Chapter 60
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 60
Bathed in sunlight by the window, the tea table was a vision of elegance. It was adorned with a vase holding a mix of red berry branches and lush green conifers, charming teacups, and delectable desserts resting under delicate glass domes.
Her previous tea party, to which she had invited many, had felt more like staging an 'event.' Back then, she had focused on an impeccable, curated presentation rather than her own tastes. Today’s gathering, however, was a private social affair, and she had filled it with things she truly enjoyed.
How long had it been since she had felt such leisure and joy?
‘I never thought I’d be allowed to feel this kind of happiness again...’
Faint memories of her life with her parents resurfaced. Pretty clothes and shoes, parties tailored to her liking, kind friends, and the freedom she had once enjoyed as if it were her birthright.
Bella had stripped it all away.
‘Yes, I’ll take them back, one by one. Just as Bella took them from me.’
Just then, a maid announced Viviana’s arrival. It was time to steal Bella’s friend.
“Welcome, Miss Viviana. I’ve been waiting for you.”
Harriet greeted her with the brightest expression she could muster.
“Thank you for inviting me, Miss Harriet.”
Viviana entered the room with a much more natural demeanor than when she had come to purchase the soap. After a slight hesitation, she approached Harriet and offered a light embrace. It was a promising start.
“I hope what I’ve prepared suits your taste, Miss Viviana.”
Harriet, feigning a touch of shyness, led her to the table.
The strawberry black tea from Eleanor’s Suite was currently the height of fashion among the young nobility. It was a refreshing blend, where dried raspberries and the scent of bergamot worked together to uplift the mood—though its deliciousness came with a devilishly high price tag.
‘If I had invited a crowd, I wouldn’t have been able to serve this,’ Harriet chuckled inwardly, noting the advantage of hosting only a single guest.
As Bella’s close associate, Viviana was well-versed in the latest trends, and she took to the tea immediately.
“How did you manage to get your hands on this? I heard the waiting list is months long.”
“I was simply lucky. They told me it sold out the very day after I bought it.”
The two savored the fresh aroma before digging into the freshly baked cake. After a long conversation about current trends and Saint Clarissa Soap & Herb, Harriet sensed Viviana’s guard had lowered. She subtly steered the conversation toward her true objective.
“But what exactly happened? I heard that you and Bella have cut ties.”
“Before we talk about that, I’d like to ask you something first,” Viviana replied, her chin lifting slightly. “What are people saying?”
Instead of being defensive, she was confrontational. Harriet feigned embarrassment but relayed the rumors exactly as they were: that Viviana had badmouthed Bella’s gift on the spot, that she hadn't offered a single apology—which had incensed their circle of friends—and that Bella had been caught in the middle, left in an awkward position.
Harriet considered mentioning Adam Hofner but decided against it, fearing it would wound Viviana’s pride too deeply.
As expected, Viviana’s temper flared.
“Ha! I badmouthed a gift? I’m neither rich enough nor bold enough to disparage such expensive products.”
“But they said you passed around Labonaz cream in the middle of the party?”
“Yes! Perhaps it was because talk of the soap you model for, Miss Harriet, was all anyone could hear at the venue.”
Viviana explained the full story: she had intended to give her own cream to a friend sitting next to her, as she didn't plan on using the product anyway. Caroline had then approached and scolded her for being tactless, and Bella’s expression had turned ice-cold.
Hearing the story, Harriet could piece together the truth.
‘It seems opening the shop that day really hit Bella where it hurt.’
Handing out gifts in the middle of a party was a move to silence the guests. Normally, Bella would have known how out of place and inconvenient such a gesture was. With her nerves already frayed, there was no way she would have looked kindly upon someone giving her gift away to another.
But Viviana, whom Harriet had once thought would be a simple pushover, was proving to be more than that.
“I did get a bit hot-headed then and blurted things out. I asked them, ‘Are we Bella’s bridesmaids?’ and ‘Why should I, a guest, have to worry about Bella’s moods?’”
