~Chapter 123~
As soon as the article about Harriet was published in the newspapers, Bella was bombarded with worried questions from everyone around her.
“I heard Harriet was summoned to the royal palace. It must be because she deceived the royal family.”
“I heard she was seen leaving the Duke Kailas’s mansion the other day. The Duchess is said to use that soap a lot, so she must be really angry.”
“Ugh, what if this causes trouble for your family?”
In the short time since the news spread, Bella’s friends had gathered all sorts of gossip and news, and they shared everything they knew with her.
‘Harriet must be losing her mind by now. It’s not an entirely made-up story, so she’ll have no excuses left.’
Bella couldn’t help but feel like laughing. She was enjoying the situation, as it was going exactly the way she had hoped. The fact that she couldn’t witness Harriet’s pale face in person was her only complaint.
Of course, she didn’t show any of this outwardly to her friends.
“I don’t understand why everyone is so angry. What’s wrong with Harriet being the owner of that company?”
“Bella! How can you be so naïve? The problem isn’t that she’s the owner. The problem is…”
“What is it then?”
“Until now, Clarissa was portrayed as a brand made by St. Clarissa Monastery. People bought it thinking they were supporting the monastery and orphans.”
But in reality, for the nobility, the connection between Clarissa and the monastery wasn’t the most important thing. How many people truly bought the products with the intention of helping?
But Bella made it sound as if there were many people with good intentions, people who felt deeply betrayed, and she made sure the article reflected that.
As a result, people were starting to believe they too had bought Clarissa products with good intentions, like they were helping the monastery.
“Do you really think Harriet kept all the profits for herself? She must have helped the monastery as well.”
“She made a lot of money and even attended the Anghelic parties. I heard she spent 100,000 dirhams in one night there.”
“Anghelic parties? What kind of parties are those? Are they just regular parties?”
“Don’t even ask. It’s a place where shameless and perverse things happen openly! No wonder she’s a fallen woman…”
As the talk of Harriet’s degradation continued, Bella suddenly burst into tears, the tears she had been holding back.
“D-don’t say things like that! Harriet’s not like that! She just went down the wrong path for a while, but she’ll come back! I know it!”
As Bella buried her face in her handkerchief and cried, her friends looked at her with pity and patted her back. None of them saw how Bella was secretly laughing behind the handkerchief.
When Bella finally stopped crying, someone spoke up in an attempt to change the mood.
“Enough of this gloomy talk, any good news?”
“Ah! Next week, at the royal banquet, Duke Kailas is coming! His close friend, Lord Dawson, is coming too.”
Everyone’s eyes sparkled at the mention of the popular men in high society attending the banquet.
Harriet’s scandal was quickly forgotten, as it didn’t matter to them anymore. The focus shifted back to the royal event.
“Who do you think Duke Kailas will marry? What would it be like to be the wife of such a perfect man?”
“Oh, I think I’d find it too burdensome. People would expect the Duchess to be perfect.”
“Right. And to keep up with his looks, you’d have to be someone like Bella.”
Everyone nodded in agreement, but then a noble lady cautiously spoke up.
“I actually prefer Lord Dawson over Duke Kailas.”
“Ah! Me too! I totally fell for his charming and gentlemanly attitude!”
Edgar, who had returned from studying abroad for two years, was now even more mischievous and charming. Everyone who spoke with him immediately liked him.
While he didn’t have the same serious air as before, he didn’t seem overly light-hearted either. His sharp eyes and thoughtful manners, unnoticed by most, were part of his appeal.
“Who do you think will dance with whom at the banquet?”
Someone asked, and everyone exchanged knowing looks, all blushing, secretly wishing it would be them.
Bella found it all amusing.
‘Do they not even look in the mirror, or have they lost their sense of reality?’
She had only just managed to catch James Cheslow herself.
“Oh! Bella, you’ll be dancing with Lord Cheslow at the banquet, right? It’s your first big event since your engagement?”
Bella snapped out of her thoughts, nodded bashfully, then quickly put on a worried expression.
“I heard Daphne Laurel will be there too. I’m worried it might be an awkward atmosphere.”
“We’ll protect you, don’t worry. Everyone will see how well you match with Lord Cheslow.”
“Thank you.”
Bella smiled as if touched, but in truth, she was genuinely looking forward to the royal banquet.
She would enter as James’s fiancée, and all eyes would be on her, while Daphne would likely avoid her.
‘Harriet won’t even be able to show her face.’
But secretly, Bella hoped Harriet would attend the banquet. That way, she could watch the once-defeated Harriet stumble once again. For Bella, that was the most enjoyable kind of entertainment.
***
The much-anticipated royal banquet was held with the vibrant energy of spring in the air.
Although it was the smallest of the royal banquets held throughout the year, the season made the atmosphere exceptionally pleasant.
Cedric, who was exchanging greetings with acquaintances, was nudged by Edgar standing next to him.
“Hey, look over there.”
Edgar pointed with his chin, and Cedric looked to see James and Bella entering the banquet hall, arms linked.
James had a triumphant look on his face, and Bella looked dazzling. Perhaps it was because of the dress she was wearing.
“Wow, are those diamonds on her dress real?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well, knowing her, she wouldn’t be wearing fake gems. But do you think she asked her father for that dress?”
“…”
“No, right? James Cheslow must’ve bought it for her. So, they must be getting married soon.”
Cedric didn’t answer. Why waste his thoughts on people he wasn’t interested in?
But Edgar, whose habit was to find important information in even the smallest details, couldn’t stop talking as he analyzed their appearance.
“If I’m not going to have a romance like James Cheslow’s, I won’t even bother starting.”
“Right.”
“Hey, this is about a friend. At least show some interest.”
Edgar playfully whined.
And then, as if on cue, Daphne Laurel made her entrance, like the star of a play.
Bella was dazzling, but Daphne wasn’t behind at all. In fact, since she hadn’t been seen much in society recently, her beauty seemed even more striking.
People quickly glanced between Bella and Daphne.
Two of the most beautiful women in society, both once engaged to the same man. What a tantalizing sight!
“Wow, the timing of Daphne’s entrance is a bit off, right?”
“Why? It’s not like we have to avoid her just because Bella’s here. And besides, it’s Daphne Laurel.”
“…You’re right, Cedric. There’s no reason to avoid her.”
Edgar nodded and continued to observe the situation.
Daphne, who had come with her parents, briefly stiffened when she saw James and Bella ahead, but quickly smiled and exchanged greetings with others.
In fact, it was James who seemed more unsettled than Daphne.
“That… that’s strange… Looks like he’s regretting it now.”
“Still talking about other people’s love lives?”
“What could be more interesting than this? Look at James Cheslow’s face change as soon as he saw Daphne.”
Edgar’s words were spot on.
Just moments ago, James had been so absorbed in his own ego, feeling proud to have the most beautiful woman in society as his fiancée. But now, his eyes were fixed on Daphne.
“If this goes on, he’s going to lose both of them.”
“Bella Listerwell won’t lose him. Unless someone better comes along.”
Cedric reflected on the information he had gathered about the Listerwell family, and Edgar nodded with a smirk.
As the head of Cloud and a top information gatherer, Edgar could clearly see the complex dynamics and feelings at play in this triangle.
“This is getting interesting.”
