Chapter 47
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 47
"You don't know the first thing about these matters, do you? Just stay still and let your aunt handle it."
The dresses her aunt bought for her were always one of two things: garish pink monstrosities smothered in ribbons, or drab, suffocatingly tight designs.
There was no consistency to the style, but they all shared one common trait: none of them suited Harriet in the slightest.
If her aunt had simply possessed poor taste, Harriet might have understood. But when it came to Bella’s dresses and accessories, the woman picked them out to perfection.
I suspected it even back then, but now I know for sure. Aunt deliberately dressed me in those clothes.
Harriet would have been grateful even for plain, unremarkable dresses. Instead, her aunt bought her such bizarre outfits that they left a searing impression on everyone who saw them, making it impossible to wear them a second time.
Since she couldn't afford to commission another custom dress, Harriet naturally began to avoid social events.
Then, on the rare occasion they needed to elevate Bella’s status, I’d be dragged out and made a laughingstock. To her, I was nothing more than a foil. But why on earth did she hate me so much?
Hadn't they once been as close as sisters? Back then, Harriet had truly believed Bella was the kindest, most beautiful person in the world. She had deluded herself into thinking her cousin truly loved her.
"Harriet! Look at this! I picked the very first rose to bloom in the garden, just for you."
Young Bella, her smile as bright as sunshine as she offered that red rose, had seemed more beautiful than the flower itself. Harriet’s heart had swelled with pride just to be her cousin...
Harriet recalled the bitter memory, then shook her head to clear it.
Hadn't she returned to this life precisely to stop being a puppet for Bella to play with? Memories of the past were now merely fuel to ignite her fighting spirit.
The Bella of that time is dead. And one must let the dead go.
Now was the time to face the demon born from the death of that angelic Bella.
* * *
The House of Lilburn’s bazaar was teeming with people. Not only was Countess Lilburn the president of the Saint Paolo Temple’s Ladies' Society, but a bazaar raising funds for the poor was the perfect stage to 'show off' one’s piety and compassion.
In truth, however, it was little more than a social outing masquerading as a charity event.
So, the Lilburn gardens really were this vast.
Harriet did her best to hide her surprise as she gazed at the sprawling grounds, dotted with white silk tents.
In her past life, she wouldn't have dared to attend such an event. Her uncle never took her, and she had been too afraid of being ridiculed to insist on going.
Of course, no one would ridicule her now. Tucked in her hand was an invitation addressed to Countess Fellon.
"Greetings, Countess Lilburn. I am Harriet Listerwell, attending on behalf of Countess Fellon. We met once at the Vanderbilt party, did we not?"
"Of course, I remember! Welcome, welcome. I received the letter mentioning that Miss Harriet would be attending in the Countess's stead."
"Lady Fellon asked me to convey her sincere apologies for being unable to attend in person."
"Having you here is more than enough, Miss Harriet. The bazaar items sell out quickly, so if you see something you like, be sure to claim it right away. Hoho!"
Harriet offered a polite chuckle and exchanged a brief, knowing glance with the Countess.
In the past, she would have been lost, relegated to a dusty corner of the venue. Now, fortunately, she had acquaintances to acknowledge.
"It has been a while, Miss Annabelle."
When Harriet greeted her, Annabelle Leighton—the young woman who had invited her to the tea party—welcomed her warmly.
"Oh, Miss Harriet! Your dress is absolutely stunning! Wherever did you have it made?"
"At Loubart Clothing Shop. My guardian, Lady Fellon, is a regular patron there."
"Good heavens! That place is famously expensive, isn't it?"
"Is it? I wouldn't know. No matter how many times I asked, they refused to tell me the price."
At that, Annabelle and the young ladies surrounding her let out gasps of envy. The story of a girl gaining a wealthy guardian and suddenly ascending the social ladder was the ultimate fantasy for young noblewomen.
Harriet exchanged light pleasantries, garnering a suitable amount of admiration, then pretended to browse the bazaar while scanning the crowd for someone who might pick a fight.
Her goal today was to create a buzz. 'Nice' conversations held little value for her current plans.
