IWDFLSB 36

CHAPTER 36……………………………………….

When Liandro told me that Countess Wallace was waiting for me at the restaurant, I knew it had come.

The moment to carry out the plan I had been preparing for had finally arrived.

The Wallace family—people who had always been a burden and would continue to hold me back.

It was obvious that they would side with Liandro during the trial. The fact that Liandro had lent them money could easily be used to their advantage, as proof of how devoted he was to his wife.

A pitiful thought. And yet, I—the one most affected—had gained nothing from that money.

“To win the trial, I first need to deal with the Wallaces.”

Otherwise, I risked being painted as an ungrateful daughter, a wife never satisfied with her attentive husband, and completely disregarding her parents’ positions.

How could I prevent such a disaster while turning public perception in my favor? The answer was simple.

Expose everything. All the atrocities the Wallace family committed against me—Idel Wallace.

“This is… unbelievable.”

Liandro frowned, facing the unexpected situation.

I clutched my bright-red cheek and burst into tears.

“It’s too much, Mother…”

Tears gushed out immediately. I wasn’t a genius actress, but it wasn’t hard to do.

“That hurts like hell!”

The cheek I had slapped myself stung terribly. I should have been gentler. Still, the pain made the scene far more realistic.

“Y-You made me do the laundry… set the table, wash dishes, clean… even go shopping. I even worked diligently with paid needlework to help the household…”

I could feel the murmurs from beyond Liandro.

They’re thinking, “She made her daughter do all that?”

Even for commoners, forcing children to do so much household labor counts as abuse. For nobles, who normally assign hard labor to servants, this was shocking.

“And yet, what is it about me that you don’t like so much that you keep hurting me? You whip me, hit me with your hands, kick me…”

Even assault!

“And marriage… I didn’t even want to marry, but you forced me…”

“Good heavens! Marriage too?!”

As Robbie repeated my words, the murmuring grew louder.

“…I didn’t ask him to play the provocateur.”

I had only asked him to gather Liandro and the others near the door to overhear our conversation.

I knew from experience and Idel’s diaries that Countess Wallace, when frustrated with her daughter, would always resort to the most familiar and convenient form of discipline: violence.

People don’t change easily. That her daughter married into a prestigious family or that many people were nearby meant nothing to her.

Idel had always been someone to be controlled and disciplined for her entire life.

Countess Wallace reacted exactly as expected, and so did the others.

“F-Forced to marry…?”

I watched Liandro, stunned at the shocking revelation about my marriage.

Even a man so conscious of appearances overheard our conversation exactly as I intended, as Robbie relayed the details.

“The atmosphere inside is strange! If anything happens, Viscount, please intervene!”

Magical words. They satisfy curiosity while giving a pretense of helping, easing guilt.

Liandro, who did not wish for the divorce, was probably the most eager to see how well Countess Wallace could persuade me.

Robbie delivered a similar message to other restaurant guests. They likely gathered near the door, curious to witness what was unfolding.

The divorce of Viscount Cassius had become the socialite world’s hottest topic, drawing immense curiosity.

Luckily, Liandro arranged the perfect setting.

The Wallace family, ready to berate me, and numerous witnesses to watch it all unfold.

Sharon’s colleagues, monitoring Cassius, had reported that Liandro contacted the Wallace family. Since there had been no news for a while, I had been anxious.

But it was fine—I didn’t need to approach them first.

I pinched my thigh to suppress a laugh and threw myself into my performance.

“I didn’t want to marry a man I barely even met… I told you over and over that the Cassius family scared me, but you ignored me!”

In reality, I had agreed because marriage was a way out of that household, but the truth didn’t matter now.

“You said I had to marry so our family could live well, so our debts could be repaid… sob.”

I pretended to cry bitterly, tilting my head down, and sympathetic murmurs arose.

“I heard the Wallace family owed a lot of debt?”

“No matter what, selling off your daughter?”

“Oh dear, how terrible. But the Cassius family is a bit frightening, after all.”

The three men had often tormented Riena… the reputation of the demon ducal family had a long history, so many feared the Cassiuses.

Finally, Countess Wallace tried to refute.

“W-What are you saying?! You were fine with it then!”

“Mother, Father, and Samuel all nagged me relentlessly to marry!”

But it didn’t matter. Compared to my performance, her excuse sounded like the culprit’s feeble justification.

“Tsk, shameless.”

“Not even a hint of shame, huh.”

After witnessing the horrific scream of Countess Wallace moments ago, no one believed her words.

A young noblewoman, excited, pointed to my reddened cheek.

“She made someone’s face look like that!”

Public perception is powerful. No one had seen the Countess hit me, yet she was already labeled the abuser.

This was why I had slapped my own cheek—to create visible evidence in front of everyone.

Though angry, Countess Wallace was unlikely to strike me for real. She would have had to explain the resulting injury to Liandro.

Vineta and Robbie didn’t care, but for the same nobility, especially Cassius, no one wanted it revealed that she hit her daughter.

In the past, she hit Idel only on areas hidden by clothing.

…Idel had endured it quietly, but now, I was in her place.

“I did laundry, cooked meals, even got married… yet Mother still does not change. I was mistaken to think I could earn your love by doing better.”

Tears streamed endlessly as I staggered to my feet.

I imagined the child who once sobbed silently somewhere in the Wallace estate. I approached, meeting her eyes.

Idel, honestly, I don’t know if this is the path you wanted. I am not you, so I cannot know. Perhaps you would have continued loving your family and stayed by their side despite all this humiliation.

But…

This is my choice. If I were you, I would have acted like this.

“I will no longer live according to my mother’s will. I will choose my own life.”

At that moment, every gaze in the room turned to me.

“From today onward, I abandon the Wallaces.”

“Ouch… that hurts.”

“You hit too hard.”

Vineta spoke as I rubbed my face with an ice pack Sharon had given me.

We were in the carriage returning to Terrence’s secret villa. The coachman, of course, was also a discreet employee hired by Terrence.

“I’ve never slapped anyone’s cheek before, so I didn’t realize I had so much strength.”

“Did you achieve your goal?”

I had briefly explained my plan to her on the way to the hotel.

“Hmm, enough to endure this pain, yes.”

“That’s good to hear.”

The commotion at the hotel restaurant had been temporarily resolved by Liandro.

After quickly managing the situation, he left with Countess Wallace, clearly judging that further exposure would do no good.

The Countess, dazed after hearing my declaration of severance, wanted to speak more, but had no choice but to follow him. His expression left little room for argument.

Before they left, I recalled the brief conversation I had with Liandro.

“Madam, I don’t know what to say…”

“Do you now understand? What it meant when you brought my mother here to persuade me?”

“I had no idea you had such circumstances!”

“You simply didn’t care about me.”

“No! I…”

“Liandro, you must have been informed that I consistently avoided my family.”

“….”

“And yet you didn’t notice? With just a little attention, you could have guessed easily. My affairs were trivial to a busy Viscount like you.”

Liandro had no reply and left as if fleeing. What a ridiculous man.

Before long, the carriage arrived at the villa.

“The final hurdle remains,” Vineta, escorting me down, suddenly said.