Chapter 8

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“What are you thinking? What the hell are you thinking!!”

Sharchen took the comb from the maid who was tidying her hair and threw it on the floor angrily. Eliana was different from Karman’s former wives. There seemed to be a plan. But Sharchen’s head couldn’t quite comprehend it.

“Cheap! Low! Dirty! Rusty!”

Sharchen purposely cursed Eliana’s flashy outfit, which never left her head. I wanted to. Otherwise, she thought she would admit first with her mouth that Eliana was beautiful.

The fabric was one she had seen before. Obviously, it was a dull color that could make jackets for soldiers.

But how did it become such a rich and beautiful dress? The waist was tight and the chest was full. The skirt that spread wide under the cute hips looked lovely. It was a completely different style from what was popular in the social world.

Of course, it was Sharchen’s innocence that dominated the social world today. Everyone was inferior in order to look pure, thinner, and whiter. Light-colored lace and frills were standard. Hair ornaments were also tied together, tied in half, or pulled down to one side and braided very thinly. But Eliana broke them all.

The fine-grained hair was raised in abundance, and colorful decorations were inserted. And her makeup. It was clear and colorful unlike the makeup method that made the ladies as transparent and white as possible. It was a color that anyone could see first. Yet, it was neither too much nor vulgar.

“D*mn it, d*mn it!”

Sharchen stepped on her hairbrush. It was excruciating to see Eliana at every supper. Karman’s gaze also paused at Eliana at times. It was something he had never done to his previous wives because.

“How could this be?”

Karman Hunter’s gaze, his touch, and everything he had belonged to Sharchen. He had never once trembled. But this time it was different. Sharchen could feel that Karman was shaken. 

“What did Lujan report?”

She sharpened her eyes and looked at her maid, May. May lowered her eyes and replied familiarly.

“Lujan said the Baroness enjoys secret meetings with Guard Joseph at the library. Besides, she knew Lujan was a spy, so she hired a new maid. The new maid is a person brought from her parents’ home. And she is getting rid of Lujan.”

“Lujan, you stupid b*tch! She should have acted without being obvious!” 

“She said that if she proves her loyalty, she can stay with the Baroness. But if Lujan can’t prove it, she’ll be fired after the social party.”

“You don’t think she will come back to me, do you?”

“Of course. I think you should give her a slightly bigger severance pay to keep her silent.”

“It’s still useful, but how do you get that stupid b*tch to stick with Eliana? Prove what! D*mn it!”

“…”

“Bring a dressmaker. I need a new dress to feel better.”

“Lady, you are spending too much this month.”

“Shut up! May! Have you forgotten who I am? I’m going to be the hostess of this baron’s house. What did Karman say about my money?”

“No. There isn’t, but… the difference with the Baroness is too stark.”

Slap! The maid narrowed her shoulders at the sound of friction that cut through the air. Maid May’s head turned. With red marks on her cheek.

“Don’t call that woman ‘Baroness’. The Baroness is me!”

Sharchen said hysterically. She should have been by Karman’s side earlier. However, her family did not accept Sharchen, who had no roots, and even tried to kill her.

In order to survive, she went through the adoption process and entered Karman’s family register, but Sharchen never thought of herself as his foster daughter. She was a Baroness from beginning to end. Karman’s wife, who would become the hostess of this family.

Sharchen snorted, but May continued to speak in an unshakable tone.

“I made a mistake. I’m sorry, madam.”

“Call the dressmaker right now! She will adorn it with the finest pearls and jewels. She will make a dress that no one else has!”

Sharchen roared loudly as if stimulated by Eliana. All the maids in Sharchen’s room knew her true appearance and shut their mouths in fear.

The ones who did not belong to Sharchen only thought that she was kind and lovely. They were also envious of the maids assigned to Sharchen. May, the maid, was by far the subject of envy. In reality, May was the person who had to see the hysterical aspect of Sharchen the most.

May bowed down to Sharchen and left the room. Then straight away, she headed to Karman Hunter’s office.

Sharchen didn’t know. May, who entered this barony before her, was Karman’s person.

***

“What about Sharchen?”

“I think Eliana Rose could be a good stimulus. Lady Sharchen is emotionally aroused right now, but I’m sure there will be more realizations in the future.”

“Your face? Did Sharchen do that?”

“It was my fault. I called Eliana Rose ‘Baroness’ in front of Lady Sharchen.”

