The Wicked Wife’s Dark History Keeps Coming Back To Haunt Her - Chapter 140

When Rebecca received her grandfather’s letter, she had inwardly cursed him out, but now she realized it had been a very wise decision.

“Well, since it’s the first child I’ve ever sponsored, I’m quite attached to his work. I can’t easily make a decision.”

“If you ever decide to sell it, please be sure to let me know first. I will pay a price worthy of its value.”

“If I do decide to sell, I’ll be sure to do that.”

At that, Count Conwell glanced down at the arm set in a splint.

“…But how did the boy’s arm end up like that?”

“I heard he was in a carriage accident and his arm was crushed by a wheel.”

Rebecca gave the excuse she’d prepared in advance, briefly glancing down at Emil.

As soon as his arm was mentioned, the boy’s already pale face turned completely ashen.

“I know an excellent doctor. Why not have him take a look at the boy?”

A spark of hope flared in Emil’s eyes. But Rebecca clamped down on his shoulder, pinning him in place. It was a silent warning not to say a word.

“…He’s already been examined. Unfortunately, they say there’s nothing that can be done to fix it.”

Count Conwell gazed at Emil’s arm with a gloomy expression.

The thought that he’d never see a complete work from such a talented young artist—that the artist’s oeuvre would remain forever unfinished—was a disappointment.

Rebecca glanced past Count Conwell’s shoulder, the corners of her lips curling up slightly.

Duchess Bayern was watching from across the room with a dark expression.

She must be envious.

You wouldn’t find a ‘tool’ like this anywhere else.

The narrative she had crafted for Emil was infinitely more special than the story of the child Nina had rescued.

She may have lost to Nina at the charity event, but once this story spread, even Her Majesty the Empress would surely see her differently.

The shadow that fell over her pale face was due to her fear that she might soon return to the position of the loser.

As she watched Nina turn away and leave, Rebecca was savoring the feeling of victory—

“Laura?”

It was Countess Laura Bain, one of Rebecca’s regular tea party members.

She approached Laura and three other ladies, beaming brightly.

“Excuse us a moment. It’s just that I haven’t seen this friend in ages…”

Rebecca excused herself from the group, then turned to Laura with a deliberately friendly smile.

“Laura, it’s been so long. How have you been?”

“…To be honest, not so well.”

Laura frowned and let out a sigh.

“I think we’d better have a quiet chat among ourselves.”

There were plenty of quiet places to talk. The cloakroom, the gallery’s garden path, or even an empty reception room.

But where’s the fun in just being quiet?

Sharpening her malice inside, Rebecca led the group with a sweet smile toward the cloakroom.

“Lady Rebecca, have you heard?”

“Yes?”

Laura spoke as they entered the cloakroom.

“…Apparently, not long ago, Duke Bayern bought out an entire dress atelier and moved it to his house.”

Hearing the same story Marquis Dunklin had mentioned, Rebecca narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

“Are you sure that rumor is true?”

“I heard it directly from the madame at the atelier I usually use. Because of that, I had to place my orders elsewhere.”

“Oh my…”

“I was so upset when the Duchess bought up every design I wanted.”

Then another woman beside Laura spoke up.

“I’m in the same situation as Countess Bain. When I tried to place an order at my usual place, they said they wouldn’t be taking reservations for a while because the Duchess bought everything she took an interest in.”

At that, Laura sneered sardonically.

“…If you look at it this way, pregnancy really is something extraordinary. She must have tried so hard to share a bed with the Duke.”

Laura and the other women frowned in disgust.

Throwing yourself at your husband to seduce him, like some courtesan, was vulgar.

But the fact that such behavior had actually succeeded in producing the bloodline of House Bayern meant that, beneath their disgust, there lurked a base jealousy.

“Still, let’s not be too harsh on Duchess Bayern.”

Rebecca spoke pointedly, glancing slyly at the closed partition.

“Producing an heir is an important duty for a lady of rank—her desperation just proves that. Don’t you agree?”

Creeeak…

At that moment, the partition opened, and Nina, who had been listening inside, walked out with a blank expression.