband. However, Camilla secretly compared her husband to her lover Henry, and she felt displeased.
'If Henry were just a little richer, I could divorce him right away and go to him!"
Camilla gritted her teeth as if crushing them. Count Henry Bart, the husband of her friend Lobelia and her own secret lover.
Until recently, he and Camilla had been steadily carrying out their plans to create their own world. A plausible plan to make a fortune through futures trading, then divorce each other's spouse and officially remarry within three years.
But it all went wrong in an instant.
'Rebecca, because of that stupid Grand Duchess.'
The dream of a happy new start is far away. Now all that's left for Camilla is the elusive title of Northern Society star and her desire for revenge on Rebecca.
'I'm still going crazy, but... I must greet the Grand Duchess with a smile.'
Camilla won her heart over with all her efforts. News had already spread widely in northern social circles that Camilla had quit her job as maid of honor to the Grand Duchess.
People were talking about how Camilla would have been kicked out of her position as maid of honor because her fatal flaw was revealed. That was enough to fatally damage Camilla's haughty image and her self-esteem.
'It's all because of the Grand Duchess that I became food for the socialites!'
Crackling.
A new, horrifying sound came from Camilla's lips as she ground her teeth.
'I have to turn the gaze of the guests who are watching me towards the Grand Duchess.'
It seemed like if she got revenge on Rebecca by humiliating her, she would be able to calm down a bit. Camilla had planned to do so from the beginning and invited all the ladies from northern society to today's banquet.
'If the ladies who like to gossip learn about the news of the Grand Duke and his wife's separation... How will everyone react?'
The corners of Camilla's mouth curled up sinisterly as she imagined what would soon happen.
***
The Dmitry family's mansion was not far from the downtown area. The carriage arrived at the Count's mansion about forty minutes after the banquet began. This was because it was considered a virtue for higher-ranking nobles to arrive late at the banquet hall, so they deliberately left with plenty of time to spare.
When I got off the carriage, the sky had already darkened a long time ago. However, perhaps because of the lights, music, and people's laughter coming from the banquet hall, the area around the mansion was still full of life.
"I think Adrian and Bianca are still together, right?"
Seeing as I couldn't see the carriage the two people were riding in, it seemed like it hadn't arrived yet. It was a time when I kept looking around, thinking about what might happen.
"Then let's go in first."
Cedric's arm suddenly stretched out in front of me. As I looked up with my puzzled eyes, Cedric gently grabbed my arm and led me.
"Couples invited to a banquet cannot enter far away from each other."
"Ah... I see."
As I wrapped my arms around Cedric's strong forearms, strength slowly began to build up. Cedric's unique scent can be felt up close.
I tried to shake off the subtle excitement that resulted and walked towards the banquet hall with him.
I walked along the richly decorated hallway for a while. When we finally reached the entrance of the banquet hall, we saw Count Dmitry and his wife. It seemed like they were waiting for us, the last guest.
"Oh, your Royal Highness and his wife have finally arrived! Thank you so much for coming, haha."
Count Dmitry approached with a bright smile.
"Thank you for the invitation, Count Dmitry."
As Cedric and the Count began to exchange greetings, Camilla, who was standing next to the Count, naturally approached me.
"Your Highness, it's so nice to see you again."
Camilla said, still holding my hand in a friendly manner.
'Alright... Would you like to pretend nothing happened?'
I tried to hide my mockery and smiled pretentiously, and Camilla responded in kind, slightly turning her head towards the Count.
"Honey, I will go in first with Her Highness."
"I understand, Camilla."
Part of me wanted to shake off Camilla's hand right away, but refusing the banquet host's favor was a huge disrespect in aristocratic society.
'There's nothing we can do since we've come this far.'
It was when I was about to let go of Cedric's arm and start walking.
"Rebecca."
Cedric held my arm slightly tightly came closer to me and whispered in my ear.
"How about we go back together after the banquet today?"
Even if couples from noble families came to the banquet hall together, they often went back separately on their own time. This must have been especially true for Cedric and Rebecca.
Although I was puzzled by the sudden proposal, I soon realized that it was an offer to act as a window couple.
'... I didn't even think about it that far.'
I nodded, secretly admiring his meticulousness.
"Great. Well then, have a good time, Cedric."
"Yes, you too."
After saying goodbye to Cedric for a moment, I entered the banquet hall with Camilla.
How many steps did he walk?
Camilla waved her hand high in the air towards somewhere. In the distance, about a dozen noble ladies were gathered at a large table and chatting. They seemed to have noticed my appearance and bowed their heads in greeting from afar.
"The ladies were all waiting for Your Highness. A lot of new people came today."
I can only devote my time to Camilla without being disrespectful to the host. Anything more than that was an envoy.
'I'll be leaving the northern social scene in a few months anyway, so there's no need to put in the effort and put up with the inconvenience.'
I stopped on the spot.
"I'm sorry, but this new meeting is a bit burdensome. I also have to take care of Princess Bianca."
"Bianca...The princess?"
"Yes, she's been living in the capital for a long time, so I think she's still unfamiliar with the northern social world."
"Oh my, it looks like your relationship with Princess Bianca has improved?"
Camilla smiled awkwardly as if she had pins pinned between her eyebrows.
"But Princess Bianca hasn't come yet. We will stay until then and then go."
"No, Camilla..."
"Here! Her Highness the Grand Duchess has arrived!"
Camilla immediately gestured toward the group of noble ladies. It was as if they were trying to drive a wedge in to prevent me from escaping.
Why are you taking me to that meeting like this? Something seems suspicious!
At that time, I frowned slightly due to an ominous feeling. The two ladies smiled warmly and came to my side.
"Your Highness! It's been so long! How have you been?"
"I was secretly disappointed because I didn't get any tea party invitations these days!"
In the end, I had no choice but to be led by them and head to the table. Then the women who were sitting together stood up and bowed their heads to me.
"Nice to meet you."
When I said hello and sat down at the head table, all the ladies blinked and paid attention to me with bated breath.
Unfamiliar situations and faces. I felt a little nervous without realizing it.
'Ah, the noble with the highest rank must speak first, indeed.'
After realizing it too late, I quickly removed my lips.
"What were you talking about?"
At that moment, Camilla sat down next to me and opened her mouth.
"The Ladies and I were talking about the latest rumors about me."
"What if it's a rumor?"
"Well, the reason I quit my job as a maid was because I committed a crime and was kicked out by Her Highness!"
Camilla looked at me with a fake smile on her face.
"Your Highness, this is a really ridiculous rumor, isn't it?"
At that moment, I had to refrain from laughing.
'Is this why you called me to this meeting?'
A promise is a promise, but I had no desire to even respond to Camilla for her sake. But Camilla shouted to those around her as if trying to push my silence into affirmation.
"Look. Am I right, guys?"
All of the ladies nodded at her confident smile. Camilla seemed to be encouraged by the fact that things were going as she had intended, and she secretly smiled.
"Thank you for everyone's understanding. If it weren't for personal reasons, I would never have quit my job as a maid."
"Moreover, like now..."
The moment when all eyes were focused on the exaggerated tone and raised voice, as if in a play. She sighed softly with an upset expression and continued speaking.
"It's even more impossible to quit when the Grand Duke and his wife are separated... Oh!"
Camilla quickly covered her mouth and blinked her eyes again with an innocent expression.
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