Just then, a group of young women on the far side of the garden caught her eye, drawing the attention of the entire venue.
Found them.
Harriet, a faint smile playing on her lips, calmly walked in their direction. She took a slightly circuitous route, making it appear as though she wasn't heading directly for them.
"Oh? Harriet Listerwell?"
Caroline, who was clinging to Bella’s side, recognized her instantly.
Thank you, Caroline. I knew you wouldn't miss me.
As Harriet wore a triumphant internal smile, the gazes of Bella’s entire circle shifted toward her. Harriet feigned a slight look of surprise, then offered a sweet smile and a graceful nod.
"Oh, Bella! It’s been quite a while. How have you been?"
Bella was still beautiful. True to her title as the 'Golden Rose of Genoa,' she shone brightly.
However, the moment Harriet greeted her, Bella’s eyes widened in genuine shock. She quickly masked it with her usual hypocritical mask.
"Harriet! My goodness, you’ve become so beautiful I almost didn't recognize you!"
"My skin has improved quite a bit, but surely not to the point of being unrecognizable?"
"Well... you used to struggle so much with your complexion."
Bella was clearly trying to remind everyone of Harriet’s past appearance, but that was precisely what Harriet wanted.
"Indeed. The doctors told me it was a 'lifelong affliction.' But as it turns out, there is a way to cure it after all."
"Really?"
"Yes. And that secret is—oh! I’m so sorry. Your friends are right here, and I’m rambling on about trifles. Please, forgive me. Have a wonderful day."
Harriet apologized as if she had overstayed her welcome, then turned and walked back toward the tents.
She could feel their gazes piercing her back.
When a conversation is cut short, people naturally become curious—even if they weren't interested to begin with.
Moreover, fair, clear skin was a beauty standard coveted by every noblewoman in the kingdom. Among Bella’s friends, there were several who wore thick layers of makeup to hide acne and blemishes; they were undoubtedly dying to know what came after "And that secret is..."
Sure enough, the moment Harriet left, Bella’s friends began whispering urgently.
"How did her skin get so clear?"
"Didn't she say there was a way to cure it? What was it?"
They were desperate to know, but they couldn't follow Harriet to ask. They were Bella’s friends, and Harriet was, for all intents and purposes, Bella’s enemy—the girl who had put Bella in a difficult position and showed no remorse.
There was no way Bella hadn't noticed their expressions.
Harriet Listerwell. What have you done?
Bella was just as shaken by Harriet’s transformation. She had dismissed her friends' earlier fussing, thinking, It’s just Harriet, what’s the big deal? That made today’s encounter even more of a shock.
There were no traces of the past hives or acne on Harriet’s skin.
After all the effort I put into making her look like that!
The effort she had invested in ruining Harriet’s skin had been nothing short of an obsession.
She had meticulously researched which foods triggered Harriet’s allergies and subtly laced her meals with them. After confirming that Harriet would break out if she ate greasy foods, Bella would personally serve her meat and fried dishes under the pretense of 'needing to eat heartily.'
Discovering a toner with ingredients that irritated Harriet’s skin had been a stroke of luck, but ensuring that only products containing those specific ingredients were supplied to Harriet afterward had been Bella’s deliberate work.
All that effort, over such a long time, crumbling in just one year? How is this possible?
She had believed that even if the skin healed, the scars would remain. She had been certain Harriet would never be beautiful.
"She really has become lovely."
Someone’s whispered remark pierced Bella’s ears like a needle. It made her stomach churn, dragging up memories of the days when everyone’s eyes had been on Harriet instead of her.
Bella forced a smile as bright as summer sunshine and turned to her friends.
"Oh! Speaking of skin, I recently tried Labonaz’s new cream. It’s incredibly moisturizing and smells wonderful."
"Labonaz cream? I heard it was so popular it’s been sold out for weeks!"
"Really? I received it as a gift, so..."
"From whom?"
The conversation quickly shifted, with Bella reclaiming her lead. The items she used were always a topic of intense interest, especially if they were expensive and rare.
Having skillfully returned to the center of the group, Bella offered her envious friends a modest smile—all while gritting her teeth in silent fury.