Harriet was pleasantly surprised by Viviana’s boldness. Perhaps sensing Harriet’s shock, Viviana added an explanation.
“In that group, Bella is practically untouchable. I always defended her unconditionally, too. But if you really think about it, it’s a bit strange, isn't it?”
“You’re right. But why does everyone like Bella so much?”
“Well, Bella is always kind and gentle. She’s willing to help whenever someone is in trouble, and most of all...” Viviana glanced at Harriet, her voice dropping. “It’s often thanks to Bella that we get introduced to eligible men.”
Just as she thought.
A long-standing question was answered, but one piece of the puzzle remained. “But don’t those men have feelings for Bella?”
A long sigh escaped from across the table.
“You’re right. I was foolish. No matter how much my skin improved, to those men, I was just ‘that woman’ who bothered Bella.”
Adam Hofner, who had made Viviana endure such discomfort just to get soap from Harriet, had apparently sided with Bella that day as well, treating Viviana like a villainess.
“You must have been very upset.”
“I was. But in a way, I also feel relieved.”
“Relieved?”
“Yes. It seems I wanted to break free from Bella much more than I realized. Once I was out, I started to see that she wasn't the ‘perfect woman’ I’d imagined. She’s a hypocritical schemer.”
Harriet was genuinely stunned. Viviana had already begun to see through the mask. The persuasive words Harriet had prepared were no longer necessary.
Harriet took a deep breath. For some reason, her heart was pounding.
“Miss Harriet? Are you alright?”
“Yes, I’m fine. It’s just... Miss Viviana, you said exactly what I’ve longed for someone to understand. I suppose I’m a bit overwhelmed.”
Her voice wavered as she tried to compose herself. Harriet squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them, looking directly at Viviana.
“Do you want to hear what the real Bella Listerwell is like?”
The question caught Viviana off guard. She knew that whatever Harriet was about to say would likely be a scathing indictment of Bella. It was a test—a question of whether her friendship with Bella was truly dead, and whether she finally trusted Harriet.
“Yes,” Viviana said firmly. “I want to hear it.”
“Whether you believe what I’m about to tell you is entirely up to you, Miss Viviana. I can’t force you. But please, just listen to the end.”
Harriet made the same request she had made to Catherine. She needed to be heard without being cut off, to ensure her intentions weren't mangled by more misunderstandings.
As Viviana nodded, Harriet began to expose Bella’s malice, piece by piece, stretching back to their childhood: how Bella had infiltrated Harriet’s social circle, how she had driven wedges between Harriet and her friends, how she had changed after Harriet’s parents died, and exactly what she had stolen.
And finally, she explained how and where the infamous title of ‘Scandal Maker’ had truly originated.
“Is that true?” Viviana asked, her voice nearly a scream, her eyes wide with shock.
“I swear before Lord Yawar, every word is true. Everyone thinks I’m dissolute and promiscuous, but in truth, I haven’t so much as shared a kiss—no, I haven’t even held a man’s hand.”
“Oh my goodness...! If that’s true, then Bella completely ruined your life, Miss Harriet!”
“I’ve waited for someone to say that for a very long time.”
Harriet had always imagined she would be overjoyed, perhaps even hysterical, when this moment finally came. But now that it was here, she felt only a profound sense of calm.
Viviana was shocked now, but she might still spread rumors tomorrow. She might even use Harriet’s confession as a peace offering to return to Bella’s good graces. Because of those possibilities, Harriet didn't let herself feel happy.
Still, having finally poured out the truth, she felt a weight lift from her chest.
Viviana remained frozen in shock, her hand clamped over her mouth. Her perception of Bella had been irrevocably shattered.
‘Even if we become strangers again tomorrow, if I’ve planted a single seed of doubt, then this was a success.’
Harriet turned her gaze quietly to the window, waiting for Viviana to find her voice.