I Was Meant to Be the Evil Wife, But the Cold Marquis Fell for Me - Chapter 5

Elina, a maid of the Elsdean household, was furious.

(What is with that woman? Why doesn’t she get angry…?)

That night, curled up in her bed in the maids’ quarters, Elina squirmed with frustration.

It had been an accident that she nearly hit Liliana with the vase. The water and flowers splashing all over her had been pure chance.

But the sight had been hilarious.

Elina had expected Liliana to explode in rage. Instead, she had calmly smoothed things over.

It was the housekeeper who scolded Elina, an hour-long lecture that left her thoroughly chastised.

During that scolding, Elina kept thinking:

(This isn’t right.)

In the novel, Liliana would have lashed out furiously. Bullying servants was one of her few hobbies.

So, Elina had tried again. Slipping a bug into Liliana’s soup during serving. She hated touching it, but forced herself.

Yet when Liliana found the insect, she didn’t scream.

(Anyone else would have!)

If it had been Elina, she would have raged, demanded the chef’s dismissal, ordered all the dishes replaced, even commanded a new kitchen. That was her right.

Elina had planned to whisper afterward: “Madam put the bug in herself.”

If asked why, she would say: “Perhaps to torment the servants.”

Rumors would spread, suspicions would grow, and Liliana’s reputation would crumble.

But instead, Liliana had stayed calm, called the chef, praised the other dishes, and only warned that if anyone especially the marquis fell ill, it would be disastrous. The chef had even been moved by her words.

If Elina accused her now, she would only be dismissed as a liar. Worse, she might be removed from her post or even fired. That would ruin her plan to destroy Liliana’s reputation.

So, she held her tongue.

(Why won’t she scream and rage like a proper villainess?!)

The story demanded it. Without it, Elina’s plan “Liliana is too wicked, so she’s cast out, and Elina becomes the beloved marchioness” would fail.

(She’s unfit to be the marquis’s wife! It’s me who will be with Lord Rei!)

Elina knew the truth: this was the world of the novel she had read in her previous life. And she was the heroine, the maid Elina.

She would marry Leivis, awaken her saintly powers, and be adored by all.

She had realized this when she first saw the gloomy Liliana arrive. In that moment, she saw clearly the future: Liliana becoming a villainess, tormenting servants, taking lovers, embezzling funds, sending money to her family. And Leivis, disgusted, finally noticing Elina by his side.

They would fall in love, be bound by true love, and surrounded by wonderful children.

A happy, happy, happy ending.

(I won’t let her ruin my story!!)

But Liliana was not behaving as expected.

(Does she lack the courage to even get angry? She’s hopeless at everything.)

Elina fumed. If Liliana couldn’t even bully servants, then Elina would have to find another way to ruin her reputation. It was a difficult mission, but she had to make divorce easier for Leivis.

(For Lord Rei, I’ll do my best.)

She loved him! For his looks, his status, and the thrill of being the only one he treated sweetly. It filled her with pride and promised a luxurious life.

“—Elina.”

As she tried to sleep, Anne, her roommate, spoke. The maids’ quarters were shared, and Anne had always been her roommate.

“Anne? What’s wrong? Can’t sleep?” Elina smiled.

Anne’s eyes were cool. “You’ve been too distracted lately. Your room’s messy too.”
“…Really?”

Elina brushed it off. She had remembered the novel, after all. A little neglect of chores was nothing. Anne wouldn’t understand.

“And you carried the soup, didn’t you? Didn’t you notice the bug?”

“…”

Was Anne suspicious of her? Of her, the heroine?

Elina forced a bright smile.

“I didn’t notice at all!” she said cheerfully, tilting her head.

“Anyway, Madam wasn’t angry, so it’s fine.”

Anne said nothing more. Elina turned her back and burrowed into bed.

(Such a serious girl. And to think she’s supposed to be my ally, yet she talks like she suspects me. When I become marchioness, I’ll have her dismissed.)