“Was that a mistake?”

“It was a mistake.”

May said sternly. She had always been on Sharchen’s side. It wasn’t for emotional reasons. It was because it was the way she could keep this position as the head maid. Even though Karman seemed to want something objective, he wanted someone who would be on Sharchen’s side. May knew it well. Karman sighed as he looked at the red swelling on May’s cheek.

“Did she tell you to bring a dressmaker again?”

“It looks like she doesn’t like the dress she’s going to wear to the social party.”

“Do whatever Sharchen wants. Then she’ll get her reason back a little faster.” 

Karman continued, as if giving up a bit. May replied yes and left his office quickly.

“It’s all because of the Baroness. If she keeps stimulating that gentle Sharchen, this is bound to happen! Even today! She even did such a shameful thing in the library!” (Karman)

“Pepe.”

“Yes, Baron.”

“It’s noisy.”

“….”

Karman looked outside after shutting his chattering lips. Eliana Rose smiled brightly and held the guard’s arm. She leaned her head against him as if she was happy. She definitely saw Karman, but she didn’t seem too concerned.

Even if the husband himself saw the scene clearly. At her over confidence, Karman was at a loss for words. Why did he feel stuffy? Karman couldn’t understand his own feelings.

At each dinner, Eliana wore a different dress. Although she liked dressing up, Eliana spent only a small amount, less than 1/10 of what Sharchen spent.

Eliana was living the life of a perfect baroness without him, making dresses and going to and from the library every day with Benny, her personal maid. The other wives did not. Everyone wanted Karman’s love, disassembled, or grieved. But Eliana Rose was different. It was only one day that she was embarrassed. It was the first night of their wedding.

Pepe, the butler, who had left the office without noticing, sneaked back inside.

“That… Baron.”

“I said it was noisy.”

“I think you should listen to this.”

Karman looked at Pepe, the butler. He continued with his lips curled slightly in contrast to his fat body.

“They say the Baroness is interested in Gillian Hutt.”

“What?”

Karman slammed the desk and stood up. Gillian Hutt was his enemy. He was also the older brother of his ex-wife, Helen.

“Where do you get that information?”

“Information I bought with money from Guard Joseph.”

“Ha!”

Karman was dumbfounded. Did Eliana know that the man she was so happy with and held hands sold her information for money?

Eliana Rose was as stupid as smart. Maybe he should tell her this, Karman thought. No, she deserved it because she was evil. 

Karman sat back on the chair. Then he didn’t say anything. Gillian Hutt, why? What does she want with him? Doubts towards Eliana did not diminish. It only increased day by day.

“Let’s do some more research.”

“Yes. All right. Baron.”

He couldn’t stand still and watch the woman who kept making him curious. Karman thought something was changing inside of him, but he tried to ignore it.

It was just a simple curiosity, Karman thought so and kept his gaze outside. He just looked at the empty garden where no one was passing by, and the face of Eliana Rose, who was smiling brightly, came to his mind.

***

While Sharchen and Karman were concentrating on her, Eliana was writing a letter. The letter, written in a polite handwriting, was to Helen Hutt.

It was an ardent sentiment about how devastated she was when she joined the baron family, and how much traces Helen left behind had helped her.

In fact, all Helen had left behind was a diary of her love for Karman, a few accessories, and the plants she had grown. Eliana did a great job in collecting the traces.

Helen Hutt was a gentle, innocent woman. A woman best suited to the term ‘good wife’. Even though she had already been married once, men still wanted her because of her grace. But she didn’t accept anyone else because of her love for Karman.

Eliana thought it was foolish, but at the same time, Helen was truly pitiful. All the women used and abandoned in this stupid role play. Eliana had no desire to become such a passing supporting character. This letter will probably be read first by Gillian Hutt. A letter from the barony to his beloved sister. He wouldn’t deliver it to Helen.

Because of this, from the beginning, this letter was written for both Gillian and Helen.

The end of the letter was an invitation. It was almost like an appeal to come to this social party as a stepping stone for Helen to step into the social world again. It also contained the ardent desire to repay the favor.

Eliana put the letter in an envelope and poured red sealing wax. Then she pressed it down with a stamp bearing the seal of the baron’s family. The Hunter family pattern was clearly engraved on the red wax. Eliana Rose looked at the seal and smiled. 

“Ha.”

Eliana hummed, blowing once over the hardening wax.