Guidelines for the Perfect Goodbye - Chapter 178

Understanding his wife’s deeper intentions, the viscount clapped his hands together.

“Wise indeed!”

He quickly added before his wife’s pride could swell too much.

“It would have been even better if you had been wise sooner!”

A sharp glare was sent his way, one that the viscount secretly enjoyed.

“So, as I’m not the host, I’ll just…”

“Are you going to bed?”

“…”

“Surely not.”

Of course not. There’s no way a nocturnal owl like him would go to bed so early.

He probably just wanted to escape this dull party as quickly as possible.

When the viscountess crossed her arms and pouted, he scratched his thinning hair with an awkward smile.

“Don’t misunderstand. I’m just planning to share a drink with an old friend I haven’t seen in a while.”

“Oh, the ‘friend’ who’s been staying at our house but didn’t show his face at the party?”

“Don’t speak so harshly. He’s probably staying out of sight to be considerate of you.”

“Considerate, my foot.”

The viscount leaned in and whispered gently to his pouting wife.

“He comes from a complicated background. He’s likely worried that showing his face might drag our family into gossip.”

“…”

“Considering that today’s party is, in a way, a challenge to the Duke’s family… his appearance could have put us in a difficult position.”

In the end, there wasn’t anyone to spread rumors about him since the party was so empty. His friend likely hadn’t expected the party to be so deserted.

“Please, be understanding.”

“…”

The viscountess gave a small nod.

Viscount Odridge left a goodnight kiss on his wife’s cheek and went upstairs.

He probably planned to spend the night drinking with his young friend, using the leftover food as snacks.

“His background…”

Left alone, she pondered the background of her husband’s friend.

Though she had spoken harshly in the heat of the moment, it was true that he was in no position to show up at a noble’s party.

After all, he was the illegitimate son of Duke Pierce.

Had he shown up early at the party, he might have succeeded in flustering Viscountess Lope, but it could have come at a much higher price.

He had considered something she hadn’t thought of, and for that, she was grateful.

‘I’ve been so short-sighted.’

She scolded herself. After all, it was her short-sightedness that led her to lend money to that frivolous woman.

‘It wasn’t a small amount, either…’

She had met Viscountess Lope at a party hosted by a certain countess recently. That day, she had gone to the party with her mind firmly set.

But Viscountess Lope had simply ignored her, walking away without even a greeting!

She understood why Viscountess Lope avoided her—debtors without the means to repay often did—but not even a word of apology? Sure, maybe she was too embarrassed to apologize.

But at the very least, she shouldn’t have turned the tables and ostracized her instead. After the fallout with Viscountess Lope, Viscountess Odridge lost several connections in the capital’s social circles. Viscountess Lope had intentionally isolated her.

Losing the money was less shocking than that.

As her husband had said, money can always be earned back. The Odridge Viscountcy wasn’t a household that quibbled over small sums, and if Viscountess Lope had begged earnestly, she might have let the debt go.

‘And she has the nerve to flaunt herself just because she married off her daughter!’

Not all viscountcies were the same. The Lope Viscountcy had fallen so low that they had sold off their capital townhouse and countryside manor, leaving only the title.

Now, after marrying off her daughter well, she was strutting around with her nose in the air.

“How ridiculous.”

Viscountess Odridge fumed as she recalled the party where she had first been snubbed.

Then she looked around at her own desolate party venue. A bitter taste filled her mouth.

Maybe she should have just gone inside, as her husband suggested…

She shifted uncomfortably in her chair, glued there by stubborn pride. There was no point in staying at a party without guests, and she was only growing more tired.

She decided to stay just ten more minutes and then start wrapping things up.

At that moment, she heard the half-asleep doorman’s groggy voice.

“Who did you say you were? Rosencrantz?”

Viscountess Odridge whipped her head around.

“What? The Marchioness of Rosencrantz is here?”