Chapter 117
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 117
"Why on earth would she go looking for that? No, before that—how did she even know it was a prize?"
Tez shrugged, shaking his head dismissively.
"I don't have all the details. Regardless, it seems she found it and returned it to its rightful owner. The Duke of Kailas was seen wearing that brooch at yesterday’s outing."
"Ha…! So you’re saying Harriet has actually formed some kind of connection with the Duke of Kailas?"
"Exactly. And speaking of yesterday, the Duke introduced Harriet to Count Albeman while they were out. Since she was the one who recovered the brooch, a small introduction like that probably felt like a trifle to him, wouldn't you say?"
"What did you just say?!"
Bella bolted upright, her eyes wide.
Count Albeman was a titan of finance, a man known to everyone in the Empire. Cedric Kailas was no different. The mere thought of Harriet making acquaintances with people Bella herself hadn't even had the chance to greet made her blood boil.
"Why would the Duke of Kailas even bother with a girl like that…! Surely he didn't take her as a mistress just because she found his father's keepsake, did he?"
"Calm down. It didn't look like that at all. Apparently, Harriet has been running errands for Lady Fellon for a while now, delivering letters to the Ducal House. Their acquaintance must have started then."
"Acquaintance? Is the Duke of Kailas a man with so much time on his hands? What possible reason would he have to befriend a girl like her?"
"Let me repeat: she was acting as Lady Fellon’s proxy. Don't you understand what that implies?"
Bella shot Tez an annoyed glare, but he only replied with a smirk.
"Countess Fellon has no children. That means she could very well name Harriet her heir. Add to that the fact that she recovered a precious family heirloom, and the Duke of Kailas has every reason to cultivate a relationship with her."
"That’s absurd!"
"Absurd, you say? You heard the rumor, didn't you? That Her Imperial Majesty the Empress invited Harriet to tea recently?"
At his words, Bella ground her teeth.
When she first heard the news, she had dismissed it as a baseless, impossible rumor. Harriet meeting the Empress—a woman Bella herself had never even laid eyes on? It was unthinkable.
Tez watched Bella’s trembling eyes and added, his tone teasing, "And apparently, Lady Fellon sent Harriet in her stead. It means she’s determined to prop Harriet up. You’ll likely see families lining up to send her marriage proposals soon, won’t you?"
A bitter taste rose in Bella’s throat. She grabbed a cushion from beside her and hurled it at Tez.
He caught it with a cheerful laugh, but Bella let out a sharp, hysterical shriek.
"Fellon, Fellon, Fellon! That Countess Fellon is always the problem! I’m her grandniece too, so why is she only ever good to Harriet?"
"Why don't you try buttering her up yourself?"
"Don't be ridiculous. If she were the type to fall for that, I would've had her wrapped around my finger years ago. Do you have any idea how shrewd and quick-witted that old woman is?"
If only she had been the one to meet Trisha first, rather than John, things might have been different.
At one point, she believed she could simply snatch Trisha away from Harriet. But John had so thoroughly offended the woman that Bella hadn't even been granted the chance to visit. It was the price of her own complacent leisure.
"That old woman needs to disappear. Only then can I truly crush Harriet…"
Bella muttered the words in a venomous hiss. Seeing her malicious expression, Tez sat up straighter.
"The more I see of this, the more curious I get. Why exactly are you so hell-bent on crushing Harriet?"
"What does that have to do with you…!"
"Answer me."
Tez’s voice wasn't loud, but the underlying threat was clear. Bella knew he was more than capable of breaking off their engagement if the whim took him.
She glared at him, but as the silence stretched and Tez refused to back down, she finally raised the white flag.
"It’s nothing. I just… I can’t stand the sight of her."
Bella moved away from him, slipping on a silk gown before pouring herself a drink. Recalling these memories without the numbing aid of alcohol was simply too unpleasant.
"She’s a girl with nothing special about her, yet she was lucky enough to be born the daughter of a viscount’s heir. Because of that, she got everything without even trying. Endless love, everyone’s affection."
She took a long sip of her drink.
"When we were little, we were close. We were too young to know any better. I was envious, yes, but I thought that was just the way of the world. But one day, that belief was shattered to its core."
That day was Harriet’s first tea party.
Even back then, hosting tea parties for young daughters who hadn't yet debuted in high society was a popular hobby for noblewomen. There were even tea sets specifically designed for little girls. To their mothers, nothing was more adorable than watching their daughters imitate their every move.
That day, Harriet had been so excited she practically floated.
"Harriet was wearing a stunning, clearly exorbitant dress. I knew the dress would have suited me better, but as always, I played the part. I complimented her, telling her how lovely she looked."
The tea party had been lavish. Tables sized for little ladies were set in a garden bursting with blooms, and sweet tea had been served alongside a mountain of refreshments. Harriet’s friends, gathered with their mothers, sat in their seats with their feet tapping in excitement.
At a glance, it was the perfect tea party for young girls.
"The first time I felt that sting was when Harriet introduced me to her friends. She said, 'This is my cousin, Bella.'"
"Why did that bother you?"
"I don't know. I just felt… small. Perhaps it was the realization that I wasn't the protagonist of the life I’d dreamed of."
But the true turning point came next.
They were enjoying their sweets and chattering away when one imaginative girl asked, her cheeks flushing, "What kind of man do you think we’ll marry when we grow up?"
For girls born into the nobility, marriage was the sun around which their entire world orbited. And young girls, ignorant of the harsh realities of the world, tended to view marriage through a lens of pure romance.
Everyone took turns describing their ideal husband. Since they knew nothing of real men, their ideals were the heroes of fairy tales, girlhood romance novels, or stage plays.
When it was Bella’s turn, she spoke with dreamy eyes.
"I want to marry a prince and live like a princess. I’ll wear a tiara every day and wear dresses with long, flowing trains."
Looking back, it was a silly childhood whim, but at the time, she had been entirely serious. She had even imagined marrying a prince so her parents could live in luxury.
But then, one child spoke up in a sharp, admonishing tone.
"Harriet can do that, but you can't."
"Why?"
Bella, her innocent wish rejected, had asked with clear displeasure. The other girl replied with a look that suggested the answer was painfully obvious.
"Because Harriet is a viscount’s daughter, and you’re just the daughter of a common noble. Why would a prince ever marry a common noble?"
At that, Harriet had stepped forward to stop her friend.
"Don't say that! Bella is so pretty and angelic, I’m sure she’ll be able to marry a prince."
Harriet couldn't have imagined that her "kind" words would only fuel Bella’s shame and humiliation. That day, Bella’s world was turned upside down.
"I never resented the girl who pointed it out to me. No, I was actually grateful. She stripped away the naïve morality that had been blinding me."
That child had taught her exactly what she needed to do to achieve the future she desired.
First, I must become Lady Listerwell.
From that day on, Bella began to systematically take Harriet’s things. Her friends, her status, her looks, and even her bright, proactive personality—everything.
The plan had proceeded without a single hitch until recently. Until Harriet returned from that convent.
"Lady Listerwell is me. But if Harriet keeps acting out, that name—which should belong only to me—keeps getting tarnished. That is why I have to crush her."
Tez listened to her story, so full of self-conviction, and began to laugh softly.
"Bella. The nickname 'Poison Mushroom of Genoa' suits you far better than 'Golden Rose of Genoa'."
"It doesn't matter what they call me. One thing is certain: whether I am a Golden Rose or a Poison Mushroom, I am beautiful enough to enchant anyone."
Seeing her swallow his sarcasm without a flinch, Tez briefly regretted not calling her a viper instead.
"Is this a battle between a demon and an angel, then?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Harriet came from a convent, didn't she? Wouldn't Lord Yawar protect her?"
At that, Bella, who had been draining the last of the wine from her glass, let out a sharp snort of laughter.